And, it was a pistol designed for foreign military contracts.
How could a red-blooded fan of the 1911 like that?
But hey, we can all be wrong, right?
The American-made SA-35 caught the author’s attention immediately. How did it compare to his stable of 1911s?
It was the appearance of the American-made SA-35 that got me to reconsider this proven 9mm design.
For instance, the P-35 has been known to have a nasty hammer bite for folks with thicker paws.
I for one have been a repeat offender of the pistols sharp nip.
A European gun with American hot rod components? That’s how the author suggests the SA-35 could be viewed.
The most important upgrade though, is the trigger.
Originally, the P-35s trigger was … well … quite rubbish.
As far as single-action triggers go, it has one of the worst in my opinion.
Springfield Armory redesigned the SA-35’s hammer to prevent “bite.” After several days of training, the author was appreciative of this engineering effort.
This is due to a magazine-trigger disconnect, another bit of Euro-inspired design.
Of course, the SA-35 has upgraded, modern sights compared to the original, which is very nice.
A proper leather holster for a proper, classically styled handgun.
Deletion of the magazine disconnect allows the SA-35 to have an obviously superior trigger pull when compared to the original design.
In addition to the gun, I carry a pocket knife and, most importantly, a handheld flashlight.
This allows me to keep a two-handed grip on the handgun with the flashlight pointed downrange.
It is the single-most used piece of kit in my EDC.
Perfect companions? Here the author displays his preferred holster for the SA-35 — the Galco Summer Comfort IWB rig.
The safety is exposed with the Summer Comfort and the SA-35.
This competes with most any gun in its size bracket.
At 31.5 ounces, the SA-35 is a touch heavier than many of the polymer-frame guns available.
The author carries a Surefire G2X with a Thyrm Switchback for low-light target acquisition.
Coupled with the ergonomic shape of the SA-35, the weight makes for a very, very comfortable shooter.
Carrying over from my experience with a 1911 pistol, I use a thumb-over grip on the safety.
The thumb remains over the safety, effectively pinning it down.
The Galco Summer Comfort holster is a leather inside-the-waistband holster that works great with classic pistols like the SA-35.
But, a carry handgun is more than the sum of its performance and aesthetic.
Parts, magazines, and accessories are important to a carry handguns success.
Magazines are plentiful, and 15- and 13-round magazines can be found easily and usually under $30.
The author found he shot the SA-35 very well and appreciated its classic styling.
Heinie used my pistol as a sample to help develop new sights for the SA-35.
These enhancements, while seemingly small, made a world of difference on the range.
Heinie sights are simple, with a thin front sight that really cleans up the target picture when presented.
Aftermarket accessories for the SA-35 are plentiful. You can purchase threaded barrels, grip panels, holsters and even rail fixtures for mounting weapon lights.
Oh, and the trigger job is just absolutely wonderful with a clean break.
Classic aesthetics with modern performance, the SA-35 is just done right.
It may not be my favorite handgun ever, but it is a close second.
The author’s SA-35 was used by Heinie Specialty to develop its custom sights for the pistol.
