From what I'm learning about black powder pistol shooting - and all I know is second hand, I have no direct experience - it seems that probably the easiest type to shoot, and the wisest choice for a beginner, would be a rifled, single-shot, percussion.

Why?


Flintlocks / wheelocks/ matchlocks

- Require the use of real black powder, which is messy, corrosive, dangerous to handle and store, and often requires special permits.

- Have slower lock time.

- Have less reliable ignition.

- The pistols are frequently smoothbores, hence less accurate.


Percussion revolvers

- Have more complicated mechanisms, hence are more prone to malfunction, hence require more work, skill, expense, parts, to keep operational.

- I hear bad things about their sights.

- They seem to be awkward, bulky, compared to single shots.

- More work to clean properly, more potential for damage if you fail to.

- More dangerous, because they're spitting powder and may spit lead shavings out the cylinder: may ignite more than one chamber at once.

- Dirtier to the shooter, for the same reason.


Rifled percussion single shots


- Simple, enclosed firing mechanism: lighter, safer, clean lines: more reliable ignition than flint, more accurate than smooth, very little to go wrong.


Comments?


Jim