Springfield Armory SA-35 UNBOXING

I'll have one at some point! Thanks for showing, looks quite fine.

I’d love a good quartering shot of the front sight if you could; curious how well they blended it. Glad you finally got it in hand, congratulations.

The internal finishing does look cleaner than any FN or FEG Ive ever taken apart. Time will tell if the small parts (which are no doubt largely MIM) will hold up.


I dont really need another full-size 9mm regular HiPo, but if a stainless, compact (preferably both), or .45 model ever surfaces, Id bite. It does offer those who don't have one a reasonably priced alternative to an FN- once the $ gouging fades away anyway.

Congrats. I want one. I dig the wood grips on it.

WB

As a long time-since-1967-owner of a Browning HP, I find it interesting that there is so much enthusiasm for an 80+ year old design in steel and walnut.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

The internal finishing does look cleaner than any FN or FEG Ive ever taken apart. Time will tell if the small parts (which are no doubt largely MIM) will hold up.


I dont really need another full-size 9mm regular HiPo, but if a stainless, compact (preferably both), or .45 model ever surfaces, Id bite. It does offer those who don't have one a reasonably priced alternative to an FN- once the $ gouging fades away anyway.

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Reporting I was seeing was saying no MIM parts.

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/springfield-sa-35-browning-hi-power-review/453228
"To build the SA-35, Springfield Armory starts with forgings for both the lower receiver and the slide. While original FN-built P.35 High Powers had forged frames, the company eventually moved to cast-steel frames. Even though cast frames were developed to be stronger than the forged frames (they were built to withstand the .40 S&W cartridge), there was always a stigma attached to the later models. Springfield Armory’s solution was to forge the frame and slide, and apply modern heat-treating methods to make its SA-35 incredibly tough. Forging, precision machining and modern heat-treating are recurring descriptions I noted while examining the parts of this pistol. There are no metal-injection-molded (MIM) parts anywhere on the SA-35. Another nod to old-world manufacturing is its cold-hammer-forged barrel."

Analysis of the sa-35 including hardness testing of components here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1plKwpL_YPwYE80NGQgNqVBTcrchPDWZl/view

BSW

briansmithwins said:

Reporting I was seeing was saying no MIM parts.

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/springfield-sa-35-browning-hi-power-review/453228
"To build the SA-35, Springfield Armory starts with forgings for both the lower receiver and the slide. While original FN-built P.35 High Powers had forged frames, the company eventually moved to cast-steel frames. Even though cast frames were developed to be stronger than the forged frames (they were built to withstand the .40 S&W cartridge), there was always a stigma attached to the later models. Springfield Armory’s solution was to forge the frame and slide, and apply modern heat-treating methods to make its SA-35 incredibly tough. Forging, precision machining and modern heat-treating are recurring descriptions I noted while examining the parts of this pistol. There are no metal-injection-molded (MIM) parts anywhere on the SA-35. Another nod to old-world manufacturing is its cold-hammer-forged barrel."

Analysis of the sa-35 including hardness testing of components here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1plKwpL_YPwYE80NGQgNqVBTcrchPDWZl/view

BSW

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Impressive, thanks!

KY DAN said:

To those who wish to urinate all over this new product and critique this pistol please consider this, a base Belgium made high power is 800-1500 dollars. To make the "real browning" 1/10th of the gun the Sa-35 is would require the installation of Novak style sights $300 minimum, a trigger job, exted thumb safety, pretty grips etc ($600 I paid to have this done this with a fn hi power) so $900 in quality upgrades

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Got a MK3 getting those upgrades at a known hi power smith, it's been there over a year now and not gonna be 600 or 900 bucks.

Looks like a nice gun, can't wait to get one.

Do. Want.

Short look,a few rounds at range demo day:

The SA35 has good factory sights except for the current fad of a U notch.
The thumb safety is just right for me.
The trigger is not really light but is lighter than the last FN I shot. It is rather creepy; maybe you could polish it up and call it a "roll trigger."
The front strap is indeed broad and smooth, you have no expectation of steel checkering on a sub $700 gun, I would just apply grip tape.
The finish is a very matte blue-gray. Again, the price can't cover a nice polish.

If they want to sponsor Team Mediocre with one, I want a fibre optic front sight, trigger tune, Talon tape on front strap.
Might cost $150 to make it an IDPA ESP to my taste. But I will just keep shooting my 1911ish.

Jim Watson said:

Short look,a few rounds at range demo day:

The SA35 has good factory sights except for the current fad of a U notch.
The thumb safety is just right for me.
The trigger is not really light but is lighter than the last FN I shot. It is rather creepy; maybe you could polish it up and call it a "roll trigger."
The front strap is indeed broad and smooth, you have no expectation of steel checkering on a sub $700 gun, I would just apply grip tape.
The finish is a very matte blue-gray. Again, the price can't cover a nice polish.

If they want to sponsor Team Mediocre with one, I want a fibre optic front sight, trigger tune, Talon tape on front strap.
Might cost $150 to make it an IDPA ESP to my taste. But I will just keep shooting my 1911ish.

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The SA-35 is a military style combat pistol. It doesn’t have the various fineries of a high end custom gun, it was never meant to. It picks up where the last army contract Hi-Powers left off.

yep next on my list for sure

JCooperfan1911 said:

The SA-35 is a military style combat pistol. It doesn’t have the various fineries of a high end custom gun, it was never meant to. It picks up where the last army contract Hi-Powers left off.

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Not exactly. It is a copy built to a price point for commercial sales. I think it is a well chosen price point and they will sell a lot.

KY DAN said:

Hennie sights and installation by hennie were a little over $300 counting shipping from them, cylinder and slide brand hammer,extended thumb safety, wide trigger, egw hard sear, and Wilson springs, my grips were the thin Argentina style, and gunsmith labor made for around $600.

I feel I used literally the best parts that are currently available in that fn build, but if you feel the above can be done cheaper using the exact same parts then please tell me more as I would like to send my two tone Isreal surplus fn for the same treatment.

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Didn't say one could do it cheaper.
What I did say am waiting for over a year and it's gonna cost more than 900 bucks getting those upgrades from a known hi power smith.I

People are spending good money and waiting n line for years to upgrade hi powers.

Now someone needs to get the EAA Girsan MC P35 and compare the two.

https://eaacorp.com/product/girsan-mc-p35/

Sweet. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I hope you enjoy your purchase. In a world of fine cloned plastic pistols (nothing wrong with them); there is just something about steel and good old wood grips.

I will get one when I find a good enough deal.

To the OP and any other members who have on of the SA-35s in their possession can you replicate this movement of the safety when the hammer is lowered on an empty chamber? In the video at about 14:00 the thumb safety can be moved upward just enough to partially engage the slide stop preventing the slide from being able to move. BHSS claims there is enough slop that if you jiggle the pistol the thumb safety will disengage. On the SA-35 when BHSS installed an OEM FN/Browning part the issue with the thumb safety went away. I am trying to gather informal data in an attempt to determine if this is a defective safety or if it is a design or manufacturing issue.

KY DAN said:

• For anyone who is interested as I am in modern classics, the Sa-35 is the apitome of perfection. It's a steel frame pistol with elegant style and ergonomically correct geometry. Please note the extended thumb safety and the highly visible sight picture Springfield armory provided with the design. This handgun is has it all in my opinion and my poor quality pictures do not do this item justice. Please let me know if more pictures are needed of what ever portion of the pistol I failed to cover.

To those who wish to urinate all over this new product and critique this pistol please consider this, a base Belgium made high power is 800-1500 dollars. To make the "real browning" 1/10th of the gun the Sa-35 is would require the installation of Novak style sights $300 minimum, a trigger job, exted thumb safety, pretty grips etc ($600 I paid to have this done this with a fn hi power) so $900 in quality upgrades. At the end of this conversion the internet experts would call you a monster for molesting a "real browning high power ". My recommendation is get off your high horse and buy a quality pistol that has everything you could ever want from the factory and enjoy it.

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The SA-35 looks good for the price point but I am not sure I would call it perfection. It appears to be a very nice shootable right out of the box BHP. As to your pricing on what it cost to customize a BHP I think it all depends on who you are using. I can't remember off the top of my head but Don Williams Street package is around $600 and Karl Sokol does that work + for $700.

So yeah there is a lot of value in the SA-35 but I do not think you can compare and out of the box production gun to a properly built custom by a know BHP smith. It is an apples vs oranges comparison. IMHO

It s funny how verbose you are being and not a single word on how the SA-35 actually shoots but it is better than any previous BHPs. LMAO

KY DAN said:

I agree with your statement, I have not had a chance to properly show case this handgun on target as I only functionchecked it and plinked at junk cars in my cousin's scrap yard.. I plan to demo 10 shot groups at 7,15,25,50,75 yards. I can't do everything in one night lol.

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Check the thumb safety for me. It should not move like the one in the video. This is how it should work. The safety is blocked from moving upward.

https://imgur.com/SQEKTZq