Colt Gold Cup

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

In another thread, I have explained that I am about to have the chance to pick a gun or two from an estate before a 50 gun collection goes up for sale.

 

One of the guns is described in the PD inventory as "Colt Gold Cup .45".  I have seen some folks on the Wire rave about their Gold Cup 1911s.  These guns are not available for sale in MA as a new gun, but those that were registered in MA before a certain date can be resold.  Assuming that it is in good condition and is grandfathered, is this a gun worth chasing?  Good points?  Bad points?

 

Many thanks.

 

LL

 

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

At one time the Colt Gold Cup was the "gold standard" for match-grade 1911s.  Very accurate and perfectly tuned.  They dominated the line at Camp Perry for many years.

 

Gold Cups are full-size 1911s designed target shooting.  Sights are fully adjustable, large, and with crisp edges.  They're not designed for concealed carry with reduced dimensions and rounded corners.

 

I'd certainly give it a second look.  But then, I'm kind of a nut for 1911s.

[DocWard]

Absolutely worth considering if you want a very accurate range piece and you like the 1911 platform. As Charlie Harley said, not really a concealed carry firearm, nor my first choice for personal defense, because the trigger is very light and crisp. The only pistol I've fired with a comparable trigger is a S&W Model 41 competition pistol. As I told Mrs. Doc, with it, about the time you think "I may need to shoot," you have. I inherited one, and hope to some day pass it on.

[G W Wade]

To me it  depends on what your intended use will be. A wall hanger with a little target practice. Look good= shoot good.  As just a shooter ( we don't know its condition. I had my only hammer/sear failure on a new GC.  The Eliason sight will sear the roll pin occasionally. The oversize GC trigger is steel, making for a slow reset.  As a BBQ gun, fit and finish is great. Accuracy is top notch and will probably be more collectable.  As a shooter, others are better choices,  BUT that's just my opinion.  GW

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

I have 2 GCs, one a 70 model and one is 80(80 has the FP safety deal). BOTH are very accurate.

Post up some pictures of the slide marking and we can tell you what you have.

OLG

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Ell sight roll pin should be replace with a section of drill rod. I did this to both on my GC decades ago.

Never had ANY trigger reset issues, with either of my GC's.

OLG

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

38 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Ell sight roll pin should be replace with a section of drill rod. I did this to both on my GC decades ago.

Never had ANY trigger reset issues, with either of my GC's.

OLG

 

Say again? ????

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

The GC rear sight roll pin that is used to attach the sight to the slide, should be replaced with a section of solid drill rod to eliminate the breakage issue. 

 

OLG

[Hashknife Cowboy]

That would qualify as a need item.......Mine are not for sale and I shoot them, hunted with them and they are my favorite.

[Pat Riot]

The rear sight issue is the only issue that I have ever heard was a problem with Gold Cups.

 

I would definitely snap it up if it's in good shape...provided you want a 1911 based pistol.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

They were known to lose the front sight till Colt made them with a thicker/larger 'leg' to press fit onto the slide.

I've repaired many of them when I worked as a gunsmith's apprentice.....

OLG

[twelve mile REB]

There are many guns that are more valuable than 1911's if that is your criteria for choosing something.  The "Gold Cup" started life as the National Match they were not Gold Cups but many refer to them as such.  The prewar National Matches are considered by many including myself as the finest weapon to ever leave Colts factory.  They were assembled from selected parts and then hand fit as only Colt craftsmen could.  A Super Match also came along in 38 super also prewar and hand fitted.  Later after WW2 the National Match Gold Cup was introduced which was the first 1911 to bear the name Gold Cup.  A Gold Cup the 1957 series was produced with a lighter slide to fire the Remington 185 gr. wad cutter.  The National Match was dropped in the 60's and it became the Gold Cup.  The prewar National Matches and the Super Matches are more valued than many others although consulting collectors for small variations from typical may produce rewards.  

[Lead Monger]

I love my gold cup. Series 80 I have owned sense 83. Replaced front sight a few times. Rear sight pin once and the collet bushing once. Use a light recoil spring for target loads and a A1 spring for ball ammo. Very accurate.

[Henry T Harrison]

My wife bought me my Gold Cup as a Christmas present in 1981.  Since that time I've put well over 50,000 rounds through it and it is still accurate enough to split a playing card at 10 yards. The only problems I had with it were the standard roll pin coming out which was easily fixed with a solid pin and some locktite, the series 80 plunger and spring fell out. It works fine without them. As a plain clothes police officer it was the gun I went to when there was a good chance the crap was about to hit he fan. It will be the one they pry from my cold dead hands.

[Sarge]

I've had several over the years.  Some good some bad.  Many Gold Cups and National Matches were used competitively. Great guns.   Like any Comp gun, they get shot alot.  They get worked on, repaired and tweaked to the shooters preferences.  One National Match I came into possession of never would functon properly.  Sold that one quickly despite trips to several 1911 pistol smiths.  My advice would be to not buy it based on a photo.  If you can't at least handle it, preferably put some rounds down range with it, I'd pass.

[Capt. James H. Callahan]

I've had one for 30 years or more, used to pound the h*ll out of it shooting IPSC. Nothing ever broke. I eventually had a ramp front sight put on and soldered in, but neither factory sight ever failed. I did have the ears bobbed off the rear sight cause it kept chewing my arm up in an appendix draw holster at matches. Never broke a sight or a finger collet bushing or anything else every one always say breaks. Other than rounding the corners off the Eliason sight remains unmodified. Somewhere along the way I had a titanium hammer and a lighter trigger installed which improved an already good trigger. Good guns right out of the box.

JHC

[ShadowCatcher]

If it has the 'finger' bushing - note that it is another failure potential on the early GC's.  They occasionally broke one

or more fingers loose.  A solid bushing fitted by a good Gun Smith eliminates that as well.

 

They're good guns, just fancy 1911's.

 

SC

 

 

[Ramblin Gambler]

I don't know a lot about gold cups, but I did some reading because we inherited a 1968 Colt Gold Cup National Match.  12 mile reb kinda mentioned this in his post, but if you want a shooter you probably don't want one of the models that had the lighter slides.  His post seemed to indicate that this was a 1 year aberration, but my reading on the subject indicated otherwise.  I'm pretty sure I even looked at the slide and saw the extra cuts. 

 

My GCNM is the only gun that I consider a safe queen because I've read it's not safe to shoot standard hardball ammo from it.  When they made the slide lighter, they made it weaker and standard ammo puts more stress on it than it's designed for. 

 

Having said that, since it's being reported as a 'Gold Cup' and not a "National Match Gold Cup", it could be that it was made after they beefed the slide back up.