Colt Gold Cup Series 70 Magazine?

[Skans]

What is the proper magazine for a an early/mid '70's Colt Gold Cup 45? Does the bottom plate simply say "Colt 45 Auto" or does it also have a pony on it? I want to find the proper magazine for a nice Gold Cup series 70 I recently acquired (which did not have the magazine)

 

[Reloadron]

All of my Series 70 Government Models, including Gold Cups have the Rampant Colt on the magazines including Blued, Stainless and Nickel guns.

<EDIT> Thinking about it I should add I have other magazines simply marked Colt .45 Auto which are not made by Colt. Also, I believe my AR 15 Magazines, 20 round, made by Colt have the rampant colt on them. That pony sure gets around. Finally enjoy that Series 70 Gold Cup, the ones I have always shoot great. </EDIT>

Ron

 

[745SW]

Mil spec work just as well without the smooth blue finish. Since my mod just about any make will work.

 

[RickB]

Look through the pics posted among guns for sale on gunbroker.
Some show a mag like Reloadron's, with the pony at the toe and the maker's mark in the rear corner, but some say only COLT/.45 AUTO. (period at both ends).

 

[Skans]

I checked gunbroker and found the same thing - no real consistency. Perhaps Colt contracted out the magazines and didn't do anything special with the Gold Cup magazines?

 

[FlyFish]

My Gold Cup, from 1979, came with a single magazine that has only "COLT/45 AUTO" on 2 lines - no pony. There is also the letter "M" on what would be the left rear corner when the magazine is inserted into the gun (basically as shown in Reloadron's photo above).

 

[TunnelRat]

I want to find the proper magazine for a nice Gold Cup series 70 I recently acquired (which did not have the magazine)

Forgive me if I'm missing something, but isn't the proper magazine one that works? Is this some sort of collectibility thing?

 

[g.willikers]

To a collector, originality is everything.
It can even trump condition.

 

[T. O'Heir]

I'd have to look but I don't recall seeing anything on my mags. Isn't a Gold Cup Series 70 though.
Doubt there's any collector value to any Gold Cup or Series 70 1911A1.

 

[g.willikers]

There is to folks who collect Colt Gold Cups.

 

[Skans]

There is to folks who collect Colt Gold Cups.

Yes, to me there is a collectablity factor. I really want to magazine type that would have originally come with the gun. The gun is in overall fantastic condition - it just doesn't have the magazine. It's a series 70 made in 1975.

Here's a photo of the gun (no magazine was included)

 

[RickB]

I'd look for the mag marked:

COLT
.45 AUTO.


It's so easy to replace mags, and the mags with the pony and manufacturer code are still made today, so I'd go for the mag that is of a style known to be from the '70s.

 

[Reloadron]

Below is an example of some of the magazines simply marked Colt 45 Auto. Now I am beginning to second guess myself. I have quite a few Colt Series 70 .45 ACP guns. I also have a pile of magazines. Initially I thought the Series 70 guns had the rampant colt on the magazines and now I am not sure?

The serious collector would want the correct magazine with the gun. Just for shootability it really doesn't matter as long as the magazine is reliable. I haven't a clue how many I have laying around but the Wilson magazines and any old GI types always seem to function well in my guns. Another something to look at is the serial number. I guess some people have placed Series 70 slides on newer guns so make sure the serialization is correct.

I have seen the Gold Cup NM Series 70 guns in the $1500 to $2000 range on Gun Broker depending on condition.

Ron

 

[RickB]

Other than the mag on the far left having no "dots" flanking the 45 AUTO, they look pretty similar.

All of my mags appear to be pre-war/early post-war, or fairly recent, as I don't have any that look like yours.

 

[Reloadron]

Yeah, the stamping varies slightly. I am not sure if is a matter of when they were made or what that is all about. I just grabbed four at random. I have a few with no markings at all. The better made magazines do not have the visible seam on the back side. Over the years I have had a few too fat where they needed to be grabbed and yanked to get them out of a gun. May they rest in peace.

Ron

 

[RickB]

I don't think there are unmarked Colt "factory" magazines?
All of my mags, both G.I. and commercial, have some indicator that they are Colt mags.
There are so many "fake" magazines, and usually cheap, fake magazines, that the appearance of quality can be as good an indicator as any of originality and authenticity.

 

[dgludwig]

The original magazine that came with my MKIV Series 70 Gold Cup, purchased new in 1974, has "Colt 45 Auto" stamped on the floor plate but no Colt pony.

 

[PACraftsman]

Nice collection thanks for the photos

 

[Reloadron]

Skans, really nice Series 70 Gold Cup. If it was in my backyard I would be on it. Has the large block print on the slide. I am not sure where they went from that large block to the smaller block print. Been hoping a nice Series 70 Government would come along in 9mm, I have the 38 Super and would like to get a 9mm in the group I have. Anyway, that is one sweet gun, may you enjoy it for many years.

Ron

 

[Skans]

Thanks Ron, yes, I just couldn't pass this one up, even without the magazine. One interesting thing about this Gold Cup is that even though it didn't have the magazine, box or papers with it, the owner did have the original sales invoice when it was purchased new in '75. New price on that gun was $239 in 1975. The gun store information is printed on the invoice as well as the name of the original owner.

dgludwig - that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks, that pretty much verifies that an original magazine would not have the pony on it. I also think the correct magazine would be 7 rounds, can you verify that?