When I got my first 45-70 which I still have was for my 16th birthday was wanting one for a few years and my dad succumbed to it and bought me a navy arms rolling block.as a teen I reloaded that thing (wonder it never blew up) cast the biggest bullets I could make and would take it out in the everglades with friends to cut down trees.I have it a trapdoor and the highwall in 120 the highwall is the most fun stuff it full of black powder and let it rip.but its so light 8.5lba it knocks u around a bit. Thinking a cheap Russian would be fun .might get one anyway