My 2 cents based on my experience from some 3/4 of my life ago.
Look into a Kit (CVA/Traditions etc). My dad and I didn't see eye to eye on allot back when I was 19. (Mostly because I knew everything and he didn't see it). However, we did build a couple of BP guns together ( and did some bonding in the process.) It was a great experience and not hard at all. When done, the pride of ownership was immeasurable. Allot of fun really. As icing on the cake, the CVA 50 cal Hawken I built shot spot on at 100 yds with ball or mini balls and Pyrodex.
FWIW, I revisited the BP rifle kit building experience this past year (sadly, minus Dad) and found the process was still allot of fun. Here is the .32 Cal Squirrel rifle that resulted.
