Colt Smith
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what is your opinion on using std. .45 ACP in a pre 70 gold cup, with or without a recoil buffer ?
hardball in .45 ACP pre 70 gold cups
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Confederate
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Definitely with a recoil buffer or a stronger mainspring. The spring that comes with your Gold Cup is designed to shoot 185 gr. bullets. If you want to keep your gun in good shape, replace the spring with the spring for a Colt 1911. Even though your frame is steel, I've heard of people damaging their guns with the lighter springs. Of course, one of the biggest problems will be in functioning.
With a Gold Cup bein' such a nice gun, and xpensive, I'd sure be tempted to use a recoil buffer in addition to the new spring. It would make shooting it more comfortable.
With a Gold Cup bein' such a nice gun, and xpensive, I'd sure be tempted to use a recoil buffer in addition to the new spring. It would make shooting it more comfortable.
10X
Member
Do it so long as you have a 16 lb. recoil spring.
The rumor concerning the pre 70 Gold Cup was "cracked" slides because of a lightening cut in the slide. This was a rumor. Has anyone seen, not heard second hand, of a cracked slide on a pre 70 Gold Cup that used a 16 lb. spring and shot hard ball? That lightening cut was no where near the weak part of the slide ( the ejection port).
The pre 70 Gold Cup came with a 12 lb recoil spring for very light loads and a 16 lb spring for 230 ball loads. The 16 lb spring can be used just fine for factory 185 SWC loads.
The rumor concerning the pre 70 Gold Cup was "cracked" slides because of a lightening cut in the slide. This was a rumor. Has anyone seen, not heard second hand, of a cracked slide on a pre 70 Gold Cup that used a 16 lb. spring and shot hard ball? That lightening cut was no where near the weak part of the slide ( the ejection port).
The pre 70 Gold Cup came with a 12 lb recoil spring for very light loads and a 16 lb spring for 230 ball loads. The 16 lb spring can be used just fine for factory 185 SWC loads.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yes, I have!
And it is not a rumor!
The slide lightening cut was done to get them to function reliably with mid-range target loads. And the slides were very soft.
Gold Cups made in the 60's with the light & soft slide would quickly beat themselves to death when used with GI Match hard-ball.
I saw a lot of them die while gunsmithing for 5th. Army AMU.
Not cracked slides, but just plain loosen up to the point they rattled, and wouldn't shoot winning scores any longer.
The Civilian shooters just would not take our word for it, and continued to pound them to death at every major match.
Then bring them to us to fix them!
They were built & sold back then for 185 & 200 grain SWC Mid-Range target ammo, nothing more.
rcmodel
And it is not a rumor!
The slide lightening cut was done to get them to function reliably with mid-range target loads. And the slides were very soft.
Gold Cups made in the 60's with the light & soft slide would quickly beat themselves to death when used with GI Match hard-ball.
I saw a lot of them die while gunsmithing for 5th. Army AMU.
Not cracked slides, but just plain loosen up to the point they rattled, and wouldn't shoot winning scores any longer.
The Civilian shooters just would not take our word for it, and continued to pound them to death at every major match.
Then bring them to us to fix them!
They were built & sold back then for 185 & 200 grain SWC Mid-Range target ammo, nothing more.
rcmodel
10X
Member
rcmodel, as I recall around 1967/1968 Colt produced the GC with a hardened slide. The slide had a purple color rather than blue. That supposedly addressed the "cracked slide" issue and possibly the soft slide issue you noted.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yes, they did.
But I was with Army AMU in 68-70, and all we were seeing then were the ones that didn't have the later better slides.
Anyway, a blanket statement that all a Gold Cup needs is a 16 pound spring and a recoil buffer to shoot hardball is not correct, if it is one of those older guns.
rcmodel
But I was with Army AMU in 68-70, and all we were seeing then were the ones that didn't have the later better slides.
Anyway, a blanket statement that all a Gold Cup needs is a 16 pound spring and a recoil buffer to shoot hardball is not correct, if it is one of those older guns.
rcmodel
Colt Smith
Member
OK. So can you recommend some commonly available and not too expensive loads that would be perfectly safe for my pre 70 GC ?
MICHAEL T
Member
Just go get a new Colt gov and leave the Baby Gold cup home
My self I would put in a 16lb recoil spring and shoot it. I belive they come with 2 springs for this reason
My self I would put in a 16lb recoil spring and shoot it. I belive they come with 2 springs for this reason
Oh Hell. I just noticed you asked about PRE-70 Gold Cups. Well, I'll leave my response even though it isn't what you asked.
I have had two Series '70 Gold Cups. Got the first around 1978 and it was stolen in 1986. Bought another just like it and still have it.
Both guns got used a lot and only with full-power ammo. Never had any problems. I heard about the weaker recoil spring but I compared the one from my GC to one from a Gov't Model and they looked exactly the same. As I recall they carried the same part number on the parts list, too. Not sure if there actually was any difference.
Didn't Skeeter Skelton do a 5,000 round test of GC back in the early 1980s? If I recall the pin holding the rear sight in place sheared (it was a hollow roll pin and he replaced it with a solid one) but otherwise the gun held up just fine.
I just posted this pic of my GC in another thread.
I have had two Series '70 Gold Cups. Got the first around 1978 and it was stolen in 1986. Bought another just like it and still have it.
Both guns got used a lot and only with full-power ammo. Never had any problems. I heard about the weaker recoil spring but I compared the one from my GC to one from a Gov't Model and they looked exactly the same. As I recall they carried the same part number on the parts list, too. Not sure if there actually was any difference.
Didn't Skeeter Skelton do a 5,000 round test of GC back in the early 1980s? If I recall the pin holding the rear sight in place sheared (it was a hollow roll pin and he replaced it with a solid one) but otherwise the gun held up just fine.
I just posted this pic of my GC in another thread.
metrotps
Member
Don't shoot 230 grain ball in it! I had one that the frame cracked in the cut for the slide release area. I was using a 16lb spring and it still happened. There was a guy in Spokane, WA. who made a good living repairing cracked frames and he fixed mine so as you could not tell it had ever cracked.
Confederate
Member
Yes, I meant recoil spring. My mistake.
But wouldn't a stiffer recoil spring take care of the problem? I recall that's what many people did at the time. Still, if you can shoot other, lighter loads, do it. Also, I don't know whether your frame could be heat treated to new specs, but you might ask some Colt people.
The Gold Cup was a fine pistol. Beautiful bluing. Mine jammed on occasion and I sold it, preferring a Python. Wish I had both guns now.
But wouldn't a stiffer recoil spring take care of the problem? I recall that's what many people did at the time. Still, if you can shoot other, lighter loads, do it. Also, I don't know whether your frame could be heat treated to new specs, but you might ask some Colt people.
The Gold Cup was a fine pistol. Beautiful bluing. Mine jammed on occasion and I sold it, preferring a Python. Wish I had both guns now.
OldWolf
Member
I have a 1969 Nat Match with the lightened slide. I use an 18lb spring with recoil buffer and haven't had any problems.
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