Flintlock for a new BP shooter?

[CoyoteJoe]

I'll second the voice that a flintlock needs
to be of good quality. In percussion the only need is that the hammer strike the nipple square and hard and that is not really critical. Reliable sparking of a flintlock requires a good ballance of spring pressures and good lock geometry and good hardening of parts, especially if it is to last for a while.
I've lost count of how many flintlocks I've converted to percussion for myself and others due to frustration with the flintlock.
I now have a Blue Ridge and a T/C flint which are keepers, though I'd have to say the Pedersoli Blue Ridge is much more a keeper than the T/C, not meaning to yank Roundball's chain.
My point being: though I now love those flinters I know they can be frustrating, especially if not the best quality to start with.
And point #2: it is not difficult nor expensive to convert a flint to percussion the way most were converted 150 years ago if you should get fed up with flint. The reverse will require at least a new lock and perhaps a new or extensively modified breech plug.
:thumbsup: for flint.

 

[qcml]

I started of the same way a couple years ago.
I went with a used T/C 50 cal. caplock. Saved my pennies and did my homework on flinters. I'm every happy I did. GOOD flinters are just to expensive to jump into.