Featured French Bayonet & Some Kind of Gun

My vote is that the notches are probably decorative. Their presence in a metal component is odd, few users of firearms took the time to damage them like that. If it was issued to an organized military or police unit, there was likely a harsh punishment for such vandalism. The pistol looks authentic and seems to match the catalog item.

 

"The 'Bright polished barrel' is an anomaly, an original period arm would always have a blued barrel, as a way to deter rust."

Bright barrels and locks, issued that way, were quite common in military weapons of 19th C. Many models of American-made muskets and rifles were that way. When I first saw a Colt rifle made for the U.S. in 1865 I thought it had been chrome-plated, but it just retained its original bright steel finish. The Colts and many other contractor-made rifles were finished too late to get into the fighting so some are still found in new condition.

 

I sold the gun to a collector, he felt the gun was the real deal.

 

"he felt the gun was the real deal." He was correct, it is authentic, and you did well to sell it since although authentic, antique, etc. there aren't many US collectors looking for that type in that condition-I'm sure you made money on it so congrats!