Before everyone rushes down to Sportsman’s Warehouse or orders online a little recent blackpowder gun history lesson is in order.
Many importers are bringing in cheap guns from Spain that are made with low quality metals and are not proof tested (or are "proof tested" with light loads) . The lawsuits from maimed victims missing hands and/or eyes forced Connecticut Valley Arms (CVA) into bankruptcy in the 1990’s. Some of the later guns were proof tested (in Spain, not the U.S.) to less than half the CVA recommended loads, so following the user manual led to explosions and injuries. Despite this, CVA denied there were ever problems with their guns, so beware, gun companies do lie. Now other companies are importing inferior blackpowder guns that even the bankruptcy reorganized CVA won’t touch.
How to tell? My rule is don’t buy anything made in Spain. Period.
Italian pistols are usually fair to decent quality, Uberti’s being the better. They are not anywhere near the quality of the Ruger Old Army so if you plan on a doing a lot of blackpowder revolver shooting, buy a Ruger. I haven’t heard of Italian guns exploding, but beware if it’s imported by a no name company, corners may have been cut to get the profit margin up. CVA was not a no name company and look what they did.
Rifles have two, three, or four times the powder charge as pistols and are next to your face while firing so I prefer U.S. made guns like those made by Thompson Center. They are proof tested and are made with quality steels. Italian rifles are generally okay too, but I would not touch one not covered with proof marks and imported by a reputable big name company.
Have fun with this it’s a great hobby, just be careful around foreign guns that are made with cheap metals or are not properly proof tested with full loads.