The traditional P-35 was produced to offer, among other things, more rounds in a pistol.
Enter the Springfield Armory SA-35.
In early 2022, Springfield released the SA-35 to the gun community and they were ecstatic.
Trying to decide between the Springfield Armory SA-35 and the 1911 Operator? The author puts them head-to-head.
[Be sure to read ourin-depth review of the SA-35 here.]
What Is It?
Springfield increased the capacity from the original design to 15 rounds.
The Springfield Armory SA-35 is the wildly popular pistol based on John M. Browning’s famous 9mm handgun.
The wood checkered grips have nice texturing along with vertical black lines through them that look super cool.
A common complaint with the original design was hammer bite.
Some shooters would state the spurred hammer would reach past the beavertail and strike the web of the hand.
The 1911 Operator 9mm uses the original barrel bushing design of the 1911, while the SA-35’s design moved away from this concept.
Springfield uses a ring hammer in place of a spurred hammer which will prevent the dreaded hammer bite.
The greatest improvement for me is the lighter single-action trigger.
I own an original pistol and the single-action trigger is very heavy.
The sizes of the 1911 Operator and SA-35 are similar. If the size of one works for your needs, the other is likely to also be a good fit.
My scale measures it at 9 lbs.
The SA-35 has a 5.5-lb.
trigger that makes shooting the pistol a more pleasurable experience.
The Springfield Armory 1911 Operator is a well-refined update to Browning’s iconic fighting handgun.
Why This Review?
I thought it would be cool to compare two of Brownings historic pistols.
To do that, a 1911 must be in the comparison.
The capacity difference balances the caliber difference. The SA-35 fits significantly more cartridges in its double-column magazine.
I decided to compare the SA-35 with the Springfield 1911 Operator in 9mm.
I have a fondness for both of these pistols.
While they share a few common features, they are very different in several ways.
Both pistols are single-action, but only the 1911 on the right has a grip safety.
Lets take a look at the 1911 Operator in 9mm.
The 1911 Operator in 9mm looks and feels the exact same, except the chambering and magazine capacity.
It has beautiful desert tan VZ G-10 grips that look great with the black Cerakote slide and frame.
The sights on both pistols are good but clearly different. The SA-35 uses a wide and deep U-notch while the 1911 Operator uses a more traditional squared rear notch with a pair of dots.
[Dont miss theSpringfield Operator 1911 .45 Reviewby Mike Mills.]
It uses an ambidextrous thumb safety, forward slide serrations and three-dot sights with a tritium front night sight.
It has a Picatinny rail for a light along with a trigger that is truly amazing.
The Springfield 1911 Operator has an internal extractor design, while the SA-35 uses an external extractor. Both are reliable systems.
The single-action trigger on the 1911 Operator breaks at 4 lbs.
with a very short reset.
It is consistent with Springfield Armory 1911s which keeps people coming back when shopping for a 1911.
The build quality, premier components and shooting accuracy is all there with the 1911 Operator.
You Said This Was a Comparison…
Lets get to the premise of this review and compare the SA-35 with the 9mm 1911 Operator.
The similarities are that both are Springfield Armory full-size, steel frame, single-action 9mm handguns.
They both hold incredible historic significance.
Now, lets get to the differences.
Magazine Capacity
The SA-35 has a double-stack 9mm magazine that carries 15 rounds.
The 1911 Operator has a single stack 9mm magazine that carries nine rounds.
It is not hard to make a choice in this category.
SA-35 for the win.
Grips
The SA-35 has wood checkered grips versus the G-10 grips on the 1911 Operator.
The 1911 Operator took this one.
Finish
I am a huge fan of Cerakote.
A Cerakoted firearm is less likely to scratch or show wear.
The matte black finish on the SA-35 is suited for its traditional look.
However, I feel Cerakote is the best.
Victory to the 1911 Operator for the beautiful Cerakote finish.
Beavertail & Grip Safety
The SA-35 has a shorter, less pronounced beavertail and no thumb safety.
The 1911 Operator has a longer beavertail along with a 1911 grip safety.
I appreciate that Springfield Armory kept with common traditional features when they created both of these pistols.
It is because of that, I cannot make a choice.
Therefore, I am calling it a draw.
Thumb Safety & Hammer
These are two areas where Springfield improved the original P-35 design.
They also made a ring hammer to prevent hammer bite.
The 1911 Operator has an ambidextrous thumb safety and a skeletonized hammer.
One may expect me to choose the 1911 Operator because the thumb safety is left-hander friendly.
However, the 1911 Operator has a tritium day/night front sight.
If you ask me, anyone with a beating heart has to go with the 1911 Operator sight system.
But, bear in mind the price difference as well.
Trigger
I am a 1911 guy through and through.
I cannot think of a firearm that I enjoy shooting more than a 1911.
The primary reason is the short and light single-action trigger pull.
The 1911 triggers aid in accuracy and follow-up shots.
Springfield did great work, making the heavy P-35 trigger much lighter.
The trigger difference with the SA-35 and P-35 is night and day.
However, the 1911 Operator trigger won.
Disassembly
Both pistols have a combined takedown/slide stop lever.
Both need to be removed to disassemble the pistols.
Therefore, I am going with the SA-35 for the simplicity of disassembly.
Pricing
As noted the MSRP for the SA-35 is $799.
The MSRP for the 1911 Operator is $1,184.
The difference between the two is $385.
I am not a financial advisor, but I do understand basic math.
A shooter could take the $385 and purchase 1,500 rounds of 9mm.
On the other hand, you get a lot great features on the Operator for its price.
Shooting Impressions
Let me just say, I have enjoyed both of these pistols very much.
Range time with either of these is a win for the shooter.
Both handguns have performed reliably and both were very accurate right out of the case.
I love what Springfield Armory did with the SA-35.
They took a proven platform and made it better.
The same could be said with the 1911 Operator considering the modern features.
If you watch the attached video, you may notice that I did very well with both pistols.
Having said that, I am going with the 1911 Operator.
Conclusion
I truly enjoyed this review and I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Both the SA-35 and the 1911 Operator are amazing pistols.
You cannot go wrong with either one.
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