Joe, your analysis of the ease of keeping a flintlock running in times of percussion cap shortages is spot on. You can likely get by with one of the higher-quality middle-of-the-pack guns like a TC, but I would be leery of the lower-end Spanish and Italian guns in flint, unless you can tinker with the locks like Nobade. A cheap lock that often fails to properly ignite the main charge is incredibly frustrating. My first one was a Lyman/Investarm trade rifle and I was lucky to get a 30 percent ignition rate. Away it went. Some years later I came into a Jackie Brown fowler with a very fast and properly tuned lock and it was like night and day -- instant and reliable ignition. Total game changer -- like Kibler's kits, which have raised the bar for everyone. One other note. You mention having a .50 mold, but be aware that barrel land and groove measurements will tell you what ball diameter and patch combination you MUST shoot for accuracy.