If I had to do it again, I'd go Savage too for the smokeless save on cleaning feature.
I have a Lyman Trade Rifle in .54 for that traditional appeal and a Traditions Tracker 209 in line. Both are fun in their own ways. Inlines are by far more popular, but the traditional ones are a hoot to shoot with patches and round balls and give you that historic feeling of long ago.
Personally, I don't give a rats butt if it's scoped or not, if it's round ball, conical, or sabots, if it uses caps, flint lock, or 209 primers, or smokeless powder, etc.
We shouldn't knock other people's personal choices in the weapons they choose to hunt with. Our only concern should be a quick and humane kill. To each their own choice.