Colt's Gold Cup - 24hourcampfire

Been shooting this one a lot over the past couple of weeks. Favorite load (no surprise) is the Federal factory 185 grain match. I'm liking this Gold Cup mucho. Round count is up over 800; that includes GI Match ball (TZZ lot #007), Federal 185 Match, Atlanta Arms 185 HPs and Black Hills 230 grain gay ball. No malfunctions. Don't know about reloads, though...I only shoot factory, so an opinion on reloaded stuff will have to wait.

I put a set of older Colt Gold Cup walnut stocks on to heighten the retro effect...much better. This is the Gold Cup Colt should have been making 4 decades ago.
Bob

The new ones are very nice.

I had one of these new production Gold Cups. Really nice and shot great. Not sure why I sold it.

Originally Posted by RGK

Been shooting this one a lot over the past couple of weeks. Favorite load (no surprise) is the Federal factory 185 grain match. I'm liking this Gold Cup mucho. Round count is up over 800; that includes GI Match ball (TZZ lot #007), Federal 185 Match, Atlanta Arms 185 HPs and Black Hills 230 grain gay ball. No malfunctions. Don't know about reloads, though...I only shoot factory, so an opinion on reloaded stuff will have to wait.

I put a set of older Colt Gold Cup walnut stocks on to heighten the retro effect...much better. This is the Gold Cup Colt should have been making 4 decades ago.
Bob

They did make these 4 decades ago. I have a series 70. Fine pistol.

"They did make these 4 decades ago. I have a series 70. Fine pistol."

Mr Marklin, I guess you didn't understand what I was saying...I realize that Colt made a series 70 Gold Cup back then. My point was that the new, re-introduced series 70 Gold Cup is a BETTER pistol than the previous Gold Cup. The new one has better sights, better, lighter aluminum trigger, no slide lightening cuts, no collet bushing and the slide/frame fit and lock-up is more snug. The new gun is better than the old one, if you're actually going to shoot it in competition (as in, "National Match"). But yes, the older Gold Cup is still a fine pistol.
Bob

RGK, I can agree with you on most points of the new 70 Series model. At this point though I still like the Eliason rear sight better. That may just be familiarity though as I've looked through those for a lot of years. Everything else though, yep, especially the collet bushing thing. That was a built in failure.

Originally Posted by 65X54

RGK, I can agree with you on most points of the new 70 Series model. At this point though I still like the Eliason rear sight better. That may just be familiarity though as I've looked through those for a lot of years. Everything else though, yep, especially the collet bushing thing. That was a built in failure.

The Elliason is a good rear sight...I had them on my Pythons. The problem was the silly stamped roll pin. On a revolver, no problem, it (the rear sight) stayed put. On the Gold Cup the pin broke (or worked its way out) and the sight went airborne. Easy fix, though...just cut a hardened steel pin to proper size and fit. It was irritating that Colt wouldn't fix such an obvious problem.
Bob

It is kind of strange the Colt ignored such a common problem from about 1958 to when, not long ago. It was not a difficult problem to have solved. In mid stream a paper clip was never that hard to find...

They're making series 70 Gold Cups again ?
When did that happen ?
Who has them ?

Mike

Is the model number 05870NM ?

Originally Posted by mikeone

They're making series 70 Gold Cups again ?
When did that happen ?
Who has them ?

Mike

I'm interested in that information as well.

Originally Posted by mikeone

Is the model number 05870NM ?

Correct.

As of 2015, the Gold Cup series 70 is back in production...GCNM series 80 is discontinued. New gun has the old flat top rib on the slide. It's a nice pistol. Unlike the last couple of years, the newest Colts seem to be more available. Try Bud's; they were showing in-stock.
Bob

Thanks.

My follow up leads me to believe the Model number to be 05870A1 as shown at the Colt's website and Bud's. 70 Series lock work.

Bob, I would be more interested in the pistol above the new Series 70???? Pre/post war Military National Match?

Post-war (late 60's) AMU-built gun. Built at FT Benning by one of the AMU guys (Jackie Best). Gun is built on an Ithaca frame, with a Colt NM "hard slide". It'll do 3" from a Ransom Rest at 50 yds, 10 shots, Fed match ball. Ugly, but a superb Army-tuned shooter.
Bob

Thanks Bob, The slide is the part I wasn't understanding. The serrations were wrong for a Mil national match.

Being a good shooter, it looks great to me. While shooting one the only thing I can see is the sharkfin..

Originally Posted by 65X54

Thanks Bob, The slide is the part I wasn't understanding. The serrations were wrong for a Mil national match.

Being a good shooter, it looks great to me. While shooting one the only thing I can see is the sharkfin..

The early post-war SA and RIA NMs used standard GI slides, but were somewhat "soft", despite the partial heat-treat of the front end and slide stop area. Later guns (I think after '64) got the NM hard-slides. The AMU and Marine WTB guns were always built with NM hard slides and mostly stippled instead of checkered, but lots of checkered frames are out there on military NM pistols.
Bob

Originally Posted by RGK

Been shooting this one a lot over the past couple of weeks. Favorite load (no surprise) is the Federal factory 185 grain match. I'm liking this Gold Cup mucho. Round count is up over 800; that includes GI Match ball (TZZ lot #007), Federal 185 Match, Atlanta Arms 185 HPs and Black Hills 230 grain gay ball. No malfunctions. Don't know about reloads, though...I only shoot factory, so an opinion on reloaded stuff will have to wait.

I put a set of older Colt Gold Cup walnut stocks on to heighten the retro effect...much better. This is the Gold Cup Colt should have been making 4 decades ago.
Bob

I've got one just like it. I put a 20lb Nighthawk spring in it so that heavy loads wouldn't beat it up. It's SWEET.