Well, I feel that your evaluation of the SA-35 was not only harsh, but also over looked several important factors. Let me start by saying that I have one and a Browning P-35 bought in the 1980s. 1. While you knocked the beavertail, the hammer on the SA-35 has been reconfigured to reduce hammer bite common with the P-35 and did not mention incurring any. 2. I have fired 300 rounds through mine using Browning, Mec-Gar, and Springfield magazines without a single failure, 3. The "long" take-up/reset is by design in these guns because of the sear lever to prevent slam fires when cycling. 4. The trigger pull is some what heavy, but not uncommon in the P-35, however it is much smoother than the P-35 due to the elimination of the magazine safety. There are many 1911s that come from the factory with triggers in this weight range. 5. The grips on mine are perfectly fine without any movement. 6. The safety is much improved. All in all, I feel that Springfield did a great job of reintroducing the P-35/SA-35 in a quality built gun with several improvements over the original at a reasonable price point. This may not be a gun for everyone, but if you want a P-35 at a reasonable price, this is a good option.
I have this pistol now, I cleaned mine before using two additional 13 round Browning hi-power mags and it ran flawlessly for two range trips and hundreds of rounds so far. Maybe the chamber had some excess factory grease in it causing it to have issues feeding?
Thanks Sarge ! I'm 52 yrs old NJ resident, and the SA-35 is my first handgun (yea, I'm a little late to the game, but I'm learning quickly) .. I've been to indoor range several times and there is no Hammer bite with this gun. It's important when people make videos to mention that the gun failed to feed and malfunctioned because a clip from a different manufacturer was used- the Springfield Armory clip ran fine, and the gun locked open, so we know NOTHING is wrong with the gun, the problem was the clip.! Thanks again Sarge!!
Great video as always sarge. Can I get your opinion/ or a video on a good summertime conceal carry? I’m in California (Commiefornia) and plan on getting a conceal carry for summertime and I’m always in shorts and a tank top. I’m wondering if there are any good pocket pistols I’m able to just throw in my shorts without having to holster up?
I've always been a Hi Pwr fan... own the Browning version and love it... was excited when I heard Springfield was coming out with one... but since watching your vid and others who have reported probs... I've throttled back my enthusiasm. held on to my wallet and seeing if they are going to improve their QC... thanks for the vid and comments. Always appreciate your perspective.
Good video as always, had a sa35 on order for six months, it never came in, cancelled the military discount order. Picked up a fn high power 2022 edition, my favorite of 19 handguns.
Thx, Sgt! I’ve always been fascinated with the Hi-power; can’t help but wonder how it would have turned out, had Mr B lived to develop it. I’ve also always wondered what it was like to shoot. We feel like we know you and your style, so really appreciate your evaluation of this historic firearm.
Hey Sarge, I’ve been thinking about the history of the 1911 and P35 in terms of what they were replacing in military service at the time. The 1911 was replacing a single action revolver in the US Army, whereas the P35 Hi Power was replacing double action revolvers in Europe. So, when it came out in 1935, many European countries were still using revolvers at the time. Thus, we have a very light single action trigger on the 1911 to mimic a single action revolver for the US Army, whereas I’m guessing the long reset is a holdover from the double action trigger the P35 had when it was released, and Browning having to workaround his Colt patent he sold off years prior. If only they had made a double stack 1911 pistol back then…. Lol Thanks for your review. I may look elsewhere for the P35 Hi Power.
Once again thanks for the review I owned a original in the seventies the back of ejection port cracked after that I’ve never warmed up to them but the Springfield caught my eye this is the first review I’ve seen I’m not a fan
I ordered two SA35s. The first one arrived with scratches all over the frame and the front of the slide. That one was returned. The second one arrived with a front dove-tailed sight halfway out of its groove in the slide. With scratches around it. I returned that one and canceled the purchase. Never got to shoot it and I don’t have any desire to do so anymore. Quality Control on my last 3 SA purchases have been most disappointing. Thank you very much for the video.
My experience with mine as well. All same, except with new production Mec_Gar magazines failing like your older (FN?) ones did. Trigger reset is long and you won't feel it. Heavy trigger break. Still bites web of hand. I might sell it, or change trigger...
Hey Sarge, with all the different finishes on the 1911s which one would you recommend. Going to pick up a Sig. It’s going to be a truck,boat woods gun. One that’s going to get exposed to all different conditions and probably won’t get the love it deserves. Looking for the most durable finish I can get. Definitely won’t be a safe queen. What’s your recommendation?
Any one of the duracoat finishes. I think they will work fine. If you don't like that the cheaper flat black, you can just spare it once in a while, and it will look like new for a few more months
I had owned a real Browning HP since 1987. I have also owned some 10 1911s and still have 5 1911. I recently acquired the Soringfield SA35 and I can say it's a very good HP clone. 95% clone because it deleted the mag disconnect, updated the safery to a shelf, one piece barrel instead of a 2 piece barrel, deleted the firing pin block, modified the frame lugs to allow reliable hollowpoint feeding. It works very well. I appreciate and respect both 1911 and HP designs. The Browning HP has served in some 60 countries around the world. It has served numerous special operations teams especially the legendary British SAS, and FBI HRT team using Wayne Novak custom builds. I love the 1911 and want one in my hand when things go bump in the night. But I won't feel undergunned with the HP if I get to choose the load, and I prefer 124 grain +P JHP. I had my Browning HP tuned by Terry Tussey so I swapped the sear and hammer with thr SA35 so I gave it an instant trigger job. The trigger will never be as light as a tuned 1911. The HP trigger uses a pivoting system to drive a vertical piece to push a see saw trigger bar. The trigger bar must pivot and move down to press the sear to release and fire. There are just too many linkage connections where the 1911 trigger slides directly to the rear and pushes the sear. So the Browning/Saive design will never get the same trigger unless someone completely redesigns the HP using the 1911's sliding stirrup trigger design and simplified sear pivot. But it's livable and I love the way the HP feels. Can't argue with how many countries uses it. I bought about 12 Springfield SA35 magazines. They went for $35 at one store and $28 at another store. I'm used to paying $50 for FN and HK and Wilson 1912 magazines so I'm not heart broken. I also bought Lok black/red Ridgeback palm swell grips and it fits so much better with deep serrations for non-slip grip.
Recently had an opportunity to get a hold of a FN High Power and Springfield SA-35. Not a Springfield guy by any stretch, but for the price point, I thought it was a better offering than the FN version.
Would love to shoot the sa 35, my 2022 fn high power has a sub 3# trigger, through 800 rounds no issues. It is my favorite of 19 handguns. I did put a fn trijicon front night sight and fn g10 grips on it. PS: only hi power that I have ever shot at 67 years old.
SGT nice review. I tried both this SA 35 and the new FN Hi Power. To me the FN is bigger, better grip and stability and definitely no slide bit, compared to this Springfield one. I will say like the Springfield wood grips. The FN you have to buy them at aftermarket, they give you plastic ones. God Bless you SGT. Keep it going!!
I'm fortunate to have gotten a screaming deal on an 80's era Hi Power, and picked up a Girsan MC P35. After watching this video I brought them both out and checked the trigger rest. The Browning is just before full extension on the trigger, but you don't have to completely release in order to reset. The Girsan is about like what you showed with the Springfield. When it comes to operation and shooting, though, except for the grip contour on the Girsan, if I were blindfolded and handed one of them, I couldn't tell which I was shooting just based on feel, reliability, or anything else. I've shot them on the range back to back and they're that close, and I love shooting the Browning, so that's a good thing!
Can you review the m&p 5.7 pistol and or thoughts on the 5.7x28 cartidge vs 9mm. Its said to be obsolete to the 9mm and it dissapates energy quicker. I saw your 9mm vs 45 and this topic inruigues me now
I love myself the design of the hi-power, but not as much the performance. Some people say it’s browning’s best design, but we all know his best work was the 1911
Thanks for another honest review! 👍👍 The best BHP I ever handled was a customized Novak one. Not one has ever come close since then & unfortunately this SA seems to fall short, too.
Not many HPs can compare to Wayne Novak custom HP. Nighthawk comes pretty close if not better but $4,000 is a nice chunk of change, and Wayne can do anything Nighthawk can do for $4,000.
My SA-35 came with 2 Mec-Gar 15 rnd magazines. Trigger was at 5lbs out of the box, after roughly 400 rnds it breaks consistently at 4 lbs. I have had no issues using browning mags. You neglected to mention that the Springfield version of the high power does not have a magazine safety.
I never understood the point of having a magazine disconnect in these pistols. I don't know if the new ones have them. But we had those ones in the British army and we swapped them out for the sigs. I preferred the Browning as it sat in the hand quite well. The sigs were a little chunky for my liking.
The Turkish High Power clones have the disconnect. Thr Springfield SA35 doesn't. The magazine disconnect was originally demanded by the French in considering a bud for the handgun. Even after Diodonne Saive incorporated it, the French didn't give Browning the contract. As for why, the Eropean philosophy is different than the US philosophy. In Europe, if you lose your magazine, your semi-auto is now a single shot pistol. So you have to maintain your magazine and keep it from being lost or damaged or clogged with dirt and mud. So European Sigs, Walthers, HKs, and other pistols use the heel release or rat trap magazine catch system where your support hand has to come up to grip and pull the magazine free. They don't want a free falling magazine being dumped into the mud. Then after you have secured the spent magazine, your cab load a new magazine. They aren't into fantasizing about being John Wick dumping mags left and right and slapping mags in. Their experience was in the muddy fields of Flanders or the muddy water soaked trenches of Ypres. So I get that and I agree they have a point. Americans are stuck in free dropping magazines like they see in TV and movies. In real life, a split second to pull out the spent mag before inserting a fresh one is more important and rarely will a shooter be good enough to do it competently enough to save the day.
@@ms.annthrope415 I was in the British army and we are not trained to drop the magazine from any rifle or pistol. To push the magazine release button on the SA80 you have to grab the magazine and pull it out of the magazine well. Nobody free drops it. When releasing a magazine from a pistol you catch it. After all they not use once and throw away. Our pistols are not heel release
The Tier 1 counter terrorist units of the British SAS (and other country's SAS units), the Special Boat Service, the Rhodesians, South Africans, and every military and police force in the world who left the magazine disconnect in place are laughing in your general direction regarding that magazine disconnect. After all... they had about 80 years of using the pistol in wars and counter terrorist operations to decide the magazine disconnect was a bad idea and have them removed.
@@ms.annthrope415 Those who believe the High Power cannot drop the hammer/fire with the magazine disconnect and no magazine in the pistol don't actually know that much about this particular pistol. There are at least two ways to drop the hammer/fire an OEM High Power without a magazine. Saive who designed the pistol from beginning to end knew that the bin rats in military armouries didn't want long lines of troops handing them back a cocked pistol after demonstrating the pistol was unloaded before handing it over.
I have seen other videos on trigger lbs and some have been as low as 4.5 lbs out of the box and some that have been shot alot have been even lower as they break in nicely. Comparing a HP to a 1911 is like comparing a revolver to a glock. Completely different designs and designed around different ammo choices for the times. Also if you don't have a fat hand you will have no issues with hammer bite. Also the HP is one of the most beautiful designs ever made, very classy lines and curves. Its the only gun that helped me win a shooting competition back in the 90s and that is saying alot since I am only an average marksman.
thanks Sarge. I would recommend some slim profile grips and try it with a mecgar mag. I opted for the TISAS hi-power. It's as good as my Inglis Hi-power. Keep bringing it!!
I like the Hi-Power but I have trouble warming up to any 9mm that big and heavy. My SiG 365XL is so much more compact and lighter to carry that it makes no sense to carry a 9 mm any larger than the 365. But it is a nostalgic choice. If I can carry a pistol that large I will carry a lightweight Commander in .45 ACP.
@@SGT1911 back when I was a Houston PD officer I carried a full size Government Model for years. It didn’t ever seem to be difficult. But these days I appreciate the lighter gun for daily carry
It did the same thing to me. It has gone back to SA for the 3RD TIME!!! It is still there at this writing and I have no idea when it will be back, or what they are going to do to make it shoot. Go with the Tisas from Turkey. I have an original Belgium made one that never jams and an original which does. I'm 71 and have had my share of Hi Powers, ( 6) The newer ones just don't work.
On reset - it is the design - you cannot get a better reset on a hi power due to the design. Also be careful - if you don't let off the trigger between shots, the weapon will feed and go into battery, but the trigger will not release the sear.
Enjoying your videos - hi powers cannot safely go below 4.5 lbs. even with the magazine disconnect out. If you pull them down, you can see why, It's a seriously over complicated system. FN wanted to avoid having to machine the frame for a trigger shoe like the 1911. My Belgium Browning .40 comes in at 5.7-6 after polishing internal parts with the magazine disconnect still in place. My M 35 Girsan Match comes in at 4.7 with the magazine disconnect out.
Yeah Sarge, purchased one back in November and gonna sell just 3 months later. Disappointed in its fit, finish, and function. Too bad, I really wanted to like it.
Looks like a diamond in the rough to me. These SA-35s are definitely not good to go out of the box, they need a LOT of TLC to get to where they need and ought to be. I bought a Tisas BR9 3 years ago and have sunk a lot of time and money into it. Now it has a terrific 4lb trigger, fiber optic front sight, front serrations, and s picatinny rail. One of my favorite shooters.
@@SGT1911 I agree….mostly. Unfortunately the alternative is to pay Nighthawk Custom $4k to get that kind of performance out of the platform. A high performance Hi-Power really can’t be had unfortunately on a tight budget.
Thanks for the review, Sarge. Unfortunately, the SA35 is the gun that turned me off from Springfield for life. I had a low serial number one that had terrible extraction issues. It jammed at least 5 times a magazine. I sent it back to Springfield 3 times, and it still can't go through a full magazine. I sold it to a friend at a huge loss (he knows about the problems, and wanted it for parts for his original Hi Power). It was Springfield's inability to make an 87 year old design function reliably combined with their poor customer service that made me ditch them. Only benefit was that I put the money from selling the SA35 toward a vintage Series 70 Colt 1911!
I have the original high power and it has a 2.5 pound trigger pull. Hard to believe Springfield Armory keeps putting these classic guns out with terrible triggers. Lawyer proof.
Good review SGT! The Hi Power is a nice pistol, but I agree with you it is not a 1911. Also the feel from a Hi Power is not as comfortable to me as a 1911. 👍😊🇺🇸
@Harry Dexter got my big bear hunt booked for October. Just west of Sand Point at canoe bay. It's Supose to have a dense supply of 10' bears in the area.
@@SGT1911 Yeah, how many negligent discharges from that on 1911s and High Powers? As compared to what... negligent discharges with striker fired pistols without a safety? After 30 years as a paratrooper, I always get suspicious when The Good Idea Fairy starts hovering in the general area.
Ah, our American myth that the High Power is a JMB design, and Saive only took over after JMB died. Right up there with our American myth that an original High Power can't be fired without a magazine seated. Browning had very, very little to do with either the initial prototype or all the years of development that led to the final design that is the High Power... that's the real history of the High Power that some in America don't like. The reality is that Browning initially refused to have anything to do with the project, archived FN correspondence indicating he believed that high capacity magazines would make pistols that had them unreliable as opposed to single stack magazines like the 1911. As a result FN had their in-house resident Belgian firearms genius Dieudonné Saive create the initial prototype and he was pretty much the sole inventor and designer in the years that followed that resulted in what we know as the High Power. So John Browning had very, very little involvement in either the initial prototype or the long development of the pistol after his one time involvement was rejected by the French. Saive created the initial prototype by modifying FN's then current blowback Model 1903 and fitting the double stack magazine he invented to that prototype. The French rejected that first prototype by Sauve, now saying the pistol could not be a blowback design. FN then approached Browning again with Sauve's prototype and new double stack magazine. Browning sent them back two new designs, both of which were striker fired and not hammer fired, with one still being a blowback design, the other being a rotating bolt locking breech design. The French rejected Browning's two designs as they had Sauve's original design. Browning shrugged his shoulders, sold the two patents on his designs to Winchester (who never manufactured either pistol) and went back to working on his Superposed shotgun design until he died a year later. France lost interest shortly after rejecting both JMB's two designs and designed the pistol they were looking for in-house in France. Sauve continued to work on the design for many more years and multiple further prototypes until the 1928(?) variant, the Grande Rendement, caught the attention of the Belgian military. Sauve made further changes to meet the specifications required for the Belgian contract (including the magazine disconnect), and the Browning Grande Puissance with a higher capacity magazine (High Power as we know it) was borne. For those who have a hard time believing this, an online search will find you Browning's patents of the two pistols he designed for the French contract and later sold to Winchester. Aside from the fact that you quickly see that neither has a hammer, when you look at the internals you will see a lot of differences in the mechanism that don't relate to the mechanism of the High Power. BTW, those who like you claim that it's "a problem" you can't fire/drop the hammer on a High Power with the original magazine disconnect and no magazine... you don't actually know much about the pistol. There's at least two different ways to do that.
Watch the review Garand Thumb did on this gun and you will steer away from it like a chic with VD. It started failing in less than a case of ammo and the coating failed miserably
There were manyvwith problems. I think they were all with serial numbers before 10,000. But they number may be wrong. Mine is after the number. Thanks for watching
"One cheap-ass magazine and a cardboard box!" 😝😂🤣😂🤢🤮😅 My SA from the 90s feels like it was made by a different company than today's yield. "What goes around... comes around." John Glenn
Yeah, I always thought the Hi Power was ergonomically worse than the 1911 in almost every way. The only reason it's considered a product improved 1911 is because of the double stack magazine, which is a good feature. More capacity is always nice. Thing is, 1911s have had double stack versions since the late 80's, so there's really nothing else a Hi Power does better. And hell, even though the Hi Power existed in 1935, we didn't really see double stack pistols in general fully take off until the "Wonder Nines" in the mid 70's to early 80's, and in just a short decade later, the 1911 itself would catch up with the Para-Ordnance double stack frame.
@@SGT1911 Would love to see you check out a vintage Para-Ordnance P14-45 just to see how the original double stack .45ACP 1911 holds up. A lot of 2011s these days are unfortunately 9mm.
@@SGT1911 Ooh, what kind of double .45? Guess we’ll see in the video. What I love about the Para Ordnance frame in particular is outside of the trigger bow, grips (and screws), mag catch, magwell (if you want one), and magazine, everything else is standard 1911 parts. So if you get one with problems, most of the parts can be easily tweaked or replaced the same way as a single stack 1911. And even the double stack ones are still around online if you know where to look.
DON'T BUY YOUR MAGS FROM SPRINGFIELD! Their H-Power mags are from Mec-Gar. A very good Italian magazine Co. Buy directly from Mec-Gar and save a bit of $$. Also, 5.7lbs is actually pretty good for a High-power......
I hope you didn't mean to say the best magazine manufacturer on the planet(mec-gar) supplied "cheap" mags... You lose so much credibility in just saying that.😅
I bought one and love it. Good trigger, fit and finish are perfect. Over 1000 rds with no malfunctions.
Good to hear
Well, I feel that your evaluation of the SA-35 was not only harsh, but also over looked several important factors. Let me start by saying that I have one and a Browning P-35 bought in the 1980s. 1. While you knocked the beavertail, the hammer on the SA-35 has been reconfigured to reduce hammer bite common with the P-35 and did not mention incurring any. 2. I have fired 300 rounds through mine using Browning, Mec-Gar, and Springfield magazines without a single failure, 3. The "long" take-up/reset is by design in these guns because of the sear lever to prevent slam fires when cycling. 4. The trigger pull is some what heavy, but not uncommon in the P-35, however it is much smoother than the P-35 due to the elimination of the magazine safety. There are many 1911s that come from the factory with triggers in this weight range. 5. The grips on mine are perfectly fine without any movement. 6. The safety is much improved. All in all, I feel that Springfield did a great job of reintroducing the P-35/SA-35 in a quality built gun with several improvements over the original at a reasonable price point. This may not be a gun for everyone, but if you want a P-35 at a reasonable price, this is a good option.
Watch for a comparison video.
These comparisons have been made before, but SGT1911 makes it easy to understand.
Thanks Yankee. I appreciate it. Shoot safe
I have this pistol now, I cleaned mine before using two additional 13 round Browning hi-power mags and it ran flawlessly for two range trips and hundreds of rounds so far. Maybe the chamber had some excess factory grease in it causing it to have issues feeding?
It just needs to be fired
Thanks Sarge ! I'm 52 yrs old NJ resident, and the SA-35 is my first handgun (yea, I'm a little late to the game, but I'm learning quickly) .. I've been to indoor range several times and there is no Hammer bite with this gun. It's important when people make videos to mention that the gun failed to feed and malfunctioned because a clip from a different manufacturer was used- the Springfield Armory clip ran fine, and the gun locked open, so we know NOTHING is wrong with the gun, the problem was the clip.! Thanks again Sarge!!
Thanks for watching. Shoot sage and shoot as much as you can
Great video as always sarge. Can I get your opinion/ or a video on a good summertime conceal carry? I’m in California (Commiefornia) and plan on getting a conceal carry for summertime and I’m always in shorts and a tank top. I’m wondering if there are any good pocket pistols I’m able to just throw in my shorts without having to holster up?
Watch for one soon
I've always been a Hi Pwr fan... own the Browning version and love it... was excited when I heard Springfield was coming out with one... but since watching your vid and others who have reported probs... I've throttled back my enthusiasm. held on to my wallet and seeing if they are going to improve their QC... thanks for the vid and comments. Always appreciate your perspective.
Thanks for watching. Shoot safe
Good video as always, had a sa35 on order for six months, it never came in, cancelled the military discount order. Picked up a fn high power 2022 edition, my favorite of 19 handguns.
I am going to dona comparison between them all soon. Stay tuned and thanks for watching
Awesome videos Sir Don't have no experience with one of those I was listening and learning
Thanks for watching David
Thx, Sgt! I’ve always been fascinated with the Hi-power; can’t help but wonder how it would have turned out, had Mr B lived to develop it. I’ve also always wondered what it was like to shoot. We feel like we know you and your style, so really appreciate your evaluation of this historic firearm.
Thanks, TEB007 Shoot safe.
Thanks Sarge. Been wondering about these SA-35’s. They look fantastic but your honest review has swayed me to save my dollars for something else.
I hope I was helpful
Love my Hi Power Clone. Lots or rounds. Very reliable!! Thanks for the review Sarge.
Thanks for watching Todd
Hey Sarge, I’ve been thinking about the history of the 1911 and P35 in terms of what they were replacing in military service at the time. The 1911 was replacing a single action revolver in the US Army, whereas the P35 Hi Power was replacing double action revolvers in Europe. So, when it came out in 1935, many European countries were still using revolvers at the time. Thus, we have a very light single action trigger on the 1911 to mimic a single action revolver for the US Army, whereas I’m guessing the long reset is a holdover from the double action trigger the P35 had when it was released, and Browning having to workaround his Colt patent he sold off years prior.
If only they had made a double stack 1911 pistol back then…. Lol
Thanks for your review. I may look elsewhere for the P35 Hi Power.
You may be right. Look for an orginal Browning hi-power
I am somewhat new to your channel and watched some of your older videos and have much respect for you and your opinions. Thank you.
Thank you very much. You will know we are improving and I give my honest opinion. Thanks for watching
@ᴛᴇxᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛᴇʟᴇɢʀᴀᴍ@ꜱɢᴛ1911 🤞
Good job Sarge! Thank you!
Thanks for watching Gary.
Once again thanks for the review I owned a original in the seventies the back of ejection port cracked after that I’ve never warmed up to them but the Springfield caught my eye this is the first review I’ve seen I’m not a fan
I will do a comparison soon. stay tuned. Thanks Kenneth
Great review!! I’m assuming no hammer bite??
No bite
I ordered two SA35s. The first one arrived with scratches all over the frame and the front of the slide. That one was returned. The second one arrived with a front dove-tailed sight halfway out of its groove in the slide. With scratches around it. I returned that one and canceled the purchase. Never got to shoot it and I don’t have any desire to do so anymore. Quality Control on my last 3 SA purchases have been most disappointing. Thank you very much for the video.
I can see some issued on this one. I plan a comparing video so we can sit it beside some others. Thanks for watching.
Great information 👍
Thanks for watching Todd
My experience with mine as well. All same, except with new production Mec_Gar magazines failing like your older (FN?) ones did. Trigger reset is long and you won't feel it. Heavy trigger break. Still bites web of hand. I might sell it, or change trigger...
I don't get why that beaver tail was not changed
Hey Sarge, with all the different finishes on the 1911s which one would you recommend. Going to pick up a Sig. It’s going to be a truck,boat woods gun. One that’s going to get exposed to all different conditions and probably won’t get the love it deserves. Looking for the most durable finish I can get. Definitely won’t be a safe queen. What’s your recommendation?
Any one of the duracoat finishes. I think they will work fine. If you don't like that the cheaper flat black, you can just spare it once in a while, and it will look like new for a few more months
The only problem with the hi power is that it is not a 1911.
100% right
True but it’s still a John Browning design, even if he didn’t finish it. And there are definitely 1911 influences.
that is without doubt.
Its an improved 1911
@@jackvliet increasing capacity does not make up for losing the superior action.
Good review! How does the SA-35 compare to the FN?
There is a comparison video here
I had owned a real Browning HP since 1987. I have also owned some 10 1911s and still have 5 1911. I recently acquired the Soringfield SA35 and I can say it's a very good HP clone. 95% clone because it deleted the mag disconnect, updated the safery to a shelf, one piece barrel instead of a 2 piece barrel, deleted the firing pin block, modified the frame lugs to allow reliable hollowpoint feeding. It works very well.
I appreciate and respect both 1911 and HP designs. The Browning HP has served in some 60 countries around the world. It has served numerous special operations teams especially the legendary British SAS, and FBI HRT team using Wayne Novak custom builds. I love the 1911 and want one in my hand when things go bump in the night. But I won't feel undergunned with the HP if I get to choose the load, and I prefer 124 grain +P JHP.
I had my Browning HP tuned by Terry Tussey so I swapped the sear and hammer with thr SA35 so I gave it an instant trigger job. The trigger will never be as light as a tuned 1911. The HP trigger uses a pivoting system to drive a vertical piece to push a see saw trigger bar. The trigger bar must pivot and move down to press the sear to release and fire. There are just too many linkage connections where the 1911 trigger slides directly to the rear and pushes the sear. So the Browning/Saive design will never get the same trigger unless someone completely redesigns the HP using the 1911's sliding stirrup trigger design and simplified sear pivot. But it's livable and I love the way the HP feels. Can't argue with how many countries uses it.
I bought about 12 Springfield SA35 magazines. They went for $35 at one store and $28 at another store. I'm used to paying $50 for FN and HK and Wilson 1912 magazines so I'm not heart broken.
I also bought Lok black/red Ridgeback palm swell grips and it fits so much better with deep serrations for non-slip grip.
Sound Nice
Recently had an opportunity to get a hold of a FN High Power and Springfield SA-35. Not a Springfield guy by any stretch, but for the price point, I thought it was a better offering than the FN version.
I agree. I have not been super impressed witht he new FN's
Would love to shoot the sa 35, my 2022 fn high power has a sub 3# trigger, through 800 rounds no issues. It is my favorite of 19 handguns. I did put a fn trijicon front night sight and fn g10 grips on it. PS: only hi power that I have ever shot at 67 years old.
@Will William the FN is better than the SA 35 in my opinion. Stay tuned for a comparison of the three. Thanks for watching
What serial number range is yours? I had to send mine to get the front sight deburred. I clicked the sub button and bell thingy.
12,000+
@@SGT1911 mine is 14,000 plus. Will have to take her to the range.
@@GIJose I heard anywhere under something like 8 had some quality issues. Mine is fine
@G.I. José light it up Bro. Let me know how she runs
SGT nice review. I tried both this SA 35 and the new FN Hi Power. To me the FN is bigger, better grip and stability and definitely no slide bit, compared to this Springfield one. I will say like the Springfield wood grips. The FN you have to buy them at aftermarket, they give you plastic ones. God Bless you SGT. Keep it going!!
I agree Maddog watch for a comparison..
High power first pistol I owned, FN. great gun , never should have let it go.
Too bad. I love the orginal onea
Basically looks like a CZ-75 with colt 1911 furniture
Which is what the original model looks like. Who copied from who? Thanks for watching
@@SGT1911 cool gun, I still want one. But 1911 forever.
Thanks for replying, and great video.
I'm fortunate to have gotten a screaming deal on an 80's era Hi Power, and picked up a Girsan MC P35. After watching this video I brought them both out and checked the trigger rest. The Browning is just before full extension on the trigger, but you don't have to completely release in order to reset. The Girsan is about like what you showed with the Springfield.
When it comes to operation and shooting, though, except for the grip contour on the Girsan, if I were blindfolded and handed one of them, I couldn't tell which I was shooting just based on feel, reliability, or anything else. I've shot them on the range back to back and they're that close, and I love shooting the Browning, so that's a good thing!
Great to hear. I plan on a comparison in the next three week or so. Thanks for the info and thanks for watching.
Can you review the m&p 5.7 pistol and or thoughts on the 5.7x28 cartidge vs 9mm. Its said to be obsolete to the 9mm and it dissapates energy quicker. I saw your 9mm vs 45 and this topic inruigues me now
I can and will. Just takes me some time.
My favorite 9mm ! Thanks, and it’s freaking metal !!!
Yes or is Bro. No plastic
I love myself the design of the hi-power, but not as much the performance. Some people say it’s browning’s best design, but we all know his best work was the 1911
The 1911 is still the best ever made
Thanks for another honest review! 👍👍 The best BHP I ever handled was a customized Novak one. Not one has ever come close since then & unfortunately this SA seems to fall short, too.
It is short. I will compare soon
Not many HPs can compare to Wayne Novak custom HP. Nighthawk comes pretty close if not better but $4,000 is a nice chunk of change, and Wayne can do anything Nighthawk can do for $4,000.
Nice. I carry a Nighthawk daily
I have number 305. No issues. I love it. And it was under retail price. I got it the day it was released.
That is cool. Keep that thing it will be a premium some day
That trigger reset is a little disappointing for sure. I was thinking about buying one of these but now not sure.
play with it first
Yep I’ve seen enough. I already have a hi-power. Still looking for a pre CZ USA cz75b. But you saved me 750.
No doubt
Well crap Sarge. I've been slathering over a SA35 for a while now but I think you sort of cooled my passion a bit. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for watching David
My SA-35 came with 2 Mec-Gar 15 rnd magazines. Trigger was at 5lbs out of the box, after roughly 400 rnds it breaks consistently at 4 lbs. I have had no issues using browning mags. You neglected to mention that the Springfield version of the high power does not have a magazine safety.
Thanks for watching
Thanks sarge I've had sa35 for a few months now been shootin the poop outta it. Like it alot
Great. shoot safe Thanks for watching.
I never understood the point of having a magazine disconnect in these pistols. I don't know if the new ones have them. But we had those ones in the British army and we swapped them out for the sigs. I preferred the Browning as it sat in the hand quite well. The sigs were a little chunky for my liking.
I love the Browning hi-power. I also love the Sig 1911's. Most other Sig i can pass on. Thanks for watching.
The Turkish High Power clones have the disconnect. Thr Springfield SA35 doesn't. The magazine disconnect was originally demanded by the French in considering a bud for the handgun. Even after Diodonne Saive incorporated it, the French didn't give Browning the contract.
As for why, the Eropean philosophy is different than the US philosophy. In Europe, if you lose your magazine, your semi-auto is now a single shot pistol. So you have to maintain your magazine and keep it from being lost or damaged or clogged with dirt and mud. So European Sigs, Walthers, HKs, and other pistols use the heel release or rat trap magazine catch system where your support hand has to come up to grip and pull the magazine free. They don't want a free falling magazine being dumped into the mud. Then after you have secured the spent magazine, your cab load a new magazine. They aren't into fantasizing about being John Wick dumping mags left and right and slapping mags in. Their experience was in the muddy fields of Flanders or the muddy water soaked trenches of Ypres. So I get that and I agree they have a point. Americans are stuck in free dropping magazines like they see in TV and movies. In real life, a split second to pull out the spent mag before inserting a fresh one is more important and rarely will a shooter be good enough to do it competently enough to save the day.
@@ms.annthrope415 I was in the British army and we are not trained to drop the magazine from any rifle or pistol. To push the magazine release button on the SA80 you have to grab the magazine and pull it out of the magazine well. Nobody free drops it. When releasing a magazine from a pistol you catch it. After all they not use once and throw away. Our pistols are not heel release
The Tier 1 counter terrorist units of the British SAS (and other country's SAS units), the Special Boat Service, the Rhodesians, South Africans, and every military and police force in the world who left the magazine disconnect in place are laughing in your general direction regarding that magazine disconnect.
After all... they had about 80 years of using the pistol in wars and counter terrorist operations to decide the magazine disconnect was a bad idea and have them removed.
@@ms.annthrope415 Those who believe the High Power cannot drop the hammer/fire with the magazine disconnect and no magazine in the pistol don't actually know that much about this particular pistol.
There are at least two ways to drop the hammer/fire an OEM High Power without a magazine. Saive who designed the pistol from beginning to end knew that the bin rats in military armouries didn't want long lines of troops handing them back a cocked pistol after demonstrating the pistol was unloaded before handing it over.
I have seen other videos on trigger lbs and some have been as low as 4.5 lbs out of the box and some that have been shot alot have been even lower as they break in nicely. Comparing a HP to a 1911 is like comparing a revolver to a glock. Completely different designs and designed around different ammo choices for the times. Also if you don't have a fat hand you will have no issues with hammer bite. Also the HP is one of the most beautiful designs ever made, very classy lines and curves. Its the only gun that helped me win a shooting competition back in the 90s and that is saying alot since I am only an average marksman.
Thanks for your opinion
thanks Sarge. I would recommend some slim profile grips and try it with a mecgar mag. I opted for the TISAS hi-power. It's as good as my Inglis Hi-power. Keep bringing it!!
Will do Dan thanks for watching.
I like the Hi-Power but I have trouble warming up to any 9mm that big and heavy. My SiG 365XL is so much more compact and lighter to carry that it makes no sense to carry a 9 mm any larger than the 365. But it is a nostalgic choice. If I can carry a pistol that large I will carry a lightweight Commander in .45 ACP.
I carry a commander every day. you get used to it
@@SGT1911 back when I was a Houston PD officer I carried a full size Government Model for years. It didn’t ever seem to be difficult. But these days I appreciate the lighter gun for daily carry
@The Alsatian I carry the commander size every day. I am used to it, i guess. Thanks for watching.
Never had hammer bite from mine I ordered a extra magazine from Springfield works fine . Actually I like the design no barrel bushing
I agree. Nice handgun
I bought one, damn fine pistol. I can shoot it better than any of my other pistols.
Great. what you shoot best is alwasy better
It did the same thing to me. It has gone back to SA for the 3RD TIME!!! It is still there at this writing and I have no idea when it will be back, or what they are going to do to make it shoot. Go with the Tisas from Turkey. I have an original Belgium made one that never jams and an original which does. I'm 71 and have had my share of Hi Powers, ( 6) The newer ones just don't work.
I agree thanks for watching
I love my original Browning hi-power but this Springfield SA35 is an excellent clone.
I agree. Thanks for watching
If they would have marketed this with the sfs trigger it would have been the best pistol in thirty years
It is a nice pistol I thin iti is a lot like the Sig p210 Carry
I couldn't ever warm up to the High Power , I guess I'm more of a Walther fan , that hammer I just never liked.
I get it, kind of small for that size gun
@@SGT1911 It is a tad small ! However a original is still a good collectors piece and deserve thier place in a safe.
@@waynecastleman1363 👍
When I get an SA35 my dremel will quickly go to work deleting the hammer spur.
Should not have to dermal a handgun
On reset - it is the design - you cannot get a better reset on a hi power due to the design. Also be careful - if you don't let off the trigger between shots, the weapon will feed and go into battery, but the trigger will not release the sear.
so, i have found out. thanks for watching.
Enjoying your videos - hi powers cannot safely go below 4.5 lbs. even with the magazine disconnect out. If you pull them down, you can see why, It's a seriously over complicated system. FN wanted to avoid having to machine the frame for a trigger shoe like the 1911. My Belgium Browning .40 comes in at 5.7-6 after polishing internal parts with the magazine disconnect still in place. My M 35 Girsan Match comes in at 4.7 with the magazine disconnect out.
I have not been there yet. Thanks for the info, and thanks for watching
Yeah Sarge, purchased one back in November and gonna sell just 3 months later. Disappointed in its fit, finish, and function. Too bad, I really wanted to like it.
I feel you, Wayne. About the way i am feeling. just not all that. thanks for watching.
Looks like a diamond in the rough to me. These SA-35s are definitely not good to go out of the box, they need a LOT of TLC to get to where they need and ought to be. I bought a Tisas BR9 3 years ago and have sunk a lot of time and money into it. Now it has a terrific 4lb trigger, fiber optic front sight, front serrations, and s picatinny rail. One of my favorite shooters.
Too much money for a project gun for me. Thanks for watching
@@SGT1911 I agree….mostly. Unfortunately the alternative is to pay Nighthawk Custom $4k to get that kind of performance out of the platform. A high performance Hi-Power really can’t be had unfortunately on a tight budget.
@@DLordSadow 👍
I have had no faults with mine.i have 2 aftermarket mags that run fine.you have a sample of 1.
Thanks for watching
Maybe review the pistol again after about 500 rounds.Thanks for the time you invest in your show.
Maybe so. at least try to break it in, Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the review, Sarge. Unfortunately, the SA35 is the gun that turned me off from Springfield for life. I had a low serial number one that had terrible extraction issues. It jammed at least 5 times a magazine. I sent it back to Springfield 3 times, and it still can't go through a full magazine. I sold it to a friend at a huge loss (he knows about the problems, and wanted it for parts for his original Hi Power). It was Springfield's inability to make an 87 year old design function reliably combined with their poor customer service that made me ditch them. Only benefit was that I put the money from selling the SA35 toward a vintage Series 70 Colt 1911!
You dog you. Lol. You are a winner. Just so long as your buddy knows he has a lemon, so be it. Thanks for watching
I have the original high power and it has a 2.5 pound trigger pull. Hard to believe Springfield Armory keeps putting these classic guns out with terrible triggers. Lawyer proof.
You said it
I Love mine!
100%
My magsare 15 round.5 pulls 4.5 lb trigger.
Thanks for watching
Good review SGT! The Hi Power is a nice pistol, but I agree with you it
is not a 1911. Also the feel from a
Hi Power is not as comfortable to me as a 1911. 👍😊🇺🇸
WE are right, Harry. Hope you are well. Stay safe
@@SGT1911 Back @ you. Stay healthy, safe & shoot straight!👍😊🇺🇸
@@harrydexter8426 👍
@Harry Dexter got my big bear hunt booked for October. Just west of Sand Point at canoe bay. It's Supose to have a dense supply of 10' bears in the area.
@@SGT1911 If that is Sand Point,
Idaho there are a lot of retired
L/E in that area.
I’d get one of them if I was in the market for a 9mm
It is a decent handgun
I presume since you didnt say anything, you didnt get hammer or slide bite right
Right, no bite.
You want a decocker on a single action firearm?
Dose not matter to me. It does sound like a good idea. Think how many accidents happen by lowering the hammer manually
@SGT 1911 makes since, i dont think we should lower the hammer on a loaded chamber. Either Carry cocked and locked or with an empty chamber.
@Jack Vliet cocked and locked. Shoot safe, and thanks for watching
@@SGT1911 Yeah, how many negligent discharges from that on 1911s and High Powers?
As compared to what... negligent discharges with striker fired pistols without a safety?
After 30 years as a paratrooper, I always get suspicious when The Good Idea Fairy starts hovering in the general area.
Ah, our American myth that the High Power is a JMB design, and Saive only took over after JMB died. Right up there with our American myth that an original High Power can't be fired without a magazine seated.
Browning had very, very little to do with either the initial prototype or all the years of development that led to the final design that is the High Power... that's the real history of the High Power that some in America don't like.
The reality is that Browning initially refused to have anything to do with the project, archived FN correspondence indicating he believed that high capacity magazines would make pistols that had them unreliable as opposed to single stack magazines like the 1911.
As a result FN had their in-house resident Belgian firearms genius Dieudonné Saive create the initial prototype and he was pretty much the sole inventor and designer in the years that followed that resulted in what we know as the High Power.
So John Browning had very, very little involvement in either the initial prototype or the long development of the pistol after his one time involvement was rejected by the French. Saive created the initial prototype by modifying FN's then current blowback Model 1903 and fitting the double stack magazine he invented to that prototype.
The French rejected that first prototype by Sauve, now saying the pistol could not be a blowback design. FN then approached Browning again with Sauve's prototype and new double stack magazine. Browning sent them back two new designs, both of which were striker fired and not hammer fired, with one still being a blowback design, the other being a rotating bolt locking breech design.
The French rejected Browning's two designs as they had Sauve's original design. Browning shrugged his shoulders, sold the two patents on his designs to Winchester (who never manufactured either pistol) and went back to working on his Superposed shotgun design until he died a year later. France lost interest shortly after rejecting both JMB's two designs and designed the pistol they were looking for in-house in France.
Sauve continued to work on the design for many more years and multiple further prototypes until the 1928(?) variant, the Grande Rendement, caught the attention of the Belgian military. Sauve made further changes to meet the specifications required for the Belgian contract (including the magazine disconnect), and the Browning Grande Puissance with a higher capacity magazine (High Power as we know it) was borne.
For those who have a hard time believing this, an online search will find you Browning's patents of the two pistols he designed for the French contract and later sold to Winchester. Aside from the fact that you quickly see that neither has a hammer, when you look at the internals you will see a lot of differences in the mechanism that don't relate to the mechanism of the High Power.
BTW, those who like you claim that it's "a problem" you can't fire/drop the hammer on a High Power with the original magazine disconnect and no magazine... you don't actually know much about the pistol. There's at least two different ways to do that.
Watch the review Garand Thumb did on this gun and you will steer away from it like a chic with VD. It started failing in less than a case of ammo and the coating failed miserably
There were manyvwith problems. I think they were all with serial numbers before 10,000. But they number may be wrong. Mine is after the number. Thanks for watching
HOORAH
Hooah!
"One cheap-ass magazine and a cardboard box!"
😝😂🤣😂🤢🤮😅
My SA from the 90s feels like it was made by a different company than today's yield.
"What goes around... comes around."
John Glenn
You pay a nickel, get a nickel's worth.
Yeah, I always thought the Hi Power was ergonomically worse than the 1911 in almost every way. The only reason it's considered a product improved 1911 is because of the double stack magazine, which is a good feature. More capacity is always nice.
Thing is, 1911s have had double stack versions since the late 80's, so there's really nothing else a Hi Power does better. And hell, even though the Hi Power existed in 1935, we didn't really see double stack pistols in general fully take off until the "Wonder Nines" in the mid 70's to early 80's, and in just a short decade later, the 1911 itself would catch up with the Para-Ordnance double stack frame.
A lot of double stacks out there now. Take your pick. Thanks for watching
@@SGT1911 Would love to see you check out a vintage Para-Ordnance P14-45 just to see how the original double stack .45ACP 1911 holds up. A lot of 2011s these days are unfortunately 9mm.
@@gameragodzilla I got. Double 45 coming.
@@SGT1911 Ooh, what kind of double .45? Guess we’ll see in the video.
What I love about the Para Ordnance frame in particular is outside of the trigger bow, grips (and screws), mag catch, magwell (if you want one), and magazine, everything else is standard 1911 parts. So if you get one with problems, most of the parts can be easily tweaked or replaced the same way as a single stack 1911. And even the double stack ones are still around online if you know where to look.
@@gameragodzilla 👍
I bought my extra mags from MEC-GAR
Thanks
I have a Girsan MC P35 Match. It is a much nicer pistol than the Springfield.
I picked one up in a store in Nashville TN. It seemed like a nice handgun
I prefer the 1911.
Always
DON'T BUY YOUR MAGS FROM SPRINGFIELD! Their H-Power mags are from Mec-Gar. A very good Italian magazine Co. Buy directly from Mec-Gar and save a bit of $$. Also, 5.7lbs is actually pretty good for a High-power......
Thank you for the info. I will not shoot it enough to worry about another mag or the trigger. Thanks for watching
@@SGT1911 Yeah, you're just going to stick to your 1911...... 😜 I don't even own a 9mm..... Major caliber all the way......
You are right. I have a 1911 in 45 acp on my hip everyday
I hope you didn't mean to say the best magazine manufacturer on the planet(mec-gar) supplied "cheap" mags... You lose so much credibility in just saying that.😅
I did not say that. Thanks for watching
Jamomatic 🙁
soemtimes
No thanks
I pick it over the new FN, but my money is the orginal hi-power
Another great review Sarge. Shot one of these at our range, nice pistol. Still prefer a 1911. Thank You for your service Sir and God Bless!
Thanks Bill stay safe and as always thanks for watching.
Good luck FINDING One! I waited a Year & A FREAKIN Half! Discusted! Just got a FDE M -P35 Noooo Regrets! Politics Be Dammed! 400 rds & NO REGRETS...
I know. I waited for mo ths and months and stumbled upon this one. Thanks for watching