a 270 or 25-06 would be a perfect choice for him.

If I were 12, I'd start with the lighter kicking calibers, 243 or 25-06. I think better shooting habits are to be had by starting with the lighter kicking guns, less or no flenching and no sore shoulder. At age 16-18 I'd move up to the larger calibers as my muscles and bone structure would now easily handle the kick and by now my shooting habits and skills will be well honed.

It's an excellent choice and unless he is a small kid, the recoil should be managable. It really isn't too bad. I hope he has as many good experiences with his .270 as I've had with mine.

A .270 with a lighter grain bullet would be good. My son at age 13 "graduated" from his .243 to a 30-06 that he won at a raffle. He insisted that he would use it for deer that year. I loaded some lighter loads with 150 grain bullets, and he was pleased at the bench, even though he wasn't a big kid for his age. He shot a nice 6 pointer that year. He was happy to tell all his hunting friends that he shot it with a 30-06!

try him on a 30-06, the he could easilly hunt anythin on the north american continent.

Unless your son has actual on-hand experience shooting the .270 and has proven that he can hit with it, I would advise against it. The recoil is a bit too sharp for a beginner, and will probably induce the habit of flinching. It is possible he is under the impression from friends an/or reading outdoor publications that a .243 is not a he-man's gun, which is not true by any means.

----"hard to beat---"

If your son can handle recoil the classic .270 is an excellent choice. I also agree with Dakota that the 25-06 is probably the closest thing that there is to a all around rifle. Maybe look at both before you make the decision.

TO firehawk532-
The 7600 is a very reliable rifle, but a full size pump action may be a bit awkward to handle for a 12yr old or smaller-framed people in general.

.270 will be a great choice for your son!!!