Springfield Armory SA-35 Review – The Grand Puissance

The Browning Hi-Power Springfield Armory rendition has been the most talked about topic on social media. It’s big news, especially since Browning stopped distribution of the Belgia-made version of this pistol a few years back. Ironically, this was not news. Ironically, that was not big news. They claim they have revived a classic, regardless of whether they admit it or not. That’s true. They don’t tell the truth about the slide and frame coming from Tisas in Turkey. (Springfield Armory won’t confirm this, but I have it as fact). It’s not a bad thing. And, given Springfield Armory’s imports of parts and handguns from other countries, it shouldn’t surprise that they do. Tisas is a highly capable manufacturer that produces high-quality products. This is how Springfield Armory managed the SA-35’s cost. Although Browning may be smiling metaphorically, the Hi-Power as we know was introduced nine years later. Browning’s original design was not a Hi-Power. It was striker-fired, and the patent was not approved until after Browning’s death. Dieudonne Saive from Fabrique Nationale is the one who deserves the most credit for the Hi-Power. It was also the basis for nearly every semi-automatic handgun made since then, with its pivoting trigger, double-stack mag and linkless barrel. We would have had a steel-framed Glock if Saive had used Browning’s striker design. This would have been more than 80 years ago. Guns & Ammo’s Jeremy Stafford expressed the opinion that the SA-35 would rekindle the old battle between Hi-Power shooters and 1911 shooters. This was evident in 1977, when Peter Maunder and Dave Westerhout won the IPSC World Shoot using Hi-Powers. Rhodesia took the top spot from the United States and their 1911s. It was an incredible feat considering they were shooting with a minor power factor handicap. Those in the know probably knew it didn’t require much work and all efforts were directed towards tweaking a major-power 1911 to outperform it. James Reeves, with The Firearms Blog, begins his SA-35 review pointing out that the Hi-Power is still relevant today, unlike the 1911. He should consider everything else he said as suspect, such his comment that the original Hi-Powers could give shooters “slide bite.” Slide bite has never been a problem in the Hi-Power. The problem is that the hammer can, when pushed to the rear by the slide’s recoiling motion, tend to pinch the web between the hammer tang and the frame. This is hammer bite, and not slide bite. The commander-style hammer that Springfield Armory uses on their SA-35 is effective in preventing this. People with large hands and a high grip may still be pricked. Springfield Armory installed a 1911 Commander-style Hammer to address this issue. This is not a new idea, but it works for most shooters. The SA-35 might pinch a little if you have large hands or shoot with a very high grip (as it should). I did. The best solution was to extend the tang of your grip frame. This is a custom and costly solution. This is exactly how Nighthawk makes their Hi-Powers. A no-bite hammer, made by Wayne Novak, is an alternative that’s much cheaper. It will eliminate hammer bit at a much lower cost. We may see a tang extension and a no-bite-hammer in future iterations. Springfield Armory must have other versions of this pistol in the works. If not, someone needs firing. The pistol’s beveled magazine is a highlight of almost every review. Beveled magazine wells are generally a good thing. Hi-Powers have been a part of my life for half of it. It has never been difficult to fit a severely shortened double-stack magazine in a large hole. This “modification” is viewed by those who have reviewed the SA-35 as monumental. It makes the pistol lighter and easier to load. Yes, but perhaps not in a significant way. This is not the point I am trying to make. Let me tell you why I think this pistol is the most important handgun introduced since 1982. Because the Browning Hi-Power is still one of the most popular fighting pistols ever made. You can make any argument, but the Browning Hi-Power is still in military service all over the globe and has been used more times than any other handgun. The Hi-Power is believed to have killed more people than any other handgun. It was also used by opposing forces during World War II. Hi-Powers are reliable and accurate, lightweight and not too heavy, comfortable to carry and have an ergonomic grip. I have three Hi-Powers, and I loved the SA-35 enough that I bought it. I may even buy two. Hi-Power enthusiasts will be doing the same. Perhaps more important, Springfield Armory has opened the eyes of Gen X, Y, and Z to what a rock-solid, proven fighting pistol really is. All of us can now get one for less $700.Under the HoodEnough pontificating. Let’s take a closer look at the SA-35. The frame and slide are made from forged carbon. The matte blued finish of the steel is excellent. There are a few sharp edges to the gun, including the forward edge of dust cover, at the end slide stop pin and around the corners of tang. The gun’s appearance and feel is exceptional. They are more beautiful than any grips offered by Browning in the era of FN pistols. These grips are very well made and look great. These grips should be sold separately as many Hi-Powerowners will need them. The sights are the best Springfield Armory has added to this pistol. The front sight is 0.125-inch in length and stands just 0.20 inches above the slide. It has a single white dot at the top. The rear sight is a ledge-type sight, with a 0.14 inch U-notch. Although I would prefer a wider notch, those with good eyes will find this combination of front and rear sight very easy and fast. The rear sight is serrated, and it is free from the ridiculous dots that are so common on modern defensive handguns. These sights can be removed from the front and rear for easy replacement. Original Hi-Power magazines were 13 rounds in capacity. While many credit Springfield Armory for increasing the capacity, 15-round Hi-Power magazine have been available from Mec-Gar since a while. Mec-Gar appears the manufacturer of this magazine. The SA-35 has a comfortable and extended thumb safety. Also, as mentioned, the Commander-style Hammer is included with this pistol. Hi-Powers have always had an automatic magazine disconnect that would prevent the gun from firing if it was removed. This system was connected to the trigger and was the main reason for Hi-Powers with bad triggers. This linkage has been removed by Hi-Power owners for many years. It’s not difficult to do. The SA-35 does not have a magazine disconnect. This makes the SA-35 trigger very pleasant, with very little overtravel and a bit of take-up. It felt like it was closer to 3 pounds than it was on my trigger scale. Good Hi-Powers triggers tend to feel like they are breaking at less pressure than it is measured. The SA-35 is a Browning Hi-Power. Although the SA-35 is not a reimagined Hi-Power I would say that it is a fine example of one. The test pistol fired nearly 800 rounds of mixed FMJ/hollow-point ammunition and it worked flawlessly. I was able to fire five shots in a 5-inch circle at 5 yards in less than 4 seconds. Failure drills at 5 meters were completed in less than three seconds. Failure drills at 5 yards took me three seconds or less. If those journalists had done their jobs, the SA-35 that you should be buying would not have been your first Grande Puissance. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be downloaded in MOA. This is a great option for long-range shooting. Enter your email address below.