.54 caliber smoothbore. 6" barrel secured by a single pinned brass barrel band. NSN. Browned barrel, color casehardened lock, brass furniture, walnut stock. Single shot muzzleloading percussion pistol with inside hammer box lock action, captive swivel ramrod and brass post front sight. Lock marked in three lines: N.P. AMES/SPRINGFIELD/MASS under the hammer and vertically in two lines at the tail: USN/1843. Breech of barrel marked U.S.N./1843/JCB/P. No markings are noted in the wood. Roughly 2,000 of these interesting US Navy contract pistols were produced by Ames circa 1842-1845. They remained in regular use until the adoption of the Colt Model 1851 Navy Revolver in the late 1850s, and for some time thereafter, as single shot pistols were phases out in the navy. A fairly uncommon US Navy handgun in very nice condition. {ANTIQUE}