Remember the MSRP is $699, not $1200-$3K. Dehorning edges, polishing bearing surfaces, installing upgraded components is what keeps custom shops in business. The basic pistol seems pretty good so far with the potential for customization by knowledgeable operators or shops like BHSS. The eval was helpful but pretty tough. At least you didn’t identify showstoppers like the Tisas.
That’s the way I see it. I’m getting one because I’d rather not track down an original hi-power to have customized the way I want. Going this route seems like a better idea if I’m going to have someone work on it.
I can’t believe they put the entire frame and slide into a tumbler…This isn’t a “special session evaluation”, this is nitpicking to oblivion to justify why everyone should buy all their replacement parts and gunsmithing services
@@rudukai13 It's their gun, and they are using it as a testing bed for their own products and services. The fact that you complain here and various other times about a free video with good free information is obnoxious. There is no other free resource about this firearm available yet that goes into such detail. This is not nitpicking, it's a company trying to figure out how to work with a new system.
@@rudukai13 my exact thoughts. I get they have to show their parts and advertise but “we put it in a tumbler because it has sharp edges” has got to be the strangest negative I’ve seen from BHSS’s clone testing over the year. They are completely neglecting the fact that it’s a HI POWER clone. The Hi Power wasn’t made to be smooth as silk gun, they were war machines that were meant to be mass produced for ground troops. Frankly, I think in a bid to make sales, in this case, BHSS has forgotten what the Hi Power actually is and is wanting it to be something it’s not.
Forcing a pistol to operate on weak ass 115gr 9mm, when it’s rated and sprung to run NATO and +P, then complaining about weak ejection and slide velocity is 🤬.
Just picked mine up and was really hoping for better quality. The trigger reset had 2 very quiet audible clicks and would reset at the end of the travel. After research, I filed a few .001’s off the top of the trigger lever and this moved the reset to the center of travel and allowed it to make an audible click that I could feel with my finger. The sear lever should be free floating in the slide but mine was not so I stoned the finish off each side that touches the slide and that fixed that. Next is the (hard?) sear, that locks the hammer back has slop in it so when you pull the trigger you hit the wall and then you have a small amount of grittiness and than the trigger breaks. Almost like the 2 parts don’t mesh together. So either the sear needs to be shimmed up somehow or the hammer needs to be filed down to match the sear. Not sure if I’m gonna mess with it but I’m definitely not dealing with sending it back. I’d say if you’re in the fence and have the extra cash, just get the FN.
Thanks for the video. I was quite excited to see this new pistol from Springfield, but your video tells me it's a lot like all the other Springfields I've ever handled. Many sharp edges. I always seem to cut myself just handling on of their guns.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights on the SA-35. I agree with Mo N that this is a very nice gun at this price point. After extensive dry firing, I took mine to the range this past week and fired 300 rounds without a single malfunction or significant issue. I did not have any hand cuts, hammer bite, and etc. The only two issues noted was that it shot a bit low a 7 yards and the trigger needs some work. Specifically, the trigger behaves like a 2 stage trigger with 2 distinct walls with slow fire. I spoke with Springfield and it is on the way back to them to look at. Also I would note that while my safety did have a small amount of movement with the hammer forward, it was not enough to interfere with the slide cycling. Three hundred rounds is not an extensive test so I'll continue to see how it performs. However, at this point it was purchased as a range gun and I do not see the need to modify anything. At some point I may add a wide trigger and a fiber front sight.
Okay, so the thread protector loosening is normal. I ended up using locktite to secure mine. Downside is that it now requires pliers to get it off. I also had to file a relief angle on the barrel chamber hood in order to install mine. I wonder if that’s normal as well.
Is it possible to install, with only changing minor parts and no drilling or changing the slide, a mechanical block for the firing pin, like the more modern FNs Hipowers?
No it isn’t. You’d have to remill part of the slide in order to accommodate both the firing pin block and the different sear lever that interacts with it. I seriously doubt you’d ever find a gunsmith willing to do such a job. Plus, even if you could, I imagine that such a job would be hideously expensive.
Mark, I have bought an S A 35 and would like to get the overhaul done to mine ! What is the best guess on what this is going to cost me to get such an upgrade ?
Well I got mine from a military guy that couldn't keep it. It looked unfired when I got it, with original lubricant all over. I paid $832 though. It's a low s/n. It's fit and finish is quite good. No unusual marks or blemishes. There are no sharp edges. You either got a prototype or just have very sensitive skin.
If I get an SA-35 Springfield Armory Improved Hi-Power design semi-auto I will send it off to them to dehorn and install upgrades. And get it ported by Mag-na-port. 😁
This HP reminds me of Colts before Kimber. Many years ago, I knew a guy who was a real fan of the Colt in .45 ACP. After each purchase, he would go through a whole series of upgrades to make the guns work properly and deal with other issues. After a few months of dinking around with them, they would look and shoot great. Perhaps Springfield will get the hint and make the upgrades first so the aftermarket folks don't have to.
I can’t help but notice that all the parts you’ve recommended replacing so far happen to be parts you manufacture and sell aftermarket replacements for. Would it not have been a bit more fair to shoot the gun in stock form for a while first, then swap out parts and compare?
@@tberkoff The very first video explained that the purpose of their testing was to determine whether their parts would work in the SA-35, and to determine if the SA-35 could be used as the basis for their custom guns. It never was intended to be a Consumer Reports style evaluation of the SA-35.
This shows that you skipped the very first video explaining why this series was done in the first place. Furthermore, it makes sense that they recommend replacing the stock parts with their own upgraded parts... why else would they make them? Also, some of the parts mentioned, like the extractor, they don't even produce - they recommend a Browning extractor instead.
@@DesertGhillie yeah how in the world could anyone miss a quick reference in a single 40 minute video in a series of four or five videos each one 30-45 minutes long??
If you leave ammo in the cold it looses power, in the heat it will gain power. I been looking at the sa-35 I may up waiting on Springfield to get the kinks out.
Clearly you talk a lot about deburrjng the slide / frame. I think your video is misleading, because I don't believe this is a common issue. For me there was about a 50 round break in to get it out performing my other pistols. Its one of the finest 1911 style 9mm pistols I have used
At the risk of drawing some flak, I feel obliged to make the following comment. Unfortunately in my country (Switzerland) we're not allowed to shoot in a non-designated shooting area - 1) because of safety (what is behind the target and close to the line of fire?) 2) because of lead pollution, so we have to collect all bullets behind the target and prevent the spent lead getting wet and polluting ground water. The collected lead is recycled (as are all the spent brass shell cases) and the money from that goes back to help finance the range. While I envy Mark his setup being able to shoot off the back porch, I am wondering if there is a bullet stop or berm behind the target. I don't see one. The projectile is lethal up to about 2200 yds. Where does the two nearby roads go? Is there ever a farmer, worker, hiker or domestic animal in the field? Whose field is he filling with lead and polluting the ground water? Or Is that his own shed/barn taking the ammo after the target? What's in there? Or are the bullets going through it? I wish I could see the line of fire better. In our book this setup would be very unsafe. (I am a Swiss Army-trained range safety officer and firearms instructor). I am sure Mark has thought about all this and has concluded there is no risk, but it's not evident to me from the video. It's not my intention to belittle his work (I have enormous respect for BHSS). He's doing a stellar job with this SA-35 and it makes me REALLY want one to go with my BHP Mk III. All the best, Rob
While it is lethal at long distances even at 600 yards its dropped 376.63 inches. So his lead is landing in the field about 175-200 yards away and by the looks of it he's got Over a mile of field behind the target. Also this is the US, more than likely that field behind him is his property. Unlike alot of European countries it's illegal to be on someone's land without express permission from the landowner, so hikers shouldn't be there in the first place. I shoot in a similar setup on a private farm and there's nothing but private land for a mile behind my target.
@@Patson20 That’s why I envy Mark his setup! Thank you for taking the time to make the differences clear! I really wish I could shoot on my land but it’s only about 700 sq yds and neighbours on 3 sides. The 4th side has a view over open fields and the nearest hill about a mile and a half away, but they’re cross-crossed with trails and dog walkers! The police would be here inside minutes of my first shot!
@@RobWhittlestone yea that's one of the benefits we have over here, strong property rights and cheap open land. I'm in a rural area so most people around here shoot on their own property. Sometimes one person starts shooting and it inspires others so you've just got a bunch of responding fire in the distance 😄.
Ridiculous. You're going to ruin a perfectly good mid-level gun with a bunch of custom work it doesn't need. Ignore the Springfield and go buy a Nighthawk P-35 if you're going to be that much of a snob. I can't stand gunsmiths that think they need to work on every gun they buy. You're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!
Remember the MSRP is $699, not $1200-$3K. Dehorning edges, polishing bearing surfaces, installing upgraded components is what keeps custom shops in business. The basic pistol seems pretty good so far with the potential for customization by knowledgeable operators or shops like BHSS. The eval was helpful but pretty tough. At least you didn’t identify showstoppers like the Tisas.
That’s the way I see it. I’m getting one because I’d rather not track down an original hi-power to have customized the way I want. Going this route seems like a better idea if I’m going to have someone work on it.
I can’t believe they put the entire frame and slide into a tumbler…This isn’t a “special session evaluation”, this is nitpicking to oblivion to justify why everyone should buy all their replacement parts and gunsmithing services
@@rudukai13 It's their gun, and they are using it as a testing bed for their own products and services. The fact that you complain here and various other times about a free video with good free information is obnoxious. There is no other free resource about this firearm available yet that goes into such detail. This is not nitpicking, it's a company trying to figure out how to work with a new system.
@@rudukai13 my exact thoughts. I get they have to show their parts and advertise but “we put it in a tumbler because it has sharp edges” has got to be the strangest negative I’ve seen from BHSS’s clone testing over the year. They are completely neglecting the fact that it’s a HI POWER clone. The Hi Power wasn’t made to be smooth as silk gun, they were war machines that were meant to be mass produced for ground troops. Frankly, I think in a bid to make sales, in this case, BHSS has forgotten what the Hi Power actually is and is wanting it to be something it’s not.
Forcing a pistol to operate on weak ass 115gr 9mm, when it’s rated and sprung to run NATO and +P, then complaining about weak ejection and slide velocity is 🤬.
Thank you for this amazing series of videos on the SA-35. I appreciate all the effort and time.
Just picked mine up and was really hoping for better quality. The trigger reset had 2 very quiet audible clicks and would reset at the end of the travel. After research, I filed a few .001’s off the top of the trigger lever and this moved the reset to the center of travel and allowed it to make an audible click that I could feel with my finger. The sear lever should be free floating in the slide but mine was not so I stoned the finish off each side that touches the slide and that fixed that. Next is the (hard?) sear, that locks the hammer back has slop in it so when you pull the trigger you hit the wall and then you have a small amount of grittiness and than the trigger breaks. Almost like the 2 parts don’t mesh together. So either the sear needs to be shimmed up somehow or the hammer needs to be filed down to match the sear. Not sure if I’m gonna mess with it but I’m definitely not dealing with sending it back. I’d say if you’re in the fence and have the extra cash, just get the FN.
I wished I had a backyard like you, lucky man. Enjoyed watching this video.
Thanks for the video. I was quite excited to see this new pistol from Springfield, but your video tells me it's a lot like all the other Springfields I've ever handled. Many sharp edges. I always seem to cut myself just handling on of their guns.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights on the SA-35. I agree with Mo N that this is a very nice gun at this price point. After extensive dry firing, I took mine to the range this past week and fired 300 rounds without a single malfunction or significant issue. I did not have any hand cuts, hammer bite, and etc. The only two issues noted was that it shot a bit low a 7 yards and the trigger needs some work. Specifically, the trigger behaves like a 2 stage trigger with 2 distinct walls with slow fire. I spoke with Springfield and it is on the way back to them to look at. Also I would note that while my safety did have a small amount of movement with the hammer forward, it was not enough to interfere with the slide cycling. Three hundred rounds is not an extensive test so I'll continue to see how it performs. However, at this point it was purchased as a range gun and I do not see the need to modify anything. At some point I may add a wide trigger and a fiber front sight.
Okay, so the thread protector loosening is normal. I ended up using locktite to secure mine. Downside is that it now requires pliers to get it off. I also had to file a relief angle on the barrel chamber hood in order to install mine. I wonder if that’s normal as well.
Nice!
Is it possible to install, with only changing minor parts and no drilling or changing the slide, a mechanical block for the firing pin, like the more modern FNs Hipowers?
This is a question I have hoped to see answered as well.
No it isn’t. You’d have to remill part of the slide in order to accommodate both the firing pin block and the different sear lever that interacts with it. I seriously doubt you’d ever find a gunsmith willing to do such a job. Plus, even if you could, I imagine that such a job would be hideously expensive.
@@DLordSadow what a bummer. Anyway, thanks for the clarification, saved me some time and money 🤑🤑
Mark, I have bought an S A 35 and would like to get the overhaul done to mine ! What is the best guess on what this is going to cost me to get such an upgrade ?
Well I got mine from a military guy that couldn't keep it. It looked unfired when I got it, with original lubricant all over. I paid $832 though. It's a low s/n. It's fit and finish is quite good. No unusual marks or blemishes. There are no sharp edges. You either got a prototype or just have very sensitive skin.
If I get an SA-35 Springfield Armory Improved Hi-Power design semi-auto I will send it off to them to dehorn and install upgrades. And get it ported by Mag-na-port. 😁
This is a beautiful pistol i love it i want it
This HP reminds me of Colts before Kimber. Many years ago, I knew a guy who was a real fan of the Colt in .45 ACP. After each purchase, he would go through a whole series of upgrades to make the guns work properly and deal with other issues. After a few months of dinking around with them, they would look and shoot great. Perhaps Springfield will get the hint and make the upgrades first so the aftermarket folks don't have to.
They actually did all that -- you didn't watch the video I guess...
So I’m guessing that the warranty is voided😜.
Your neighbors must love you.
I can’t help but notice that all the parts you’ve recommended replacing so far happen to be parts you manufacture and sell aftermarket replacements for. Would it not have been a bit more fair to shoot the gun in stock form for a while first, then swap out parts and compare?
Agreed. I was confused why he replaced the parts FIRST and then did the torture test.
@@tberkoff The very first video explained that the purpose of their testing was to determine whether their parts would work in the SA-35, and to determine if the SA-35 could be used as the basis for their custom guns. It never was intended to be a Consumer Reports style evaluation of the SA-35.
Explained at 9:19 sec in the video.
This shows that you skipped the very first video explaining why this series was done in the first place.
Furthermore, it makes sense that they recommend replacing the stock parts with their own upgraded parts... why else would they make them? Also, some of the parts mentioned, like the extractor, they don't even produce - they recommend a Browning extractor instead.
@@DesertGhillie yeah how in the world could anyone miss a quick reference in a single 40 minute video in a series of four or five videos each one 30-45 minutes long??
If you leave ammo in the cold it looses power, in the heat it will gain power. I been looking at the sa-35 I may up waiting on Springfield to get the kinks out.
What I gather so far is it's too bad you can't buy just the slide, frame, and firing pin & retainer.
Where’s your back stop.
Who made those grips and where did you get them?
Those are Heirloom Edition of the BHMasters grips. You can find them on our website.
@@bhspringsolutionsllc555 would you happen to have them for 1911s?
@@theoutlawedcrusade Yes
@@bhspringsolutionsllc555 thank you
Clearly you talk a lot about deburrjng the slide / frame. I think your video is misleading, because I don't believe this is a common issue. For me there was about a 50 round break in to get it out performing my other pistols. Its one of the finest 1911 style 9mm pistols I have used
Excellent videos, but this is barely a SA-35 anymore 🤷🏼♀️
@@Eugeneden2010 According to Springfield Armory this was all made in America
@@Eugeneden2010 Why do you call the slide and frame Turkish? Those parts are not made in Turkey.
Lol.. this is like a cheap infomercial
what a load of crap
At the risk of drawing some flak, I feel obliged to make the following comment.
Unfortunately in my country (Switzerland) we're not allowed to shoot in a non-designated shooting area - 1) because of safety (what is behind the target and close to the line of fire?) 2) because of lead pollution, so we have to collect all bullets behind the target and prevent the spent lead getting wet and polluting ground water. The collected lead is recycled (as are all the spent brass shell cases) and the money from that goes back to help finance the range.
While I envy Mark his setup being able to shoot off the back porch, I am wondering if there is a bullet stop or berm behind the target. I don't see one. The projectile is lethal up to about 2200 yds. Where does the two nearby roads go? Is there ever a farmer, worker, hiker or domestic animal in the field? Whose field is he filling with lead and polluting the ground water? Or Is that his own shed/barn taking the ammo after the target? What's in there? Or are the bullets going through it? I wish I could see the line of fire better. In our book this setup would be very unsafe. (I am a Swiss Army-trained range safety officer and firearms instructor).
I am sure Mark has thought about all this and has concluded there is no risk, but it's not evident to me from the video. It's not my intention to belittle his work (I have enormous respect for BHSS).
He's doing a stellar job with this SA-35 and it makes me REALLY want one to go with my BHP Mk III. All the best, Rob
You wrote all of that to ask if he has a backstop? Relax.
While it is lethal at long distances even at 600 yards its dropped 376.63 inches. So his lead is landing in the field about 175-200 yards away and by the looks of it he's got Over a mile of field behind the target. Also this is the US, more than likely that field behind him is his property. Unlike alot of European countries it's illegal to be on someone's land without express permission from the landowner, so hikers shouldn't be there in the first place. I shoot in a similar setup on a private farm and there's nothing but private land for a mile behind my target.
@@Patson20 That’s why I envy Mark his setup! Thank you for taking the time to make the differences clear! I really wish I could shoot on my land but it’s only about 700 sq yds and neighbours on 3 sides. The 4th side has a view over open fields and the nearest hill about a mile and a half away, but they’re cross-crossed with trails and dog walkers!
The police would be here inside minutes of my first shot!
@@RobWhittlestone yea that's one of the benefits we have over here, strong property rights and cheap open land. I'm in a rural area so most people around here shoot on their own property. Sometimes one person starts shooting and it inspires others so you've just got a bunch of responding fire in the distance 😄.
Ridiculous. You're going to ruin a perfectly good mid-level gun with a bunch of custom work it doesn't need.
Ignore the Springfield and go buy a Nighthawk P-35 if you're going to be that much of a snob. I can't stand gunsmiths that think they need to work on every gun they buy. You're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem!
This is a beautiful pistol i love it i want it