Thinking about building one. Pedersoli vs Investarm or Traditions? And Caplock vs Flintlock? Leaning towards .50 or .54 since I already have balls and patches. Any recommendations?

All the kits mentioned are pretty nice, but to be honest only have had experience with Pedersoli(not a kit though). As for caliber I would go 54. I had a Harpers Ferry(?) 54 caliber flintlock pistol, was a blast to shoot. If I wanted one now, I would go percussion. Flintlocks are fun, but percussion, IMO, are much more reliable and you don't have to carry two types of powder to shoot them.

The Italian kits are fine, and easy to assemble. If you actually want to "build" a Flintlock pistol, contact Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply; their kits will produce a much higher level of forearm. As in, Curly Maple stocks, good quality locks and barrels.
But for just blasting, nothing wrong with the Italian ones. And they are easy to assemble because most of the work is already done.
Pedersoli is the top quality. Definitely Flint; no fun in a cap lock. Anyone can make those work.
Flintlocks are more reliable except in the rain. And when you run out of caps. That is why the Native Americans did not want to trade for cap locks; just another item they had to trade for and keep on hand.
Until the mid 1800s when no one in England was making Flint Locks; the fur traders made them take cap locks. But cartridges soon followed...

I use the same 2F or3F powder from the bore in the pans of my F/Locks and they have no problems firing.
Many do the same thing.
4F is not a necessity for use as a pan priming powder.


They can take some care in keeping them going well, some are fitted up better than others of course.
There are better ways of loading and priming them than just 'as seen on TV and in movies'.
Lots of variables.

Stick to a percussion if you just want fire and smoke and an easier task of it all around I'd say.

50 or 54,,really makes no difference. They'll be about the same outward dimensions.
Go bragging rights with the bigger bores if that's what you're after. 58, 62, 12bore etc.

The smaller calibers like 45 & 40 do everything a paper target shooter and tin can plinker needs done as well.
Smaller than that they can get kind of difficult for some to handle the components while loading but a 36cal punches holes in a target just as well and sips powder which is $$ these days and not on every store shelf any more.

Pecatonia River has some good Kits as well as Chambers Longrifles. I believe the latter has a Pistol kit available.
Quite a few already assembled offerings around as well.

Thanks all!