SA-35 Review: Dissecting Springfield’s New Pistol
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Must be all right-handed folks reviewing these... no ambi safety????? who dropped that ball???Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled "SA-35 Review: Dissecting Springfield’s New Pistol" and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/sa-35-review-dissecting-springfields-new-pistol/.
SimonRL
Hellcat
My guess would be the same person who has dropped all the other balls with this albatross!
I don't know... similar to the IIs and IIIs but without the nanny-safeties and with better sights... 15 vs 13 round mag... but a combat handgun should come with an ambi safety... and they could also have beavertailed it.... perhaps on the SA-35B
Not sure what to say here - my SA-35 was defective, sent it back twice, but nobody followed my instructions to verify the fault. After 15 rounds, there was no ability to keep the holes on even the backing board, let alone the target, and the front of the barrel wobbled in what would have been a barrel bushing if my gun had one. I told them I want a replacement gun.
This was months ago, and they still haven't come up with a replacement gun to send me.
Not sure what to say - I want the gun, but I want a gun that works. I'm very busy with other things for a while now, but I have no idea when (or if?) they will ever send me a replacement gun..... It's supposed to be a parts shortage, and I guess I just wait it out.
This was months ago, and they still haven't come up with a replacement gun to send me.
Not sure what to say - I want the gun, but I want a gun that works. I'm very busy with other things for a while now, but I have no idea when (or if?) they will ever send me a replacement gun..... It's supposed to be a parts shortage, and I guess I just wait it out.
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Exact same chain, price and serial # lot for me
TwoDogs
Alpha
Finally got my hands on an SA-35, and at slightly less than MSRP. I’m pretty stoked about it (I love the P35 pattern! Nothing feels quite as good in the hand IMO.) but the weather isn’t cooperating what with blizzards and -25 temps. Shot a few rounds off the deck at a steel target among the snows and it shoots sweet. But… the “factory tuned” trigger is so far a big disappointment. There is a definite, very prominent “bump” and then 5.4 pounds of pressure sets her off. (Measured with Wheeler gauge, average of 10 releases.) That bump should not be there, for sure. It’s creep on steroids. I’m going to wring it out once the weather allows. I hope it is clear of the extraction issue, being in the 12,000 SN range. Meanwhile it’s happy fondle time by the fireplace.
Price is based on supply and demand. No supply, prices high. That's ALL on Springfield. Guess the extractor problems were a lot harder to fix than they thought.
TwoDogs
Alpha
A plague on the scalpers!
Assuming this is still an active thread, I'm wondering what sort of results people are having with the SA-35, hand-held, shooting at targets such as a B-8.
I took my latest gun (long story) to the range this morning, and here's two of the targets at 15 yards. First target was 5 rounds, and the second target was 10. I'm used to using "bullseye sights", but am struggling with how I'm supposed to use the sights on the SA-35. I'm also curious as to how I can adjust these non-adjustable sights.
Does anyone make a kit to mount red dot sights on this gun?
I took my latest gun (long story) to the range this morning, and here's two of the targets at 15 yards. First target was 5 rounds, and the second target was 10. I'm used to using "bullseye sights", but am struggling with how I'm supposed to use the sights on the SA-35. I'm also curious as to how I can adjust these non-adjustable sights.
Does anyone make a kit to mount red dot sights on this gun?
Attachments
KillerFord1977
SAINT
No issue on the sights of my SA-35
Have you had anyone else shoot the gun?
Similar reaults? Better? Worse ?
Different ammo ?
Talyn
SAINT
#1 - It's like your hold. Typically, the shooter is the weakest link.
#2 - No kit to mount a red dot, but Girsan has one of their version with a red dot.
A quick reply - as "Talyn" wrote: "#1 - It's like your hold. Typically, the shooter is the weakest link." But I shot three guns yesterday:
SA-35
Springfield 1911 Range Officer "Target" 9mm
A friend's Les Baer 1911 45 with the heavy build
I was pleased with all but the -35. To be honest, the other two targets represented what I am now capable of.
The only things I do with my guns is shoot Bullseye Targets, two-handed, at 15, 25, and 50 yards. The Range Officer has fully adjustable open sights, just what many people use for Bullseye, and for added precision, my old eyes work better consistently with a red dot sight.
To answer the questions, I let lots of people shoot my previous two SA-35's, and the fellow who won the Bullseye Match a week earlier gave up on my gun, and told me to send it back and let Springfield fix it - the front sight was not installed correctly, it had a terrible 8-pound trigger, the roughest of any of my guns, and of all the people who tried it told me - it needed serious work. Instead, I sent it back to Springfield for the third time. (The first gun they sold me was defective, and I told them I wanted a different gun or a refund - they replaced the gun.... but the butcher who assembled the parts for the second gun I received resulted in a gun that was awful. On this third trip they replaced the front sight, replaced the barrel, did a "trigger job" on it, and sent me a gun that I hoped was finally OK.
First problem, which I understood before I bought the gun - the sights are not adjustable. I found that my best results were with a "sub-6-o'clock" hold, like in the two targets I just posted.
Rather than say more here, how are we supposed to use the SA-35 sights? If I do what I think they want me to do, place the white dot in the front sight in the middle of the opening on the rear sight, I'll be shooting way too high. I'm using the sights as I do with all my other guns, top edge of both sights level, and an equal gap on either side of the front sight.
It's still a very desirable gun, and the selling prices are still much higher than the $699 it is supposed to cost. I figure eventually someone will come out with a kit to allow me to mount a red dot on it. I suppose I could have BH Spring Solutiions make all their improvements to my gun, but another part of me is screaming that I should stop wasting time, money, and ammo, and stick with my Springfield 9mm Range Officer Target, which is perfect for me.
Interesting that nobody else here is posting targets. In every way I know of, the SA-35 is a beautiful, fantastic gun, which is being sold at an unrealistically low price. It's easy to clean (much more so than a 1911), and it feels great in my hand. I dry-fire it for hours on end, and the more I use it, the smoother it feels. The three test targets I got from Springfield, using different types of ammo, were excellent. All the magazine reviews had good things to say about the ammo I use, 9mm 115 grain MagTech, which works great in my new Range Officer.
....oh, and I've watched the YouTube videos of people shooting the SA-35, most of which don't seem to shoot better than my gun, except Hickok45, and for him the gun is flat-out amazing!!!!! Check out his video from a year or so ago.
I'd love to see others here post targets, but maybe target shooting has nothing do do with why you buy your guns.
I accept that the most likely cause of my issues is me, and maybe I'm just asking too much out of the gun. It was never designed as a "target gun", and other than for this, I love it. I'm far too stubborn to give up on it, although if someone makes me a decent offer at the range......... I dunno.
SA-35
Springfield 1911 Range Officer "Target" 9mm
A friend's Les Baer 1911 45 with the heavy build
I was pleased with all but the -35. To be honest, the other two targets represented what I am now capable of.
The only things I do with my guns is shoot Bullseye Targets, two-handed, at 15, 25, and 50 yards. The Range Officer has fully adjustable open sights, just what many people use for Bullseye, and for added precision, my old eyes work better consistently with a red dot sight.
To answer the questions, I let lots of people shoot my previous two SA-35's, and the fellow who won the Bullseye Match a week earlier gave up on my gun, and told me to send it back and let Springfield fix it - the front sight was not installed correctly, it had a terrible 8-pound trigger, the roughest of any of my guns, and of all the people who tried it told me - it needed serious work. Instead, I sent it back to Springfield for the third time. (The first gun they sold me was defective, and I told them I wanted a different gun or a refund - they replaced the gun.... but the butcher who assembled the parts for the second gun I received resulted in a gun that was awful. On this third trip they replaced the front sight, replaced the barrel, did a "trigger job" on it, and sent me a gun that I hoped was finally OK.
First problem, which I understood before I bought the gun - the sights are not adjustable. I found that my best results were with a "sub-6-o'clock" hold, like in the two targets I just posted.
Rather than say more here, how are we supposed to use the SA-35 sights? If I do what I think they want me to do, place the white dot in the front sight in the middle of the opening on the rear sight, I'll be shooting way too high. I'm using the sights as I do with all my other guns, top edge of both sights level, and an equal gap on either side of the front sight.
It's still a very desirable gun, and the selling prices are still much higher than the $699 it is supposed to cost. I figure eventually someone will come out with a kit to allow me to mount a red dot on it. I suppose I could have BH Spring Solutiions make all their improvements to my gun, but another part of me is screaming that I should stop wasting time, money, and ammo, and stick with my Springfield 9mm Range Officer Target, which is perfect for me.
kcruisin:
I know there are other guns similar to the High Power, and your gun is beautiful. You seem to be very happy with it. Have you shot any bullseye style targets with it, and if so, can you please post one here?Talyn
I know about those charts, but the only gun I own right now that refuses to do what I want it to do is the SA-35, although my Taurus PT-92AFS was the same way. I sold it to buy the SA-35, which I likely sell in the near future since I have the Range Officer 9mm which is perfect for me, and does what I want, only limited by my own ability.KillerFord1977
Lots of people at my range have shot my previous SA-35 guns. They couldn't believe how poorly the gun shot. This newest gun was handed around for others to check out yesterday, and they said it wasn't "perfect" but plenty good. The ones who knew the most said it had a little "trigger creep", but they were positively impressed. No, by the time I had to leave the range, nobody else had shot it.Interesting that nobody else here is posting targets. In every way I know of, the SA-35 is a beautiful, fantastic gun, which is being sold at an unrealistically low price. It's easy to clean (much more so than a 1911), and it feels great in my hand. I dry-fire it for hours on end, and the more I use it, the smoother it feels. The three test targets I got from Springfield, using different types of ammo, were excellent. All the magazine reviews had good things to say about the ammo I use, 9mm 115 grain MagTech, which works great in my new Range Officer.
....oh, and I've watched the YouTube videos of people shooting the SA-35, most of which don't seem to shoot better than my gun, except Hickok45, and for him the gun is flat-out amazing!!!!! Check out his video from a year or so ago.
I'd love to see others here post targets, but maybe target shooting has nothing do do with why you buy your guns.
I accept that the most likely cause of my issues is me, and maybe I'm just asking too much out of the gun. It was never designed as a "target gun", and other than for this, I love it. I'm far too stubborn to give up on it, although if someone makes me a decent offer at the range......... I dunno.
