A New Colt vs RO

Brand new Gold Cup vs SA Range Officer... what do y’all think?

Tim:H11 wrote:Brand new Gold Cup vs SA Range Officer... what do y’all think?

I have one of each, the GCNM from 2012 and a RO from 2013. I'd recommend the RO for tighter fit of slide, beavertail and less cost.

I use the GCNM for Service Pistol. It's about a 4" pistol with a fitted Kings bushing and AA 185JHPs when tested in a Ransom Rest at 50 yards. I don't get along with grooved triggers so I installed a Harrison or someone's flat trigger after making a vertical radius and cleaning up the edges. The Colt arched mainspring housing that replaced the original straight MSH rocks a little bit.

On my RO it has been incrementally (George Washington's hatchet?) updated to where only the slide, frame, beavertail and safety are original parts. Stippled front strap, Kart barrel, roll trigger, sight rail, etc.

Get your hands on a few of each and see which you would like to buy. I got to select from four ROs when I picked mine. Maybe Colt has changed frame/slide vendors and the fit is different now.

Stephen

Colt just broke AGAIN under the anti-gun pressure.......none of my money goes to anything new that says Colt.

I was debating on the GCNM in 9mm and the RO in 9mm. The difference in cost was more than $300.00. While that is a consideration it was not the only consideration. I bought the RO and with a  $30-$50 investment in springs I have a 2.5 lb trigger and a gun that is very accurate. Since Colt caved to the anti-2A crowd, I am glad I did not buy the Colt. I will not give my money to a company that sells to the 2A supporters but does not support the 2A.  Sorry Colt, you made your bed, now sleep in it.
Here is my new RO:  

I just went through the same dilemma. Ended up with an ro and I love it. Check out my thread “colt series 70 for bullseye” on here.

FWIW, I don't think Colt sold out the 2A.

Colt has numerous military contracts, including foreign for their long guns. They only have so much manufacturing capacity, and they make the gun one way. Their AR are some of the best on the market. The issue is the "just as good as" crowd insisting a $350 AR is the equal to a Colt. They aren't...nor are most of the other brands like Ruger, DPMS, Wyndham, Bushmaster, etc.....it's a race to the bottom and Colt tapped out.

 As far as 1911s go.....for fighting guns I think they still make a good gun, and I ran Colt 1911s for awhile.

 For target guns, ..got me...but trusting the comments I've read while lurking here for a few years....the GCNM ain't cutting it. 

I'll eventually buy an RO and then have JT Timmons or Dave Salyer do a basic tune up and call it good

Bought the Gold Cup first, and was very disappointed. Several people told me to send it back to the factory. Sloppy slide fit, poorly fitted barrel, off center firing pin strike. Dropped money on it for a Nolan barrel, bushing, link, full length guide rod. Accurate now. Had a nice crisp usable trigger but had a roll trigger installed. Preference. A friend advised "Sell that turd"
Range Office was purchased because I was so aggravated. Has a roll trigger installed by KC. Nothing else. Can score 85 to 89 on the long line when I have it together. This is the gun I shoot now. 
To try the sport out I would have been better served by the RO. If I was sure about participating in this sport I could of had a custom built gun to the money I have tied up. 
Colt won't sell an AR15 to a civilian? Really? Not purchasing anything at Dicks hasn't been a problem for me at all. 

Best 
Arthur

Kno3cs wrote:I just went through the same dilemma. Ended up with an ro and I love it. Check out my thread “colt series 70 for bullseye” on here.

What grips are those?

Was shopping for a 45.   I wanted a Dan wesson.   Looked at a Gold cup.  It was $300.00 cheaper.   Side by side there was no comparison.  Bought the Dan wesson. It shoots great, gave it to my wife.   I bought a USED Gold Cup from this forum.  Going to have accurails, Kart Barrel and milled for SRO.   I do my own trigger and usually install my own barrel.  This one is going to Doug Jones He is gong to do all the work.   Probably even a disconnector cut.
 It will be a nice gun.

I can see where starting with an RO would be easier than starting with a Gold cup.

David

I think the Colt is prettier.

on a comes to mind.

Ugly.






Pretty.





All Three of those pistols are railed and scoped now. I shoot the RO more than the Gold Cup because it likes lighter ammo. All of them are 10 ring accurate at 50 yds.

Sasquatch gun?? What’s his classification?!

I believe the blue grips are Lava Rocks

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1911-Grips-Lava-Rock-Texture-Your-Choice-of-10-Colors-Ambi-or-No-Ambi-cut/281674688836?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Won a category high grand agg with a stock RO (and a Colt lower rifle, shh).

Virtually all of my service pistol PBs are set with an RO.

Just won a Service Pistol EIC match (by 27 points) with an RO.

I think you know where my vote is going.

Springfield Range officer all day, all night!!!

RO, RO, RO your boat....
......Life will be a dream.

TonyH wrote:RO, RO, RO your boat....
......Life will be a dream.

Groan!

Wobbley wrote:

TonyH wrote:RO, RO, RO your boat....
......Life will be a dream.

Groan!

Tim asked......I answered.....we are still entitled to our opinions, right? Right!!

I bought the GCNM two years ago and yes the slide/frame fit is mil-spec; no better or worse.  I fit a Kart Exact-A-Fit kit in it. My wobble area is close to exactly this same level of precision as my fired target holes and my shots are landing on call, which means that it is very likely I have a very accurate gun- maybe 2-3 inches off of a machine.  If you are basically going to go to preload (zero play) when fitting a new barrel, then who cares about slide fit as long as firing pin strike is close to center.  Maybe there's a benefit in durability or something.  It came down to wanting the Rampant Pony honestly because I know that slide fit would be a wash given what I intended to do with it and I saw no other advantages in one or the other. 
Now if I knew back then that the GC has an unusually wide trigger and that there are literally no replacement short triggers available, I would have gotten the RO.  So ok maybe you should just go get the RO.  

TonyH wrote:RO, RO, RO your boat....
......Life will be a dream.

Lol

Springfield Armory is running a special with $230 worth of free gear when you buy a qualifying pistol.

I'm getting a RO to carry at my range job and to shoot for service pistol.

https://www.springfield-armory.com/instant-gear-up/



Val

They did a similar thing back when I bought my first RO - which is now the lower for my Nelson. I still have and use the bag. Looks like the same bag at least. Good little range bag if you need to transport a couple of guns, maybe a couple boxes of cartridges. Light stuff. I use the bag to carry around my revolvers in.