Putting a Gold Cup back to stock

[44 Man]

I'm looking at an 'almost' NIB Colt Mark IV series 70 Gold Cup (sn# 70N947XX) It looks new to me. Only thing is someone has added a 'big head' mag release to the gun and it has a steel arched (grooved) mainspring housing. All of the Gold Cup (s70) guns I remember looking at had a flat mainspring housing. Can any one tell me if this is true and what kind they came with, (grooved, smooth, or checkered). I'd like to put her back stock. Also the mag release, I assume that the stock Colt one supplied with the gun was grooved, correct? I appreciate your wisdom. Thanks. 44 Man

[Ericthenorse]

They came with a flat housing with the same serations as on the front strap. The mag release should also have the same serations... If you end up getting it, I have a few extra mag releases, and a MSH from a series 70 Cup that I might be willing to trade for the parts on that gun...or I will just sell if you want to keep the extra parts...

[44 Man]

Thanks Eric. I do want to keep the ugly big mag release as I have short fingers and I can use that on another gun, probably the mainspring housing also as I am converting an 'enhanced' model back to the Gov't look. I will be getting with you for those parts. Thanks. 44 Man

[191145]

You'll need to check out the recoil, trigger (mainspring) and firing pin springs to see if they were changed. Don't ask me how you will know by looking - I don't know if you can. You can find out what the springs were supposed to be and replace them. Generally speaking, the spring set-up was lighter than the Gov Model all around. After this plus the spring housing swap you should be in original shape if it has the correct barrel, bushing and grips. I used to have 70N22227.

[RickB]

Older Colt catalogs make mention of the arched housing being optional on the Gold Cup, so you won't necessarily be returning it to original if you change it. I bought a Gold Cup "kit", that included everything but the frame, and swapped the flat housing for an arched one that an acquaintance had on his Gold Cup. They're not all flat.

[dakota1911]

I do remember that I saw Colt Gold Cups with arched mainspring housings in a large gunstore in Denver Colorado about 1975 or 1976. They were being sold as new from the factory. They were grooved and all the Gold Cups I have owned also had grooved housings but they were flat, which is my preference.

I have returned my last 70's Gold Cup to near factory. I usually throw parts I take off of whatever gun into the box the gun came in or some labeled shoebox if I got it without a box. I try to keep them identified and available if I want to put them back on.

Now one interesting point is that I replaced a solid pin I put in several years ago with a roll pin from Colt to be closer to original. The twelve Colt Gold Cups from the 70'sl that I have owned and shot enough rounds through to understand them blew the roll pin in their rear sight from 2000 -to- 4000 rounds. In the old days there was a drill bit that fit perfectly and it would not break. I decided to order the roll pin from Colt and put it back in.

[44 Man]

Whoa there! I looked at the Gold Cup more closely yesterday and caught a couple of things that I hadn't seen before. Although it has a Gov't hammer and grip safety, the back of the frame has been cut. AND it was not cut square as it would be for a beavertail safety. The ears appear to be simular to a Commander but are tapered on the sides and almost cut up to the back of the thumb safety. I had a friend who wanted it, so I passed it on to him. It still would be a wonderful gun, but I also wanted it original. I guess I will just have to concentrat my 'gun money' of the S80 Stainless Gov't I have on layaway yet. Thanks for your help. 44 Man