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The Ruger M77 comes in two general configurations.
The early models have a tang safety and a semi adjustable trigger and are considered "push feed". The later models, marked M77 mark II or similar, have a 3way safety ala Mauser and Win 70 and are "controlled" feed.
Early models have a sort of bad rep for so-so accuracy once in a while, Ruger used a contractor for barrels and sometimes you can get a bad one. Mine, BTW, have always been good and I've never heard of one that wouldn't go Minute of Deer, although some I hear were pretty lame for a name centerfire.
The M77-II's have Ruger made barrels and are across the board good shooters. The stainless synthetic Rugers are pretty near indestructible and make great hard use rifles. I actually like their ugly boat paddle stock. I think you could drive a nail with it. Too, I have always liked the plain, classic lines of their wood stocked rifles, no white spacers, funky combs or cheek pieces.
As to the .270 as a youth rifle.....I dunno. My 15 yr old, who has shot a lot, prefers the .243 as it kicks less. The .270 has a rep as shootable, likely due to the lighter 130 gr slug used in it for years. But the ctg is based on the '06 case, and w/ a 150 gr slug, I can't tell the difference between '06 and .270. (felt recoil) . You don't mention your brothers age, but if he's still in the .22/.410 stage, I'd hold off introducing him to full bore .270 just yet maybe.
Regards to hitting an 18" circle at range? That's a loaded question. With the correct come ups (scope settings) light wind, and a fair shooter, accurate rifle and load, etc, it could be done to 1000 yds fairly consistently with a bullet (the 150?) that could stay supersonic that far. By comparison, Its brother, the '06 was shot as a match ctg, and still is, to 600 in ATC courses using iron sights in the Garand.
But the typical sport bolt rifle, zeroed, say, 3" high at 100 yds, will be off your 18" circle by 400 yards if the shooter uses a center hold, as there would only be 9" of target left for the shot to fall into. A high hold, (12 oclock) would likely pick up the bottom third of the disc to near 500. This sort of thing is easily figured, there are charts, tables and programs for it, this is just off the top of my head.
