Basically, I don't know where your at. Don't know how far you have to drive, Sounds like the Fee's?? Taxes?? and Gas?? are driving the total outlay up. Perhaps, if we subtract the actual cost for your Gas, Taxes, Fee's and travel time, the actual price of the rifle might not seem out of line at all.
As far as the function and fun factor go, 45 and 44 rifles are kind of like apples and apples. One's green, one's red. A 45 anything will
give more blow-by than a 44-40. However, you can mitigate most of the blow-by, simply start with new Starline 44-40 brass (thinner case mouth material) and fire form it to 45 Colt (easy peasy) and the 45 will shoot pretty clean.
The "Keep it Simple" principle also applies. If the rest of your toys are 45s. Make your new toy a 45. If you really want a Henry, whom you get it from shouldn't matter much. Bite the bullet, buy the Rifle, have FUN!!
Coffinmaker