# colt gold cup



## HOPELESS (Sep 1, 2012)

I looking at one ,any opinions I always come to the pro's to get help.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I like the wide trigger on them personally.Are we talking a new one or older?The newer ones are supposed to be quite nice but I haven't had one.The 80 series were hit and miss just like the 70 series,but both were in the era where Colt had some issues.I have an fairly early 70s that's a nice piece,but I'm not much on the collet bushing.I've seen some really nice 80 series but I've also seen some poorly fitted ones for the extra money.

For carry they work fine,but besides the point adjustable sight aren't great for that purpose the older ones had a problem of the pivot pin breaking or disappearing.What they are using now I don't know but it isn't the same sight as far as I now.For target work,they work fine unless you really want bullseye accuracy,then they need some tweaking.

To check how well it was fitted in general,check these.In lockup,try wiggling the slide vertically and horizontally-snug is great,a slight play is good and loose sucks.Try moving the barrel in the bushing and the bushing in the slide,same gig.Then pull the slide back about 1/2 way and let go to 1/2 arssed simulate lockup.Push down on the chamber noticing movement,once again it should be tight.If you feel downward movement,rerack.This tine look at the slide stop for movement.What you're trying to find out is if the barrel feet is where the slop is or is it a small SS pin in the frame hole,or a combo.The SS pin is an easy cure,if they overcut the lower lugs it's a bit more involved if an oversized SS can't cure it.

That said,a touch of movement isn't the end of the world,you can tell by grabbing another 45 and comparing because a milspec will be loose while others will have less slop.What really counts with iron sights is that the barrel and slide lock up tight because the sights are mounted to the slide,the barrel and sights are looking at the same thing.While a loose slide to frame fit can be detrimental to reliability,a little play is no big deal at all.Most Gold Cups will shoot in the 2" neighborhood no problem at 25yds if you can.A general reference is every .001" of play equals an 1" at 100yds,but the barrel/bushing/slide is the most important pertaining to this.The slide to frame fit has a bit less impact on that unless you are running a frame mount optic.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

I had a Gold Cup .45 ACP I bought in the late 'Seventies or so. It was a fine gun for an autoloader. I used Winchester Silvertips or the Sierra 185 gr. Jacketed Hollow Cavity bullet loaded with Winchester 231 or 540 (now discontinued) and it was a fine varmint pistol out to about 75 yards or so. My gun was set up for hardball ammunition and functioned perfectly all the time I kept it. It just couldn't keep up with my brass, and on the last outing popped me in the eyebrow with an empty case. Had a chance to swap it off for a New Frontier, so away it went.

Never shot anything bigger than crows with it, and it sure did a number on them.

Bob Wright


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## HOPELESS (Sep 1, 2012)

Thank for all the information I was looking at a new colt now with all this information I my start looking at a used one Thanks again and I will get back to you


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## HOPELESS (Sep 1, 2012)

Thanks Bob, you and I spoke about my Hawes 357 I wasn't able to post a picture but I have used it a lot !


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## CharlieW (Feb 2, 2011)

I have a GC Trophy model in stainless, and it is the most accurate pistol I own. I have had it about 5 years. The trigger pull on mine measures around 3 1/2 lbs., so that would not be to everyone's liking, but it is terrific to shoot. I previously had a blued GC Trophy model and it was every bit as good as the current one. I don't think you could go wrong with a new GC Trophy or GC National Match.


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## rglassma (Mar 21, 2015)

I have a newer Series 80 National Match from 2014. It has been a fantastic gun right out of the box. Shoots well, extremely accurate, and a great shooter. Fit and finish is flawless and it is very tight. Only thing I could be critical of is that after several hundred rounds of ammo, a couple of the handle screws can loosen up. Highly recommended


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## dakota1911 (Jun 9, 2015)

The new ones are very nice. The Gold Cup National Match was introduced in 1957, and for years they looked very similar from a distance, although the guts were very different. Below a 66, a 79 and a 88.


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## dakota1911 (Jun 9, 2015)

In later years they started to change. Below are three more recent ones. All these came with rubber wrap around grips and I replaced them all with some wood stocks I got off of Colts website back when they were selling parts.

On top is a 96 enhanced, and 96 was the last year for the steel trigger and the last year for the GCNM name for years. In 97 the Trophy came out with the wide Aluminum trigger and the next pistol is a blued 2010 GCT. Under that is the re introduction of the GCNM in 2012. Granted is had a round top. It was preceded by a couple Talo special editions by the way. I thought Colt might flash the pan on it but in 2013 they added a grooved front of the frame, which went away about 1992 or so with the Enhanced models, and they started putting on wood stocks.



This year a blued Series 70 GCNM was introduced and the Series 80 GCNM was discontinued although there are still several in gun stores down here and I am sure on line if you want one. The fit and finish on the ones in recent years has been great. You might guess I sort of collect these, although I shoot them all too.


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## gnappi (Oct 4, 2015)

I "Assume" you mean a .45? But they were made in more calibers, I have a Gold Cup Delta Elite in 10mm, and they were made in .38 super and 9mm?

Anyway, I've had a few GC's, never liked the sights there are better. Then again, plain old drift sights work for me at person to person ranges.


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## dakota1911 (Jun 9, 2015)

A few months ago I bought one of the new 2015 Series 70 GCNMS. It is under my 79. Very nice pistol.



I have a 1990 Delta Gold Cup also. Colt made the Delta Gold Cups from 87-95 or 96. The first year they had blue and SS but after that SS only so the blued ones are sort of collectible these days. I replaced the rubber wrap around grips on mine with some wood stocks from Altamont in this picture.



In the 1990s there was at least one distributors limited edition with bicolor ones being made in 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W and 45. Those are also somewhat collectible. In the 60s there were midrange guns in 38 AMU (like 38 Special with a semi rim, not full rim) and 38 Special shooting wadcutter only rounds. Those are very collectible now.


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## dakota1911 (Jun 9, 2015)

And these days Gold Cups are not the "top the the heap" so to speak with the Colt Special Combat Gov. being the most expensive 1911 Colt makes in standard production. It is a product of Colts Custom Shop. Their MSRP is about $2K these days. I have a 2006 in .45. It is hard chromed and I did change out the grips for some in Ironwood from Esmeralda. Lovely pistol. They also make them in 38 Super and I am thinking about one of those.



But these are essentially range toys although I know some people carry them day to day. For me I currently carry a Wiley Clapp Commander.


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