I believe that Uberti offers bullet moulds, flasks and compartmented cases for the Dragoon. If not, try Dixie Gun Works. They stock all kinds of stuff.
Good to hear you're using a nylon drift to remove that wedge. Some use brass, but after a while it leaves a brassy look to the steel around the wedge. Nylon, of course, leaves no residue or mark.
There is no need to loosen the wedge screw. Just tap from right to left until the wedge loosens. Then, pull it out with your fingers until the lip of the wedge contacts the screw, preventing it from coming all the way out.
This is how the old Colts were designed, making it difficult to lose the wedge in the field.
Original Colt cap and ball revolvers, and their reproductions, hit higher than point of aim. So, at 25 yards, you may find that your Dragoon hits anywhere from 6 to 12 inches above point of aim.
The Colts were made this way, to augment the rifle out to 100 yards or so. Many cap and ball Colts (and their repros) hit dead-on at 75 to 100 yards.
Not much you can do about this. You can file down the notch in the hammer a bit, to lower the point of aim, but you soon reach a point where the top plane of the barrel interferes with the sight picture. You can also raise the height of the front bead. Some shooters have a tall front sight dovetailed into the barrel, where the front sight once was. This is best left to a gunsmith. You should use a front sight taller than expected, then file it down slowwwwlllyyy --- a lick at a time --- until you reach point of aim.
However, it is best not to touch the sights until you find the most accurate load.
Here are some tips on loading that beast:
1. Use black powder, of FFG or FFFG granulation. I've found that black powder is the most accurate.
2. Use a ball of .454 or .457 inch. Many books recommend .451 inch but the larger ball creates a wider bearing surface for the rifling to grip.
3. Use a well-lubricated felt wad between the ball and powder. The felt wads sold with a dry lubricant are okay, but they don't keep fouling down nearly as well as a greasy wad.
4. Never use petroleum greases or oils in the bore. Petroleum products tend to create a hard, tarry fouling when mixed with black powder. This affects accuracy and makes it more difficult to clean the gun later. Olive oil, vegetable oil, melted Crisco or melted beeswax will preserve the bore. Only natural greases and oils should be used.
5. My favorite lubricant for wads is an old one, dating to the 19th century. It is composed of:
1 part paraffin
1 part tallow
1/2 part beeswax.
All measurements are by weight, not volume.
Paraffin --- I use canning paraffin, the kind sold to seal jars of preserves. You will find 1-pound blocks in the grocery store. This is the purest paraffin, who knows what's in candles, especially the scented variety.
Tallow - I use mutton tallow, sold by Dixie Gun Works. This creates a wad and bullet lubricant superior to that made with beef, pork or wild game tallow. I'm told that sheep tallow contains lanolin. I don't know about that, but it sure makes a better product.
Beeswax - Use the real deal, if you can find it. Search Renaissance fairs, Rendezvous or crafts fairs. The seal used as a gasket between the toilet and the floor has long been made of beeswax but is now often replaced with a synthetic wax. Check the label if you have doubts.
I use a kitchen scale to measure 200/200/100 grams of the above ingredients. Place them in a quart, widemouth Mason jar. Place the jar in a kettle with three or four inches of boiling water, for a double-boiler effect. This is the safest way to melt greases and waxes.
When all are melted, stir well with a clean stick or disposable chopstick. Allow to cool at room temperature. Hastening cooling by placing in the fridge may cause the ingredients to separate.
To grease the wads, place 1 or 2 Tablespoons of lubricant in a clean tuna or pet food can. Put the can on the range, at very, very low temperature. You want to melt it, not cook it. When melted, add about 100 wads and stir well until they soak up all the lubricant. Remove the can from heat and allow to cool. Now, snap a plastic pet food cover over the can and use the same contianer to take them to the range.
When you run low on wads, simply return the can to the (low) burner, add more lubricant and wads.
6. To load that revolver:
a. Add a measured powder charge. For the Dragoon, use 40 grs. of blackpowder, by volume.
b. Press a lubricated felt wad into the charged chamber. Seat the wad firmly on the powder with the rammer.
c. Do this with all chambers, or as many as you wish to load. I find it's easier to charge, seat a wad, move on to the next chamber, charge, seat a wad and so on. Leave the ball seating for last.
d. Seat an oversized lead ball firmly onto the wad, leaving no space.
e. Being careful to keep your fingers away from the front of the cylinder, place the caps on the nipples. Your Dragoon probably takes No. 11 caps.
When you tap the wedge in that revolver, to reassemble, put it in rather tight. I typically tap the wedge in while gently turning the cylinder. When I feel the cylinder drag against the rear of the barrel, I tap the wedge OUT a little bit until it spins free. This assures me of a tight fit.
Always wear ear and eye protection when shooting cap and ball revolvers. They are loud, and they tend to spit fouling and bits of lead or wads from the gap between cylinder and barrel. NEVER let anyone stand to the side of it while firing.
As for accessories, you'll want a flask, nipple wrench, well-fitting screwdriver and cleaning rod with .45-caliber jag and brushes.
While a display box looks good, it's a poor choice for keeping shooting supplies in. Instead, buy a medium sized fishing box, with at least two horizonal compartment drawers. This is much handier to bring to the range.
Also, buy a revolver stand to hold the gun upright. This will help you judge how much pressure you're applying to the wad and ball. And if you have to interrupt the loading process, it keeps your revolver pointed upright for safety, and so un-wadded powder in the chamber won't run out.
Search this website for my post, "How to properly use a cap and ball revolver." Or perhaps it was "How to best use a cap and ball revolver." I can't remember which. Lots of good info in there too.
