RE: what traditional ml would be a good one to start with?
A good rifle is a T/C Renegade in .54 caliber. It is a do it all rifle and there are some excellent drop in barrels you can purchase for it down the road if you find you like the traditional route. They are accurate, easy to take care of, and a great customer service. Keep watch on the auction sites. Good used ones are on there and can often times be had for around $175-$250. And since you're starting with traditional, stick with the percussion cap models for now. Later, you can play with flintlocks.