HD are 209s legal in IN? If so I would recommend getting a 26" black on black Wolverine with the 209Disc already in it from the factory. You are just wasting your money getting thumbholes and SS on such a rifle. SS doesnt do anything for blackpowder guns, thats just a misconception put out by folks to lazy to properly clean their rifles. Put the extra cash into a good quick detach scope mount system (I am assuming you can use scopes on your ML at least one of the two seasons you mentioned). I would recommend the Warne quick detach as my first pick. I had the exact setup on my 22" Wolverine for over 12 years and never had a glitch. If you cant find one then look at Weaver Grand Slam bases (they are steel) with Leupold QRW rings. I would recommend a 10plus powered scope with mildots scope. Put 3pellets of 777 in her and top it off with 250grain SSTs with MAGNUM sabots. With the right scope, some slight ability and a lil practice you have a darn near 300yd rig. I would MUCH rather shoot that than some danged ol 150yd dove gun with slugs.

Now if you cant use 209s then get a plain jane old 22" Wolverine with #11s and put a RedHott nipple in it. Load it with 100grains of Pyrodex pellets (keep the blackpowder side down, the 11s need all the help they can get) and load a 200grain Barnes Red Hot over the top of it. You will then have a 150yd smokepole that will dump ANY deer you dare shoot at. I would recommend the same scope mount setup but you would only need a quality 2x7 or 3x9 scope atop the lil rifle.

As with ANY blackpowder rifle, the key is keeping it clean from the day you first take it home in the box. My dozen plus year old Wolverine still looks just like the ones we have in the rack at work. I just never let it sit over 1 or 2 days after being fired before I properly cleaned it. In all honesty thats why I had such a good scopemount system put on it. Easily and quickly removing the scope sure makes it easier to properly clean the rifle.

Now if you are allowed to and can get the money, lets talk about the Savage smokeless!!!
RA