Description
Exceptional condition US Model 1842 single shot martial single shot pistol as issued in 1846 for use by US Dragoons and light cavalry. Chambered in .54 caliber, this beast of a pistol was a force to be reckoned with on the field of battle! This example surfaced at an estate sale in northern Georgia along with an original saddle holster that has been cut/modified to be worn on a belt. There is also an additional loop sewn on the holster which likely held either a powder horn or flask or a knife. This item has a very high probability of having been used by a Confederate.
The M1842 was the first U.S. military pistol to adopt the percussion ignition system system. Primarily manufactured by Henry Aston (and later I.N. Johnson) in Middletown, Conn. As well as the William Glaze Palmetto Armory in Columbia, SC, , these robust “horse pistols” saw extensive use by mounted dragoons and cavalry in the Mexican-American and Civil Wars.
Production Period: Approx. 1846–1855, with major contracts delivered by Henry Aston, I.N. Johnson, and the Palmetto Armory.
Design: It featured an 8.5-inch (sometimes 6-inch depending on model/source) smoothbore barrel, brass furniture (backstrap, trigger guard, barrel band), and a captive swivel ramrod to prevent loss in combat.
Significance: It marked the transition from flintlock to percussion in U.S. martial handguns.
Usage: Issued in pairs to cavalrymen, they were known for being reliable, durable workhorses, even as revolvers began to appear.
Manufacturers: Henry Aston (approx. 30,000), Ira N. Johnson (approx. 10,000), and the Palmetto Armory (approx. 2,000).
