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Shooters as an addition to my home defense I am strongly considering a 1911 Colt Gold Cup Trophy- 45acp or a Ruger GP100,357 magnum. Questions I have are (1) what handgun do you prefer (2) reason you prefer this handgun (3) with practice can a revolver fire fast enough to deter a lethal threat? I am a Marine Corp Veteran from the Viet Nam Era who has weapon experience but would appreciate any opinion for you can only learn more. Thank-you & Semper Fi Till The Day I Die!
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Why a Gold Cup? The adjustable rear sight and trigger setup are more for target shooting. It would be fine for HD, but why? No advantage, only disadvantages. A plain 'ol O1991, Series 70, XSE, Rail Gun, or Combat Elite would be my chioces for a Colt.
A GP100 is a good revolver. If you like revolvers. I personally don't care for 'em other than a J-frame, but they're ok. Difficult to shoot and reload compared to a 1911, but plenty up to the task if you are.
I have a few 1911s, all 5" 45s, fixed sights, no ramped barrels. My most carried and relied on is a Colt Lightweight Government, my most shot is a Springfield Custom Carry. Both 100% reliable.
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You are 100 % right with all the adjustments of the Gold cup Trophy. Basically I was pitting a 1911- 45 caliber against a 357 magnum revolver to see the pluses & minus's of both handguns for home defense. I will consider the 1911's you mentioned. Thanks for your post.Originally Posted by samuse
Member
In answer to question #3, with the right amount of practice; yes. Look at Jerry Miculek. He's scary fast with a revolver. IMO, reloading a revolver is where you run into a time deficit compared to a semi auto. Most can't reload a revolver as fast as they can a semi auto. Capacity is another issue. A 1911 is 7-10 rounds. A GP100 is six. Does that matter? Only you can decide.
Regarding caliber; age old debate, big slow versus small fast. IMO, one is not necessarily better than the other; it's all in what you're comfortable with and what you can shoot well. Which brings me to
Can you shoot a revolver? No offense intended, but it seems to be a skill not many have anymore.
Finally the guns you're looking at a very different. Usually I don't do the apples and oranges comparison, but in this case it seems to apply. I personally have shot S&W revolvers, 1911s, Glocks, Sigs, HKs, Berettas, CZs, XDs and M&Ps. I like some better than others, but most are fine. It's really a personal choice issue. Which one will you practice more with, which translates as which do you like better? Both .45acp and .357 magnum ammo are expensive. For an HD or duty weapon, I would choose something with a rail on it. I think night sights (at least a front tritium) and a WML are good additions to an HD/duty gun. My advice, for what it's worth, would be to try and rent both, shoot both extensively and go from there.
Hope that helps some.
Senior Member
When it comes to full size revolvers for home defense Ruger's GP100 is, in my mind, one of only two or three models that I would trust and would likely be my personal choice of revolvers. That said, if I were to be offered a Ruger GP100 in .357 beside a 1911, like my TRP, the TRP wins hands down 99% of the time. More rounds before the reload, quicker reload, and easier for me personally to shoot.
Quick pros and cons for me comparing the GP100( six inch model) to the Springfield TRP that I have.
GP100
Pros: Accurate (In slow fire SA)
simplistic to use
Cheaper cost for base weapon
Ability to cycle through a misfired round by simply pulling trigger again.
.357 rounds with .38 for cheaper/lighter recoil practice.
Less "Tactical" and draws less attention at range(may be a con for some)
Cons
More complex reload
Difficult to reload one handed.
more expensive ammo for me in .357 and harder to find cheap .38 around me.
Lighter power practice ammo may cause issues when full power ammo used under stress.
Lower capacity
Full power defensive ammo both expensive and harder to find. (~$50 for a box of 50 158gr Gold Dot)
Greater recoil than .45ACP with full power .357 ammo.
TRP
Pros:
larger magazine capacity
faster/simpler reloads
easier to reload one handed
training ammo more prevalent and more similar to recoil of duty/defensive ammo.
Better combat accuracy (E.G. during rapid fire drills compared to working GP100 in double action)
Cheaper defensive ammo~34 for box of 50 of GoldDot 230gr)
Cons:
Higher cost of weapon.
More complex manual of arms and action.
More complex malf clearing drills(generally speaking)
I am sure there are other aspects that I could add to this list in time, but quick and dirty that is my breakdown in ten minutes.
Both can get the job done if you are proficient, though with the experience I have, I like my autos for HD purposes and keep most revolvers as range toys.
"I don't collect guns anymore, I stockpile weapons for ****ing war." Chuck P.
"Some days you eat the bacon, and other days the bacon eats you." SeriousStudent
"Don't complain when after killing scores of women and children in a mall, a group of well armed men who train to shoot people like you in the face show up to say hello." WillBrink
Senior Member
Because it's stainless steel, configured the way I want it, the sights have the sight picture I like, a couple of corners have been knocked of and doesn't cost much more than the XSE.
The GC Trophy can't have too many disadvantages as it's configured the same as the XSE except it has the adjustable sights.
Back in the day, the 125 gr 357 was considered the top performer in terminal performance. It even beat out the mighty 45 ACP. From that stand point, the 357 Magnum is a good choice. Downsides were recoil and excessive muzzle blast. Revolvers today, have taken a back seat to the self loading pistol which has put the evolution of fighting wheelguns almost on hold. Still, the tried and true designs still work as good as they ever did.
The Ruger GP100 is a good revolver. It's stout and it's weight helps soak up the recoil. Personally, I prefer the S&W 686 because a tuned 686 seems to come out a bit smoother than a tuned GP100.
If something goes bump in the night, my first choice would be an AR. But as this is about choosing between a 45 ACP 1911 and a 357 revolver (in my case the S&W 686) my choice is the 1911 for it's greater capacity and faster reloads and the 45 ACP for it's tamer muzzle blast
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The Gold Cup is up to the task, no doubt.
Do the Gold Cups still have the reset spring or whatever in the trigger?
Member
One thing to ponder...
.357's going off indoors are deafening. A standard velocity 45acp from a 5" gun would be easier to deal with, as the shooter. Both rounds would be effective against the shootee
Last edited by RussB; 07-14-14 at 15:46.
Member
While a GP100 would ward off any intruder, I would recommend buying a fixed sight 45 ACP because I have gone the route of adjustable. I just wish one of my three 45's had a good fixed rear sight. If that Gold Cup has an Elliason rear sight, they have been known to shear off the roll pin holding the sight in place. Many replace it with a solid pin. Anyway, if I had a choice between the two you are looking at, I would go with the Gold Cup and expect to shell out more $ for rounds to practice rather than practicing with 38 wadcutters in the GP100. Best choice would be a fixed sight 45 ACP in my opinion.
Senior Member
The Gold Cup Trophy does NOT have the Eliason rear sight. I have had a Colt with the Eliason rear sight and have replaced the roll pin a few times because it was beginning to fail. I should replace it with a solid ipn
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