Also here: http://modernrifleman.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/coltwalther-1911-gold-cup-22-lr-review/

You don’t see many reviews for this gun so I figured I would share some of my experiences with the .22 LR Colt/Walther Gold Cup 1911. The gun was purchased at Top Guns of Terre Haute (www.indianatopguns.com) and I must admit I was very pleased with the price and service. This was my second firearm from Top Guns (Bersa was first) and both times have been great experiences.

Agenda
This review will be broken down into eleven sections:
-About the Firearm
-Controls and Features
-Tech Specs
-Internals
-Externals
-Sights
-Magazines
-Range Report
-Plus-Minus
-Conclusion
-Ammunition Tested


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

About the Firearm
Ever since my grandfather told me he carried a 1911 in World War II, I have always wanted one of my own. The clean lines and classic styling of the Browning-designed handgun make it one of the best looking pistols out there and the fact that shooters still widely use the century-old design says a great deal about its longevity. Today however, we are going to talk about the Colt-branded, Walther-made .22 LR Gold Cup 1911, a slightly different beast than its bigger brothers.


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

Controls and Features
The Gold Cup is a hammer-fired, single-action only pistol just like any traditional 1911. The frame mounted safety on the Gold Cup can be found on the left side of the grip area and is actuated with relative ease using the right thumb, but will only activate if the hammer is in the cocked position. It should be noted that the Rail Gun version of this .22 LR pistol does include an ambidextrous safety, while the Gold Cup and the Government models do not. When the manual safety is engaged, the slide is locked in place and the trigger cannot be pulled. Like any standard 1911, the Gold Cup features a grip safety that must be depressed in order for the gun to fire. The slide release is like any other non-extended 1911 slide release.

The barrel features P22 style threading. The Gold Cup has very similar heft to a full caliber 1911, but has a very lightweight aluminum slide, much like the Smith and Wesson M&P-22. The handgun includes a single 12 round magazine and a plastic case.

Tech Specs
Caliber:.22 Long Rifle
Mag Capacity:12 rnds
Weight w/out Mag:2.25 lbs
Overall Length:8.6 in
Barrel Length:5 in
Barrel Twist:                     1 in 13-3/4 in
Grooves:                      6
Operation:                      Blowback
Trigger:                      Single Action 5.5 lbs
Rear Sight:                      Fully Adjustable Target Sight
Front Sight:                      Removable, Drift Adjustable
Safety:                      Manual Thumb Safety, Grip Safety, Disconnector
Extractor:                      Internal + Pinned Ejector
Muzzle Thread:M8x.75mm

Internals
Disassembly of the Gold Cup should be partially familiar to those who have handled full caliber 1911s. First, the magazine must be removed and the safety deactivated. Then, the recoil spring plug at the muzzle of the handgun is depressed and the bushing turned counter clockwise. After these parts have been removed, the recoil spring should slide out with ease. You will notice that the recoil spring looks fairly ugly and is untreated. ZTRS does produce a nicer recoil spring, but I do not have any experience with it as of yet.

At this point, the similarities in disassembly start to end. The slide must be pulled back to the point where it locks. Then, using a small punch the slide release may be punched out. Be sure that the slide notch and the release lever are properly aligned. After the lever has been removed, the slide can be pulled back and up off the rails of the frame. The slide can then be pushed to the front of the frame and past the barrel for removal.


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

The Gold Cup features a fixed barrel that is pinned in place. This differs from the GSG 1911 substantially in this area. Unlike the GSG barrel which can be removed from the frame by unscrewing a screw on the frame, the Gold Cup has a pinned barrel. This proven design should be familiar for anyone who has used a P22 or M&P-22. The straight blowback system used by the Gold Cup is not much different than that found in the PP/PPK or Bersa Thunder handguns. There is some minute play between the slide in the frame that may affect accuracy in relation to the fixed barrel, but based on range experience, this seems negligible.

The manual safety, grips and screws, grip safety, disconnector, hammer and strut, sear, mainspring housing and internals, sear spring, and magazine catch can all be exchanged with centerfire 1911 parts. All the lock work on the gun is steel and parts can be tuned like any 1911.

Externals
Externally, the firearm has a very nice matte black finish that seems to be much more durable than what is found on the GSG 1911s. After around 300 rounds, there is no discernible wear on the slide or frame. The provided grips are checkered wraparound Pachmayr-style and are made of rubber. For someone with larger hands, these grips should be very comfortable as they do increase grip circumference slightly. The trigger on the firearm is skeletonized with three holes and the slide has laser engravings which read, “COLT GOLD CUP TROPHY”. The diagonal slide serrations are limited to the rear of the slide, but are very tactile and easy to engage. As was mentioned before, the slide is very lightweight aluminum while the frame is a heavy zinc alloy. Overall, the feel of a centerfire 1911 is well replicated.


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

Sights
Unlike other models in the Colt/Walther .22 LR line, the Gold Cup has a windage and elevation adjustable rear sight in addition to the dovetailed adjustable front sight. Tools are provided with the firearm to adjust the rear sight and a provided hex key may be used to adjust the front sight. The sights on the Gold Cup are plain black and feature no dots or illumination for quick acquisition. This is one area where I would have preferred a white dot on at least the front sight to aid with reacquisition while shooting. Otherwise, the sights work very well.


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

Magazines
The magazine holds 12 rounds single stacked and appears to be constructed from stamped steel. On each side of the magazine there is a tab to assist in depressing the magazine spring in order to load rounds. I have found that loading in this manner can result in a situation where the top round’s rim gets caught behind the lower round’s rim. Such a scenario can lead to a magazine-caused failure to feed (FTF) if left uncorrected. The plastic baseplate can be removed by depressing a button on the bottom of the magazine. Magazines drop free easily when released. The Gold Cup comes with a loading tool to help depress the follower tab while loading.


Untitled by ncthorn, on Flickr

Range Report
The Gold Cup’s first trip to the range was very impressive. CCI Mini-Mags (36 grain) and Remington Golden Bullets (40 grain) both functioned with 100% reliability. On the second trip out, I focused on making sure the Gold Cup worked well with the usually widely available Federal Champion bulk ammunition (36 grain). Unlike my Bersa, the Gold Cup ate the Federal with very few problems. The slide did occasionally short stroke and fail to feed the next round, but I think this was generally caused by my thumbs-forward grip putting pressure on the side of the slide. Because the malfunction was rather easily replicated, I would recommend using Federal bulk only in low stress, non-competitive situations.

Accuracy was very respectable. At 10 yards, 3-4 inch groups were easily managed. I am no pistol marksman by any stretch, but was able to shoot groups with the Gold Cup that were comparable to mine with my 9mm USP. The single action trigger does appear to break at right around 5.5 lbs. To me, this is pretty average, but as someone who is used to DA/SA it is not awful. Overall, for a 1911 trainer or fun plinker, the Gold Cup is certainly accurate enough.

Plus-Minus
+ Well finished
+ Weighs nearly as much as a centerfire 1911
+ Reliable with most common ammunition
+ Easily adjustable sights
+ Decent grips with aggressive checkering
+ Reasonably accurate

- Some play in slide/frame
- Only one magazine
- Average trigger

Conclusion
To wrap things up, the Gold Cup is an excellent .22 LR handgun. It faithfully replicates the feel and controls of a centerfire 1911 and serves as an excellent gun for shooters both new and experienced. Though the Colt/Walther 1911s do not receive the same sort of attention that the GSG guns enjoy, they are every bit as nice. The Walther design has been proven reliable and the materials used in the Colt branded offerings appear to be above those used in the P22. Anyone looking to purchase a .22 LR 1911 would be wise to give the Colt/Walther handguns some serious consideration

Ammunition Tested
(So far)
CCI Mini-Mags: 36 grain, Hollow Point, 1260 fps (rated) (100% reliable)
Federal Champion Bulk Pack (load #745): 36 grain, Hollow Point, 1260 fps (rated) (75% reliable, user induced short strokes)
Remington Golden Bullets: 36 grain, Hollow Point, 1280 fps (rated) (100% reliable)

This handgun is far far removed from the Colt Gold Cup of yesteryear.

Nice review.  Just wish they would've marketed it differently.

While I agree that the old Colt ACE pistols were probably nicer, this really is a pretty solid gun. The only real issue that could be improved would be to have a steel frame, but that would be cost prohibitive. I think a lot of buyers would also like it to be swappable with a .45 slide assy for conversion, but that too would have driven the cost up.

I think given the prices and expectations in the current .22 LR market, the Colt/Walther is pretty well done. It is funny because you don't hear as much complaining about the mechanically identical M&P 22. I guess that says a lot about the Colt name.