Manufactured on contract for the U.S. by Henry Aston & Co. of Middletown, Connecticut. The trigger guard, buttcap and barrel band/side plate are brass. The barrel, ramrod, lock plate, hammer and tang are bright. The trigger was once blue. The lock plate is stamped "U.S. / H.ASTON & CO in front of the hammer and "MIDDtn / CONN. / 1850" vertically behind the hammer. The top of the barrel at the breech is marked "US GWH / P" and has a U.S. Navy anchor near the 1846 dated tang. Brass furniture, brass blade front sight, and the stock has two inspector cartouches (JH and WAT) on the left flat.

Fine. The barrel and action have been cleaned showing some minor pitting on the barrel at the muzzle and some minor handling marks. The brass an even aged patina. The stock is also fine with some minor dings and scratches, with legible cartouches. Mechanically excellent.