The Colt Gold Cup is one of the most legendary centerfire target pistols in firearms history. First introduced in 1957, it was an evolution of the Colt National Match 1911, which had gained popularity in the 1930s for its accuracy and reliability in competitive shooting. Designed to elevate bullseye shooting performance, the Gold Cup featured a lighter trigger pull, adjustable rear sights, and a match-grade barrel — innovations that made it a favorite among competitive shooters.
The pistol’s heritage traces back to Colt’s commitment to creating highly accurate and customizable firearms for precision shooting. Bullseye shooting became so popular that Colt even offered the Gold Cup chambered for .38 Special flat-nose wadcutter loads, further cementing its reputation in the competitive shooting world.
Today’s Colt Gold Cup Trophy 1911 .45 ACP continues this tradition, carrying forward the legacy of precision, craftsmanship, and innovation that shooters have trusted for decades.
Colt’s Current Gold Cup
Following its merger with European firearms giant CZ, Colt was able to resurrect a large number of previous models that had been dropped from production to the expense of hand work. The Colt Gold Cup is one such firearm and has been expanded into 11 models. The new Gold Cups are designed for action pistol matches as well as self-defense or simple target shooting. Colt’s new Gold Cup lineup is no longer ammo restrictive, adding high-pressure 9mm Luger and Colt .38 Super chamberings.
The test pistol Colt sent me was the Gold Cup Trophy, the government model with the renowned National Match barrel used on all Gold Cup models. This 5-inch .45 ACP 1911 has a stainless-steel finish and features the Series 70 firing pin system. Unlike the Series 80, introduced in the 1980s with an additional firing pin lock plunger that moved out of the way as the trigger is pulled, the Series 70 system is prized by competitive shooters for its smoother, more precise trigger pull. Colt eventually reintroduced the Series 70 system alongside the Series 80, giving shooters the option to choose based on their preferences for performance or added safety features. The Series 70 trigger had very little slack and averaged 4 pounds, 13 ounces on my Wheeler Trigger Gauge.
The frame of the Gold Cup Trophy is stainless steel with highly polished flats. There is no checkering on the front or back straps of the frame, and the flat mainspring housing features the traditional vertical grooves.
While the Colt Classic series of 1911s features the traditional flat-bottom trigger guard shape, the trigger guard on the Gold Cup Trophy has a slight undercut for an improved middle-finger grip. The blued Gold Cup National Match Pistols — available in .45, 9mm and .38 Super — all retain the original flat-bottom trigger guard following the original design.
The Gold Cup Trophy also features a wide, adjustable three-hole 1911 trigger that was noticeably comfortable. It serves well as both a target and combat trigger. Colt includes one eight-round magazine, and the magazine release is standard checkered. The thumb safety is extended, and the grip safety is the extended beavertail type with memory bump. The slide release is standard. If I owned this gun, I would replace the factory slide release with an extended one so that it would require less leverage.
The Colt Gold Cup introduced angled slide cocking serrations to this1911, as opposed to the standard vertical cocking serrations. While the classic blued Gold Cup National Match retains the original narrow cocking serrations, the Gold Cup Trophy uses the wide-angled serrations favored by modern shooters found on all but the Classic 1911 line.
The rear sight on the Colt Gold Cup Trophy is the classic Colt Bomar style, fully and easily adjustable black sight. The prominent rear sighting notch is tall and wide and sits above the slide at the rear. The top is marked with the “Rampant Colt” emblem. The rear face is serrated to totally cut glare.
Original Gold Cups used a plain black front sight for bullseye competition shooting. The current Gold Cup National Match follows that traditional style. However, in alignment with the new Gold Cup mission of personal defense, Colt used an orange fiber optic sight for increased visibility on most of the lineup.
Shooting the Colt Gold Cup
I brought a variety of .45 ACP defensive ammunition to the range so as not to pigeonhole the Gold Cup Trophy into a target-only pistol. With its accuracy and power, this Colt 1911 would easily handle a criminal threat. I tested the Winchester Ranger Law Enforcement 230-grain T-Series JHP load, which has a muzzle velocity of 935 feet per second and delivers 446 foot-pounds of energy. The other test load was the SIG Sauer 230-grain Elite Defense .45 ACP, which has a lower muzzle velocity of 830 feet per second and almost 94 foot-pounds less energy that the Winchester load.
Standing at 30 feet on an outdoor range and firing two-handed, I tested the SIG Sauer ammunition first. The seven-round group measured 2 ½ inches, with five of the seven shots within 1 inch. My worst group was with the Winchester Ranger T-Series, measuring 4 inches.
I then backed off to 30 yards and fired at the steel silhouette with three full eight-round magazines of Winchester Ranger. I hit the silhouette consistently in the center.
Why the Colt Gold Cup Trophy Stands Out
The Colt Gold Cup Trophy showcases Colt’s resurgence in the firearms market and the enduring appeal of the 1911 design, which remains relevant with only minor modifications over the years. Unlike earlier target-specific versions, this Gold Cup model is robust enough to handle defensive loads alongside target ammunition. While the blue G10 synthetic grips are popular among modern shooters, a set of checkered wood panels with Gold Colt Medallions would elevate its classic aesthetic even further.
Colt: Colt.com
