[North East Redneck]

I believe your friend spent too much. But if he is happy, so what? My first venture into the world of muzzle loading was about 10 years ago. $200 rifle, $30 powder, $4 primers and $20 bullets. Less than $300 total. It got me hooked. I refuse to even think what this hobby has cost me overall.
If your friend doesn't mind dropping $1K on his first gun, that's cool. He is invested in the sport. That's a good thing. Hopefully he loves it and gets others into shooting.