Hi Todd in NY,
Todd in VT here. I am a newbie also, just ordered a Knight Disc Elite, pretty sweet deal through Cabelas. Let me know if you want specifics. I ended up going with the .50, I have heard that there really is no benefit to the .45, and less options regarding bullets, accessories, etc. You may find this link helpful;
http://www.chuckhawks.com/45_muzzle_loaders.htm
Hope this helps,
Todd