Colt Pre-Gold Cup National Match 1911 .45 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol, 1967 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,825.00
WOA#: WY240605DM004
Make: Colt
Model: Gold Cup National Match
Serial Number: 21150-NM
Year of Manufacture: 1967 (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 “0”, the left is marked “VP” in triangle and “JJ”. 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 to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a square notch that is adjustable for windage and elevation, pinned to the slide. The top of the slide’s rib is serrated for glare reduction.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered walnut panels with gold-colored Colt medallions. The grips show minor handling wear with only a few tiny marks. The checkering is well-defined, generally sharp. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright and the rifling is sharp. There is infrequent minor erosion and some stubborn fouling in the bore, mostly at the muzzle-end. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its current metal finish. The new finish is generally strong throughout. Some areas have an iridescent appearance, more notable on the slide flats. The action shows minor operational wear. There are infrequent spots of minor surface erosion under the finish. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw slots are sharp. The markings are generally clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fine-Excellent condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The trigger is crisp. The slide has barely perceptible 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: Two-piece cardboard Colt Gold Cup Automatic National Match box, manual, a single 7-round magazine marked “COLT / .45 AUTO.” on the floorplate, a metal bushing wrench and Colt-branded sight adjustment tool.
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 1967, a fairly early Gold Cup made about 3 years before the pistols would actually be marked “GOLD CUP”. It has been refinished, so it looks great for its age, retaining about 98% of its new metal finish, a strong bore and good mechanics. All of these old National Match pistols are collectible, this early example will make a great addition to a collection, especially with its included box, but should also prove to be a great shooter. Please see our photos and good luck!
