Gold Cup blues!

1647 Views 8 Replies 9 Participants Last post by GrandmasterB, Jul 26, 2001

1/4Horse Cav

Discussion Starter · Jul 25, 2001

I bought a NIB Stainless Gold Cup Model O5070X last Saturday and took it to the range Sunday. Using Fed AE, I fired 5 shots and the slide locked up (open but not quite to the slide stop) and wouldn't move. There was a gunsmith at the store who runs the range and tapped the slide with a wooden mallet to free it up and said they sometimes need some break-in and put some grease on the rails and worked it back and forth a few times. I went back out to the firing line and shot 3 shots and it again locked up tight. What a big disappointment! I called the store I bought it at and told them it was defective and wanted my money back and they told me "No Refunds!" and to deal with Colt. I obviously won't buy from them again.
But, I had trouble with a new XSE Stainless that I traded for the Gold Cup and had to send it back to Colt for sights that were off(hitting 9"high x 3"right) and the slide wouldn't lock back after last round regardless of mags I used(Wilson 47D, Shooting stars, Colt). Over 3 weeks later, I got it back and the slide still wouldn't lock back and the sights had been replaced but no white dots anymore and trying it out at the range it now shot 14"high. That's why I traded it. Now when I send them the Gold Cup, I'm afraid that they will not treat me right and grind the rails down on the Gold cup or some stop gap measure and I'll never know when the gun will die again. I'd like my money back, but would accept a new pistol.
Am I Screwed?

Save

1 - 9 of 9 Posts

Ken Neal

· #2 · Jul 25, 2001

I dont think you are screwed. I think the shop you bought the gun from should help you out here.

Call or write to Colt, get an auth to ship and enclose a letter outlining the problems. The only way you will get satisfaction is to send it back to Colt and let them correct it. I would do the same thing with any new purchase. You need to let them take a shot at it.

Save

George Smith

· #3 · Jul 25, 2001

sounds like your slide and frame gauled.
the ss sometimes does this.
if your gunshy with colt there are several smith's that frequent this board that could probably help you out. Diamond file out the gaul spots (hopfully not the length of the rail!) and possibly polish the rail with some 2000 paper to smooth things out a bit, search under lubes and you will probably find posts about Stainless steel lubes.
youll get past it. just a set back
geo ><>

Save

Redzone

· #4 · Jul 25, 2001

I'll trade you for a National Match that you could'nt find ammo. To make it fail, and i'll be stuck with the problematic Trophy. Mines a 68 with many miles, but many to go.

Save

Col. Colt

· #5 · Jul 25, 2001

I work for a dealership that has sold quite a few stainless Colts in the last two years, and about a half dozen of the current series Gold Cups. (Current production Gold Cups, blue or stainless have Videki triggers.)

Every single GC we've gotten in the last year has been a supremely nice handgun with perfect 4lb. triggers and a glass smooth action, the very opposite of your experience. Recent posts from other new Colt users on this board have been pretty positive. But if yours is wrong, I'm quite sure that Colt will make it right.

What puzzles me is, as has already been alluded to, it sounds just like a stainless gauling problem. Colt solved that one long ago by making the hardness of the slide and frame sufficently different that the materials are unlikely to gaul. Add to that the fact that all Gold Cups are massaged and inspected by hand at the Custom Shop before shipment and, well - what goes on here? And we've yet to see a "problem child" XSE. You sir, are lucky in the extreme!

The only way I know that the sticking slide could happen is a lack of lubrication combined with overly tight fit from the start. None of the many stainless Colts we have sold have come close to having your problem.

So I concur, send it to Colt - they need to know if something was done wrong on their end, or if it was a "lube/breakin/tightness" kind of tolerance stackup sort of thing. In either event, I'm quite sure they will make it right.

And I can't believe the lack of ethics of the shop you bought it in! Most of us in the Industry believe you deserve a good gun of whatever brand for your money - or we'll see that it gets right!

Best Wishes, Col. Colt

"Beware of Counterfeits and Patent Infringements"

See less See more

Save

Reactions: 1

Greg G

· #6 · Jul 25, 2001

1/4Horse,
Maybe the shop will ship it to Colt for you. It would be easier for them to do it than it would be for you.

Save

Str8_Shot

· #7 · Jul 26, 2001

1/4Horse

There are two easy things you can check, otherwise I will have to agree that you need to send your pistol back to Colt.

The first thing is check to make sure your slide stop is not catching in the disassembly notch. This can happen if the slide stop lip is a little under sized where it rides inside the inner edge of the slide. The easy way to check this is pull the slide back until the small disassembly notch is right at the slide stop then push the stop up. Will the stop go into the notch, or is the stop big enough it will not fit?

The second thing to check is does the slide stop stay seated in the pistol the way it should? To check this, pull the slide back to the disassembly notch and then roll the pistol on it side so the stop is down. Does the stop stay put or can it fall out? Try moving the slide with the pistol on its side like this a few times. It may be posible the slide stop is vibrating out during recoil and catching in the disassembly notch.

If you find either of these the fix is replacing the slide stop. If neither of these things are going on then you should send your pistol back to Colt with a clear note of what happened and what you have done. Be polite in the note, but if you want to do suggest they either fix the pistol or refund your money. A frind of mine had a problem with a Detective Special II revolver and made this suggestion and Colt refunded his money. Good Luck.

I hope this helps.
Str8_Shot

See less See more

Save

BigBoy

· #8 · Jul 26, 2001

1/4;

I have 2 stainless pistols, and the BEST lube I have found is is STA-Lube Brake lubricant which can be bought at any NAPA parts stores. It made my tight Kimber buttery smooth, and my Colt Goose $hit smooth. It may not solve all of your problems, but I sure love how it slicks stuff up. First and the fourth -- You're not a 1st Cav veteran, are ye ?

Save

GrandmasterB

· #9 · Jul 26, 2001

It could be internal problems. I once had a 1911 with a soft POS disconnector. The sear spring wore a slight groove in the disconnector and would hold it in the "up" position, thus stopping slide travel. I replaced the disconnector with a quality part and no more problems.

Have it detail stripped and checked out by a competent smith, and I bet you'll find the problem.

Best of luck to you!

------------------
Byron Simpson

Save

1 - 9 of 9 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month