What calibre pistol for young shooter?

[James]

Hello, My 12 year old, average build son wants to learn to build a Kentucky pistol. I have much modern pistol experience, but no flintlock pistol knowledge. He and his older brother will be shooting .54 rifles when we get them done, and for the sake of uniformity I was thinking the pistol could be a .54 as well. Would that be too much recoil?  Would you go smaller, and if so how small? Thank you, James

[Kermit]

.54 should be fine. Just adjust the charges. My daughter started shooting a .45 TC Patriot over a rest when she was 5 years old. I think I started her off with about 15 grains of 3f behind a PRB. Short ranges, big targets. She's still shooting 35 years later.

[James]

Thank you, I have much to learn about adjusting charges etc... I'm  currently going through the books and catalogs to get the necessary components gathered up, I really enjoy seeing my children be so exited about all of this. Thank you, James

[Longknife]

Jusy make sure you get a pistol barrel with a fast twist and not a cut off slow twist rifle barrel. Fast twist pistol barrels can be extreemly accurate at short ranges with light charges....Ed

[Daryl]

Ed's spot-on - A slow twist ML barrel is not for your shooters - or some old ones.

I have a .54 pistol with a section of 66" twist rifle barrel.  It is very accurate,s hots 2" at 50 yards, but must be fed until it about duplicates my 4" .44 mag. for power, ie: 60gr. 3F.

A pistol twist of around 18" to 24" will shoot great with light charges.

[D. Buck Stopshere]

Remember, too, the smaller the caliber, the more accurate it will shoot. Both my KY flint pistols were replaced with .36 caliber GM pistol twist, barrels. Bigger bore, more recoil. He might want to look at comfort level. Less recoil in a .36 caliber.  I shoot 18 grains GOEX FFFG for 25 & 50 yd shooting.

[Daryl]

Buck - Point on technicality. There is a difference between "the smaller the calibre, the more accurate it will shoot" and "he might get better accuracy with a small bore due to reduced recoil".

It comes down to what is best for the boy.

[James]

I ended up ordering 2 GM fast twist .54 barrels so that my 12 & 14 year olds can each be working on one. If they say they kick I'll just have to give them more chores  Thanks to you all, James

[Leatherbelly]

James,
 if you want more chores done, go with a .62! LOL!!!    But I would go with a 40 or 45. Very gentle to shoot.Cheap too.