I just got back into sidelock rifles. Hunted for 35 years with a “dirty thirty”, an Ithaca M37 (would sneak it out while Dad was at work) or a Glenfield M20.
Bought a Savage Axis package rifle in .308 for hog clearing. Literally gave it -and- the .30/30 away.
Was issued an M16A2E3 (Seabees only full auto). Won’t even touch an AR platform, my “modern sporting rifle” (MSR) is an SKS almost as old as I am.
I have lots of modern guns. I have 3 caplocks. The modern stuff is all squirreled away save for a no newer than 1910 Davenport break barrel 12g and an 1895 pattern Stevens Favorite rolling block .22 bull barrel. I hunt with a Ruger Old Army cap and ball revolver. Why? Because I can, and it never lets me down. My wife varmint hunts with a 9mm Ruger PCC, or a Henry .22 carbine. She’s nearly wheelchair bound, but still wants to participate. I did restore an older Stevens 94 .410 for her as a tree rat buster.
I have 2 friends with lifetime hunting leases on my farm. Cost each of them a Wheat Ear penny. 1 uses a Pedersoli 10g caplock double. 1 uses a bolt action .270, but both have a great time and occasionally harvest a deer.
I’m going to use a plains style caplock this year, .50 for deer, .54 for hogs. Maybe in 10 years I’ll switch to a rock lock, maybe not. Every hunter or shooter has to walk his own path.
Oh, pellets are color coded, darker end towards the primer. I use them with a 3F kicker in all 3 of my traditional guns. Then it makes no difference.