Springfield SA-35

Bhfromme

Bhfromme

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Love the history behind the Browning Hi-Power and got thinking a Hi-Power would be a nice addition to my little collection of firearms. Then I got reading about the SA-35 which got me thinking why not go modern. Springfield seems to have done a good job of upgrading the original Hi-Power with better metal, better sights and closer tolerances.

But before bringing one of these home I want to hear from you guys. Who has one? Are they as accurate and reliable right out of the box as I'm reading or is all that just more factory sponsored propaganda?
 
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I’ve had one for about a year. Springfield fixed all the issues on the original HP. They improved the sights and safety lever and got rid of the magazine safety. Hammer spur is slightly redesigned to avoid biting though I’ve never had a problem with that anyway. I heard some early guns had extractor issues but mine has been fine and I’ve fired a thousand rounds or so without a single malfunction. Accuracy has been spot on. The grips are great though very plain so I made mine darker. Finally, I wish they would do a polished blue finish but I imagine the gray finish is one way to hold the cost down. I’ve always liked the HP. If you want one to shoot rather than collect, and at the price they bring, I think they’re one heck of a deal.
 
I'll echo everything Wyo said above. I've had zero function or reliability problems with mine. It just works. Accuracy is decent and depends (of course) on what I feed it. It's not a Bullseye gun accuracy-wise, but does what it's intended to do very well. While I like classic Hipowers, they had their issues. Springfield fixed those and is providing a good value for a shooter.
 
I also agree with Wyo. I've had my SA-35 for going on 8 months and it hasn't malfunctioned once, nor has it bitten me - and that was the problem with all the Hi-Powers I shot in the past.
IMO - it's a well-made pistol and would make JMB smile.

WYT-P
Skyhunter
 
They are all good guns, original HP and SA-35. I have only shot not cleaned the SA-35, but the differences seem negligible and a matter of preference. I would certainly be tempted by the SA-35 if I did not have an HP.
 

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SA-35

I also have one, and am very satisfied with it. I have sent it to Cylinder and Slide for some customization.

I also have a Girsan HP and after Novak's 45 Shop worked on the trigger, it also seems to be a good gun. I especially like the beaver tail grip. My SA-35 will also have a beaver tail when it returns. Now the waiting begins.
 
I bought one a year and a half ago. Had some odd mold like growth occurring at the muzzle end of the frame. I figured they hadn't got all the bluing salts off the gun. Sent it back to them and whatever they did doesn't happen any longer. I'm please with it and feel it's a lot of gun for the $$$
 
I'm digging mine, reliable (even with defensive hollow point ammo), accurate, quite the value in my opinion. Street price on one is about $700, double that if you want a real Belgium made Hi-Power. This one scratched my itch for a Hi-Power:





Got an El Paso Saddlery "Threepersons" holster for it, a classic holster for a classic handgun:

 
I like mine...
IMG_0392.jpeg
 
I've had mine for two months. I like it. Good ergonomics and excellent accuracy. It's been reported that the early guns (5,000-7,000 serial number range) had failure to extract issues. During my first range session I fired 150 rounds and had two failures to extract between #130 & 150. I didn't want to send it back so I installed a Cylinder & Slide extractor. My serial # is 23,XXX. So far that seems to solved that issue. I have experienced a few failure to feed the first round from a full 15 round magazine. It's not a huge issue as I typically load my magazines -1 but I intend to experiment with this.

I appreciate the deletion of the magazine disconnect, good sights and improved safety lever. There's nothing else I will change.

Bottom line, would I buy it again? Yes, yes I would.
 
I’m still on the fence. I have an FN SFS high power (a Mk III with a factory installed SFS system), a couple FEG Hi Powers (1st Gen P9M converted to an SFS and a P9, which is a very true copy of a pre Mk II Hi Power with 100% parts interchangeability), and a mid 1990s silver chrome Mk III Hi Power.

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IMG_2086.HEIC



But when I went looking for a new SA-35 after they’d been out long enough for the bugs to be worked out, and the priced to come back down to MSRP, I still didn’t go home with one.

I ended up liking the Girsan MC P35 PI Lightweight a lot better, as it offered some much more desirable features.

The short slide and barrel length of the FM “detective” model Hi Power, combined with an aluminum frame makes it an ideal 15 round compact, light weight Hi Power.

I’ve never been prone to hammer bite with either a round or spur hammer on a Hi Power so the beaver tail didn’t impress me either way, but it’s also a nice update. The straight trigger is a modern feature but again it’s not anything that impresses me over the standard curved trigger. The Girsan also has a decent safety lever that doesn’t have the mushy feel of a Hi Power safety.

It an ambidextrous safety which is both a pro and a con. Lefties will like it, but the only time I’ve ever had 1911 or Hi Power safeties come off while the handgun was in the holster has been when rolling around on the ground or crawling under something - with an ambidextrous safety. That extra lever causes more problems than it solves.

Still, it’s a well executed Hi Power clone.

FE798C23-5009-4686-BFF3-6DEED88583D6.jpeg


I had low expectations, but I have been pleasantly surprised with the decent trigger, more than acceptable combat accuracy, and flawless reliability with both Hornady 124 gr XTP and Sig V-Crown 124 gr hollow points.
 
I’ve had my SA-35 since April 2022, and have put over 1,500 rounds thru it with only one failure to extract. Most of the ammo was FMJ, but there was also a fair amount of HST, including a few boxes of +P. It’s been accurate and pleasant to shoot, I’ve had no regrets with it.

Everyone who has shot it has been very happy with it. Even my brother did really well with it, and he only goes to the range once or twice a year. If you’re looking for a full size 9mm I don’t think you can go wrong with a SA-35.
 
YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. DO IT!
It was a welcome addition to my P35 family of a new in 1981 Belgian-Belgian HP and a new in 2018 stainless Tisas. All great guns!
 

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I’m waiting and saving spiffs at work to get one.

Once I do my plan is to break it in then tear it down,Cerakote it in gloss black and see if the extra set of BHP grips I have will fit

That finish is my only cosmetic complaint.
 
I agree with Wyo’s summary. My only “complaint” is the matte finish, which really is just fine and is nicely done, but I prefer polished blue. Maybe someday they will offer one that way. In the meantime... :)

I haven’t fired my gun a lot, but I do notice the trigger is improving nicely. No function problems that I recall, though like someone else mentioned, it’s not my practice to fully load magazines. I’ll have to remember to try that sometime.
 
Bh, I've had mine for nearly two years, and have somewhere over a thousand factory rounds through it. The ammo was of 9 different types, consisting of JHP, JFP, JRN. I used the factory, MecGar and FN magazines. No issues with any of the ammo or magazines. Just recently had the first failure to extract. Pulled the extractor, and found a thick semi-solid sludge in the extractor cut in the slide. Cleaned the cut and extractor, no issues since.

The SA-35 has sights and thumb safety similar to what I paid gunsmiths to do to my HPs years ago. The factory trigger is just over 4#, and the hammer doesn't bite me. As a basis for comparison, I've owned a number of FN/Browning Hi Powers since around '66-'67. The FN/Browning triggers averaged more like 8#, and all the hammers bite me. The Springfield version compares very favorably with the FN/Browning guns IMHO. No plans to trade mine in on the next shiny thing that catches my eye;)

BTW shovelhead, I've tried several wood and synthetic Browning Hi Power grips on the SA-35. They all fit.
 

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I've been very happy with mine. :D
But I have noticed one little quirk. My Ciener .22 conversion unit doesn't work on it. Fits just fine, but the hammer won't fall. I'm thinking Springfield changed the trigger geometry a bit to get that nice trigger pull. No matter. I have other Hi-Powers to shoot .22s with. ;)
 
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