Best Muzzleloader for a New ML Hunter

[Smokepole]

DON'T BUY A TRADITIONS!!! Please don't buy a traditions gun, by all means encourage your buddies to, but you buy a good gun and then they will always have misfires and you'll get the shot on the animal!

I have to agree.  I have a Traditions, and switched to CVA Optima a few years ago.  Dropped a nice mule deer buck at 212 yards last year.  Got a little white tail this year.  Haven't had a misfire yet with the CVA.  Nice light gun with a great trigger for the money.  The Traditions on the other hand is a bear to clean, and I had frequent misfires with the bolt ignition.  Also it has a rough, stiff trigger and a not-so-safe safety mechanism.   

[Lumpy Taters]

Got my wife a CVA Optima for deer this year. Very accurate and easy to clean.  I have tried T& pellets, loose powder and just recently switched it over to 209 primers.  Goes bang every time and haven't had any issues with it.