Comparing Springfield SA-35 and 1911 frame size

[JohnB-40]

I always wanted a Browning GP and now the SA-35 is becoming available I'm interested in purchasing one. The only problem is having never had one in my hands and only being able to order on line as all LGS are kaput post Covid. (the nearest is 250 miles round trip). The perfect fit for my hands is a 1911 frame with a short trigger shoe or a G48. For any members who own the SA-35 and a 1911/G48,how close in size and ergonomics are they are . I know this is not the best way to purchase a pistol but that's the problem with living in the woods

 

[trackskippy]

If you like the 1911 as you describe it, you'll like the HP. It'll just be slightly shorter, front to back, and slightly wider, but very comfortable. It has one of the most comfortable hi cap grips out there.

 

[weisse52]

Try this.
https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/springfield-1911-loaded-vs-springfield-sa-35

 

[JohnB-40]

Thank you,weisse52. I didn't know about that website.

 

[Rock185]

I've had a number of 1911 type pistols and Hi Powers over a good many years. They both feel right to me. I've only handled the Glock 48 in a LGS, but that one felt right too.

BTW, If you can find an FN/Browning Hi Power or clone to handle, you'll know what the SA-35 feels like.

 

[Riomouse911]

@JohnB-40, the SA 35 is a very comfortable auto to hold. If you like the 1911 grip, I think you’ll find that the SA 35 sits in your hand like it was made for you.

My mitts are Joe Average sized, and these guns sit in my hands like this:

SA35:


Ruger SR-1911:


The SA 35 grip is a bit wider than the 1911, but it is not blocky or overly plump so reaching the single action trigger and control levers is easy peasy. Plus the Hi Power design sits a fraction of an inch lower in the hand, so recoil is easy to control and gets the gun back on target quickly.

I think you will like it when you try one.

Stay safe.

 

[Charlie98]

The biggest thing is the trigger... which is SA, just like a 1911. The length of pull is similar as well, unlike some DA/SA autos with a fat grip, although the trigger pivots vs the straight-pull of a 1911.

I just picked up my SA-35 a few weeks ago... and I'd forgotten how much I like the HiPower.

FWIW, I think the SA-35 grips are a little porky... they are not the svelte grips I had on my original Browning HiPower some years ago. Further, there is no relief cut into the grips where the thumb rests... something that I need to remedy on mine. That is not to say it is bulky or blocky, just not the slim HiPower grip I was used to.... it still feels very good, and shoots like a dream.

 

[Mizar]

Roughly speaking, a Hi-Power is about 90% of the size of a 1911, except for the grip width. Overall it's a smaller pistol, but with the same trigger reach.

 

[Tallball]

FWIW, the 1911 and Hi-Power both fit my XXL hands very well.

 

[JohnB-40]

Thanks for the replies guys. I just placed an order on line with Gallery of Guns for the SA-35. There is a FFL in nearby town who still does transfers and background checks and is a retailer for GoG ( just 40 miles round trip). I wasn't going to purchase anymore firearms after Measure 114 passed in Oregon but when it was ruled unconstitutional recently,I needed a celebration purchase.

 

[Riomouse911]

Thanks for the replies guys. I just placed an order on line with Gallery of Guns for the SA-35. There is a FFL in nearby town who still does transfers and background checks and is a retailer for GoG ( just 40 miles round trip). I wasn't going to purchase anymore firearms after Measure 114 passed in Oregon but when it was ruled unconstitutional recently,I needed a celebration purchase.

Get it while the gettin’s good was my motto for several years.

Now that I gots what I wanted when I could, it’s time to enjoy what I have for a while.

Stay safe.

 

[Charlie98]

Get it while the gettin’s good was my motto for several years.

Sadly... for you guys, 'gettin' while the gettin' is good' has moved from firearms... to ammunition.

I just placed an order on line with Gallery of Guns for the SA-35.

Congrats! It's a really nice pistol!

 

[Rodfac]

I'm an old (some would say, "Very Old"), 1911 guy who compares any auto-loader to the grip feel, width, reach to the trigger and controls to that pistol. That said, the Hi Power is my hands down favorite pistol for it's feel in the hand. It was the fore runner to modern high capacity pistols and had a 13 round magazine capacity for decades. I carried one for the bulk of my first tour in Vietnam, 1970, and it was literally never out of arm's reach during that time. It has the weight to absorb 9mm recoil easily, yet not so much as to weigh down your gun belt.

Back to the the grip...I have size "L" hands according to the work glove size that I buy. Any 1911 fits me well as to trigger reach...short trigger or long, they are no stretch nor am I forced to extend too far into the trigger guard with either. The Browning, and now Springfield SA-35 have the same 'reach' to the trigger for me. In a word, they're as comfortable as the 1911.

I think Charlie said he found the supplied factory grips on the SA-35 a bit on the thick side....I did as well, and replaced them with Hogues (see pic below), which are a bit thinner than either the old standard BHP or the Springfield factory grips...While the SA-35 is thicker through grip than a stock 1911, it doesn't feel that way in my hands.

Lastly, the feel of the gun, the sights and most importantly, the safety size and location on Springfield's SA-35 copy of the BHP, make it a superbly accurate 9mm. Individual specimens vary, of course, but my SA-35 is the most accurate 9mm I've ever owned. With over 1000 rounds without a malfunction of the gun, it's also the most reliable of all my auto pistols. Laugh if you like, I'll admit I'm a fanboy for sure, but the SA-35 a hellofa gun. Best regards, Rod

1st pic of my SA-35 with Hogue grips; 2nd pic: my .40 S&W BHP with factory grips for comparison.



​

 

[cfullgraf]

Maybe I’m saying what has already said.

The 1911 grip is longer but not as wide as the HiPower grip. But I find the two have a similar circumference. So, the feel kind of the same to me.

The HiPower trigger has a different feel than the 1911.

Besides a bunch of 1911’s, I have a 1990 vintage Browning FN HiPower and an SA-35. I like shooting both platforms.

 

[Charlie98]

The HiPower trigger has a different feel than the 1911.

I think it's because the HiPower pivots, vs the 1911's straight pull. There may be some geometrical differences... I'm not prepared to whip out the caliper and start measuring everything... but it seems like the grip profile puts your trigger finger the same place as a 1911, which is probably why it's a good fit for we 1911 guys.

 

[cfullgraf]

I think it's because the HiPower pivots, vs the 1911's straight pull. There may be some geometrical differences... I'm not prepared to whip out the caliper and start measuring everything... but it seems like the grip profile puts your trigger finger the same place as a 1911, which is probably why it's a good fit for we 1911 guys.

Yep, the 1911 slide trigger vs the HP35 pivot trigger will have a different feel.

For a service pistol, I do not feel the HP35 trigger is an impediment but for competition, many do not like it.

 

[JR24]

XL hands, love 1911s in my hands and also really loved the fit of the Hi Power. The trigger though, eh. Too heavy for a SAO, indifferent reset but accurate enough in my hands.

I have a high grip so the BHP, much like 1911s without extended beavertails, slide and hammer bite me quite a bit unless I’m very deliberate about changing my grip.

 

[JohnB-40]

I have had the SA-35 in my possession for a week now. Took it apart on receiving,cleaned and lubed and today finished off my 100 round break-in. I like the pistol,it fits my hand,balances well and didn't malfunction in any way. I also really like the looks and could see John Browning's design in it. For some reason I was having a hard time adjusting to the U-notch rear sight but that is getting better. I hope the trigger will smooth out and feel some what lighter. My only complaint is they shipped it in a cheap nylon case within a box. This allowed the pistol to move about and rub against a unfinished zipper end which was exposed internally,the result was light scratch marks on the slide. I have been rubbing FP10 on the slide and now it is hardly visible. If it starts to bother me later,I'll send it back to SA. I ordered another MecGar mag and after the holidays might order a set of Houge grips. I think it's a keeper.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I have a high grip so the BHP, much like 1911s without extended beavertails, slide and hammer bite me quite a bit unless I’m very deliberate about changing my grip

I've a Turk GI 1911, and that will bite. Some careful work with a fine file, and cold blue, solves the problem. No such problem with the SA-35, and its rowel hammer.
Browning/Saivinne both came up with gun grips just like Baby Bear's porridge. This, before ergonomics was even a smile on anyone's face.
I can't feel any difference between the SA-35 and a Belgian Browning grip.
The SA-35 has a decent trigger. as does the GI 1911.
Moon

 

[bangswitch]

I always wanted a Browning GP and now the SA-35 is becoming available I'm interested in purchasing one. The only problem is having never had one in my hands and only being able to order on line as all LGS are kaput post Covid. (the nearest is 250 miles round trip). The perfect fit for my hands is a 1911 frame with a short trigger shoe or a G48. For any members who own the SA-35 and a 1911/G48,how close in size and ergonomics are they are . I know this is not the best way to purchase a pistol but that's the problem with living in the woods

Here are a few photos that show the biggest differences between the BHP and 1911 in size and configuration. The grip portion of the frames have a slightly different angle. The BHP is a bit narrower at the muzzle; the grips feel the same width, but the BHP grip frame is wider due to the double stack magazine. I believe the grip panels make the biggest difference in grip size when held in the hand. The triggers are pretty close, depending on the 1911 type. The older 1911's have a shorter trigger. If the hole in the end of the BHP shown looks big, it's because this one is .40 caliber and not 9mm. The slide is just barely wider than the 9mm slide, though. The 1911 in the picture is a A1, with original size beavertail and hammer. In the side view with the BHP on top, I aligned the slides at the rear so the hammers would be over each other, and all the other shots are made with that alignment. You can see the BHP is slightly shorter than the 1911.



In the rear view picture, the 1911 grip really isn't longer, it's the grip angle and the camera that make it look that way. The picture is mainly to show relative width. The grips on the 1911 are the factory ones, the grips on the BHP are Hogue (cocobolo wood).

Between the two, the BHP feels more natural in my hand and points better than the 1911, but both are natural pointers. When empty, the 1911 is a tad heavier than the BHP, but not much.

 

[HPJeep]

Congratulations on your HP. Get a set of Spegel grips or Lok grips to replace the factory units.

 

[1KPerDay]

I read about how great the Hi-/High-Power was for decades. I finally got an FN and was surprised how slim and small it felt overall. Almost TOO small to get a really good support hand grip on the frame. If you like the short trigger in the 1911, the BHP will likely feel great to you.

 

[halfmoonclip]

A buddy had one, years ago, and I always thought it felt great. That opinion hasn't changed in 50 years.
Moon

 

[doubleh]

According to the American hand size chart for gloves I am the owner of medium sized hands. I really like the 1911 grip as it is an excellent fit. I have only held a few Hi-power design guns and find the grip to be a little fat at the top, enough that I don't care for it. Enough so that I don't own one. I did purchse a Sar B 6 which has the same profile of the hi-power design but has a polymer frame which although it is a double stack gun is slimmer that the steel framed guns I have handled. I added traction grips to it and find it to fit my hand very well. In fact it might just be a little better than the 1911. I kind of hate to admit that but it's a fact. With a spring change it also has a nice trigger but not quite the equal of a good 1911. Close but not quite. Still I shoot one about as badly as the other. Handgun accuracy and I no longer belong in the same sentence. I also hate to admit that but is a fact too.

 

[goon]

The BHP is pretty comfortable, but the one that gets me is the rowel hammer. The spur hammer will give me a small kiss but it’s not painful, but the BHP rowel hammer definitely bites me. It’s the opposite of a 1911.