Way back when, I started out with a Hawken replica .54 and became very proficient with it. With that said the only way to proficiency is through practice.
The rub with practicing nowadays is component availability and component pricing. Percussion caps are about as easy to find as hens teeth, and the cost is 3-4 times, maybe more than we saw a handful of years ago.
I’d defiantly stay clear of a percussion lock option right now.
A shotgun primer (209) ignition rifle is a far better starting point IMO, and since it’s for hunting and not really about traditional nuances, I’d think inline 209 primer ignition would be a far better starting point.
With that said you’ll still need a crap load of practice.
Right now I own a CVA Wolf break action muzzleloader, it’s scoped with a Leupold 2-7 VXII, I run Hodgdon 777, 30 grain pellets for propellant, for projectiles I’m running Hornady 300 grain saboted SST’s. 3 pellets of 777, (90 grain) has ample getty up for deer, and won’t loosen your dental work. Think of it like a 38/55 lever gun sort of performance.
https://www.sail.ca/en/cva-wolf-blac...514-3520670001
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/14831...om-riflescopes
https://www.londerosports.com/firear...loading-powder
https://www.cabelas.ca/product/9197/...llets-w-sabots