SA 35

While I really like my SA-35, I don’t think it will be my primary self defense gun. It’s more of a range toy. I know my Glocks will always work when needed for defense.
 
As an update regarding my SA-35 (serial number range 12,000), I'm at precisely 678 rounds fired. Zero extraction issues - actually, no problems with the pistol at all. As I noted earlier in this thread, my trigger pull was about average, with a bit of movement and relatively heavy. This last week I pulled the gun completely apart and polished virtually everything between the trigger and the hammer. Without taking material off the sear and hammer, I carefully dressed the edges with a very fine stone and polished the working surfaces to a mirror finish. Looking through magnifying glasses, I removed all the roughness from both (you could feel that roughness with a fingernail), and polished the "nub" on the top of the sear where the sear lever contacts it. The tip of the sear spring also subjected itself to the buffing wheel until it shone like a mirror as well. In addition, I removed and polished the sear lever (don't take any material off here either, if you do this) and the trigger bar where it rubs against the side of the receiver and the tip of it where it presses the forward end of the sear lever. All of this took roughly 2.5 hours, even though it required putting the gun back together, testing the feel, then pulling it apart again to do a little more polishing. The name of the game is taking it one baby step at a time. The result? Zero creep in the trigger, indeed, no perceptible movement before a perfectly clean break. As I did not take material off and certainly didn't change any angles on the sear or hammer, the trigger pull (effort) is nearly what it was from the factory, but it feels like a completely different gun. Since the SA-35 has a fairly wide trigger, the pull seems less than it actually is, and 2.5 hours of work really pays off. I highly recommend doing this work if you're able. It will contribute to a much more consistent shooting experience. Another area that most of us can't alter, is the slide to receiver fit. We're lucky that the SA-35 is very well machined and tight. If the slide were sloppy on the rails, the fit between the trigger bar (in the receiver) and the sear lever (in the slide) would be equally sloppy, contributing to a correspondingly crappy trigger. Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! Personally, I've had great fun with my SA-35 and the "real" Hi-Power doesn't get used quite as much. :)

Addition: If you aren't sure about doing full disassembly, you should be able to find a Browning "Field Service Manual" online. That will give you all the information you could ever need. Highly recommended for a proper disassembly!
 
I’ve always had a soft spot for the HI-Power. I have two Belgian Hi-Powers one was made in 1973 and the other was made in 1984. The ‘73 pistol originally belonged to a police officer and has been gone over by an excellent gunsmith years ago with the feed ramp re-contoured to feed hollow points and one of the best trigger jobs you ever saw. After some hard wear on the finish over the years, the previous owner had it parkerized. That pistol shoots like a laser.

The ‘84 vintage pistol has the second iteration of adjustable sights with windage adjustments ( two opposing screws ) that are abismal. No wonder Browning went to an outside source on their third attempt for an adjustable sight. That pistol is completely stock including the magazine disconnect. The trigger takes two grown men and a small boy to pull. It’s a hardball gun for the most part. I do not intend to modify it as it will simply increase in value over time. It doesn’t run reliably with the original Browning magazines but, will run all day long with a new Mec-Gar magazine, including some hollow points.

I acquired an SA-35 last year and was extremely impressed. Much better trigger out of the box, better sights and safety. Shoots anything I put in it but, is not as reliable with Browning magazines. The frame edge under the beaver-tail is a bit sharp and tends to make a hot spot in the web of my hand. It would be easy to break that edge with a stone and apply some cold blue but, I’m not going to modify the gun in any way.

Visiting my LGS a couple of weeks ago and they were offering SA-35 pistols at $50 under MSRP. I now own two SA-35 pistols. Excellent fit and finish and 100% reliability. Accuracy averages 2.5” at 25 yards over sandbags. I’m going to leave this pistol completely stock too. I would be comfortable carrying this pistol openly ( Oklahoma is a Constitutional Carry State ). That said when I do carry a semi-auto openly I usually opt for one of my Glocks.

In my opinion, Springfield was smart to recognize the market potential following the demise of the Hi-Power at Browning. Now Browning is playing catch-up on their icon and signature pistol. I have noticed that the last production run of the Browning pistols lacked the fit, finish and quality of the guns of thirty + years ago. My guess was that their machinery was worn out and Browning could not justify the capital investment required for up-dated tooling and equipment. As much as I love the Hi-Power, my prediction is that market interest in the Hi-Power will fade to the point that everyone in the fray will stop producing them once again. At this point, anyone with a stock Hi-Power or an SA-35 in like new condition will see their values take off like a rocket! Just my .02 cents here.
 
( Oklahoma is a Constitutional Carry State )
OT Side Note: While OK has Constitutional Carry, tribal Indian territory within the state may not be. One of the fallouts of the McGirt case is that each Indian nation in OK must set their own firearms laws. According to a lawyer in the Cherokee Nation (CN) Attorney General's Office (telcon April 2022), the CN is reciprocal with the states that OK accepts, but it is not Constitutional Carry. I cannot speak to the remaining nations with reservations in OK. Living across the border in Arkansas and being a CN member, I only checked with the CN, but depending on where you are in the state you may wish to check with the tribal governments in areas you frequent.
 
OT Side Note: While OK has Constitutional Carry, tribal Indian territory within the state may not be. One of the fallouts of the McGirt case is that each Indian nation in OK must set their own firearms laws. According to a lawyer in the Cherokee Nation (CN) Attorney General's Office (telcon April 2022), the CN is reciprocal with the states that OK accepts, but it is not Constitutional Carry. I cannot speak to the remaining nations with reservations in OK. Living across the border in Arkansas and being a CN member, I only checked with the CN, but depending on where you are in the state you may wish to check with the tribal governments in areas you frequent.

I was not aware of that. Thank you for sharing.
 
Hmmm. I have an early one, 06xxx. It displayed no extraction issues on my reloads, but a couple mags of WWB produced some, north of 300 total rounds fired. Sent it to the mothership, quick return, problems solved, including getting rid of an occasional creep in the trigger. It's run without issue since.
As regards triggers, they remain a mystery with HPs. Even had an original I sent to Garthwaite, and it was still too damned heavy.
Looking at the really clever sear linkage, it's not apparent why the triggers are often so heavy. My SA is quite good, clean break, 5-ish pounds.

Related things:
-have an actual Belgian with adjustables; they work wonderfully well, and that one has a decent factory trigger.
-my SA-35 has worked with older 13 round mags, factory SA, and MecGars.
-a buddy has a Girsan marked model; the Cerakote appears thicker than the (parked?) finish on my SA. The Girsans are unapologetically sold as Turks; everyone I've talked to is in agreement that the SAs are Turks as well. YMMV.
-the Girsan has the rivet in the trigger for the magazine safety, and the hole is drilled for the plunger...but none of that is present, except the rivet.
Moon
 
I got spare parts for my SA-35 already. I have two cylinder & slide CNC extractors and a BHSpringsolution Type 1 safety sear lever. I have a few trigger return springs, firing pin, new replacement roll pins and a factory recoil springs. If I need to change anything, those are the only parts I’ll swap out if needed. The one thing I did swap out was the factory firing pin spring for the extra power spring. It adds a bit more safety in preventing a drop-fire accident. I am replacing the grips with some LOK grips, but only to keep the originals in pristine condition.

As I’m typing on my backyard porch over looking our wooded property with my 100% Kona coffee, I’m carrying my SA-35 in an M7 G.I. leather shoulder rig, cocked & locked (as a Hi-Power type should be carried), loaded with 147gr HSTs. Good times.
 
Just a note, if you like an OWB holster Don Hume sells a great holster and the thumb break strap sits between the frame and the cocked trigger. The have that correct holster for the SA-35 and the number is H721 11-5. I have an old one for my 1911 #721 10-5.

If you choose optics they have the same holster but optics ready, # H726
I hope this helps someone here...

Here is a pic of the 1911:

20221020-225915.jpg
 
Just a note, if you like an OWB holster Don Hume sells a great holster and the thumb break strap sits between the frame and the cocked trigger. The have that correct holster for the SA-35 and the number is H721 11-5. I have an old one for my 1911 #721 10-5.

If you choose optics they have the same holster but optics ready, # H726
I hope this helps someone here...
On another side note, the 1791 Gunleather “Browning Hi Power” leather holster covers the gun COMPLETLY. It too has a cocked & locked thumb strap and the gun fits absolutely perfectly within the holster. The leather is thick and formed around the hi-power. Breaking it in took literally one night with the gun kept holstered in the leather. Again, it covers and protects the gun down to the muzzle and only costs < $80.
 
Some have commented that the original Browning mags
don't work too well with the SA35. I wonder about that.

IIRC, the British SAS learned that the original mags were
best loaded only with 11 rounds and maybe one up the
tube. For whatever reason a full 13 rounds in a mag
would choke feeding.

So, test the original mags starting with only 11 rounds in
the SA35? Just a thought.
 
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On another side note, the 1791 Gunleather “Browning Hi Power” leather holster covers the gun COMPLETLY. It too has a cocked & locked thumb strap and the gun fits absolutely perfectly within the holster. The leather is thick and formed around the hi-power.

Sounds like a nice holster. I only wish more holster makers offered lined-ones that are easier to find on store racks (that is, not having to order one custom-made).
 
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Went to the range to shoot my new Springfield SA 35. The only ammo I had were some 122 gr. flat point over 3.7 gr. of tight group. My 5 round group at 25 yards looked pretty good to my 76 year old eyes. I am really enjoying this Hi Power clone.View attachment 1137326
I want one but we can't get any as our wholesaler says they are "allocated" and won't sell us any... Same with the 1911s, but luckily, I already have my Mil-Spec!
 
Edit to add: 9/19/23 Right at 300 rounds through it now...without a single malfunction....best load: 3.6 gr of Bullseye with Missouri Bullet Co's 124 gr LSWC at 1.100 LOA....Great groups and mild ejection...Vel. as listed by Lyman is ~950 fps....good target load. Gps at 13 yds this am were ~1-1/4" from an unsupported Weave Stance...as good as I can shoot....of the four HP's I've owned or had access to, this is the most accurate to date and ties with the best trigger.

I've had a fondness for Hi Powers from my first tour in Vietnam, 1970...that gun, a '68 model was never out of reach for a long 11 months, in-country. Since then I've owned three others; and still have an early .40 S&W model as well as a Practical two-tone 9mm. Both of these do quite well, with triggers that are well worn in once I removed the magazine disconnect. They're accurate, reliable and I prefer their grip feel to that on any other handgun....that said, I've been on the lookout for the Springfield SA-35 since they first came out with no local success.

I finally found mine at a local gunshop here in Louisville two days ago & believe it or not, they had 5 available for sale. (KY Gun Co. over near Costco) This one cost me $749+tax and they wouldn't dicker on the price but I did get to give all five a general examination: all had fairly good triggers at 4.5 to 5 lbs pull weight. They did have some take up but with a clean break and little or no creep. In a word, they were good to go right out of the box. I'll be surprised if mine doesn't improve additionally with some continued use.

I didn't like the stocks on any of them however, and once home, replaced them with a set of Hogues borrowed from my .40 BHP. On the Springfield with it's black finish, they make up into a good looking pistol. The factory ones the five available were a low grade of walnut with no figure and a kind of 'muddy' appearance to the checking. They feel just fine in the hand, though and are somewhat slimmer than the old standard ones on BHP's.

Yesterday afternoon, I broke it in for an hour or so on our home/farm range using a variety of factory & handloaded ammunition: American Eagle 124 gr FMJ's, & my own loads assembled with FMJ's and JHP's by Montana Gold, plus Missouri Bullet Co's 124 gr Rnd Nose and LSWCs. In all, I went through 75 rounds using the supplied SA magazine, as well as several from my other Hi Powers. I had no malfunctions whatsoever...a truly outstanding performance for a brand new gun I'd say.

Aside from wiping it down and regreasing the slide rails, barrel hood and muzzle/slide interface, I did no other first use lubing or maintenance. If my example is any indication, Springfield's teething problems with extractor and head space issues may be over. The one I've got fed everything I tried. And BTW, I had no leading with my lead alloy handloads that comprised 1/2 of the total rounds expended...pretty unusual for a brand new bbl.

Accuracy was great, better than my 9mm & .40 S&W Browning HP's, and with all the loads I tried. From ten-twelve yards, using an unsupported Weaver stance, groups were right an inch or a bit smaller. The best were fired by American Eagle 124 gr FMJ's averaging roughly 1/2".. It's truly an exceptionally accurate auto for me, every bit on a par with several of my gunsmithed 1911's. I think the sights have a lot to do with that...the white dot on the front and the well shaded all-black rear are just right for me....and they were almost dead on....barely a 1/2" to the left of POI at 10 yds and GTG for elevation. POI's were virtually the same for both jacketed and lead alloy rounds....not usually the case in my experience.

Here's the obligatory pic....the holster is a well used Bianchi Avenger and the loaded rounds are my loads with Missouri lead alloy cone and LSWC's. The stocks are the aforementioned Hogues in Goncalo Alves. Best regards, Rod

 
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I have a bunch of 13 round Hi Power mags. Original Hi Power and Mecgar. Brand does not seem to make a difference. Half of them would not function. With slide open insert loaded mag, drop slide release. Slide moves forward about 2/10th of an inch and stops. Insert mag with slide in battery rack slide and mag drops out of gun. This happened with about half of my old 13 rounders. I ordered 2 15 round Mecgar mags from Midway. They work just fine. Springfield gets it’s 15 rounders from Mecgar anyway.
By the way, I have two Springfield SA 35’s and the mag problem is with both.View attachment 1137711
Mec-Gar has really stepped up. A good many top quality manufacturers are sourcing their magazines from them.
 
Adding to my post #46, I've changed out the grips for a lighter colored pair of Hogues that go well with the flat black finish on the gun. My round count is ~450 now, with the bulk of it using cast bullets. No malfunctions to date. And I'll add that I do have a high, aggressive grip but have had no hammer bite...but then I haven't had it with either of my other two BHP's with rowel and standard hammers.

That Missouri Bullet LSWC is a beauty and responds well to target velocities ~950 fps with Bullseye doing the pushing as well as more robust efforts with BE-86 that I estimate at 1050-1100 fps. I'll post the load and chrono results when I get around to it. Missouri sizes these and their conical 125 grainers to 0.356" which suits this gun and my BHP Practical just fine. No leading after an extended home range session of ~100 rounds.

I have noticed a slight shift in impact point (POI) as the barrel has worn in. It's moved left at 20 yds by 3/4". The rear sight corrects easily for this & is easy to drift with a brass punch. Kudos, IMHO, go out to Springfield for using a set screw to ensure security for that rear sight, instead of resorting to an under size dove tail that requires a 2 lb. maul to move it. The sight on my gun is firm but not difficult to move and probably doesn't even need the set screw (1.5mm allen). But I keep it snug anyway.

That's it for now....here's the new look with the lighter Hogues installed and a 2nd pic with it holstered up. I made up this one for my other BHP's for field use, i.e.: tight enough not to require a keeper strap. It rides high on the belt with all of the grip above the pants/belt line. The idea was a minimal styled, lined holster that covered the trigger, without touching the mag release button while offering full length protection for the slide and front sight. Truth be told, I tote this one additionally for fall and winter CC use as my jacket or lined shirt covers it well. Belted at the 4:00 position, the muzzle tucks nicely in my right rear jeans pocket, for better concealment......Best Regards, Rod



 
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I found mine at Academy Sports, price was $715 less 10%, so a little under $700 total.

Totally reliable and like all HPs it fits my hand better than almost anything. Sig 365XL comes closest.

Best grips of any standard HP I've ever seen. They should paint the back of the grips red. Great sights. Good trigger.

I'm glad I have it. I wish they offered it in high polish blue, but only if the polishing were done correctly which would be very expensive.

A couple points:

The trigger return could be a little stiffer. But this is also true on Browning HPs, and it is fairly easy to reshape it slightly to improve the return pressure. I may look to see if Wolfe or someone else offers a stronger spring.

The chamber on mine is fairly tight. This is a minor point and causes no problem with factory ammo. But I shoot mostly reloads and occasionally one will fail to camber all the way. This is caused by slight bulging (not visible) at the base of the case. below the reach of the carbide die. These cartridges will chamber in other pistols without problems. Nothing that needs fixing, I mention it in case anyone else has seen this problem and wondered.

For reasons I don't get yet, the recoil spring is more difficult to insert on this pistol than on other HPs. It wants to wobble around rather than sit straight after it's compressed in reassembly. Weird because the spring and guide look exactly like their HP counterparts.

No problems with any magazines I've tried, Springfield, Browning, a couple after markets of unknown origin.

Same for several different types and weights of bullet including cast lead. Velocities from 975 (Acme 147 Coated) to 1200+ (115 fmj), several in between. All did fine.
 
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