Tell me about the Gold Cup Trophy

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I'm looking for a national match 45 like the one I sold in '74. But they're not very plentiful or affordable.

But I have been seeing Gold Cup Trophys for sale. Does anybody have personal experience with these? What are they? Series 80? Something else?

I saw on Gun list, they have the Trophys with Eliason, Bomar or Champion rear sights. What's up with that?

The trigger doesn't have the little adjustment screw, either. It just looks to be an aluminum trigger with three holes drilled.

But the front sight is dovetailed. That's good cause the old staked sights had a habit of flying off.

Anything else you can tell me? Is it a good piece or should I keep looking?

 

[farscott]

There are some pluses and minuses (of course) to the Gold Cup Trophy as compared to the older National Match, Series '70 Gold Cup National Match, and the Series '80 Gold Cup National Match pistols. The new pistols do include the Series '80 firing pin safety.

Pluses

1) The availability of the Bomar rear sight. No need to worry about breaking the pin in this sight unlike the Eliason sight on the older pistols. The front sights on the pistols with the Bomar rear are (usually) dovetailed.

2) The frame uses a standard width trigger, unlike the older pistols that used the wide steel kidney trigger. This allows the owner to easily change the trigger as well as eliminating the need for the sear depressor and depressor spring.

3) The newer pistols are offered with a quasi-beavertail grip safety with a slotted Commander hammer.

4) Colt is offering these pistols in blue and stainless finish.

5) The new guns lack the lightening cuts in the slide and are capable of firing full-power ammo with the proper recoil spring. Colt ships the guns with two recoil springs, one for target ammo and one for full-power. The gun usually comes with the target spring installed.

6) Colt is making some very nice pistols at present.


Minuses

1) The Series '80 firing pin system means the BoMar sight hangs off the rear of the slide. While increasing sight radius, it increases the chances of damaging the sight.

2) For a true Bullseye pistol, the Series '80 firing pin system is not desirable as it can interfere with the trigger squeeze.

3) The new guns do not exhibit any better barrel/bushing fit than the rest of current production, and accuracy, in my limited sample, is also run of the mill. A fitted barrel bushing and barrel recrown is needed for better accuracy.

4) The action on the new pistols feels a bit rough and really needs a good trigger job.

5) The finish on the new pistols is lacking when compared to the older pistols, especially the pre-Series '70 National Matches.

 

[45auto]

I believe the new Gold Cups still use the wide trigger.

 

[farscott]

I believe the new Gold Cups still use the wide trigger.

Mine, serial number GCT026xx, was built on a frame with a normal width lightweight trigger. I have not seen any recent production with the wide steel "kidney" triggers.

 

[Spinnerblade]

I got mine last year and it has a wide aluminum trigger.Patrick

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[farscott]

Can you please post a picture of the trigger face? That looks like a long, narrow trigger, not the wide trigger.

The width of a normal trigger is 0.245", and the width of the wide trigger is 0.340". This measurement is across the width of the trigger (perpendicular to the bore).

 

[Spinnerblade]

Here's a pic, best I could do on short notice.

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Hopefully you can see the trigger is almost the same width as the trigger guard.Patrick

 

[farscott]

Thanks for the picture. That is very interesting as my GCT has the narrow trigger opening in the frame. That was a plus for me as I replaced it with a short Grieder.

I wonder if my GCT was built on a regular Government frame as opposed to a dedicated GCT frame. Colt is famous for using the parts they have to build the guns that need to get built.

 

[45auto]

That is interesting. I didn't know Colt built any GCs with the standard trigger.

Their website indicates a wide trigger also.

 

[Master Blaster]

I have a stainless one made in 1999, the series 80 firing pin block has no effect on the trigger, it has the best trigger of any 1911 I have ever handled and fired.
Its just as good or better than the series 70 guns I have shot. It does have the old Eliason sights, and a staked front. No probelm with the eliason after about 12,000+- rounds but I did have to restake the front sight which shot loose.

I have never seen a Gold cup with a fixed Novack style sight, was that a factory configuration???

 

[Spinnerblade]

The trigger pull on my Gold Cup is very nice and didn't need any work.
The sights on the other hand kept coming loose so I had Tripp Research replace them with the Novaks and do their hard chrome finish along with some other things . Here's another pic. Patrick

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