Colt Gold Cup trophy vs. Smith Wesson Performance Center Surface

393 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by NRAJIM, 13 d ago

Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · 15 d ago

Hi!

i‘‘m from Austria and recently purchased a Cold Gold Cup 1911 in SS (Blue Grips). The top and bottom of the gun is sandblasted and the gun already has scratches in it even if i wasnt on the shooting range yet!

anyway - my dealer agreed to take the gun back as the condition was really not as it should for a brand new gun and that i can choose a different one.

so i came across the S&W Performance Center 1911 (https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/performance-center-model-sw1911-5-barrel-blue-grip) which looks almost identical to the colt - of which I really love the Look!

but my question is: is the Surface of the S&W the same as on the colt? Means sandblasted and you can create scratches even with your nails? Or is it more enduring?

Thanks for your help and nice regards from Austria 😊
Patrick

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Steve in Allentown

· #2 · 15 d ago

Wie geht’s, Patrick.

While stainless steel is much more rust resistant than carbon steel (blue steel), it is not particularly scratch resistant. Sandblasted areas of stainless steel will clearly show scratches. I doubt there's any appreciable difference in the scratch resistant properties between stainless steel in either pistol.

Let's face it. Firearms get scratched with use or even just getting carried around. If you seal the pistol in glass display case and leave it on the fireplace mantle, it'll never get scratched. Otherwise, go shoot it and perhaps twenty years from now you can buff out the accumulated scratches.

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Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · #3 · 15 d ago (Edited)

Steve in Allentown said:
Wie geht’s, Patrick.

While stainless steel is much more rust resistant than carbon steel (blue steel), it is not particularly scratch resistant. Sandblasted areas of stainless steel will clearly show scratches. I doubt there's any appreciable difference in the scratch resistant properties between stainless steel in either pistol.

Let's face it. Firearms get scratched with use or even just getting carried around. If you seal the pistol in glass display case and leave it on the fireplace mantle, it'll never get scratched. Otherwise, go shoot it and perhaps twenty years from now you can buff out the accumulated scratches.

Hi!

thanks for your response! Sure the gun will get some Type of „used“ Look After some Time but the Surface of the colt…puh…it was really bad! But do you know of Colt and S&W have the Same sandblasted surface on top and bottom of the Barrel? I also attached a pic of the colt - as Said - Brand new out of the box. Makes my Monk inside me sick 😅 unfortunately our gunstores here are very small without having a lot of Stock - therefore i cant check the surface in Person

Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · #4 · 15 d ago

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Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · #5 · 15 d ago

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Steve in Allentown

· #6 · 15 d ago

Patrick_AUT said:
But do you know of Colt and S&W have the Same sandblasted surface on top and bottom of the Barrel?

The classic 1911 look is known as "matt rounds and brushed flats". The "rounds" include the top of the slide and the bottom of the frame. The "flats" include the sides of the slide and the sides of the frame.

I do not know if S&W uses that same finish scheme. Surely there must be pictures somewhere on the net of the S&W.

Reactions: 1

DavT

· #7 · 15 d ago

I have a performance center 1911 from smith, same one you posted and I have not had problems with scratches. It is a wonderful pistol. Most of my 1911's and Wilson Combat including a Supergrade, Nighthawk custom and Ed Brown. I have sold my Dan Wesson's as I think very highly of them but have kept the S&W. It's trigger is the match of any and it has been totally reliable for the past 5+ years.

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teeuu

· #8 · 15 d ago

A fingernail mark is not a scratch. You can leave a mark on that surface just as a piece of chalk leaves a mark on a blackboard. Upon cleaning the blackboard you'll see there is no scratch or wear, except for the piece of chalk.

Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · #9 · 15 d ago

DavT said:
I have a performance center 1911 from smith, same one you posted and I have not had problems with scratches. It is a wonderful pistol. Most of my 1911's and Wilson Combat including a Supergrade, Nighthawk custom and Ed Brown. I have sold my Dan Wesson's as I think very highly of them but have kept the S&W. It's trigger is the match of any and it has been totally reliable for the past 5+ years.

perfect - thank you very much!

And also thanks for the other responses 😊

824tsv

· #10 · 15 d ago

Hi Patrick,
I have both pistols. I would have also refused the Colt. The only way to remove the marks on the dust cover of the Colt is to bead blast it. The finish is different on the S&W PC. It's not a dull or sand blasted finish on the "rounds" like the Colt. The finish on the S&W is a subdued (as in not super shiney) stainless. It's much easier to clean than trying to remove carbon deposits of the matte areas on the Colt. However, just be aware that the black finish on the S&W barrel hood and along the barrel where it contacts the bushing will wear quickly from use. You can see my barrel hood in the pic. The black finish is pretty much gone. I have about 2500 rounds through this pistol. I'm happy to help with any other questions you have on both pistols.

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ca survivor

· #11 · 15 d ago

I would keep the Colt, and I own an S&W SC great gun anyway, the Performance center takes the S&W to another level, but my favorites are Colt, scratches or not

824tsv

· #12 · 15 d ago

I'm a Colt guy as well. Those marks on the bottom of the dust cover would turn me off though. Both pistols shoot about the same, accuracy is about the same. Both are great pistols.

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Michael W Cuber

· #13 · 14 d ago

I’d probably go with the new Smith, but you can get those scratches out by tapping a small stainless steel cleaning brush against the scuffed areas. I removed an idiot scratch on my Combat Commander this way. It only works on the bead blasted surfaces, and you’ll have to polish the shiny smooth areas if you go outside the transition lines like the slide’s polished slabs.

Patrick_AUT

Discussion Starter · #14 · 13 d ago (Edited)

Michael W Cuber said:
I’d probably go with the new Smith, but you can get those scratches out by tapping a small stainless steel cleaning brush against the scuffed areas. I removed an idiot scratch on my Combat Commander this way. It only works on the bead blasted surfaces, and you’ll have to polish the shiny smooth areas if you go outside the transition lines like the slide’s polished slabs.

824tsv said:
Hi Patrick,
I have both pistols. I would have also refused the Colt. The only way to remove the marks on the dust cover of the Colt is to bead blast it. The finish is different on the S&W PC. It's not a dull or sand blasted finish on the "rounds" like the Colt. The finish on the S&W is a subdued (as in not super shiney) stainless. It's much easier to clean than trying to remove carbon deposits of the matte areas on the Colt. However, just be aware that the black finish on the S&W barrel hood and along the barrel where it contacts the bushing will wear quickly from use. You can see my barrel hood in the pic. The black finish is pretty much gone. I have about 2500 rounds through this pistol. I'm happy to help with any other questions you have on both pistols.

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Perfect! Thank you very very much!

also thanks to all other that replied! I went for the new Smith and wesson 😊

lead time 2 months - will have to wait for the next Cargo ship from you guys ✌😊

PS:
Maybe just a sidenote: our guns here in Austria are very expensive - both the colt and the S&W cost 3000 USD…maybe thats the reason i‘m very picky 😊

NRAJIM

· #15 · 13 d ago

Congratulations on the new pistol, you will love the S&W I have been carrying one of their 1911s for last 20 years and have been extremely happy and have had no failures of any kind. The S.S. pistol I carried for 14 years until I picked up the commander length Sc.

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