OK - back up just a little. I would recommend that a beginner to reenacting get a beginner kit. First you need enough uniform and gear to participate in the daytime, public activities of any event. After the sun goes down you can sleep in your truck if you don't have a tent and blankets, and you can eat canned food if you must, but you need a certain starter level to get going. A complete uniform special from Fall Creek Sutlery, which will get you on any mainstream reenactment field, is $255. A leather acessory package from C&C sutlery is $100. A decent pair of shoes is about $100. There are better uniforms, but to tell you the truth, they won't benefit a beginner, and I'd rather stand in line with a guy who actually uses and lives in his gear than someone who bought all the expensive museum-quality gear and only wants to stand around looking cool in it. By the time it starts to wear out, in 3-5 years, you can begin to replace the pieces one by one with better gear if you want. A musket is not cheap. You can find a used one for $600-$800, a new one will come in a about $1000. It's the largest expense you will have, but the good news is that you only need to buy one and it will last forever with decent care. I have a musket that's been shooting since 1979. If you're really on a budget, you could join an artillery unit. You don't need a gun or field gear at all. I would recommend finding a unit that is interested in what you're interested in, and is genuinely interested in new reenactors.
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