One of the most accurate cap-n-ball revolvers I've ever owned is just like yours. I keep my load at roughly 22gr of FFFg or Pyrodex P and have not seen any indications of "loosening up" due to "stretching" the brass frame.
I use corn meal for a filler (seems to compress better so it's not as fussy). I generally omit the lubed wads and use "generic Crisco shortening" to seal the chambers over the balls. I prefer to make my own "stuff", so I make wads from "starched felt". I use Argo gloss laundry starch. I take an old .45 Long Colt case with the mouth sharpened for a wad punch, and lube the wads with "bore butter". Remember to keep your face, you non-shooting hand, and bystanders away from the sides or front of the cylinder, as there is a significant chance of burning your self or getting a shower of sparks in the face . Shoot the gun at night (if you have a place where it's legal and safe to do so) and you'll be amazed at all the fire.
Make sure to use good fitting percussion caps. You shouldn't have to force them onto the nipples, nor should they need "pinched" to stay on. #11 caps will probably be the most common you can find, but your gun may need a #10 or #12. Various brands of caps also vary in size and potentcy, you may have to try a couple different kinds out to see which works best for you. Use the tightest fitting ball that you can still load without getting frustrated. .454 diameter is usually the right size for these guns. Always use either a lubed wad under the ball, or some type of grease over the ball. The lube helps keep the leading and the fouling down in the bore, and is supposed to help prevent chain fires.
There's a big thread going on about chain fires right now, as to what really causes them... but if you follow the above procedures and your common sense--a chain fire is a very rare event and you shouldn't worry about it too much.
Just use a little special care when loading, keep it clean enough to eat off of, don't try to make a "magnum" out of it, and it will serve you well for many years. Don't worry about the brass oxidizing and turning dark, that just makes it look better--gives it "character"... but, you can polish it up everytime after you shoot, if you like it shiny.
As far as accessories, a powder flask is almost a must have, you need a good powder measure, (never load directly from a flask!). An old .38 Special case holds roughly 24gr of FFFg powder, so you can put a little handle on it and trim the case mouth so there are no rough edges. A nipple wrench is a must, and it doesn't hurt to have a spare set of nipples either. Once a nipple starts to erode and the flash hole gets larger, the efficiency goes down and things could get erratic. A capper is VERY handy (if you don't have "nimble fingers"), 'cause once you start shooting your dirty hands can contaminate a cap easier. There are some "cap-n-ball shooter kits" that contain most of the needed items and some that are rarely used... and of course you'll need a cleaning kit too.
Cleanup is easily done with HOT soapy water, a rod and brush, jag and patches, and a toothbrush. Make sure to get the gun good and dry afterwards. Dry it in the oven or use a hand held hair dryer. Occasionally you'll want to break it down (disassemble) completely to get all the gunk out of the inside works. After the cleanings, I oil the gun up VERY well and keep it in a plastic storage bag. Check for rust for the next couple of days, 'cause sometimes you miss a spot when cleaning.
If you are fortunate like I was, the sights were regulated dead on at 25 yds. Generally most cap-n-ball revolvers shoot extremely high at close range, the Colt style guns seem to be worse in that respect, but it can happen with any of them. If fact, my gun shoots so well, that I can cut a line across a 2x6 board at 25yds and use the gun like a saw to cut the board in half. You may need a taller front sight if you can't abide holding low on the target, but the Remington sights are so much easier to see than the Colts.
The accuracy of these is MUCH better than most people would think, and the "paper ballistics" don't give you a real picture of the actual power of this gun. They are roughly the same as a lighter load in a .45 Long Colt or maybe like a .44 Special load--except those soft lead balls do huge amounts of damage to stuff. Shoot some homemade blocks about 4-6" long made from 2 x 4's and you'll see what I'm talking about. Shoot a water filled milk jug if you want another "reactive target", or another of my favourites--shoot into a catalog that's been soaked in water and see how much that ball expands.
Hope I haven't overwhelmed you with all this data. There are some books and kinda "small-ish" manuals on cap-n-ball guns. CVA produced a nice one by Phil Spangenberger... but it might be difficult to find. You might try at a gun show to find appropriate reading materials and information. You'll probably have more questions once you get started, but this is a good place to get some help.
Shoot Safely!
WV_Hillbilly
