Colt Pre-Gold Cup National Match 1911 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1958 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1850

LSB#: 210612TP21

Make: Colt

Model: Gold Cup National Match

Serial Number: 3479-NM

Year of Manufacture: 1958 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)

Caliber: .45 ACP

Action Type: Single Action, Semi-Automatic, Removable Magazine Fed Pistol

Markings: The left of the slide is marked “NATIONAL / *MATCH*”, “COLT”, “AUTOMATIC / CALIBER .45” and with a rampant colt, the right is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.”. The right of the frame is marked with the serial number. The right of the trigger guard is marked “Y”, the left is marked “Y” and “VP” in triangle. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT .45 AUTO N.M.”.

Barrel Length: 5”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade that is fixed into the serrated top rib of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch that is adjustable for windage and elevation, pinned to the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut with smooth diamonds around the grip screws and gold-colored Colt medallions. The grips have light handling wear with a few scattered light nicks and scuffs. There is a more notable ding in the right panel at the top-front. Apart from this ding, the checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-Fine condition as not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 90% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most of the balance is in handling wear in the grip areas. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and minor scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. This pistol features a National Match barrel, adjustable rear sight, and wide, serrated adjustable trigger. The trigger is crisp. The slide has minor play to the frame. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with a single 7-round magazine. The magazine appears to have an after-market follower and requires significant effort to drop the slide when the magazine is empty. This issue is not present when the magazine is removed or with other magazines.

Our Assessment: In the mid-1900s the 1911 was used for all manner of pistol competitions, but the base Government model typically needed some tweaking and modification to get the best performance. In 1957, Colt introduced their Gold Cup National Match, an out-of-the-box, purpose-built target pistol with adjustable target sights, hand-fit parts, serrated grip frame and adjustable trigger. This example is from 1958, an early Gold Cup made about twelve years before the pistols would actually be marked “GOLD CUP”. It appears to have seen little use. It retains about 90% of its metal finish, a great bore and strong mechanics. All of these old National Match pistols are collectible, this early example will make a great addition to a collection, but should also prove to be a great shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!