Applicabilities of several well-known constitutive models for BCC metals have been reviewed in detail previously (Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 20 (2012) 015005; Acta Mech. Solid. Sin. 2012, 25(6): 598–608; Int. J. Plasticity, 2013, 40: 163–184). In this paper, descriptive and predictive capabilities of the same models for FCC metals are investigated and compared systematically, in characterizing plastic behavior of cold-worked pure copper at temperatures ranging from 93 K to 873 K, and strain rates ranging from 0.001 s−1 to 8000 s−1. Validities of the established models are checked by strain rate jump tests that were performed under different loading conditions. Flexibilities of the models in describing the effects of work hardening, temperature, and strain rate are also analyzed separately. The results show that these models have various capabilities in the characterization of different aspects of material behaviors, but the precision of prediction relies largely on that of description. Different models should be selected considering the specific details of material behaviors to obtain better performance in the engineering application. •Experimental research is performed systematically on cold-worked pure copper.•Different constitutive models have been established based on the test results.•Descriptive and predictive capabilities of these models are investigated.•Description of work-hardening, temperature, and strain rate effects is compared.