The barrel and a base weigh over 200#, so a friction primer isn't going to move it... it would be fine with them.
I use "quills" made from straws, home made quickmatch and a linstock with slowmatch myself... way cheaper (or easier to make) than friction primers.
The base is not hard, and it is not easy. It too me about a month of spare time to make, starting with some rough cut white oak planks and going from there. A drill press (with forstner bits) and table saw are a handy things to have, but it could be done without them I am sure (they didn't have tables saws 150 years ago and they managed OK).
I don't know where you could buy a base, so you are probably pretty much stuck building one. In Massachusetts that kind of project is what winter is for :-) . If you paid someone a fair price to make a base for you the price of the barrel would be only a small percentage of the cost of the base.
I learned quite a bit by making mine. The best advice I can give you is make sure the wood is dry before sticking it all together.
You are probably not going to use a Hern barrel in any sort of formal competition, as it is not full bore, does not have a sub chamber, and probably a few other things that make it not quite up to the rules some organizations have. N-SSA rules it won't meet... It may be AAA legal, not sure yet. Still, mine is a heck of a lot of fun to shoot both with blanks and lead balls and it is a pretty inexpensive way to go. Besides the barrel and the hardware kit, I only put another $70 or so into it in materials ($40 for wood right from the sawmill and maybe $30 for paint, glue, pegs, and other assorted stuff).
That being said, non-competition projectile choice can be more "creative". (BTW, does anyone know the O.D. of a "Red Bull" can?)
Of course, I used the mortar as an excuse to invest in a new drill press, lots of fancy drill bits, a few new chisels, quie a few adjustable clamps (the kind made from 3/4 inch iron pipe), etc, etc, etc.... but I will still have those tools this winter when I start on my next project... possibly a Hern barrel on a naval carrage. When I start that, I will be a bit more prepared having already used the mortar project as a learning experience.