There are kits and there are kits and there are kits.
First tier--Factory made kits where almost everything is already done. Metal polished, wood shaped and inletted, and metal work done. You just have to finish up the wood and do some very final fitting and fine-tuning.
Second Tier--Standard kits from TOTW, Sitting Fox, Chambers, etc. These have most of the work done but require additional fitting for wood/metal contact, some drilling and tapping, some dovetail cutting, etc.
Third tier--The next level up you put together your own lock, harden parts, and maybe make some smaller parts yourself. Or maybe the inlet chisel work is more tricky like on the advanced Chambers kits.
Final frontier--Making everything including your own barrel and cutting a stock from a blank.
I've done 1st and 2nd tier kits with basic chisel and metal working gear. It's a lot of fun and not too difficult, but does take a while. A simple flintlock fowling piece is a good kit to start with. Track sells these I believe. I don't think making a flinter is any more difficult than making a cap gun. In fact it may be easier as you have more leeway positioning the lock and barrel relative to each other. Remember flintlocks were designed to be constructed in blacksmith shops. Caplocks came to the fore after the creation of interchangeable parts and industrial factories. So the flinters have some slop room built into their designs. Not every hole has to be just where it ought to be. Which is good because few of mine are lined up right.
