Inherited a Gold Cup National Match

[JT4]

Keep in mind I am not very familiar with 1911 pistols. I just bought a SW1911PD but I have not even fired that one yet. Years ago my father gave my step grandfather a Gold Cup National Match. My father says it was purchased new in the early 70's. I remember my grandfther showing it to me along with his range box and High Standard .22. I think he did shoot competitively. My grandfather passed a while ago and apparently my father had taken possesion of the Colt but I was not aware until he told me about it and said he was going to give it to me for my birthday. So I just got it today. The serial number is 70N357XX. I have never seen the sight set up it has. The sight assembly is marked Bo-Mar. As you can see in the picture the front sight extends beyond the muzzle. Is is safe to assume a gunsmith tapped the slide in order to be able to mount the sight assembly? The are four allen head machine screws holding it down. While I am fairly certain it is functional I intend to send it to a 1911 gunsmith for a good tune up and look through. I am in South Florida. Any recommendations on a decent 1911 gunsmith in my area? If not where might I consider sending it that does not have a huge backlog and modest prices? I would welcome and thoughts or comments on my new to me 1911. I am quite pleased with it. Thanks.
http://members.aol.com/juant2/colt1911.jpg

[Joni Lynn]

Welcome to the forum.
Nice looking GCNM.
The BoMar rib may also have the accuracy tuner in it. It is a portion which adjusts down to bare against the hood of the barrel to provide a possibly more consistent lockup.
By providing the longer sight radius the idea is accuracy may be improved.
It might need a new recoil spring, something like 16 pound should work just fine.

[Hunter]

Joni gives great advice.
That is a fine looking GCNM and I imagine she is an accurate one.
A good once over and new springs is a great idea and then I believe some range time would be in order.

[Jim Watson]

Yes, a gunsmith drilled and tapped the slide to install the Bomar rib.
It looks like he may have narrowed or fluted the hammer to reduce interference and speed lock time. Those are Herrett's grips, not Colt.

I would not shoot anything but midrange target loads in a gun with rib installed. A club member here sent a gun back to the gunsmith to replace the rib with standard adjustable sights for use with hardball in IPSC instead of midrange in NRA bullseye.

[Joni Lynn]

It's just possible that the gunsmith may have also removed the GCNM rib from the top of the slide. Sadly, I've seen it done before.

[djhobbes]

Marvelous specimen there, JT. I wouldn't change a thing, and those posts preceding mine offer good advice. Most notably though, is Jim's advice on ammo choice. I have no doubt in my mind that this pistol was set up to shoot mild wadcutter loads and nothing more.

Did you end up with the range box and High Standard too?

[pa_guns]

Hi

You have the steel trigger on that pistol. My bet is that you also have the sear depressor spring set on the sear. Trust me when I say this - be *very* careful if you do a detail strip of that pistol. The sear is *not* normal and if you loose the magic little spring, you're out $5 plus shipping ....

Bob

[Joni Lynn]

True, most GCNM and all the series 70 and newer ones with the steel trigger will have that really tiny spring and lever installed which you don't want to lose.

[Hill]

I would closely examine that gun for any sign of a signature marking made by a gunsmith.
In that area of the country it may be a Clark gun, and Jim Clark made his presence known in some pretty subtle ways during his early years. A tiny engraved "J.Clark" or J.E. Clark" done inside the slide, on top of the frame, or even under a grip could increase the value of that gun considerably.

[1saxman]

I also would not change anything on it. It's too messed up to ever consider taking back to original, and besides its a family gun that your father and grandfather owned and used, making it perhaps priceless to you. That's one to keep in the family. BTW, the serial number would place that one about 1975.

[JT4]

Thanks for all the responses. I did a basic disassembly today just to wipe it down and clean it up a little. Regarding gunsmith markings the only unusual (to me) markings were on the trigger guard. On the forward part of the trigger guard towards the top I found a what looks to be a letter "A" stamped on the left side of the gun. About a 1/4" below the A seems to be a tiny symbol I cannot identify at the moment. In the same place the A is but on the opposite side there is a letter "J" stamped. The J is better defined than the A is. My initial thoughts is to remove the BoMar rib but I wll certainly consider keeping it as is. My childhood memory of this gun did not have the BoMar rib. There was a partial box of old Remington ammo that came with it. It is Remington 185gr. wadcutter and that seems to confirm the suspicions of several who posted. I am hoping someone might educate me a little as to why this setup seems to be done with this kind of ammo in mind? Are there any good general knowledge sources on GCNM pistols online that anyone can point me to. Yes, I don't intend to ever sell this gun for sentimental reasons, it is definitely a keeper.

[Joni Lynn]

As I mentioned earlier, if the factory GCNM rib was modified or removed as part of the BoMar rib installation restoring it to original can't be done without a new slide. If it hasn't then you would only need replacement sights, installation of same and then plug the holes.
If it were mine I'd leave it as is. It's unique and has sentimental value.
Remington 185 wadcutter ammo is strictly a target load and will probably work fine with a 16 pound spring. Before shooting it check that the screws holding the rib on aren't loose.
Winchester, Remington, Federal and a few other companies have made good 185 match wadcutter ammo. It would probably run fine with 200 lead semi wadcutters as well.
Your gun looks to have been made in 1976.
Nice gun! Any way you look at it you have a very nice GCNM.

[pa_guns]

Hi

Even if the slide was not modified for the rib, I would bet the rib has scratched up the slide pretty well under it. You are not going to get the pistol back to original without some major refinishing and hole plugging.

Bob

[daveohno]

You have a nice pistol, many memories go with it. Like they said, change the springs and try it out on some bullseye shooting. The only smith's I'm know of that might have reasonable service times are John Harrison and the people that have ads at the top of our page, Ron Phillips and Crawley Custom. There are others, but some of them will have you on a list for up to a year or more.

[JT4]

Another question. I only received on magazine with the gun. It is marked Colt 45 Auto 8-RD on the baseplate with the horse logo. The follower is marked "Shooting Star" is unusual to me as it is split and flexes at the projectile end. I don't know how to better describe that but I hope you know what I mean. I want to buy some more magazines. What mags should I look at? I imagine I would want to try one for reliable function before I get multiples. Any thoughts? Thanks again.

[Joni Lynn]

McCormick mags usually work well for me as do Wilson.

[Jim Watson]

The magazine you describe is much newer than the gun. The standard .45 ACP magazine capacity is 7 and it takes things like that trick follower to make them hold 8. Didn't matter to Grandpa, target shooters only load five at a time.

A lot of the guys here like Checkmate magazines.

I would try a Metalform 7-shot. Available at reasonable cost from Gil Hebard
(309) 289-2700 (No www.)

[wetidlerjr]

Another question. I only received on magazine with the gun. It is marked Colt 45 Auto 8-RD on the baseplate with the horse logo. The follower is marked "Shooting Star" is unusual to me as it is split and flexes at the projectile end. I don't know how to better describe that but I hope you know what I mean. I want to buy some more magazines. What mags should I look at? I imagine I would want to try one for reliable function before I get multiples. Any thoughts? Thanks again.

Wilson or mags with Wilson spring/follower kits. :D

[djhobbes]

... It is Remington 185gr. wadcutter and that seems to confirm the suspicions of several who posted. I am hoping someone might educate me a little as to why this setup seems to be done with this kind of ammo in mind?...

My best advice here is that this was setup for bullseye competition. This explains the BoMar rib with the extended front sight (expressly for increasing sight radius, thus increasing accuracy). My instinct tells me that this piece likely had slide and bushing fitting work done, and quite likely trigger work as well.

If you don't reload or cast your own bullets, search around this forum for sources for 185 gr. semi wadcutters. You can always go the route of nib Federal Gold Medal Match; however, this will likely break the bank after a while as it is rather expensive. There are sources for reloaded and new wadcutter ammo, though. I have personally used NSK out of Maryland.

Good luck with your new find.

[1saxman]

As I mentioned earlier, if the factory GCNM rib was modified or removed as part of the BoMar rib installation restoring it to original can't be done without a new slide. If it hasn't then you would only need replacement sights, installation of same and then plug the holes.
If it were mine I'd leave it as is. It's unique and has sentimental value.
Remington 185 wadcutter ammo is strictly a target load and will probably work fine with a 16 pound spring. Before shooting it check that the screws holding the rib on aren't loose.
Winchester, Remington, Federal and a few other companies have made good 185 match wadcutter ammo. It would probably run fine with 200 lead semi wadcutters as well.
Your gun looks to have been made in 1976.
Nice gun! Any way you look at it you have a very nice GCNM.

There is no removable factory rib. The slide is made with extra material at the top which is machined flat and serrated cross-ways. They would have removed the original sights and drilled/tapped this flat for installation of the rib.

[Joni Lynn]

I never said it was an easily removeable rib, only that it may have been removed, as in machined off. I've seen them done both ways.

[leade45]

I would detail strip the gun and give the gun a good cleaning and lubing.

Just stick with some of the Federal Match or Black Hills SWC ammo.

[pa_guns]

Hi

If you do a detail strip, be *very* careful of the sear.

I'm not saying not to do it, only to plan on spending some "quality time" with the pistol.

Bob

[JT4]

Thanks again for the excellent comments and information. As recommended I am going to leave the gun much like it is short of some maintenance. Looks like I will be in the market for some suitable ammo. I will do some searches on this site but will ask here anyway. Can anyone recommend some good books to read up on 1911 pistols? Perhaps something technical showing mechanics, disassembly, reassembly and maintenance. Another maybe with some history and other info. Thanks.

[Hill]

You could buy a lot of books but you'll not likely find as much information as is contained right here. Explore the site, read the stickies. Ask questions.

There's more 1911 resource here than ten books will give you. and it's free (ignore a guy named John when he begs for money - he's just the mascot. :)