adcoch1,
The .45-120, when fully loaded, isn't for everyone. It's a thumper, on both ends. I like shooting it, but I try to limit my shooting to no more than about 20 rounds at a setting, or I develop a really bad flinch, and I'm usually not that recoil sensitive. I'm shooting nothing but smokeless powder in mine, but the more mildly loaded black powder shooters probably aren't getting the recoil that mine produces.
My rifle only has a 24" barrel, but it's a heavy octagon and is really muzzle heavy, plus I've put a elastomer recoil pad on it, which really helps. I also wear a shooting glove on my trigger hand because the recoil causes the lever/trigger guard to hit my middle knuckle, and if I don't, it gets sore. To give you an idea of the amount of recoil, I have to stand the tang sight back up after each shot, since it tips forward under the recoil.
The brass is also expensive, at about $2.50 per case, but I've yet to wear one out (other than Bertram), and I've probably got about 300 cases for it. Just don't buy Bertram brass, since it won't hold up and the quality control just isn't there.
With all that said, I won't get rid of it until I'm just too old to get behind it anymore. It's an attention getter when on the range, and most people will fire it once and then hand it back. I did have one female game warden shoot it 22 times once, and she only quit because that was all the ammo I had left. She would shoot and giggle, shoot and giggle, but most men won't shoot it more than once.....
You can almost get the same performance from Ruger Number One /Siamese Mauser loads in the .45-70, with the proper rifle. That would be cheaper, since .45-70 brass is really common, while .45 Basic brass (3.25" long) isn't.
Hope this helps.
Fred
PS: It's still not for sale........