Guncotton,

Having recently played with a tactical rifle with a vertical grip, I find that the more vertical the grip is, the more comfortable and solid the rifle feels. It simply takes away any strain from the wrist of the firing hand.

I like the look of the Marlin Cowboy. With its longer octagonal barrel, it should be sweeter to shoot.

Yes, nothing like a suitably weighted Sharps with double set triggers!