H. Aston&Co smooth barrel pistol

[totall]

Can anyone tell me about H. Aston&Co smooth barrel pistol dated 1852, in good condition. Any guesses on value or caliber size, a gunsmith told me it was bigger than 50 but slightly smaller than 58. Any other info would be helpful.
How can I tell if this is an originial copy of the 1000 made in South Carolina from the Palmetto Armory or if it was a re-marking of the common Aston and Johnson pistol?

 

[Jim K]

It is .54 caliber and is the Model 1842. The guns were made from c. 1845 to 1852 by Henry Aston and Ira Johnson. The Aston guns were first marked "H. ASTON" but the marking was changed in 1851 to "H. ASTON & CO." About 6000 were made with the latter marking.

They were a very good pistol, rugged and reliable and, I might add, pretty devastating on the receiving end. Some were used in the Civil War and even later. They take a standard musket cap.

The Palmetto Armory guns were marked PALMETTO ARMORY with the palmetto tree emblem. They were made in South Carolina and were not re-marked guns by other makers. Some say there are about three times as many Palmetto pistols today as were ever made by Glaze. Since the Aston and Johnson pistols are common (an average decent one sells for around $700-800), many have been converted to Palmetto pistols by fakers.

Yours sounds like an honest gun, and if it is in good condition, there is no reason you can't shoot it.

Jim