In this review we will be comparing Springfield Armory’s SA35 clone of the Browning Hi Power to several other legacy Hi Powers of various vintages I own to see how it stacks up in terms of fit, finish, sights, trigger, and ergos.
The Hi Power was John M. Browning’s last design and was commissioned by the French Army, who specified the high-capacity magazine, which Browning was not initially in favor of. The French ended up not adopting it, but the Belgian Army eventually did. Development began in 1924. Upon adoption in 1935, it was given the designation P-35. Commercial versions of the pistol were called "Grande Puissance" (High Power) which refered to its magazine capacity being almost twice that of other military pistols at the time.
Browning died in 1926 and his assistant Dieudonne Saive was largely responsible for the final design. The double column magazine was his design and was the first pistol to feature double digit capacity.
Saive later went on to design the FN49 rifle and the FN FAL.
Just like Colt, Browning was not big on updating their designs with modern features. Both the 1911 and the Hi Power remained mostly the same throughout their production until the patents expired and competition forced change. Even then Browning’s updates that came on the Practical Model mostly missed the mark. Meanwhile, companies like Springfield and Kimber were turning out pistols with the features the public wanted. Browning had decades to bring the Hi Power up to speed, but never did. By the end of European production, the Hi Power had a cast frame and was built in Portugal.
The basic design of the Hi Power is a good one. It’s the lack of a few features, and the addition of others that hold it back. Correcting these deficiencies will result in a very nice pistol.
Sights:
Save for the Practical Model, the standard Hi Power had the same sights it did before the war, which are better than nothing, but not by much. Think GI 1911.
Trigger:
You can put a good trigger on a Hi Power, but don’t look for one on a factory legacy gun. The design incorporates a magazine disconnect which adds weight to the trigger pull and keeps the mags from dropping free when released. This abomination to pistol design was a French requirement. Why it was not deleted when the Frogs failed to adopt it is a good question. Fortunately, it is easy to dispense with.
Hammer Design:
The Hi Power is notorious for hammer bite on the early examples. This was largely fixed in later production. The rear face of the hammer between the pivot point and the spur/ring is the culprit. It is worse if you have an abundance of meat between your thumb and forefinger. A few minutes with the Dremel can cure it. Or, if you don’t trust your Dremel skills, Cylinder and Slide sells a “No Bite Hammer” for a drop in solution.
Thumb Safety:
Unlike the 1911, the Hi Power does not feature a projection on the safety for one’s thumb to gain purchase. And there are not the familiar definitive detents that provide that tactical feedback click when engaging/disengaging the safety, it’s more of a soft click.
Grips:
For some reason, Browning’s factory grip panels have always been a bit chunky. Unlike the 1911 grip panels that taper front to back, the Hi Power’s do not and add to its chunky feel. For those with meaty paws, this is of no consequence, but it makes the gun feel rather thick to smaller hands. Something akin to a 2X4 without rounding off the corners.
Reliability:
I have always found the Hi Power to be a reliable pistol. And even though it was designed at a time when FMJ was the only game in town, mine have had no problem digesting cast bullets and hollow points. Polishing the feed ramp is the only thing I’ve done to mine, and that’s seems to be sufficient.
The only example I have personally seen malfunction belongs to a co-worker. He’s not all that mechanically inclined and all I could get out of him was that it “jammed”.
Turns out, he inherited the gun from his mother, and it hadn’t been cleaned or lubricated in years. The old, dried oil in the gun had frozen the extractor, which was the cause of his problems. A few drops of Kroil on the extractor while exercising it back and forth freed it up. A good cleaning and a proper lubricating put it right as rain. He has had no more problems with it.
Fortunately, none of these deficiencies are insurmountable, as custom gunsmiths have demonstrated over the years. Why it took until now for a manufacturer to do with the Hi Power what the industry has done with the 1911 for over 40 years is a mystery. Perhaps because the Madison Avenue ad campaigns have conditioned us to relegate things that are “old” to the scrap heap in favor of whatever newfangled polymer 9 is the current fan boy favorite. But the Hi Power has a lot to offer. And there are still a few of us with whom the prospect of walnut and blued steel still resonates in a way that polymer never will. Like the old TV commercial used to say…”Try it, you’ll like it”.
Enter the SA35
Springfield Armory has introduced an updated version of the Hi Power that Browning should have been making for the last 40 years. The slide and frame are forgings and are true to the original design, which in an era of MIM and polymer, is comforting to us old school types.
Most of the basic improvements that have come from IPSC and other disciplines of pistol competition are present.
Decent Fixed Sights:
With a dovetailed front sight with white dot. The rear sight has a U notch and a striated rear face for glare reduction. They are not tall enough to clear a suppressor though, not even an Osprey.
Thumb Safety:
A protrusion has been added to the standard profile for easy manipulation of the safety. Springfield has also added more pronounced detents to provide a more definite click feel when engaging and disengaging. This was also something Browning did on the Practical model.
No Bite Hammer:
The rear face of the hammer has been relieved to prevent pinching the hand. I know a lot of peeps who have been turned off on Hi Powers after being bitten. My pre-war Hi Power is particularly bad about this. If you are one of the “Once bitten, twice shy” crowd, take another look.
Mag Safety:
Thankfully, Springfield saw fit to delete this dubious feature and provide us with a mag that will drop free, and not add weight to the trigger.
Trigger Pull:
Springfield advertises an improved trigger in their ad copy. While it is considerably better than a standard legacy Hi Power with mag disconnect, do not expect a trigger like they put on their Custom Shop 1911’s. The example I have for this review goes 5.5lbs. on the trigger scale and has a tiny bit of creep, which may burnish out some with use. All in all, not bad for an out of the box factory gun these days.
As popular as the gun seems to be judging by how difficult one is to come by and them selling for more than MSRP, I’m guessing Springfield at some point will offer Custom Shop models with pulls comparable to a 1911.
Beveled Mag Well:
I am curious as to why this feature was added. Maybe just to make good ad copy and because it’s a staple of 1911 Custom pistols? But you have a mag well wide enough for a double column magazine, and a mag that tapers at the top for single feed. It’s already close to a 1911 with a mag funnel. Is a beveled mag well really needed?
Tapered Grip Panels:
The SA35 grip panels are tapered front to back and make the gun feel less chunky compared to legacy grips. Strangely, even though the gun feels smaller in the hand the circumference as verified by the wife’s cloth tape measure, is exactly the same. The checkering is also right to the edge with no border. These are aesthetically more pleasing and feel better in the hand.
15 Shot Magazine:
All of its production life the Hi Power has had a 13 shot magazine. This was the highest capacity available for a flush fit mag in a duty pistol at the time, and for a long time thereafter.
Mec-Gar, the magazines manufacturer, redesigned the follower to telescope over the spring to both prevent spring bind and to add 2 rounds to capacity. I have disassembled both the new 15 shot mag and a legacy mag and the spring is the same. Any 3D printer peeps out there care to print some followers to retrofit to 13 shot mags?
One Piece Barrel:
Post War Hi Powers have always had a two piece barrel. Even the Bar-Sto I have is two piece. The SA35 features a one piece barrel. I’m guessing that this is a manufacturing obstacle that CNC machining has overcome. In use, I don’t see this making any difference. Cosmetically, you don’t see the seam in the ejection port.
No MIM
Once I had the pistol detail stripped, I looked carefully at the hammer, safety and sear for evidence of MIM manufacture. No sprue or ejection pin marks. All machined.
Overall Impression:
I think the pistol is well built, and the features well thought out. Everything Springfield has done to the legacy design has been a needed improvement. The small roll markings on the slide and frame harken back to a time before large garish markings and safety warnings took over. A touch of subtle elegance from the past. While some may lament the high polish blue that Browning is famous for, the matte finish is more attractive to me and much more practical. Leave the shiny ones for the collectors to drool over, this one is for shooting.
If the pistol was mine, the only things I would consider doing to it is touch up the trigger a little, and maybe add tritium sights. That’s it. All the other boxes are checked.
So far, I've only shot a few mags through the gun. It's been so beastly hot here that a range trip has not been a pleasant prospect. When it cools down a little, the owner and I will take it to the gun club for a proper wringing out.
Fun Fact:
Back in 1982 I bought a brand new Colt Commander.
In 1983 I bought a new S&W 686.
Each cost $300 at the time.
I believe a new Hi Power in 1983 would have been around $400.
Adjusted for inflation to 2021, the MSRP of $699 on the SA35 equals $248 in 1983 money.
So even if you pay MSRP, it’s a pretty good deal.
Pics
Here's the new SA35 on top with the Hi Power I built back in the 80's. The two pistols have essentially the same attributes.
Note the thumb safety on the SA35. Doesn't look like much, but it makes a big difference in ease of manipulation.
Note the seam where the two parts of the barrel are joined on this 80's Hi Power.
Vintage 1969 Hi Power with original grips compared to the tapered grips on mine. While the tape measure said no difference, the hand says otherwise.
We detail stripped the SA35 looking for MIM parts. None were found. If you look close, you can see there is no seam in the barrel.
Note the shape of the hammer and how much thinner it is below the upper hole. That thinned area is why this one doesn't bite.
Now look at the hammer on this pre war Hi Power. This is one hand biting MF! Was Saive out for revenge on the Frogs?
Vintage 1969 T Series hammer.
1983 Hammer. This one doesn't bite me, but someone with meaty paws might have a different experience.
When Hi Powers bite.
The Magazine:
13 round legacy magazine on top.
15 round Mec-Gar SA35 magazine on bottom.
Note the difference in the follower.
The 3 Hi Powers used for comparison pics.
Top to bottom:
Pre-war
1969 T-Series
1983 standard model
The Hi Power was John M. Browning’s last design and was commissioned by the French Army, who specified the high-capacity magazine, which Browning was not initially in favor of. The French ended up not adopting it, but the Belgian Army eventually did. Development began in 1924. Upon adoption in 1935, it was given the designation P-35. Commercial versions of the pistol were called "Grande Puissance" (High Power) which refered to its magazine capacity being almost twice that of other military pistols at the time.
Browning died in 1926 and his assistant Dieudonne Saive was largely responsible for the final design. The double column magazine was his design and was the first pistol to feature double digit capacity.
Saive later went on to design the FN49 rifle and the FN FAL.
Just like Colt, Browning was not big on updating their designs with modern features. Both the 1911 and the Hi Power remained mostly the same throughout their production until the patents expired and competition forced change. Even then Browning’s updates that came on the Practical Model mostly missed the mark. Meanwhile, companies like Springfield and Kimber were turning out pistols with the features the public wanted. Browning had decades to bring the Hi Power up to speed, but never did. By the end of European production, the Hi Power had a cast frame and was built in Portugal.
The basic design of the Hi Power is a good one. It’s the lack of a few features, and the addition of others that hold it back. Correcting these deficiencies will result in a very nice pistol.
Sights:
Save for the Practical Model, the standard Hi Power had the same sights it did before the war, which are better than nothing, but not by much. Think GI 1911.
Trigger:
You can put a good trigger on a Hi Power, but don’t look for one on a factory legacy gun. The design incorporates a magazine disconnect which adds weight to the trigger pull and keeps the mags from dropping free when released. This abomination to pistol design was a French requirement. Why it was not deleted when the Frogs failed to adopt it is a good question. Fortunately, it is easy to dispense with.
Hammer Design:
The Hi Power is notorious for hammer bite on the early examples. This was largely fixed in later production. The rear face of the hammer between the pivot point and the spur/ring is the culprit. It is worse if you have an abundance of meat between your thumb and forefinger. A few minutes with the Dremel can cure it. Or, if you don’t trust your Dremel skills, Cylinder and Slide sells a “No Bite Hammer” for a drop in solution.
Thumb Safety:
Unlike the 1911, the Hi Power does not feature a projection on the safety for one’s thumb to gain purchase. And there are not the familiar definitive detents that provide that tactical feedback click when engaging/disengaging the safety, it’s more of a soft click.
Grips:
For some reason, Browning’s factory grip panels have always been a bit chunky. Unlike the 1911 grip panels that taper front to back, the Hi Power’s do not and add to its chunky feel. For those with meaty paws, this is of no consequence, but it makes the gun feel rather thick to smaller hands. Something akin to a 2X4 without rounding off the corners.
Reliability:
I have always found the Hi Power to be a reliable pistol. And even though it was designed at a time when FMJ was the only game in town, mine have had no problem digesting cast bullets and hollow points. Polishing the feed ramp is the only thing I’ve done to mine, and that’s seems to be sufficient.
The only example I have personally seen malfunction belongs to a co-worker. He’s not all that mechanically inclined and all I could get out of him was that it “jammed”.
Turns out, he inherited the gun from his mother, and it hadn’t been cleaned or lubricated in years. The old, dried oil in the gun had frozen the extractor, which was the cause of his problems. A few drops of Kroil on the extractor while exercising it back and forth freed it up. A good cleaning and a proper lubricating put it right as rain. He has had no more problems with it.
Fortunately, none of these deficiencies are insurmountable, as custom gunsmiths have demonstrated over the years. Why it took until now for a manufacturer to do with the Hi Power what the industry has done with the 1911 for over 40 years is a mystery. Perhaps because the Madison Avenue ad campaigns have conditioned us to relegate things that are “old” to the scrap heap in favor of whatever newfangled polymer 9 is the current fan boy favorite. But the Hi Power has a lot to offer. And there are still a few of us with whom the prospect of walnut and blued steel still resonates in a way that polymer never will. Like the old TV commercial used to say…”Try it, you’ll like it”.
Enter the SA35
Springfield Armory has introduced an updated version of the Hi Power that Browning should have been making for the last 40 years. The slide and frame are forgings and are true to the original design, which in an era of MIM and polymer, is comforting to us old school types.
Most of the basic improvements that have come from IPSC and other disciplines of pistol competition are present.
Decent Fixed Sights:
With a dovetailed front sight with white dot. The rear sight has a U notch and a striated rear face for glare reduction. They are not tall enough to clear a suppressor though, not even an Osprey.
Thumb Safety:
A protrusion has been added to the standard profile for easy manipulation of the safety. Springfield has also added more pronounced detents to provide a more definite click feel when engaging and disengaging. This was also something Browning did on the Practical model.
No Bite Hammer:
The rear face of the hammer has been relieved to prevent pinching the hand. I know a lot of peeps who have been turned off on Hi Powers after being bitten. My pre-war Hi Power is particularly bad about this. If you are one of the “Once bitten, twice shy” crowd, take another look.
Mag Safety:
Thankfully, Springfield saw fit to delete this dubious feature and provide us with a mag that will drop free, and not add weight to the trigger.
Trigger Pull:
Springfield advertises an improved trigger in their ad copy. While it is considerably better than a standard legacy Hi Power with mag disconnect, do not expect a trigger like they put on their Custom Shop 1911’s. The example I have for this review goes 5.5lbs. on the trigger scale and has a tiny bit of creep, which may burnish out some with use. All in all, not bad for an out of the box factory gun these days.
As popular as the gun seems to be judging by how difficult one is to come by and them selling for more than MSRP, I’m guessing Springfield at some point will offer Custom Shop models with pulls comparable to a 1911.
Beveled Mag Well:
I am curious as to why this feature was added. Maybe just to make good ad copy and because it’s a staple of 1911 Custom pistols? But you have a mag well wide enough for a double column magazine, and a mag that tapers at the top for single feed. It’s already close to a 1911 with a mag funnel. Is a beveled mag well really needed?
Tapered Grip Panels:
The SA35 grip panels are tapered front to back and make the gun feel less chunky compared to legacy grips. Strangely, even though the gun feels smaller in the hand the circumference as verified by the wife’s cloth tape measure, is exactly the same. The checkering is also right to the edge with no border. These are aesthetically more pleasing and feel better in the hand.
15 Shot Magazine:
All of its production life the Hi Power has had a 13 shot magazine. This was the highest capacity available for a flush fit mag in a duty pistol at the time, and for a long time thereafter.
Mec-Gar, the magazines manufacturer, redesigned the follower to telescope over the spring to both prevent spring bind and to add 2 rounds to capacity. I have disassembled both the new 15 shot mag and a legacy mag and the spring is the same. Any 3D printer peeps out there care to print some followers to retrofit to 13 shot mags?
One Piece Barrel:
Post War Hi Powers have always had a two piece barrel. Even the Bar-Sto I have is two piece. The SA35 features a one piece barrel. I’m guessing that this is a manufacturing obstacle that CNC machining has overcome. In use, I don’t see this making any difference. Cosmetically, you don’t see the seam in the ejection port.
No MIM
Once I had the pistol detail stripped, I looked carefully at the hammer, safety and sear for evidence of MIM manufacture. No sprue or ejection pin marks. All machined.
Overall Impression:
I think the pistol is well built, and the features well thought out. Everything Springfield has done to the legacy design has been a needed improvement. The small roll markings on the slide and frame harken back to a time before large garish markings and safety warnings took over. A touch of subtle elegance from the past. While some may lament the high polish blue that Browning is famous for, the matte finish is more attractive to me and much more practical. Leave the shiny ones for the collectors to drool over, this one is for shooting.
If the pistol was mine, the only things I would consider doing to it is touch up the trigger a little, and maybe add tritium sights. That’s it. All the other boxes are checked.
So far, I've only shot a few mags through the gun. It's been so beastly hot here that a range trip has not been a pleasant prospect. When it cools down a little, the owner and I will take it to the gun club for a proper wringing out.
Fun Fact:
Back in 1982 I bought a brand new Colt Commander.
In 1983 I bought a new S&W 686.
Each cost $300 at the time.
I believe a new Hi Power in 1983 would have been around $400.
Adjusted for inflation to 2021, the MSRP of $699 on the SA35 equals $248 in 1983 money.
So even if you pay MSRP, it’s a pretty good deal.
Pics
Here's the new SA35 on top with the Hi Power I built back in the 80's. The two pistols have essentially the same attributes.
Note the thumb safety on the SA35. Doesn't look like much, but it makes a big difference in ease of manipulation.
Note the seam where the two parts of the barrel are joined on this 80's Hi Power.
Vintage 1969 Hi Power with original grips compared to the tapered grips on mine. While the tape measure said no difference, the hand says otherwise.
We detail stripped the SA35 looking for MIM parts. None were found. If you look close, you can see there is no seam in the barrel.
Note the shape of the hammer and how much thinner it is below the upper hole. That thinned area is why this one doesn't bite.
Now look at the hammer on this pre war Hi Power. This is one hand biting MF! Was Saive out for revenge on the Frogs?
Vintage 1969 T Series hammer.
1983 Hammer. This one doesn't bite me, but someone with meaty paws might have a different experience.
When Hi Powers bite.
The Magazine:
13 round legacy magazine on top.
15 round Mec-Gar SA35 magazine on bottom.
Note the difference in the follower.
The 3 Hi Powers used for comparison pics.
Top to bottom:
Pre-war
1969 T-Series
1983 standard model
