IDENTIFING A PISTOL

Question
I HAVE A BLACK POWDER PISTOL THAT I CAN'T IDENTIFY. IT HAS AN OCTOGON BARREL 5 IN. IN LENGHT WITH A PULL DOWN BALL PRESS WITH REMOVABLE CYLINDER PIN WITH BLACKPOWDER,PN WITH A STAR ABOVE IT AND ANOTHER SYMBOL WITH A STAR ABOVE BUT HARD TO DISCRIBE.MAIN FRAME IS BRASS WITH THE SAME MARKINGS BUT WITH ONE MORE AB IN A THREE SIDED BOX.ON THE BOTTOM OF THE GRIP THERE IS A STAMP WITH A "PR" (TOGETHER),"FTE ITALY" AND THE NUMBERS 5 4 9 3 AND THE LETTER "B". UNDER THE LEFT WALNUT GRIP ON THE FRAME IS THE NUMBER 202. I GOT THIS GUN FROM MY GRANDFATHER AND DON'T KNOW WHO MADE IT OR WERE IT CAME FROM ANY INFORMATION OR SOME WAY TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Answer
Hello Billy. There have been many factories that manufactured black powder firearms over the 20th century and most of these factories were in Gardone or Brescia, Italy. From the markings you give, it seems your revolver was made in one of these factories. Could the star you describe be inside a circle? If so, the circle represents the muzzle with 8 lands and grooves with the PN beneath it. This is common on Italian BP firearms. The other star you mention should be above a coat of arms (hammer and anvil with crossed bayonets.)These symbolize the Provisional Gardone Proofhouse.The AB inside a box indicates the year of manufacture being 1976. I am not sure of all the other identification marks you mention. They could be marks indicating the type of firearm,caliber, or barrel length. This is just a guess. I hope this answers your question, and thank you for asking for me. Charles Gage