Just be aware, the Gold Cups of today are not fitted or finished as well as Gold Cups of old. They do shoot well and can be improved by a knowledgable gunsmith.
Generally, the National Match models are blued and are similar to the original Gold Cups.
The Trophy series are stainless and have most of the features of the NM models but do have some differences.
I know the NM models are available in 45 ACP, 9x19, and 38 Super.
I know the Trophy series are available in 45 ACP but I forget if they are available in other cartridges.
But you cannot always find which model you are looking for. It took me a year to find a new Gold Cup NM in 45ACP.
Not full of details but I hope it helps.
Two weeks ago I was at the Local Gun Store and looking for a deal. The store had Tisas Service Specials 1911's for $329, but were down to one display Tisas. I handled it, and it was looser than my first Tisas Service Special. That Tisas is as tight as any hand fitted target pistol I have handled. Might be an aberration but the Service Specials are very tight and well fitted, especially at the price.
Right next to the Tisas was a new Colt Gold Cup, which I also got to handle. The Gold Cup was $1,349. Its slide has more rear end slop than the $329 Tisas. The front was close to the Tisas and the barrel hood of the Colt had perceptible "give" when pressed with the thumb. The Tisas did not.
I check the tightness of slides, front, back, up. I stick a finger on the muzzle and try to find looseness between the muzzle and barrel bushing. With the slide closed and hammer forward I press down on the barrel hood.
The Colt bluing was nicely polished, the grips were high class wood. It was a very pretty pistol. But was it worth a $1,000 more than the Tisas? Hard to say as I did not get to shoot the Colt. But for a $1,000 more, and for a "target pistol", I expected a tighter slide to frame fit, and a rock solid fit to the barrel/link end.
I recall calling Colt in the late 1980's, and asking about the factory accuracy standards for my Colt Combat Elite and the Gold Cup. Colt customer service said the Combat Elite would shoot within 3.5 inches at 25 yards and the Gold Cup would do 3.0 inches. The ten ring on the standard NRA 25 yard Bullseye target is about 3.3 inches. So the factory Gold Cup would hold the ten ring at 25 yards, but not at 50 yards, as the ten ring is the same diameter.
We lost
Phillip Hemphill this month. Phillip recommended the Rock River NM pistol for a factory 2700 1911. I don't know anyone shooting a Gold Cup, and can't recall seeing one on the firing line. But, there could have been one. Everyone is shooting with an optical sight on top, and that included Phillip. Don't know if Gold Cups come drilled and tapped for a sight rail on top.
When we shoot CMP Service Pistol, which is an iron sight match, scores are low compared to the optical sight matches.
