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SA 35 in 45 and 10 mm

How many people out there would like to have the World’s finest single action fighting pistol chambered in 45 or 10 mm???? This is probably one of the most often kicked around What Ifs in the handgun community. John Browning was the worlds best firearms designer and the 1911 was a truly good pistol but he wanted to remove its deficiencies, his words. He labored for years refining his design and that was the P35 that the French government contracted for. He would have chambered it in 45 had he been able to. I have Glocks and H&Ks chambered in 45 but if I could have an SA 35 in 45 and 10 mm I would buy several and I bet they would out sell the SA35 in 9 mm.
 
The .40 S&W Mk. III model maxed out the design and strength of the BHP (Mk.III version only) that we all know & love, so there would have to be an entirely new design that would look like a BHP to handle the 10mm & .45 acp.

Also, based on it's idiosyncrasies BHP isn't as durable nor as reliable as the 1911.

And I've owned both for 40+ years.
 
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How many people out there would like to have the World’s finest single action fighting pistol chambered in 45 or 10 mm???? This is probably one of the most often kicked around What Ifs in the handgun community. John Browning was the worlds best firearms designer and the 1911 was a truly good pistol but he wanted to remove its deficiencies, his words. He labored for years refining his design and that was the P35 that the French government contracted for. He would have chambered it in 45 had he been able to. I have Glocks and H&Ks chambered in 45 but if I could have an SA 35 in 45 and 10 mm I would buy several and I bet they would out sell the SA35 in 9 mm.
The 1911 already exists in both calibers.

Problem solved.
 
How many people out there would like to have the World’s finest single action fighting pistol chambered in 45 or 10 mm???? This is probably one of the most often kicked around What Ifs in the handgun community. John Browning was the worlds best firearms designer and the 1911 was a truly good pistol but he wanted to remove its deficiencies, his words. He labored for years refining his design and that was the P35 that the French government contracted for. He would have chambered it in 45 had he been able to. I have Glocks and H&Ks chambered in 45 but if I could have an SA 35 in 45 and 10 mm I would buy several and I bet they would out sell the SA35 in 9 mm.
JM Browning died a few years before the patents were approved for two prototype BHP versions he submitted, and one of those the designs was refined and completed by Dieudonné Saive into the P35 at FN Herstal.
 
The .40 S&W Mk. III model maxed out the design and strength of the BHP (Mk.III version only) that we all know & love, so there would have to be an entirely new design that would look like a BHP to handle the 10mm & .45 acp.

Also, based on it's idiosyncrasies BHP isn't as durable nor as reliable as the 1911.

And I've owned both for 40+ years.
According to Browning himself the swinging link is very inferior to his newer design and the fact that it was issued to over 90 countries as a side arm attest to its reliability. The frame and slide would certainly benefit from a slight increase in size and a much stronger recoil spring would be needed. The HiPower is probably the most easily aimed pistol in existence. I have owned about a dozen over the years and love my pre 1960 FN target version GP and I had Novak tune and install adjustable night sights on it basically destroying the value of on of the rarest versions ever offered but I wanted the Ultimate carry HiPower and cost and value be damned I have it. With proper metallurgy machining I bet Springfield Armory could give us a 45 HiPower with 12 or 13 round magazine capacity and 15or 16 round 10mm. The grip portion of the frame should only require a slight increase in size to accommodate the extra rounds, if it was lengthened by 1/2 and widened by 1/8 it would only change its looks a small amount wich is well worth the effort to get the 45 and 10mm to work.
 
According to Browning himself the swinging link is very inferior to his newer design and the fact that it was issued to over 90 countries as a side arm attest to its reliability. The frame and slide would certainly benefit from a slight increase in size and a much stronger recoil spring would be needed. The HiPower is probably the most easily aimed pistol in existence. I have owned about a dozen over the years and love my pre 1960 FN target version GP and I had Novak tune and install adjustable night sights on it basically destroying the value of on of the rarest versions ever offered but I wanted the Ultimate carry HiPower and cost and value be damned I have it. With proper metallurgy machining I bet Springfield Armory could give us a 45 HiPower with 12 or 13 round magazine capacity and 15or 16 round 10mm. The grip portion of the frame should only require a slight increase in size to accommodate the extra rounds, if it was lengthened by 1/2 and widened by 1/8 it would only change its looks a small amount wich is well worth the effort to get the 45 and 10mm to work.
Yeah, I like HiPowers…but it doesn’t hold a candle to the 1911 when it comes to ergonomics, and the 1911 trigger leaves the HP in the dust.

As for durability…much ado about nothing.

Additionally—feel a CZ97 compared to a CZ75, and that extra meat to fit a .45 is actually considerable.

Again—want a 10 or a .45? Get a 1911.

By the bye: I rather suspect that the caliber had a lot to do with the BHP’s adoption with multiple militaries…
 
JM Browning died a few years before the patents were approved for two prototype BHP versions he submitted, and one of those the designs was refined and completed by Dieudonné Saive into the P35 at FN Herstal.
Yes and Saive said in his memoirs that he and Browning had settled on the final version and that even though Browning never actually saw the HiPower, that it was the way he wanted it and that John Moses Browning was it’s creator. Browning himself would have offered it as a 45 had he lived
The 1911 already exists in both calibers.

Problem solved.
The HiPower is much better, John Brownings words not mine. The HiPower has a better barrel lock up than w 1911 and Browning wanted to correct that issue, again his words not mine. Browning hated the Grip safety but the US Army made him include it for soldiers on horseback. The French mandated the magazine safety for the HiPower but it is easily removed without changing the gun
 
Yes and Saive said in his memoirs that he and Browning had settled on the final version and that even though Browning never actually saw the HiPower, that it was the way he wanted it and that John Moses Browning was it’s creator. Browning himself would have offered it as a 45 had he lived

The HiPower is much better, John Brownings words not mine. The HiPower has a better barrel lock up than w 1911 and Browning wanted to correct that issue, again his words not mine. Browning hated the Grip safety but the US Army made him include it for soldiers on horseback. The French mandated the magazine safety for the HiPower but it is easily removed without changing the gun
And the trigger on the BHP still isn’t as good as a 1911’s…even my C&S massaged Mk3 doesn’t come near my Baer—or my Wilson X9.
 
Yeah, I like HiPowers…but it doesn’t hold a candle to the 1911 when it comes to ergonomics, and the 1911 trigger leaves the HP in the dust.

As for durability…much ado about nothing.

Additionally—feel a CZ97 compared to a CZ75, and that extra meat to fit a .45 is actually considerable.

Again—want a 10 or a .45? Get a 1911.
I want the Absolute Very best and that is the new and improved 1911 Accor to the man that designed the 1911, Ghe 1911 has a very good trigger for sure. My Novak HiPower has one too. The HiPower can have as light a trigger as you wish within reason but I recommend a proper gunsmith. I have used Don Williamsat the Action Works, Cylinder and Slide and Novak and I prefer Novak but a good smith can give good results and not break the bank.
 
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I want the Absolute Very best and that is the new and improved 1911 Accor to the man that designed the 1911, Ghe 1911 has a very good trigger for sure. My Novak HiPower has one too. The HiPower can have as light a trigger as you wish within reason but I recommend a proper gunsmith. I have used Don Williamsat the Action Works, Cylinder and Slide and Novak and I prefer Novak but a good smith can give good results and not break the bank.
So spend the money for a STI/2011 in .45 or 10… that’s the best going, at least in the doublestack big bore category.

Not shoehorning a caliber that a pistol was never designed for into a platform designed for a smaller caliber.
 
According to Browning himself the swinging link is very inferior to his newer design and the fact that it was issued to over 90 countries as a side arm attest to its reliability. The frame and slide would certainly benefit from a slight increase in size and a much stronger recoil spring would be needed. The HiPower is probably the most easily aimed pistol in existence. I have owned about a dozen over the years and love my pre 1960 FN target version GP and I had Novak tune and install adjustable night sights on it basically destroying the value of on of the rarest versions ever offered but I wanted the Ultimate carry HiPower and cost and value be damned I have it. With proper metallurgy machining I bet Springfield Armory could give us a 45 HiPower with 12 or 13 round magazine capacity and 15or 16 round 10mm. The grip portion of the frame should only require a slight increase in size to accommodate the extra rounds, if it was lengthened by 1/2 and widened by 1/8 it would only change its looks a small amount wich is well worth the effort to get the 45 and 10mm to work.
The BHP was designed to address a French military pistol competition that specified the 9mm Luger.

That being said both the .45 & 10mm have longer case lengths & since the BHP is famous for its slim slide the .40 S&W maxed out that slim design so to accommodate either cartridge requires a different slide design above and beyond the changes you outline needed for an entirely new frame/grip, both to increase magazine capacity but also handle the greater power of the 10mm.

Speaking of metallurgy FN already had to go with strong steel for both the slide (also heavier for the .40 S&W) & a cast frame to barely tame the Mk. III .40 S&W.

All this amounts to an entirely new design that might resemble the 9mm BHP, but the well-known 9mm design we all know & love can't accommodate either cartridge.
 
The BHP was designed to address a French military pistol competition that specified the 9mm Luger.

That being said both the .45 & 10mm have longer case lengths & since the BHP is famous for its slim slide the .40 S&W maxed out that slim design so to accommodate either cartridge requires a different slide design above and beyond the changes you outline needed for an entirely new frame/grip, both to increase magazine capacity but also handle the greater power of the 10mm.

Speaking of metallurgy FN already had to go with strong steel for both the slide (also heavier for the .40 S&W) & a cast frame to barely tame the Mk. III .40 S&W.

All this amounts to an entirely new design that might resemble the 9mm BHP, but the well-known 9mm design we all know & love can't accommodate either cartridge.
I know it would take some work to get a 45 or 10mm in a HiPower, I just think it would be a lovely gun.
 
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