Springfield Armory SA-35 Hi-Power, once scarce, now "Plentiful"...
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huntsman22
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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.
SnidelyWhiplash
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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.
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.
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 $699. Lots of markups on GB when they were hard to find.
Glenn R. McMannly
Member
Are these Turkish?
Engine49guy
Member
Was also watching these when they came out,
Not so sure the price went up as much as the USD$ 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 crappy 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.
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 crappy 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.
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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.
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.
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SnidelyWhiplash
Member
With silver bullets.
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...
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