Current status of Springfield Armory SA-35?

[cathellsk]

Anyone heard anything about the most recent production models? Any issues? My brother picked one up today and it’s really got me wanting one just handling it. His particular one has a really dark, almost black, set of grips. Looks good with them. Thanks for any replies.

[WobblyPossum]

I’d be interested in an update too. I was initially pretty excited about these until the reports of issues came out and every vendor seemed to list them for over $900. Now that price and availability have normalized, I’m curious if the problems have been addressed.

[FrankB]

The YouTube gun channels still agree that extractor issues occur at around 800 rounds. 🤷🏼

[JonInWA]

I'd be very wary. Yes, it can be tempting to get a new High Power as opposed to an FN manufactured used one, but in my opinion the devil is in the details. I believe that all of the currently available High Power clones are of basically Turkish manufacture (not that that's an intrinsically bad thing), and all are essentially reverse-engineered efforts.

There are in my opinion three points of potential peril:

1. Metallurgy and intrinsic component parts quality;

2. Basic design architecture;

3. Manufacturing processes

BH Spring Solutions has provided some in-depth analysis of the Tisas, Springfield and Girsan efforts. I am not totally sold on the viability of these guns, and, at least at this point, for defensive use I recommend a FN/Browning High Power. While I believe the current efforts might be worked up to be a viable, durable and reliable defensive weapon, I believe that things are still a bit of a crapshoot, concerning both individual guns and the companies involved.

I counsel that your money is likely to be better spent on getting a FN/Browning piece, and upgrading it, especially if to be used as a defensive weapon.

Best, Jon

[Rock185]

Beginning in the '60s, I've had a number and variety of FN/Browning Hi Powers, and one ratty old INGLIS. A year or so ago, fingers crossed I admit, I took a leap of faith and bought an SA-35. I've not experimented with reloads, but my SA-35 has been shot with the 9 different types of factory 9mm I happened to have on hand. My example now has a thousand rounds or so, i.e., RN Ball, FP Ball, JHP, etc. through it. It has not malfunctioned yet. I've read of failures to extract, and magazines dropping out, but have not experienced any of that with mine. Reference the magazines, I've used the factory SA magazine, MecGar and FN/Browning magazines without issue. Yes, I know. Just a sample size of one, not statistically significant, etc., but just one owner's 2¢ worth..

[Trooper224]

Having had experience with the later iterations of the FN produced HPs, I don't think jumping on one of the Turkish made clones would be much of a comparative risk. The SA35 is, at the very least, a pistol sourced from many Turkish parts. Only a fool will refuse to see that. So, take your pick, they're all about the same crap shoot.

[Dorsai]

My experience has been largely negative. I got one early and it started having problems very early on. Less than 50 rds and I couldn't get through 10 rds without one or more malfunctions, usually a failure to eject or extract. I couldn't tell which one as the symptom was trying to feed a round into the chamber with the empty brass occupying the same space! Tipping the barrel up allowed the brass to just fall out of the chamber. Then I had the timing of the malfunction coincide with the last round in the magazine so the slide locked open on the empty mag with spent brass sitting on top of the follower. I would conclude that in those examples, it was a failure to eject, but it did extract.

I sent the gun back to SA with details on the problems as I had started to keep track of how many rounds fired, the malfunction or observation, and the ammo used. A month or so later, I got it back and the malfunctions were worse. Some of the other problems I had noticed was some movement in the safety that allowed it to move up enough to make the trigger pull double or worse. The other issue was cosmetic, i.e. bluing salts kept leaching out of the barrel bushing and slide.

The salt leaching wasn't fixed. They did fix the safety, but now it is so stiff that it's tough to push the safety up with the right thumb. I sent it back with a list of how badly it was malfunctioning after their fix (with no test rounds shown on their invoice!!)

After the 2nd fix, with a note on the invoice that they had test fired it, it has worked, but I haven't shot it a lot after the "fix". One other issue that can't be fixed. The magwell is not the same dimensions as the FN Browning. I have to FN Hi-Powers, one I've had since the early 80's and an Israeli surplus I bought in 1999. I had magazines marked Browning, some marked MADE IN ITALY, some without markings. All worked in the the FN's. About half of them hung up in the SA35 magwell and couldn't be used. The SA (Mecgar) and Mecgar marked magazines worked fine in the FN and SA35. The Mecgars are better than the older ones anyway and hold 2 more rounds, so if you are buying mags, just get the Mecgar. Others may not work.

[LockedBreech]

After lurking and reading end-user reports for the last 6-12 months I've done a 180-degree flip. I really wanted the SA35 or a similarly "pure" Hi-Power rather than the FN one for accessories, parts interchangeability, etc.

Then I realized...for those things, I have my Glocks/M&Ps and 1911s. Not everything needs a super-mega ecosystem, realistically. I can't see a Hi-Power taking over for my Glock 17 for home defense or my Shield Plus for carry, for instance.

Plus, the FN version appears to be a well thought out re-engineering of a basically new pistol that is still very sexy but also seems more modern, reliable, and shootable.

Much like I talk shit about Sig a lot but have to give them props for the P365, I talk shit about FN a lot but have to give them props for what appears to be a very well executed take on the Hi-Power. Tamara's writeup was very influential to me. Scarce is the number of people online who I have a decent amount of confidence are not bullshitters, and she's someone whose take on the FN one I credit highly.

[camel]

I have very limited experience with a modern produced p35. And I have not got to shoot or asses any of the clones.

You are efficiently buying a batch of incoming to be sold and fix it later. At cost to you is what I am seeing.

[Stephanie B]

Elsewhere, in places that sort of meet the definition for unreliable, I've seen mention that Springfield Armory has fixed the extraction issue in new pistols, somewhere around S/N 7000.

Does anyone know the truth of that?