I got the black powder bug over 40 years ago, but budgetary constraints kept me somewhat reined in. OTOH black powder could be had for $1.95/lb. That, along with the slower pace of loading and shooting made the BP much more economical. I saved my pennies and voraciously read everything I could get my hands on, and all of the current magazine articles always stressed the reliability of percussion, with hardly ever any mention of flint, other than to note it's unreliability. It never occurred to my young mind that a gun writer's job is to sell advertising, and very few, if any advertisers were selling flintlock rifles.
My first real longrifle was a Dixie Tennessee rifle in caplock and there is no telling how many pounds of powder went through that old piece and I loved it. Finally about ten years ago I started to build a replica of an old rifle I had received from my Grandfather years ago. After this the building bug became active, so I started planning and building my first flintlock. When the first shot that you have ever fired through a flint rifle is through a rifle that you have put together yourself with no more instruction other that that available in books, there is a bit of trepidation present when you first press the trigger.
I learned that all those old gun writers had in all probability never fired anything in flint and they were just copying each other when they wrote their stories and I discovered that flint can be just as reliable as percussion ignition, although you must learn a few things to bring that about. I also ascertained that if you are ever going to learn to shoot a flint rifle accurately you must CONCERTRATE on aim and follow through, in spite of that fire breathing mouse trap going off right next to your face.
It sounds like you have made a good start. Enjoy the ride.
