Are the kits worth the money? Thats a hard question. There is nothing wrong with Traditions rifles, they are good. I have a .50 caliber sidelock. But none of my rifles are in lines. A lot of the kits have everything you need to shoot them other then the powder and the caps, so at least you have a working base to start from. I have seen kits that even have a video, so if you have no idea what your doing with a BP rifle, that might be a good idea. As for how much they kick, I don't really think they kick. It is more like a push. And it depends on the load you are shoot, the bullet you are using, whether the barrel is fluted, the type of stock the rifle has, etc... My .50 cal with 80 grains of Pyrodex and a round ball has no kick to really speak of.. One thing I would say is talk to friends that have rifles, and if possible, shoot them, and handle them. See which ones you like.. T/C, Knight, CVA are all good brands too.