I did buy one from Cabela's during the sale. $100 after the rebate. Great gun for that money, but almost any gun would be a deal.

I have not done any experimenting, I've only shot 100 gr Pyrodex and Hornady 350 gr FPB bullets (full bore copper-jacketed conicals, no sabot). I sighted in at the range with 6 shots to get 2" high at 50 yds. I got 2, 1" groups with my last 4 bullets. Shot 3 deer with it last season, at 90, 35-40, and 75-80 yds. This particular load shoots through deer no problem and seems to leave decent blood trails. Mine have all been fairly short. 2 deer dropped in sight, and one went just over 100 yds, but was easy to track. I recommend this bullet for a beginner, as it takes one variable (the sabot)out of the equation.

The gun functions well, some will say the torch cam needs to be wiped after a few shots to keep it moving freely and I did notice that. The supplied ramrod is a 2-piece deal that I'm not crazy about. The stock/receiver design precludes installing a one-piece ramrod of useable length without it from protruding 3-4" beyond the muzzle. With the rod not extended, when I seat the bullet over 100 gr of powder, the rod is nearly flush with the end of the muzzle. No big deal, but you have to tip, or "bounce",the gun to pull the rod out. A dedicated cleaning rod is a good idea. The black plastic stock I have is nothing to write home about. It works fine. The trigger is average. Some have complained about the finish. My "blue" barrel is more of a dark grey. I haven't had rust issues, but I've kept the gun clean. If you plan to shoot with a scope, you'll find you probably can't mount it very low to the barrel, as the scope will obstruct the cam's travel. I used T/C gorilla grip mounts and they work fine. Just be aware of that when considering how the gun fits you. It may be possible to mount a scope with long eye relief, forward of the cam.

As far as a beginners gun, I'd say it is a typical in-line. Pretty simple and straight-forward. I have heard the design shoots BH 209 powder well, so that may be a plus. I have not heard bad reports about accuracy.