It sounds to me like you need a good single shot 45-70. As I have said before $100 will buy 5# of blackpowder, primers, and a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights. This will easily yield you 500 rounds of 45-70. Just fill the case up with BP, lop off the excess with a butter knife, and seat a 405 grain cast bullet. Then shoot, shoot, shoot. Some people like the smokeless powder, and that is great too. But there is just something about that smell of BP.

This load will knock a deer right off his or her(politically correct)feet. Tom.