My current favorite gun is my White with 777 and 460 gr bullshop conicals. However, they don't make whites any more and bullshops are hard to get. So not newby friendly
My second go to gun is a Knight LRH set up to shoot bare 209 primers and Blackhorn 209 powder (you need a special breech plug for that) When I take it to Colorado for elk I am either loaded up with 350 gr Hornady FPBs or 300 gr Thors
The other gun I have used most is my T/C renegade (a sidelock with no QLA) and I shoot Hornady FPBs or 460 gr no excuse bullets over fffg 777. They don't make renegades any more either.
If I were buying my first gun, I would seriously consider getting the CVA accura and get the special breech plug for BH 209. They get good reviews shooting sabots or conicals. But there is no one that can tell you what your new gun will shoot well. Every muzzy is different and you may have to try several combinations before your find your load.
There is a learning curve with just about everything you try. From what I hear, one of my favorite bullets (FPBs) may be too big for the Accura because their barrels tend to run small, or they did. And with BH 209, you need a bullet that keeps come compression on the powder, so some of the loose "slip fit" pure lead conicals may not work with Blackhorn 209 and you might have to use 777 or another powder
There are so many choices! Frustrating at times but you get addicted to tinkering with this or that. That is why I have 5 different muzzleloaders! Good luck.
txhunter58
venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)