Hello pahunter, it really depends on what kind of money you feel like spending on an ML. I just purchased my first ML and I went with the Thompson Center Arms Omega. It was highly recomended and so far it is a great gun, easy to clean and very accurate. It ran me about $450 which is steep for someone just getting into it, but with a cheaper gun, you will not get much resale value, or so I have been told. Also, you may get a cheeper gun and then want to upgrade some day, which is fine, but in the end your spending the same amount or close to the amount of a real good gun. This was my logic, many will disagree, but id rather only have to get the right gun once. Anyways, the omega is a great gun, especially for a beginner since it is so easy to clean and function. Im not sure if the Omega is legal to use in PA so i recomend checking out your laws. My knowledge is limited in ML, but i thought I would share with you some of the things I was told and discovered when I was looking for my first. Also, if your looking to further your knowledge in ML I would recomend looking into the videos that a gentleman named Randy wakeman has made. All about ML, great for beginners, very informative and he examines many of todays ML' s explaining the ups and downs honestly. He posts on this forum frequently and im sure he would be happy to fill you in on price and everything. Just an option that helped me out greatly. Good luck with your decision!