gold cup barrel replacement?

should i cut up a series 70 gold cup for a barrel and beavertail replacement.  or should i sell the gold cup and start from scratch with a 1911 frame?  the barrel does not lock up very well any longer. 
it may be sacrilegious to cut up a gold cup. help

I’ve seen good guns built out of colts before, but I’ve also heard from some very talented builders that Colt frames aren’t necessarily the best frame to be using. I would wait to hear from some of our resident gunsmiths here and see what they say. Personally, if a gunsmith backs the idea, it might be cost effective to have that Colt rebarreled rather than spend money on a new frame and all the parts and work that follows it.

Depends on the vintage.

Nothing special about a 70 series GC.  

Pre 70 GC bring more money from collectors.

I see similar questions on different forums, should I change the pickups on my '57 Stratocaster? Should I replace the transmission in my '65 Mustang?

Personally, if it were my gun, and I thought it could be made to shoot better, then I would go for it.

.02

Majority of 70 GC have so so frame to slide fit. Slide lugs are normally slightly off center and have a hump in the rear barrel lug. Barrel cut in the receiver is typically cut slightly off center.
So gunsmith needs to be aware of these compensation areas. GC can be built into great shooting BE pistol though.
Jon

Jon Eulette wrote:Majority of 70 GC have so so frame to slide fit. Slide lugs are normally slightly off center and have a hump in the rear barrel lug. Barrel cut in the receiver is typically cut slightly off center.
So gunsmith needs to be aware of these compensation areas. GC can be built into great shooting BE pistol though.
Jon

Hello Jon,

Aren't some Gold Cup barrel hoods (and their corresponding slide cut) narrower than for a standard Government model?

Jim

Jim,
The GC slides are all narrower! Have to cut a lot more hood off new barrel to fit it.
Jon

I have an early (1971) 70-series Gold Cup I got second (or so) hand.  Someone had replaced the barrel with a Kart but the bushing is unmarked.  The front gripstrap has been stippled and there is a beavertail fit.  The steel trigger is gone and a Wilson 3-hole in its place.  Still had the rebound spring/sear and the hammer had been bobbed.  Slide is drilled/tapped for Bomar/Clark rib and currently has a Clark rib on it.   I put in an EGW wide thumb safety, hammer and sear.  Trigger is right at 2#-ish and it shoots OK, but slide/frame fit is a little loose and I am getting a Dlask long trigger for it.  Just sent it off today for a tuneup from KC.

Things I know about Gold Cups:
 - the early ones (like my 70-series and my 1965 version) have lightened slides with lowered ejection ports
 - IIRC, the recoil spring is lighter for a GC (14 vs 16#?)
 - I prefer the wider trigger of a Gold Cup
 - I also prefer the flat MS housing

My decision would be based on the sights or red dot I was going to use. I personally don't like the factory sights on a 70 GC. If going with a red dot that doesn't make much difference except the slide mount is different for the GC. If the other features and options are what you want I would say do it.

In my opinion (LOL) I'd sell it and buy a Springfield. You'd be far ahead with it.

I’m currently rebarreling two late model Gold Cups right now. One already had frame/slide tightened and the other one I welded. Barrels fit great and they will be great shooting pistols. SA pistols have the I own issues to deal with during a build. In the long run I’d take a Colt over a SA if having a complete build. You can get more bottom barrel lug contact with the Colt. SA has constant extreme dimensions that limit some barrel fitting techniques. That’s why I’d never use an Exact Fit Kart barrel, you have less than minimal upper lug lockup.
Jon

Those old series 70 Colts had forged, rather than MIM internal parts, as on most current 1911's. That alone could save you money on converting your current GC. I can't speak for real pistolsmiths, but they may prefer the forged internal parts to the MIM ones. I know that I like a forged hammer and sear.

Nope never cared for mim internals....

Jon Eulette wrote:I’m currently rebarreling two late model Gold Cups right now. One already had frame/slide tightened and the other one I welded. Barrels fit great and they will be great shooting pistols. SA pistols have the I own issues to deal with during a build. In the long run I’d take a Colt over a SA if having a complete build. You can get more bottom barrel lug contact with the Colt. SA has constant extreme dimensions that limit some barrel fitting techniques. That’s why I’d never use an Exact Fit Kart barrel, you have less than minimal upper lug lockup.
Jon

ill send the GC to Fred Kart i think he can make it shoot straight again lol