Gold Cup vs something else

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wgp

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I'm not shooting 1911s much anymore but find myself wanting occasionally to add semi-unique items to the collection. Lately considering looking for a Colt Gold Cup. When I began shooting I believe it was considered the cream of the crop but I have only fired a couple and it was years ago. Those of you whith experience, opinions please about acquiring one vs looking at more recently-produced 1911s.
 
I have a beautiful series 70 gold cup that I bought because it was an excellent deal on a gold cup. I have never fired it or even loaded it. If I want to shoot a 1911, I just use one of my Springfields or my Kimber.
 
I think the modern colts are a really good make. I've been impressed with all the late model governments and the one gold cup I've seen. I think you should go for it.
 
Since the '70s, I've owned several Gold Cups, nine actually. I think they are some of the best looking 1911 type pistols ever. They have been a mixed bag for me though. Most have been "OK". One has been exemplary, and is still owned by a family member. That "one" has been flawlessly reliable, and as accurate as any pistol I've owned. The last, a Gold Cup Trophy, was one of the bad ones. It didn't group at 25 yards, it patterned like a shotgun. Two warranty trips back to Colt, totaling about 5 1/2 months or so, got it to "OK" level. Good, Bad, OK or whatever, the fact that they are Colts is all that seems to matter to many potential buyers
 
I've shot very good Gold Cups, but the one I owned was pretty "meh". Both my Dan Wessons were much superior, and even my RIA out shot it (though that's a 10mm, so apples to pears).

These days if you're going over $1K I'd find a Dan Wesson Pointman or old Valor, though most of the major brands make solid options these days so it's harder to go wrong.
 
I purchased the new series 70 Gold Cup (in blue) when it was first re-issued some 5 years ago.

It is an absolute tack driver. Trigger was great right out of the box (though that didn't stop me from improving it... but that only took a little polishing with a hard Arkansas stone on the Ed Brown sear jig).

It is one of my all time favorite handguns. Did I say it was a tack driver?
 
I purchased the new series 70 Gold Cup (in blue) when it was first re-issued some 5 years ago.

It is an absolute tack driver. Trigger was great right out of the box (though that didn't stop me from improving it... but that only took a little polishing with a hard Arkansas stone on the Ed Brown sear jig).

It is one of my all time favorite handguns. Did I say it was a tack driver?

About when was yours made do you reckon? I'm curious if my hypothesis that the modern guns are better than earlier years bears out. Seems like 205-16 onward have a lot of "tack driver" comments.

Ed: I guess 5 years ago is right about 2015 then...
 
During Colts nadir in the ‘90’s, they were a “target STYLE” pistol. Even overheard a Colt rep at the 1996 NPSC matches in Jackson,MS tell a co-team member such. He had saved up to get a Stainless Gold Cup. From a ransom rest, at 25yds with Federal GoldMedal match, or Hornady 200gr XTP; it would shoot 6” 6- shot groups.

He sold it for more than he paid for it, and bought a S&W PPC-9 Limited. $100 more than he sold the Gold cup for. <1” at 25yds from ransom rest with Federal 9B, or Precision Delta 115gr JHP.

I had a Series 70 Gold Cup ‘80’s production. 4” at 25yds with accurate ammo. Sold it for more than I paid for it, The Gold Cups do have good collector value.
Problem was, I was a competitor/shooter...

Seems though that Colt is back. Making quality guns, not pretty “junque”...
A “New” Python is in my near future. Glad to see the “Snake” guns, and Colt in general to be back.
 
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I bought one around 2016 and I couldn't be happier. I bought a government model first but it wasn't satisfied. I traded it for a GCNM and it's my pride & joy !!! I am not a very good shooter but the Gold Cup makes up for my short comings. LOL There is something about owning a Colt, they been around for over 100 years and still "going strong". As far as I'm concerned they are the best.Yes you can buy a Wilson Combat, CZ Dan Wesson, Les Baer and get a great gun but it isn't a Colt !!! Often copied but never duplicated!!!
 
During Colts nadir in the ‘90’s, they were a “target STYLE” pistol. Even overheard a Colt rep at the 1996 NPSC matches in Jackson,MS tell a co-team member such. He had saved up to get a Stainless Gold Cup. From a ransom rest, at 25yds with Federal GoldMedal match, or Hornady 200gr XTP; it would shoot 6” 6- shot groups.

He sold it for more than he paid for it, and bought a S&W PPC-9 Limited. $100 more than he sold the Gold cup for. <1” at 25yds from ransom rest with Federal 9B, or Precision Delta 115gr JHP.

I had a Series 70 Gold Cup ‘80’s production. 4” at 25yds with accurate ammo. Sold it for more than I paid for it, The Gold Cups do have good collector value.
Problem was, I was a competitor/shooter...

Seems though that Colt is back. Making quality guns, not pretty “junque”...
A “New” Python is in my near future. Glad to see the “Snake” guns, and Colt in general to be back.

When they quit making rifles I thought it was a sign they might be about ready to finally croak on us. Thankfully the shift to civilian pistols has been going very well for them even considering the recent python first batch issues. They're rolling out hits and making good guns again, and in the models customers actually seem to want. I hope the trend continues!
 
I paid $205.07, plus tax, for a new Mark IV series Gold Cup Colt pistol back in 1974 and have competed with it in many Bullseye events since then. After thousands of rounds (mostly reloads), the pistol is still very accurate and reliable. I'd recommend it "vs something else", if you can ever find one.
 
I have one I bought new around 5 or 6 years ago. It has fed every bullet style and weight that I have tried with no issues. Fit and finish is nice. Accuracy great. The trigger is good.
 
The Gold Cup name and reputation carried it along for many years....until the custom 1911 builders took it up to the next level. What was once top of the line 1911 (through no fault of its own) dropped to a mid level reputation. In essence, it didn't drop in quality....others got that much better.

This one came from Colts Custom Shop, polished stainless frame and royal blued slide. One of the prettiest Gold Cups I've ever seen, Fabulous shooter and accurate, but doesn't compare to my Wilson Super Grade....in all fairness it didn't cost what the Wilson's do either.

GC 2.jpg
 
Gold Cups produced in the 1960's and maybe the early 1970's are probably the "cat's meow" for accurate M1911's.

That said, the current cataloged Gold Cup National Match pistols are pretty good and probably better than most folks can shoot them.

I'm happy with mine.
 
About when was yours made do you reckon? I'm curious if my hypothesis that the modern guns are better than earlier years bears out. Seems like 205-16 onward have a lot of "tack driver" comments.
Ed: I guess 5 years ago is right about 2015 then...

Purchased new in March of 2015. They had just brought back the S70 GC to their catalog the year before and when the news broke that they might go belly up I decided to get while the getting was good.

Some may not recognize that the GC sear and hammer are fairly unique and are designed so that the nose of the sear is protected should the hammer ever fall to half cock under force.

GC sear.JPG

The half cock on the hammer is not full width, and is centered so that it only contacts the sear in-between the split sear nose.

The new S70 Gold cups do not have the depressor mechanism that the older models have. I'm not totally sure about this, but I believe the depressor was there to prevent trigger bounce, and became unneeded with the advent of light weight aluminum trigers.
 

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I like my newer Gold Cup 9mm, it's a nice shooter. The Dan Wesson Pointman series are excellent for around the same price, but I think Colts hold their value better.
 
(insert any other gun here)series are excellent for around the same price, but I think Colts hold their value better.

I always hear this statement, and it begs the question,”Why?”.
If another pistol is better, for the same price, why would a Colt hold value better?

Not singling you out, I just hear it often and the logic does not fit my brain.

(I know, prolly just is, but it don’t quantify correctly with universal observation of items and value...
Why pay more for a more common, yet not as nice pistol, just because of a horse on it?)

(It could be the horse. I just don’t like them, so no allure for me?:))
 
I always hear this statement, and it begs the question,”Why?”.
If another pistol is better, for the same price, why would a Colt hold value better?
(I know, prolly just is, but it don’t quantify correctly with universal observation of items and value...
Why pay more for a more common, yet not as nice pistol, just because of a horse on it?)

(It could be the horse. I just don’t like them, so no allure for me?:))

Just based on experiences of working p/t at a gun shop..haha Anything with a horse on it sells pretty quickly.
 
Personally, resale never factors into a purchase. I never buy a gun intending to sell it later.

Sure, I've sold plenty in the past, once I determine I don't ever use them, but I never buy a gun thinking I won't like it and will want to sell it.

So resale and value holding is never part of my metric.
 
I've owned a number of Colts including Gold Cups. They are a crap shoot. You may get a good one, you may not. If you ever need to send it in for repair, good luck.
If I were buying another 1911, I would strongly consider Kimber. I've owned a number of Kimbers and still do. I think they are the best value in a 1911. I've owned a number of different brands of 1911s over the years including Wilson, Ed Brown, Dan Wesson. The two brands that I've kept are Les Baer and Kimber.
 
The older Gold Cup models have several differences from the standard 1911 pattern. The Gold Cup triggers are wider, so the channel in the frame for the trigger has special Gold Cup dimensions. There are very few aftermarket triggers available for the Gold Cup. The barrel shroud is also different, so only a Gold Cup barrel will fit. And the older Gold Cup models also have different sear, as well as a sear depressor and a tiny spring.

I own an older Gold Cup, and I like it. But if I wanted an new 1911, I would buy a model built on the standard pattern so that aftermarket parts would be compatible. I don't know all the details about the new Gold Cups, but I have seen that they have the wide Gold Cup trigger, so the frames have at least some differences from a standard 1911.
 
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