Colt Gold Cup National Match Air Force Premium Grade 1911 45 ACP Pistol C&R
SOLD FOR: $4,825.00
WOA#: 240520KE005
Make: Colt
Model: Gold Cup National Match, Air Force Premium Grade 1 of 100 shipped to Offutt Air Force Base
Serial Number: 1905-NM
Year of Manufacture: 1958, Colt Factory Letter
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.” with “AF 1905 marked in two places. The right of the frame is marked with the serial number and “AF AFPG. The right of the trigger guard is marked “Y”, the left is marked “S” and “VP” in triangle. The top of the barrel is marked “COLT.45 AUTO / AF W 1905”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the serrated top rib of the slide. The rear sight is an adjustable rectangular notch sight pinned to the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered brown plastic. The checkering has some wear on the points but remains well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Royal Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. There is fouling in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8.5/10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 87% 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 minor nicks, scuffs, and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition for C&R.
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 very little 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 and a Colt Factory Letter.
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 1968, an early Gold Cup made over a decade before the pistols would actually be marked “GOLD CUP”. According to Colt’s records, this Gold Cup National Match pistol was 1 of 100 pistols shipped on July 25, 1958 to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, for the Air Force Shooting Team. 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 on your bid! – L.S.
