irish, I think you are in the right mind-set. I dont believe you have to spend a ton of money to get an accurate and dependable gun. A friend of mine recently bought the CVA Musket Mag from Cabelas, I think the entry level price is about $149.00, mabe a sale right now for $139.00? He likes it a lot, and it does shoot well. Are you looking stictly for an in-line, or are you also looking at a cap-lock? Either way, I think there is a happy medium in price/quality. I've seen some $99.00 guns that I wouldnt use for a walking stick, but have also seen any number of them from $150.00-$300.00 that were all a guy really needs. If you narrow down your choices to a few rifles, ask specifically about them on the board. You will get, as mentioned, the classic "Ford-Chevy debate", but you can sort through it, and get some good info and advice. Good luck!!