Springfield Armory SA 35

[Empe]

For those of you who own one of these models what has your experience been so far ?
How is the reliability , accuracy , fit and finish ?

 

[murphydog]

The Forum search engine (wonky as it is sometimes) is your friend.

https://smith-wessonforum.com/firea...once-scarce-now-plentiful.html?highlight=SA35

https://smith-wessonforum.com/firea...00789-springfield-sa-35-a.html?highlight=SA35

https://smith-wessonforum.com/firea...pringfield-armory-sa-35-a.html?highlight=SA35

 

[Rock185]

I've had mine about 2 years. Something over a thousand rounds of assorted factory FMJ RN, FP, and JHP ammo through it. Precisely one malfunction thus far. Fit, finish, trigger are quite good for a service grade pistol IMHO. Accuracy is actually better than I would have expected. I don't regret the purchase..

 

[Deltaman]

SA-35

Accurate and reliable. Have not tortured it yet, but that will come. So far everything is good.

 

[MikeR90S]

Pleased with mine. I just added the Apex trigger kit. Made it a bit better but still a combat gun, not a target pistol.

 

[Ameshawki]

Got one shortly after they came out. Excellent in every way. I sold my Browning. Two friends have them, also with no complaints.

 

[Yendor357]

They have a lot of sharp edges around the beavertail area, which is both too short and too wide.

Mine shot 4 inch groups at 25 yards. You could take your little finger and wiggle the barrel when it was locked up. SA said there was nothing wrong with it.

Both grip panels developed hairline cracks.

I traded that thing for a CZ75B. I sent the CZ75B and $700 to Cajun Gun Works and the CZ is everything I was hoping for with the SA P35. But, l spent twice as much money on the tuned CZ. Even in stock form, the CZ is a better gun.

Maybe you'll have better luck. Maybe mine was the lone stinker. A sample of one isn’t the definitive answer.

 

[lihpster]

I bought 2, with consecutive ser. #s. I haven't shot them yet, but am extremely pleased with the fit and finish for a service weapon at this price point. I had heard that the barrel fit might be an issue before I bought them, but mine are both fine. They must have fixed the issue. Similar movement to my RIA 1911 and it is an accurate gun. My HK Vp9 moves more. I have no reason to believe they won't be accurate.

 

[31FordA]

Mine has been accurate, trouble free and fun to shoot. I’ve got about 1,500 rounds of ball and HST thru it, and only 1 FTE in all those rounds. Everyone who shoots it enjoys it.

 

[Goldstar225]

I've had mine for three months. Fit and finish is fine for a service type handgun. The accuracy has been excellent. I like the changes that SA made from the original HP design. Mine has not been perfect but improving. I had two failure to extract malfunctions in the first 150 rounds. This was reported in the early run of the first 5,000 guns, mine is in the 23,000 range. I had a C&S extractor installed and no further problems. I've had a few occasions where with a full magazine the first round failed to chamber (stopping on the feed ramp) but that seems to have self corrected with use. It was never a problem with 14 rounds or less. The grips screws would loosen after firing +/- 100 rounds but that was solved by putting some of my wife's fingernail polish on the screw threads. Though not perfect out of the box I don't regret the purchase, small issues easily solved.

 

[S&W Fan]

I bought the first one my shop got right after they were introduced. It ran perfectly, accurate and reliable. I feel it’s got all the right improvements over the original version.
The only reason I sold it was because of a really good deal on a Les Baer 1911-my favorite semi-auto pistol.

 

[alwslate]

Latest edition of Handloader magazine has a write-up on the SA 35 by Brian Pearce.

 

[LMLarsen]

No problems with mine at all, and it’s a 4xxx serial number.

 

[minconrevo]

Springfield Armory did a good job with their SA 35. Well fitted, 100% dependable and more accurate than a service-type gun is required to be. The finish, while looking like a matte blue, is quite durable. Mine has been in and out of a Galco Summer Comfort ISP and a Safariland 7TS ALS OSP a bunch. Trigger pull is 5# on my Lyman gauge, fairly clean too. Excellent fixed sights that actually shot to POA. Fixed my grip screws with a tiny bit of blue Loktite. Put a good coat of fine furniture paste wax on the seemingly unfinished inside of the wood grips while I had them off for the grip screw job.

 

[ColumbusJBR]

Bought mine about a year ago. Had to promptly send it back for a trigger issue (very weak trigger return spring was causing us to short stroke it). SA fixed it quickly and properly, and since then it’s been a pleasure. Consider it a minor hiccup.

I do wish they’d have shipped it w/ more than 1 measly magazine. Just seemed rude… but otherwise a nice pistol.