welcome to the forum. First thing you do is study the laws of your state and determine what is legal and not legal. Then decide for yourself what kind of muzzleloader you want. There is nothing wrong with even traditional rifles. All of them will get the job done. Last is look at your pocket book and decide how much you want to invest in this new hobby. Take into consideration, there is a lot more then just the rifle. There are projectiles, assorted tools, cleaners, lubes, loading items, scopes, mounts, bases, so all of that needs to be considered also...