I have been lusting after a Springfield Armory SA-35 Hi-Power since they first came out a couple of years ago. Like most desirable guns when first offered, they were hard to get. I noted they were listed as "In Stock" at Midway USA, so asked my local shop to order one for me. He found a distributer with some in stock, and before you know it, several other distributers e-mailed him with offers if he bought multiples of them. Sign of the times, gun sales slow in general? Anyway, he got it for me at $699, no shipping or transfer fee, I picked it up today:





I ran about 70 rounds through it this afternoon, some 115 grain FMJ and my pet cast lead hand load. It really likes the cast lead for accuracy, so I'll be loading up a bunch more for it. No real accuracy report to make right now, but the trigger feels nice, pistol points like a laser beam in my hand, I am anticipating fun times ahead. I ordered a Bianchi "Pistol Pocket" IWB holster for it and several spare magazines, so will go afield with it next week when the holster arrives.

My dealer said he hadn't sold but one gun (a hunting rifle) in the last month, and he's the only shop within 30 miles of me. He sells guns as a side business from a convenience store, so gas, cigarettes and beer are keeping him going till the next run on guns.....

I was thinking about buying one of the new SA pistols but just bought a 1960s era Browning Hi Power so that itch is scratched. This pistol is like new...so possibly buying a SA version for a shooter is a possibility. The Hi Power...at least to me...is the most elegant pistol designed and made. The 1911 is purposeful looking...the Hi Power is a work of art in steel.

Seems like there is a gun glut at the moment, judging from the screaming deals I keep seeing in my email. I see the LE surplus turn-in Glock 22s are down to $270 again, just as they were immediately before COVID.

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Release the Kraken

I have to admit, even as a long time 1911 guy, nothing fits my hand better than the classic Browning Hi Power. Looks like a nice version!

They're just lovely machines.........

Browning HP/Portugal assembly/custom grips

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Come and take it!!

As a footnote the SA35 15 round magazines function just fine in my 1985 Hi Power.

My understanding is the 15rd mag are mec gar with the stabilizing legs cut off to fit in the extra two rds.....I might be wrong on that , as you cant believe everything you read.

They do have "Made in Italy" stamped in them. The finish is polished dark blue throughout. Which doesn't match the Browning (or SA for that matter) finish.

When I finally ran across one it had come in with several more. I asked if they had 2 with consecutive serials. When he said yes, this happened. Some new grips to keep the originals in perfect shape and a left hand holster, to go with the right hand I already had, and I'm ready to hit the town in style.

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The best I can with what I got

You just need a Lone Ranger rig for them.

I looked at them , but owning three HP already I decided to put the funds elsewhere. Though if they would make a run in the practical finish (which to me is the best looking HP) I might reconsider it.

Got one when they first came out. Just lucked into it at a local shop. I like it, I like a lot. In fact I sold my Browning (at a modest profit). Catching up with demand finally. Gun sales around here are holding up but certainly nothing like panic level. More a case of getting back to normal volumes.

I've always liked the looks of a P38, but the original Hi Power is certainly the classiest looking of all 9mm handguns. By comparison, makes the striker guns look like simple garden tools.

The more you shoot that pistol, the more you're gonna love it.
I've always admired the Browning HP. Problem was they left me bloody after shooting only one magazine (13 rds.), even with the different hammer styles. So, I never bought one.
Springfield's version was/is a bucket list dream come true for me. I've had mine for about 4 months now and I really enjoy shooting it. Especially since it "doesn't leave a mark!" on me. LOL!

WYT-P
Skyhunter

Nice looking FN Capitan!!

Just got an email from a local chain of gun shops . They also put on gun shows all over Fl. They advertise it for $749 , might just have to go look at them . But then I don't know if my S&W's will let it stay in their safes .

MidwayUSA has the SA-35 on weekly special at $699.99 right now.

I recently traded for a 1961 Browning Hi-Power made in Belgium, the last year they had the internal extractor. I sent it to BHSpringsSolutions in Indiana to have them go through it and replace any worn internal parts, starting with the springs. IMHO, they are the experts in HP's, bar none. I set aside the original magazine with the aluminum follower, and bought a couple of Mec-Gar magazines made in Italy. Can't wait to get it back; it's John Browning's last design and it fits my hand like a glove. When JB passed, his understudy at FN took over the project, finally completing it in 1935.

Browning Hi-Power, 1911, CZ75, Makarov Home

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WOW! Heck of a price.

Hi-Powers are an old favorite of mine. I’ve handled the SA-35 and like it, however I’d really love it if they introduced an aluminum framed model.

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Some Might Say.

I do love the SA-35, but I'd love it even more if Springfield Armory would offer a more lustrous/polished blue finish.

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AKA SixToEight

yeah, their finish is kinda soft..... top one.

I figure if the finish wears too much, I'll send them off to be hard chromed.

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The best I can with what I got

If the SA-35 was produced in a high polish blue the cost of the labor to do so would probably price it out of the target market. The high costs of such production was one reason Browning FN discontinued it. The prime reason they dropped it was the tooling was worn out and the cost of new tooling for a product that sales had dropped to 3000-4000 units annually simply didn’t make economic sense.

As great a pistol as the Hi Power was and is…the consumer market has passed it by for newer designs and Tupperware guns. Browning FN made the business decision to leave production to clone makers who do it cheaper than they can.

You could say I'm a fan.
69 "T" Series and MkIII.

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

When announced the suggested retail price was $599.00. Of course there were none to be had anywhere. After the price went up ~20% they all of the sudden started showing up.

Odd, no?

Suggested retail in 2021 when they were released was $699. Lots of markups on GB when they were hard to find.

Are these Turkish?

Glenn,

Not Turkish, made/assembled in USA.

I hear the frames are sourced From Tisas in Turkey, final assembly done here in the states.

Very similar arrangement with their 1911's, in the past the frames were sourced from Brazil and final assembly done here.

Was also watching these when they came out,
Not so sure the price went up as much as the USD$ went down in value.
The BHP is a pretty gun but being designed in 1930's it has its weaknesses as well, while they have resolved the ****** sights issue by dovetailed the frame the small tang has always been an issue for many people.
The SA trigger is not practical for ccw unless you add the SFS system .
While a Stainless version might be tempting especially with a larger tang without a da trigger it is relegated to a pretty pinker.
For a similar gun with improved features the Stainless CZ75b offers alot of improvements IMO for about the same price.

Springer has always been very cagey about their supply chain. They source parts all over the world then assemble/ finish here. The HP parts come from Turkey tho proving that beyond a reasonable doubt is likely impossible.

I see them in stock online everywhere, but the locals in my area still try to claim "they're very hard to get" and keep them priced at scalper levels. Of course those are the same guys pricing primers at $10 to $15 per hundred and claiming they're rare as well.

Guys,
anybody interested in a beautiful blued FEG Hi Power 9mm in excellent shape let me know and I'll steer you in the direction of one at a pawn shop for $450, it was still there on Tuesday.

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

I've owned several HPs over the years, all Belgian. I have large hands and I still don't like the fit of the grip. The safety isn't as good as the 1911. And at the time I hated the 9mm. It wasn't as accurate as the 45 or as effective and it kicked almost as hard. Brass was harder to find on the ground. All of this of course changed when the 9mm became the thing it is today. It was too light in the front. I much preferred the 1911s. It was just a better pistol in my opinion. Bottom line the 1911 was cheaper to shoot, I had used one in the Army and knew that I could hit a target with it. Reloading was about $2 a box buying lead cast and using Bullseye. The cases never needed trimming and were plentiful. The 35 is a beautiful pistol and all , but the 1911 was the better pistol. I love the Model 39-2.

I lucked into one when they first came out. Spent time and $$ adding an ambi-safety & picking-up mags. It shot fine, but I just can't shoot hi-powers well at all. That wasn't my first go round with the hi-power either. You think I would have learned my lesson. I ended-up selling it and broke even, as they were still in demand.

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Watch & Pray

I've got a brace of Browning HP Mk IIIs, but with their value skyrocketing, when I stumbled on a SA35 about 8 months ago for $30 under MSRP I grabbed it for a shooter.

With silver bullets.

Plus a tungsten penetrator.

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The best I can with what I got

Well…there is always Winchester’s Silvertip.

This one just came home to me the other day. I had traded it to a friend quite a few years ago. Last Sunday he brought it to me at church and said, "I've got two nephews aggravating me about this gun. I don't know which to give it to and I don't trust they wouldn't trade it for a Glock or some other dumb thing, so I'm just gonna give it back to you." Has box, docs, two mags, both 10 rd mouse traps. I'd gotten out of the P35 business (used to own four) but since I'm back in it now, I'm going to be looking for a Springfield SA35 also.
Oh, and I've got a return surprise lined up for my friend...

Beautiful piece, Yoda.

I haven’t had the opportunity to handle an SA-35 but I can definitely see one in my future.

Of the four that I have only one is a Browning. The others are an FM and two FEGs, one of which is marked MauserWerke.

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Anyone remember the late 60s when the HP listed at $73.50 and nobody wanted one? It was a dog. Now it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, or almost. It acquired a certain cache when some criminal groups sported them and it was the only hi-cap 9mm at the time. Bought a new HP "assembled in Portugal" when I arrived out here and suffered a catastrophic malf: FTF and smokestack at the same moment. Near impossible to clear, even by my FBI instructor buddy. Would have been my life on the street. Service revolver never did that.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I attribute at least some of the Hi-Power's popularity to NYPD detective Frank Serpico and more specifically, to the movie "Serpico", which was based on his experiences a NYPD detective.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

The Hungarians used to play fast and loose with other people's trademarks. Their improved Walther PP pistols carried all sorts of names.

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Release the Kraken

One of my Hi-Powers came in this funny looking set.

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I have their country cousins.

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For me Hi Powers are an addiction. Handled my first one as a lad and there are been at least six that have passed through my hands since then. I would take one out shooting with a friend or somehow a friend would be with me, make me an offer and I would let one go. Mine have all been older C-Code pistols except this last one is a TT series. I have no intention of letting this one go and have tricked it out with the usual cylinder and slide release, safety and mag disconnect.

Hey, I just ran across the Browning in the middle the other day, what is one in good condition worth these days? Any ideas?

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

I sold my 1976 vintage Hi Power and bought a SA-35 when they first came out. Lots of FTE’s so I sold it. The SA-35 had a lot of features that I liked. I was able to buy my Hi Power back about a year after I sold it. Never more to part!

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otis