SA-35 Gunsmith

C

c1ogden

Member
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
353
Location
NJ
I recently acquired a new SA-35 and it needs a bit of a tune-up. It needs some trigger work and I'd like the internals deburred and possibly a new rear sight. My first choice would be Cylinder and Slide but they are running about a year behind. Does anybody know a Smith that specializes in Hi-Powers, or at least has significant experience with them and isn't too backed up? Thanks for all your help!
 
Cylinder and slide closed their doors so you'll be waiting a bit longer.

Novak

Don Williams

Had my hi power done by MK3 firearms.
Milled new front and rear sights, 2 stage trigger, fitted new barrel, C&S hammer and sear.
They had it for about 1.5 yrs
 
For the OP, just how unhappy are you with the SA-35? Mine has a tolerable 5lb trigger (actually, one of the better bone stock HiPo triggers, in my experience).
I've kind of accepted mine as a decent HiPo clone; I can shoot the crap out of it, rather than a real, Belgian specimen. It's the same attitude as shooting an Uberti instead of a Colt.
OTOH, the major parts are reputed to be forged, so it's good bones for whatever you may care to do.
Moon
 
sevt_chevelle said:
Cylinder and slide closed their doors so you'll be waiting a bit longer.

Novak

Don Williams

Had my hi power done by MK3 firearms.
Milled new front and rear sights, 2 stage trigger, fitted new barrel, C&S hammer and sear.
They had it for about 1.5 yrs
Click to expand...


Are you sure about C&S? Their website is still active. I'd hate to see a resource like that disappear.

I forgot about Don Williams, thanks for the reminder. I'll be calling him this week.

Thanks for your help!
 
halfmoonclip said:
For the OP, just how unhappy are you with the SA-35? Mine has a tolerable 5lb trigger (actually, one of the better bone stock HiPo triggers, in my experience).
I've kind of accepted mine as a decent HiPo clone; I can shoot the crap out of it, rather than a real, Belgian specimen. It's the same attitude as shooting an Uberti instead of a Colt.
OTOH, the major parts are reputed to be forged, so it's good bones for whatever you may care to do.
Moon
Click to expand...


I haven't fired it yet but the trigger is a bit creepy and gritty. I need that worked out and I want the internals deburred before it takes over as my EDC. After I fire it I may need it accurized also.
 
c1, perhaps talk to the mothership. Mine had the extraction issue that some of the earlier guns shared; the trigger had an occasional creep.
Mentioned it, when sending it back for the other problem. Springfield cleaned that up while they had it; turnaround was around a month, and that straddled Christmas. Trigger came back crisp and clean.
Worth a thought, and it's free.
And the OEM sights are actually quite good, though you can check with Springer, if they have any options.
Moon
 
halfmoonclip said:
c1, perhaps talk to the mothership. Mine had the extraction issue that some of the earlier guns shared; the trigger had an occasional creep.
Mentioned it, when sending it back for the other problem. Springfield cleaned that up while they had it; turnaround was around a month, and that straddled Christmas. Trigger came back crisp and clean.
Worth a thought, and it's free.
And the OEM sights are actually quite good, though you can check with Springer, if they have any options.
Moon
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that. You are right about the sights being good, the only change I would get would be a post and dot rear sight.
 
c1ogden said:
I haven't fired it yet but the trigger is a bit creepy and gritty. I need that worked out and I want the internals deburred before it takes over as my EDC. After I fire it I may need it accurized also.
Click to expand...
Try firing a box or two through it first, I won’t be surprised if smoothes up a touch with some use and saves you some $$.

I bought mine just before Christmas 2022 and the trigger also had a hiiiinnnnt of grit. A couple hundred shots later and the grit is gone and the trigger is crisp and a legitimate 4.25-4.5 lbs bone stock. :)

391534C5-3F82-4E18-BCE9-D82A338F2AC7.jpeg

4 lb 5.8 oz avg of 10.

Obviously if your SA-35 doesn’t clean up as nicely as this one did a gunsmith trip may be in order. :thumbup: Oh, I agree with you on the sights. They are much better than the ones that were on a 1967- vintage Belgian HP I had years ago, but the U-notch rear sight and my eyes just don’t mesh very well.

Good luck! :thumbup:

Stay safe.
 
Break it in before you start pumping money into it.

Jack the hammer a few times, dry fire a couple hundred times, then put several boxes through it. Then either detail strip and clean, or if you're not comfortable with that, remove the grips and hose out the fire control group with a spray can of rem oil or CLP.

I think you'll notice a marked improvement.
 
Handled a brandy-new SA-35, and it has a much worse trigger than mine had from the factory. Some rounds/dry snaps is a good idea; the gun I handled seemed as nicely fit and finished as mine.
A buddy got a Turk-marked iteration, which is cerakoted, and has two pages of directions stamped on the frame (okay, slight exaggeration... ;) ) It has the rivet for the magazine safety, but no mag safety. The trigger is not as good as mine.
But I digress; if the trigger doesn't improve, I'll be surprised if Springer won't do something.
Moon
 
Spend money on AMMO and before hand wringing about getting it worked on, shoot the dang thing a bunch first to make sure it’s reliable. The trigger and internals will probably smooth out nicely from a break in period.

Hit the range before hitting a gunsmith!
 
Since most smiths have a long wait I'd just shoot the heck out of it. It'll smooth out quickly. And you will know if it's reliable before EDC. It's a HP so we know it'll be reliable. :cool:
 
Howland937 said:
Search for some of the posts WVSig has written about work he's had done on his BHP's...or maybe ask him. Can't remember who did the work.
Click to expand...

c1ogden said:
Thanks, I'll search for them.
Click to expand...

I have a few custom BHPs. Here is a quick list of the smiths that I have guns from.

Don Williams X4
Ted Yost
Jim West
Bob Cogan
Jim Garthwaite RIP
Novak
Jim Hoag RIP

People get hung up on trigger weight being the yard stick for a good or bad trigger. With the BHP it is not all about the weight. It is the trigger travel, the takeup, the reset, its consistency and its reliability that set one trigger above another. The best living BHP smith who some believe is the GOAT of BHPs is Ted Yost. His trigger is better than anyone else's. Period hard stop. Don Williams is my personal second with the late Jim Garthwaite coming in 3rd. Teds books are closed and it is also impossible to get on the list unless you have a relationship with him. Mr Garthwaite passed a few years ago so that leaves Don Williams.

If I was looking for basic trigger work I would choose Don Williams but you might have a hard time getting onto his books. The last time I talked with him he had 1 year + wait list and his books were semi closed. If you are willing to wait he is a solid choice. If you do not require refinishing, sight work or metal work you might be able to get it done faster.

  • The most efficient and quickest shop will most likely be Novak. They build a solid trigger. Not in my top 3 but certainly better than the stock P35.
  • Bob Cogan doe good work and his shop is pretty quick.
  • I would also recommend inquiring with Jodi Gritus of Gritus Precision out of AZ. She is known as the High Power Princess. She was the BHP smith at Robar before they closed up shop. Ted Yost recommended her to me for a smaller job. She and her husband have since opened their own shop. https://www.facebook.com/GritusPrecisionGunsmithing/. She does great trigger work according to Ted.
  • For full blown custom Nighthawk is an option but they will be costly.
If it were me I would shoot 500 round through the gun and see if it smooths out. If you know how to detail strip the gun replacing the 3 coil trigger return spring with the heavier 2 can help since the mag disco is not present. There is also a inexpensive mod involving swapping out the SA trigger lever for the slightly larger FN/Browning part to improve take-up. It is a $10 part.

Now I will give you 2 notes of caution which may not be popular but I will do it anyway.

I am not a fan of BHSS. They are not gunsmiths. They are a seller of parts and an installer of parts. They do not do any metal work. They do not refinish in house. There scope of work is narrow. They have their fans. I like their springs and their tools but I would not choose them for custom work. I also take all of their video reviews of the BHP clones with a grain of salt. They are 100% promotional videos. They have confirmed on many occasions that the main objective of the videos is to test and sell their parts for the various clones.

The Second is MKIII in Vegas. I know a lot of people who love their work. Their trigger mod on paper and in the videos looks great. Lots of people rave about them but I have also talked to quiet a few people who have had to send a gun back to them because of hammer follow. There is a fine line with a BHP trigger between reliable, clean and consistent vs hammer follow. If it was just a one off I would caulk it up even a monkey falls out of the tree sometimes but with more than a few reports I have chosen not to send a gun their way.
 
halfmoonclip said:
Handled a brandy-new SA-35, and it has a much worse trigger than mine had from the factory. Some rounds/dry snaps is a good idea; the gun I handled seemed as nicely fit and finished as mine.
A buddy got a Turk-marked iteration, which is cerakoted, and has two pages of directions stamped on the frame (okay, slight exaggeration... ;) ) It has the rivet for the magazine safety, but no mag safety. The trigger is not as good as mine.
But I digress; if the trigger doesn't improve, I'll be surprised if Springer won't do something.
Moon
Click to expand...

SA will not do trigger work unless it is defective as in non functioning.
 
sevt_chevelle said:
Cylinder and slide closed their doors so you'll be waiting a bit longer.

Novak

Don Williams

Had my hi power done by MK3 firearms.
Milled new front and rear sights, 2 stage trigger, fitted new barrel, C&S hammer and sear.
They had it for about 1.5 yrs
Click to expand...

Cylinder and Slide was at Dallas Safari Club convention in January. Bill was there, nothing about closing. Did this just occur?
 
tdbmd said:
Cylinder and Slide was at Dallas Safari Club convention in January. Bill was there, nothing about closing. Did this just occur?
Click to expand...

Was talk of employees buying the company but haven't read anymore.
 

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tdbmd said:
Cylinder and Slide was at Dallas Safari Club convention in January. Bill was there, nothing about closing. Did this just occur?
Click to expand...

Bill has retired and they are in the process of transferring/selling the business. It is yet unclear who the buyer are and what part of the business they are buying. I would imagine that the current employees might be interested in the gunsmithing side but not the parts manufacturing side. Someone like Nighthawk who bought the rights to Jim Garthwaites trigger might step in and buy the tooling for the parts. It remains unclear.
 
From their FB page:

Cylinder & Slide

We would like to thank everyone for the overwhelming support and encouragement. It is truly touching and greatly appreciated.
We need to clarify what the future holds for Cylinder & Slide
We have been in discussions with several companies who have the passion, experience, and expertise to continue with our legendary customer service and products that you have grown to love and trust.
We need to continue discussions and decide who is the best suited to continue building upon the legacy of Cylinder & Slide.
After 44 years of business Bill has collected a tremendous amount of hard to find and valuable parts. We are sorting through, cataloging and selling them at discounted prices.
 
WVsig said:
Someone like Nighthawk who bought the rights to Jim Garthwaites trigger might step in and buy the tooling for the parts. It remains unclear.
Click to expand...
It's been reported that Nighthawk Customs has purchased/will purchase Cooper Rifles. Perhaps they're in a buying mood?
 
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