Your SA-35 Experiences?

Craig_AR

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I love shooting 1911s but have never touched a Hi-Power. That said, I am intrigued by the next-gen Hi(gh)-Power clones and am seriously considering a Springfield SA-35 based on the many early reviews. I also have read that the early released models had some problems, Springfield has been working improvements, and in general SA-35s currently seem to be made from unobtainium.
So, if you have an SA-35, please give your thoughts on it, including how recently you got it, even if you already posted a comment on the gun in a different thread.
Thank you.
 
Do the new ones hammer bite as well or no? That would be my question, I've been hammer bitten by every HP that has been given to me at shoots to try out.
 
Word is late SN renditions have fixed the extraction problem (burr in the extractor slot, profile of extractor hook and week extractor spring) and are good to go.... I'm pretty sure that they have re-started full production as they are showing up in gun shops.

Some have reported getting guns they sent into SA back.

I had one reserved at a large shop that had already ordered a bunch of them and got a call last week saying they were in. Of course, I now have no disposable money, thanks to some expensive car repairs.
 
OK, Thoughts: I've owned a number of FN/Browning Hi Powers since the '60s. I've had an SA-35 in the 5K serial number range for several months now. I now have somewhere North of a thousand rounds of assorted factory ammo through the gun. I've had no malfunctions. All previous Hi Power hammers I've used bite me badly, think bloodshed. That would include the factory rowel type, spur type, Cylinder and Slide, and modified factory rowel and spur hammers. The SA-35 hammer can sometimes be felt tapping the web of my hand, but no bloodshed whatsoever. I've used the factory, MecGar and FN magazines. All fit and function perfectly.

I've not tried any reloaded nor cast bullet ammunition.
SA-35 9mm - Copy.JPG
 
Have been hounding my local fun shops but each said they couldn't get them. I have several FNs, Brownings, FEGs and two new Girsan Match Ops Hi Powers that are being shipped as we speak. But no SA35 as of yet. Never had hammer bite on any of them. Hope SA fixes their issues.
 
I have had two SA-35s, the second one I got was exactly 1k apart from the first one. They're both now with people who likely enjoy HPs more than I do. I found the first one by chance, nabbed it and then one that was back ordered at another shop showed up out of nowhere. Didn't really want either of them after shooting them a couple of times. The faint reset of the trigger was annoying to me, but I liked what they did with the safety and hammer. They were both very accurate and I felt the machining was very good.

Both were consigned, replaced with a Staccato C2 and I have no regrets.

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I've had mine for one year and I have had no malfunctions of any kind.I've put around 700 rounds of factory and handloaded ammo through it and it just plain works.It's one of the few pistols in my collection that I can shoot pretty good.The trigger could be better,especially when compared to a good 1911,but that doesn't seem to bother me too bad according to the targets I shoot with it.It seems to be well made.When I bought it,I was after either a SA-35 or a Sig P210,and the 35 showed up at the local gun shop first.I recently got a P210,and as far as shooting offhand,there's little difference in my scores with either pistol.I would buy another SA-35 in a heartbeat.
 
Been waiting to get one since Dec. 2021. Had an order through the old Individual Officers Program. Springfield cancelled the program and order in March 2022, changed to First Responders Program and removed the SA-35 from the program. Same dealer ordered one for me in April after the original order was cancelled. In October the dealer contacted me and said they are still waiting for the order. I've only seen one in a local store and that was about a week before my original order was cancelled.
 
I trained at The Range St Louis West over the weekend, where they told me they received two SA-35s last week. The person I spoke with did not know if they were special order or available for sale. In any event, that tells us Springfield is at least shipping now.
And I note that the facilities, staff, and programs at The Range are excellent; it is a high quality business well worth checking out.
 
... I have several FNs, Brownings, FEGs ... Never had hammer bite on any of them.
I always wonder why a few people seem to experience hammer bite with the FN/Browning Hi Powers. I've think I've only ever fired my own 1994 Mk III and one friend's earlier model, but I've never had hammer bite from a Hi Power (or any other gun, for that matter).
Similarly, I've never experienced the so-called "trigger slap" that a few people complain about with CZ handguns, though I have 6 of them. What am I doing right? :)
 
Here's some things I've found that some may find interesting. I have precisely 535 rounds through an SA-35 that I bought in October of this year. I keep track of how many rounds go down every barrel I have... I'm kind of anal about keeping reloading records and such. Initially I shot factory loads - I had some Blazer, some Winchester and some Winchester NATO contract cartridges that all worked flawlessly. That was only maybe 75 rounds total. Then I shot exclusively hand loads, 115 grain FMJ round nose and 124 grain FMJ HPs. Powder charges varied. All have functioned perfectly and no problem with any extractions or ejections. My pistol being as new as it is, is in the 12,000+ serial number range. The pistol is finished very well and a very close copy of a Browning. I have a real Hi-Power and considerable parts on-hand and have experimented with what you can swap between the two. Just for the sake of interest, a complete Browning slide with barrel will fit and function on the SA-35, and vice versa. Barrels alone are not interchangeable, and you shouldn't be doing that anyway, as they should be fitted to the slide. Some special tools for the Hi-Power will not precisely fit the SA-35, such as the tool the factory uses to hold the hammer in the full cock position for disassembly. The contour of the SA-35 receiver high on the backstrap is not exactly the same and the tool would not fit without modification. The trigger is what I would call "average" for an out-of-the-box gun. Probably better than the original Hi-Power, but not on par with a nicely smoothed and lightened Hi-Power action. It has potential however. There is slight creep that can be stoned, but extreme care should be taken - I believe the hammer and sear are cast parts and I don't know about their hardness and whether any significant material should be removed from the factory parts.

There you have it. My experience, which you can take or leave. :) Pictures are pointless, as mine looks like every other one on this thread.
 
63EFE299-C3DC-4CFD-9F22-FD1170A435C9.jpeg

I impulsively bought one last night. I am impressed with everything but the trigger.

I figured that after a year SA hopefully got their act together and ironed out the problems.

Now, if this week of rain would stop so the range can dry out.

P.S. I was pleasantly surprised that this arrived almost dripping wet! In oil that is.





 
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I always wonder why a few people seem to experience hammer bite with the FN/Browning Hi Powers. I've think I've only ever fired my own 1994 Mk III and one friend's earlier model, but I've never had hammer bite from a Hi Power (or any other gun, for that matter).
Similarly, I've never experienced the so-called "trigger slap" that a few people complain about with CZ handguns, though I have 6 of them. What am I doing right? :)

That makes two of us, on both accounts. Are we weird?
 
Since the big St Louis range gave evidence Springfield is shipping SA-35s again, i dropped by my little local LGS if they had any word on same. The manager replied, "You mean like that one in the corner?" (It was the only one they had.)
SA is including only one magazine in the box (darn the cheapskates), but the store had plenty on the wall, so I got two more.
First range day was 72 rounds of Winchester 115g FMJ, using all three mags; no slide bite, no failure to eject. Shot B-8 centers at 3, 7, and 10 yards. The few wild shots outside the 10 ring were clearly operator-induced, so I'd say the gun is pretty darn accurate.
Having field stripped 1911s for years I was very pleased with the ease of dis- and re-assembly.

2nd darn: When I registered the warranty, Springfield gave me a code for 15% off next order, so I immediately ordered two more mags. Then on Black Friday Springfield announced 20% off every order.
oh, well.

p.s. No, not including a photo; it looks just like every other SA-35 photo posted or in reviews.
 
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