Gun Store Score! Springfield GSP built by Yost!

[TDA]

This thread on 1911Forum has a lot of interesting information on the various incarnations of the GSP, including the ones from the time when Ted Yost ran the "Gunsite Smithy" operation. https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=207387

Since he marked the gun, Mr. Yost may have additional information on it. He would be my choice if a tune up was indicated.

Ha, Ted Yost talking about “modern sissy stuff” like beavertails and Novaks! That thread’s fascinating.

[Tokarev]

Ha, Ted Yost talking about “modern sissy stuff” like beavertails and Novaks! That thread’s fascinating.

Also fascinating that some early GSP's were built on Auto Ordnance guns. I've had a couple of them over the years and they wouldn't even run with ball ammo. Even AMT made a better pistol...

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[Tokarev]

Since he marked the gun, Mr. Yost may have additional information on it. He would be my choice if a tune up was indicated.

I have another GSP also built on a Springfield. Another local find although this one was bought about a dozen years ago.

When I bought it it had a stainless thumb safety installed and had been dropped on the front sight. I had Mr Yost clean it up and install an ambi safety.

The gun is marked with a stylized "GSP" on the left side of the slide. Ted told me this gun would have been built for a lefty as indicted by the mark on the left.



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[Bucky]

That’s quite a nice piece to stumble across. Congrats

[Hambo]

I had a non-Yost SA GSP, but I think it had other work done later.

I might still have a couple of the Mag-Pack mags. If I find them you can have them.

[GJM]

Please post some pics and info.

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It is a few states away with most of my 1911 pistols, so pictures will have to wait.

For folks that went to Gunsite, it was very common to have GSP pistols. Main features were dehorned, Gunsite rear sight/black serrated front, trigger job, reliability work, pinned grip safety, larger thumb safety, mag well opened up. A GSP then did not have what Col Cooper referred to as a “duck bill.”

[TOTS]

Amazing. I am very jealous. Any refinishing would erase history; I’d leave it alone. Depending on the role for the pistol I would personally either have the original sight re-lamped or simply paint the front dot a bright orange. I am totally in agreement with the safety replacement; if you don’t have a super used one, someone from here or one of the 1911 forums should hook you up with a well worn one so the finish matches! If you absolutely HAD to refinish it I would go with a clear cerecote.

I am trying as hard as I can to get my blued Dan Wesson to look like that!

[Tokarev]

It is a few states away with most of my 1911 pistols, so pictures will have to wait.

For folks that went to Gunsite, it was very common to have GSP pistols. Main features were dehorned, Gunsite rear sight/black serrated front, trigger job, reliability work, pinned grip safety, larger thumb safety, mag well opened up. A GSP then did not have what Col Cooper referred to as a “duck bill.”

I'm curious about what was available as an option and what wasn't. Were there unlimited custom options based on what was common for the era or were only things that Cooper liked allowed to be used?

Later guns, like the current Gunsite Colt or the S&W version were sold as-is as far as I know.

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[Tokarev]

I had a non-Yost SA GSP, but I think it had other work done later.

I might still have a couple of the Mag-Pack mags. If I find them you can have them.

Is yours one of the guns from the same era with the GSP serial prefix? I wonder how many were made.

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[GJM]

I'm curious about what was available as an option and what wasn't. Were there unlimited custom options based on what was common for the era or were only things that Cooper liked allowed to be used?

Later guns, like the current Gunsite Colt or the S&W version were sold as-is as far as I know.

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It has been over twenty years, but my recollection is a “GSP” only had those features Col. Cooper thought necessary, but the Gunsmithy would do whatever you wanted on a non-GSP marked pistol.