Cantremember: hello and welcome to the BP forum.

I went through this as well when I got in to flintlocks. I went with the less expensive gun, the thinking was this:

1. This will be my first muzzle loader and first flintlock. Get something less expensive to make mistakes with. For example I splintered the stock the first time I drove a retaining pin back in place. It is not too bad, but had I done that with a curly maple stock I would have been crying. Since it is a "hardwood" stock, I just tell people about the time me and Daniel Boone got attacked by a bear...

2. Is this a firearm you may lose interest in? Learning to shoot a flintlock takes time. That means mistakes and frustration. Do you really want to drop $1,500+ on something you may not be as interested in as you first thought?

My first flinter was a Traditions "Shenandoah." After learning how to shoot a flintlock with that and wanting even more, I felt a lot more comfortable buying more expensive flintlocks.

Best of luck with your decision.