SA35 Range Report…..Meh

[No_Regerts]

I shot my SA35 for the first time today. I am not a stranger to the Hi-Power or its clones, so I feel like I have a good basis in which to make the following statements about the gun. To be up front, NONE of my issues with it are anything other than what my personal preferences are. This gun may be perfect for YOU.

First impression: It looks great. No gaudy roll marks or stamps. Just an all-business looking pistol. Very similar to the Range Officer line as far as finish. Nothing spectacular. I'd call it "spartan" in a way. I will say that I have serious doubts about the longevity of the finish. It's that Springfield Armory sorta-Parkerized finish that wears when you look at it too hard.

The sights are great. White dot front blade that was thinner than what you come to expect on service pistols. U-notch serrated rear with no dots. It's easy to get a good sight picture.

The safety feels great. Its more positive feeling than any of the other OEM Hi-Power safeties. I'm a righty, so I prefer a non-ambidextrous safety because I get paranoid about accidentally deactivating it from the other side.

Hammer sucks. There was all sorts of talk about a "contoured hammer that eliminates bite". That's a bunch of BS. It's as bad as my spur hammered Hi-Powers. Nothing beats a Cylinder & Slide hammer.

Trigger SUCKS. Heavy, creepy, gritty. It's worse than my MkIII when it had it's trigger safety. Sans trigger safety, my MkIII has a far superior trigger.

Range Day: I fired 200 rounds consisting of white box, American eagle, and Blazer. No malfunctions, ejection looked good. Groups weren't great compared to my other Hi-Powers, but on par with most striker fired guns I've owned. So, definitely serviceable. I think the crappy trigger and hammer slap didn't help things, but it's nothing I haven't dealt with before. Hitting clay pigeons at 35 yards wasn't too difficult.

I didn't know whether I was having a bad day or I just wasn't in the mood, or what. So, I pulled out my MkIII and enjoyed a clean trigger that shot little groups with no hammer slap. I could fit the same sights on my MkIII if I wanted. Same with the SA35 safety. Those two things would make my MkIII perfect.

So, I sold the SA35 to a buddy.

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[Knobgoblin]

Less than $700 ?

 

[No_Regerts]

Less than $700 ?

Sold it to him for $650.

 

[CountryGent]

Thanks for the great write up. The trigger situation is an instant deal killer for me, so good to know.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Thanks for the great write up. The trigger situation is an instant deal killer for me, so good to know.

But is it tho?

I'm definitely thinking of waiting for second or third run to address known issues. Crap finish can be addressed with Cerakote or others. I really wanted to buy 3 before the end of summer, but it doesn't look good right now.

 

[titsonritz]

No point in owning a single action auto with crappy trigger.

 

[Nutty4Guns]

I'm hoping SA is planning on releasing an upgraded SA-35 model. It would be nice if a stainless version was in the works with a better trigger. Until/unless that happens, I'll just pass on them.

 

[CountryGent]

But is it tho?

I'm definitely thinking of waiting for second or third run to address known issues. Crap finish can be addressed with Cerakote or others. I really wanted to buy 3 before the end of summer, but it doesn't look good right now.

Good point.

No point in owning a single action auto with crappy trigger.

Exactly.

 

[No_Regerts]

But is it tho?

I'm definitely thinking of waiting for second or third run to address known issues. Crap finish can be addressed with Cerakote or others. I really wanted to buy 3 before the end of summer, but it doesn't look good right now.

At the prices that I've seen lately post-crazyness, you'd be hard pressed to find a good base gun for less. New trigger, spring kit, and a no-bite hammer and I'd be quite happy. That's probably $125 in parts and labor. Still only $825 to $850, which is far cheaper than a Browning/FN. The finish could be dealt with later as needed.

 

[Knobgoblin]

At the prices that I've seen lately post-crazyness, you'd be hard pressed to find a good base gun for less. New trigger, spring kit, and a no-bite hammer and I'd be quite happy. That's probably $125 in parts and labor. Still only $825 to $850, which is far cheaper than a Browning/FN. The finish could be dealt with later as needed.

Thinking along those lines.

I still believe waiting for "improved" versions is best. I should focus on finding a Ronin 9mm for the moment.

 

[nammac]

Thinking along those lines.

I still believe waiting for "improved" versions is best. I should focus on finding a Ronin 9mm for the moment.

Ronin 9mm's are yummy…. Soft shooting, accurate, crisp trigger…. Everything that makes a 1911 a 1911, but in 9mm.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Ronin 9mm's are yummy…. Soft shooting, accurate, crisp trigger…. Everything that makes a 1911 a 1911, but in 9mm.
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I never see them on the secondary market. Reckon the ones bought new all became " keepers".

 

[Aero Denezol]

@No_Regerts hammer bite can ruin your day. I'm not a Hi-Power collector but I was happy with my 17 and 24 yard targets. I also ran it against a timer on the plates and it was fast - much faster than a Beretta M9, for example. Overall I thought it was right up there near the top of the list for steel framed pistols, and especially from the WWII era. The only problem I had initially was my left thumb has a tendency to rise and actuate the safety. So that took a little discipline to fix, but I figured it out.

I thought I read somewhere the triggers were tuned by hand, which means there is going to be some variability in quality. Especially if it was mfg. Friday afternoon on a payday. I guess as with all guns, cars, women, and so on it's a matter of personal preference. For my money I think they hit it out of the park with the SA-35.

 

[tac]

Let's get this right.

You basically thought it was heap of c*ap, so you 'sold it to a buddy'?

G*d forbid I should have a buddy like you!

 

[RX-79G]

No point in owning a single action auto with crappy trigger.

Makes me wonder how many people buy CZs or HKs with manual safeties to carry them cond. 1 instead of BHPs.

 

[tac]

While I was in Northern Ireland, my Browning SLP - aka GP35 - was ALWAYS carried in C1. Mind you, in the car, it was on my lap, along with the HK and five spare 30 round magazines.

 

[No_Regerts]

Makes me wonder how many people buy CZs or HKs with manual safeties to carry them cond. 1 instead of BHPs.

I carried an HK USP on duty for a few years. I never carried it cocked and locked. It was always de-cocked. I'm sure our policy was a holdover from the P220, which only had a de-cocker.

 

[No_Regerts]

@No_Regerts hammer bite can ruin your day. I'm not a Hi-Power collector but I was happy with my 17 and 24 yard targets. I also ran it against a timer on the plates and it was fast - much faster than a Beretta M9, for example. Overall I thought it was right up there near the top of the list for steel framed pistols, and especially from the WWII era. The only problem I had initially was my left thumb has a tendency to rise and actuate the safety. So that took a little discipline to fix, but I figured it out.

I thought I read somewhere the triggers were tuned by hand, which means there is going to be some variability in quality. Especially if it was mfg. Friday afternoon on a payday. I guess as with all guns, cars, women, and so on it's a matter of personal preference. For my money I think they hit it out of the park with the SA-35.

View attachment 1192718View attachment 1192728

Maybe I got a Friday gun! In all seriousness, I believe its a better base gun than most since there are already some decent upgrades. If I was comparing it to some other guns, it might even be viewed quite favorably. But, since its a BHP clone first and a SA pistol, it gets compared to my BHPs and 1911s. My Mk3 is pretty nice.

 

[No_Regerts]

Let's get this right.

You basically thought it was heap of c*ap, so you 'sold it to a buddy'?

G*d forbid I should have a buddy like you!

Used to do the same thing with girlfriends!

 

[joken]

I just measured the trigger pull on my SA35. The average was 3lbs 14oz ounces and there is no felt take-up.