All good advice... I really like the .270 but would not recommend it because you can get the 30.06 in many different grain bullets for many different situations, the ammo is cheap and widely available. Since it is your first gun and you don't reload consider that.

Also Duffy makes a real good point... If you are going to have shots under 200 yards you could easily get away with a 7mm-08 or .243 and save yourself some shoulder pain... This is also important as you start to build bad habits shooting a heavy recoil gun. That is why most people start their hunting experiences with a .22.

Biscuit Jake suggest using open sights... I know that I would never have been able to hit my first buck with them... I got way to excited and looking through a scope calmed me down. Something to think about.

Also if you get a gun with a poor trigger, you should get it gunsmithed. Bad triggers lead to jerking and poor shots especially with us beginers.

As duffy said we ussually all "fall in love" with our guns!!! Enjoy whatever you get and shoot the snot out of it!