Colt Gold Cups

[ColtBRH]

How would you rate the latest Colt Gold Cups in reliability?

 

[Ala Dan]

I will attempt to field your question.

Quite honestly, I have no desire to try any Gold Cup
past the series 80; and even then, I understand
that they were not near as good as the 70 series.
As a matter of fact, the 70 series was so good I
bought two brand new in the box! Sure wish I
had 'em now, cuz the price is hovering around a
thousand bucks a copy.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[cratz2]

I owned one that was 100% with the lighter spring and my friends 200 Gr LSWC handloads. Put a few rounds of 230 Gr ball through it and tried about one mag each of several HPs just to see what would happen. It didn't like the 200 Gr +P Gold Dots but other than that, it was fine. If I were to carry the Gold Cup, I'd probably stick with standard pressure Golden Sabers or Ranger Ts.

Personally, I like the Gold Cups. I believe the Series 70 were about the best overall. I'm sure I'll buy a number of pre-Series 70s when I win that Powerball, but I think the 70s are the best. In addition to the 80 that I owned, I have extended experience with one other 80 and again, it was fine. I just love that wide trigger and the flat top of the blued guns.

On other features, I never had a problem with my front sight but the pin on the rear Elliason sight would move to the right pretty consistantly. It never fell off, but in 200 rounds, I'd probably move it back over two or three times.

My kinda strange perspective Gold Cup pic:

 

[Rockstar]

Most, if not all, of the current 1911 gurus claim that the 80 Series Gold Cups are far superior to the 70 Series Gold Cups, and that all the Colt products made during the 70's represent a low point in Colt production standards.

 

[Sean Smith]

A pre-Series 70 Gold Cup National Match is wildly superior to a Series 70 Gold Cup, especially if it was made in the late 1950s-early 1960s. No iffs, ands or buts about it. Get them before union labor got to Colt.

 

[gggman]

I have a Gold Cup Commander from the Colt Custom Shop. I absolutely love it. It is 100% reliable with wadcutters, hollowpoints, and anything I've put through it. And it is extremely accurate.
Here's a picture.

 

[AirPower]

Here's my Colt NM. It's a great gun. They sure don't make them like they used to.

 

[Ala Dan]

Series 80 Colt's

Greeting's All-

I had a series 80 Colt Combat Elite that I carried a
little while; before our department outlawed the
SA self-loader's. It was a very good shooting Colt;
even with the factory sights!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Dave Sample]

Many people like them. I don't.

 

[Delmar]

I really like my blued Series 80. Had a bit of a problem with the Eliason rear sight but thanks to some people here at THR, that problem was solved quickly and cheaply.
If I've been a good boy and ate my vegetables, the darned thing will just about one hole a 25 yard group with 200 grain Gold Dots and a stiff load of AA#5.
Other than replacing the hollow pin in the rear sight, the only thing I did was slightly swage out the barrel bushing to a light friction fit in the slide.
No rocket science involved there-a vise and a stepped socket did the trick.

 

[grendelbane]

My first .45 was a Gold Cup, I still have it. Just changed the trigger today. I never did like that wide steel trigger. I replaced it with a King's. It is still too wide, but at least it is aluminum, and less subject to dropping the hammer

I would not buy another. I prefer the conventional trigger, and I hate the sights on the GC.

I replaced the stock sights with Millet's back in the '80s. Big improvement, but that rear sight is still just a little fragile.

No more GC's! Gov't models, (and maybe Commander's), for me from now on.

 

[BigG]

I've had several of the Series 80s, not a bad one in the bunch.