Sidearms & Scatterguns Old Style 1911 Gold Cup Barrel Bushing & Plunger???

[Grump]

Cross-post, no replies yet in another forum.

Although Colt abandoned the matching angled recoil spring plug and barrel bushing in their Gold Cups years and years ago, I'm wondering just how much that helped accuracy?

It just looks and feels like a great way to use spring pre-loading to keep the barrel and bushing pressed up into the slide the same way every time. Maybe not a factor when the bushing is an interference fit in the slide--proper fitting on the NM modifications--but would preserve the same effect as that fitting if and as things wear.

Any idea why no one else ever did it? Seems like making anything self-centering like that would be a good idea for accuracy.

Thoughts?

 

[RollingThunder51]

"In 1957 Colt re-introduced it's NM in a much changed version. Known as the Gold Cup it had adjustable sights, a wider trigger with a stop and many cosmetic and practical changes. The slide was lightened as much as possible by internal machining to allow it to function well with wad cutter ammo. This weakened the slide for hot loads and the pistol quickly got a reputation as a wad cutter only pistol. These cuts were eliminated in the new Series 70 Model so it is stronger. The barrel on the Gold Cup has a narrower hood than the Government model so it is not readily interchangeable. A hood can be cut down satisfactorily with a little filing. A special barrel bushing was made for this model with a 45 degree angle on the recoil spring plug and a mating cut in the bushing. This bushing was eliminated when the Mark IV/Series ' 70 was introduced."