For the beginner, the price of the gun really isn't important.
What's important is learning how to do it and buying all of the accessories that you need.
You have to keep them clean or they will rust or not shoot well because they get too fouled up with powder and/or plastic residue. It can be a lot of work.
The modern #209 guns shoot plastic sabots with bullets and have to be swabbed out very often, like every 2 or 3 shots or they can't be loaded & fired anymore. But when clean they are more accurate for long range hunting and shooting. They are also a little bit more reliable for the beginner. But the bullets are a lot more expensive.
The Traditional sidehammer guns shoot #11 caps and have a medium twist for shooting patched round balls, sabots or pure lead conical bullets. They can usually be loaded and fired more easily and more times between swabbing and needing to be cleaned. It depends on how much powder is loaded into it, but for plinking fun, target shooting and hunting up to 65 - 75 yards (100 yards if you're gun is really good), then traditional guns are way more fun.
Load less powder and you can have fun shooting all afternoon, and round balls and patches are cheap, or cast your own.
But the premium saboted bullets are a little too expensive to shoot the inlines all afternoon.
Once you choose what kind of rifle that you want to shoot, then you can ask your friends to teach you how to use it, or come back here and ask us.
If you want to look at some decent guns at some of the lowest prices, click on the link below. Consider the nickel Traditions .50 Deerhunter the Lyman Deerstalker or Trade Rifle for starters, or buy an inline and shoot the more expensive bullets. A .54 caliber 225 grain round ball will shoot an elk if you wanted too. It's so much fun, your friends will wish that they were shooting one, and some even have very nice wood stocks.
I shoot an inline for deer hunting, but 99% of the time I just shoot patched round balls with reduced powder loads.
This outfit also has flat rate shipping until the end of December. See what you like the best. Click on muzzleloading in the left hand column to take you to the BP rifles, and visit the company websites to get more info. on the rifles, or just ask us.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/