Nra show hi-power thoughts

[greyling22]

Went to the nra show friday. Some protestors outside, but I went around them. Inside, everybody was polite, nobody wore a mask, it was very normal. Lots of stuff to see, lots of stickers, patches, hats.

I have a soft spot for the high power, so I tried to look at all of them. I handled the new fn hi power. Felt really good. Trigger was very unimpressive. Like an original hi power with with the disconnect, even though this one did not have one a disconnect. Not terribly heavy, but a decent amount of take up and then pretty creepy.
Springfield
Tisas didn't have any hi power clones, when I asked where they were, they said those guns were now going to Springfield. So that answers that question. Also, girsan had a version of the hi power with a beaver tail, fiber sights, g10 grips, with or without rail, and those were the nicest of the hi powers I saw.
Springfield's gun was about like I expected. Looked and felt like a classic high power, fairly plain Matt finish, nice grips, but if you blindfolded me and put both the girson in the Springfield in front of me just said work the actions pull the triggers and tell me your overall feel for them, the girson felt a little smoother and had a better trigger.

 

[General Geoff]

I love the Girsan I just picked up, you can read a brief review and first shot thoughts here

 

[WVsig]

Went to the nra show friday. Some protestors outside, but I went around them. Inside, everybody was polite, nobody wore a mask, it was very normal. Lots of stuff to see, lots of stickers, patches, hats.

I have a soft spot for the high power, so I tried to look at all of them. I handled the new fn hi power. Felt really good. Trigger was very unimpressive. Like an original hi power with with the disconnect, even though this one did not have one a disconnect. Not terribly heavy, but a decent amount of take up and then pretty creepy.
Springfield
Tisas didn't have any hi power clones, when I asked where they were, they said those guns were now going to Springfield. So that answers that question. Also, girsan had a version of the hi power with a beaver tail, fiber sights, g10 grips, with or without rail, and those were the nicest of the hi powers I saw.
Springfield's gun was about like I expected. Looked and felt like a classic high power, fairly plain Matt finish, nice grips, but if you blindfolded me and put both the girson in the Springfield in front of me just said work the actions pull the triggers and tell me your overall feel for them, the girson felt a little smoother and had a better trigger.

To the Tisas this has always been my suspicion. There are just too many similarities between the SA 35 and the Tisas. Sight cuts and extractor issues.

It made no sense that they did not come back into the market after selling pretty well. The main difference I see between the two is the cast frame for a forge frame but Tisas is clearly able to forge frames because they do it for 1911s.

 

[bangswitch]

Springfield's gun was about like I expected. Looked and felt like a classic high power, fairly plain Matt finish, nice grips, but if you blindfolded me and put both the girson in the Springfield in front of me just said work the actions pull the triggers and tell me your overall feel for them, the girson felt a little smoother and had a better trigger.

That's odd, I think, unless Girsan has taken steps to do something with the disconnect. The Girsan still has the magazine disconnect, the Springfield does not.

When whoever told you the Tisas were going to Springfield, did they mean that Springfield was going to market them as their own, along with, or blended in, to the SA35 production?

 

[bannockburn]

bangswitch

When whoever told you the Tisas were going to Springfield, did they mean that Springfield was going to market them as their own, along with, or blended in, to the SA35 production?

Good question!

I would take it to mean that Springfield Armory was going to finish and assemble them at their factory. Seems kind of like what they did when they first started importing parts made by IMBEL of Brazil and finished and assembled their M1911A1s here in the U.S.

 

[greyling22]

That's odd, I think, unless Girsan has taken steps to do something with the disconnect. The Girsan still has the magazine disconnect, the Springfield does not.

When whoever told you the Tisas were going to Springfield, did they mean that Springfield was going to market them as their own, along with, or blended in, to the SA35 production?

I didn't follow up, but I assumed it means Springfield is buying as much as they can and then sourcing/making enough parts here to claim it is "made in USA" and I don't blame them. I don't care where it is made as long as it is a quality product.

 

[WVsig]

No one should be surprised. SA does not do much manufacturing. They don’t own a forge as far as I know. They have always outsourced major parts and then assembled them into guns.

Everyone knew someone else was making the frames, slides and barrels we just didn’t know who.

 

[WVRJ]

Whoever's making the SA-35 is doing a heluva good job of it.Mine's about to cross the 500 round threshold and it's had no malfunctions of any kind yet.It's one of the best fitting and handling pistols I've ever had in my hands.My only complaint is the trigger,and it's not too bad,it's just 1911 good.It's small enough to carry well,but large enough to shoot very well.I was at the local range last Sunday and was mostly shooting a new Sig 320 I'd just bought but as we were finishing up,someone suggested a few rounds at 50 yards at a qualifying target,so we agreed on 3 rounds each offhand.I ran 3 through the SA-35 and didn't bother looking through the spotting scope because I was busy putting my stuff away.My shooting buddy came back with the target and looked at me and said "damn fine shooting" to me.I was kinda puzzled and I took the time to look at the target and my 3 out of the 35 made a 2 inch group.I could wear 3 SA-35's out and never do that again!

 

[halfmoonclip]

Interesting about a possible Turkish source for the SA35. Have the TISAS 1911, and am extremely pleased with the fit and finish.
Wouldn't break my heart to find out the Springer is actually a Turk; have to say I'm really happy with my SA35.
My trigger is better than any of the real HiPos I've owned or handled...why that should be so is another mystery. Even had a Garthwaite trigger job, and that wasn't anything spectacular. The HiPo's sear isn't anything special; why the triggers are frequently so heavy is just odd.
Moon

 

[bannockburn]

Moon

My trigger is better than any of the real HiPos I've owned or handled...why that should be so is another mystery.

Two of the worst 9mm. triggers I have ever encountered were with Browning Hi-Powers: a T Series I owned (very briefly) and my brother's 245 Series that he still has. The best Hi-Power trigger is the one on my Mk.II and that's with the magazine disconnector still in it! Yes, the trigger is that good that I didn't want to take the chance of messing around with it!

 

[greyling22]

If tisas is really sourcing them, I wonder if the stainless one will come back. In a world of multiple hi power choices, it was a unique advantage.

 

[WVsig]

If tisas is really sourcing them, I wonder if the stainless one will come back. In a world of multiple hi power choices, it was a unique advantage.

Cast vs forged might be an issue for that one but who knows.

 

[Coltdriver]

I haven't posted here for a while. I have owned three Belgian Hi Powers and just got a Springfield SA-35.

Not to disparage any person here, the Girsans are junk. Go to BHSpringSolutions and watch their assessment of the Girsan. They also do an assessment of the SA-35. Yes they do sell springs and some other parts but they are good people and they are rigorous and serious about their work.

The Springfields have had some reported out of the box ejection problems in the early serial numbers. Everyone has said Springfield has been excellent about fixing this problem. I suspect Springfield has upgraded their ejector as these problems seem to have dropped off. I just went ahead and got the BHS spring kit and ejector and swapped out nearly all of the springs before even firing my SA-35.

I love Hi Powers and 1911's because they are one pistol you can totally disassemble and put back together pretty easily. They are kind of like Harley's, you can build one with nearly no original parts! Old JB probably had no idea of the customization his guns would see!

I have mentioned this elsewhere but will say this again. If you get either Springco moly disulfide or the much less expensive but equally good Liqui Moly and treat certain parts of your pistol you can make them glass smooth. On a Hi Power it won't correct the trigger geometry or creep but it can be made glass smooth. If you can take apart a revolver you can also make the action so smooth its unbelievable. The only thing you have to be careful about is disconnect engagement, don't make it too slick and never apply moly to the chamber because the brass will not be able to grab chamber walls like its designed to and it can over stress the breech face or slam the slide too hard.

I have become convinced that 9mm is probably the best self defense round. Am saving my money for one of the new Hi Powers when they become more generally available.

 

[General Geoff]

Not to disparage any person here, the Girsans are junk. Go to BHSpringSolutions and watch their assessment of the Girsan.

Funny, a gentleman who works at BHSpringSolutions told me over the phone that the Girsans are overall better than the SA-35s so far in materials, fit & finish. They have required far less work than the new SA pistols, per gun. At least from the ones they have worked on thus far.

 

[Coltdriver]

Funny, a gentleman who works at BHSpringSolutions told me over the phone that the Girsans are overall better than the SA-35s so far in materials, fit & finish. They have required far less work than the new SA pistols, per gun. At least from the ones they have worked on thus far.

That is not the impression I got when I watched their assessment of the Girsan.

But I will re watch and see if I was mistaken.

 

[Rock185]

If the Girsans are overall better than the SA-35s, they must be very nice indeed. My particular SA-35 is cleanly machined inside and out, matte finish is very even, trigger is approx. 4.25#, and performance thus far, 500+ rounds, has been flawless. This, using the factory and various other magazines, and several (9) different types of factory ammo.