![]() ![]() We like Hi-Powers and had been watching the auction sites to find a good sample in acceptable condition at an affordable price. As of this writing, several months after the introduction of the Springfield SA-35, has several Browning Hi-Powers listed (and getting bids) in the $800+ range. Estimated replacement value near the end of 2021 was more than $1200 on auction sites like. Our historical comparison piece is a Browning-marked Hi-Power made in Belgium and assembled in Portugal. However, the SA-35 breaks down just like the vintage version. The Starting Point In each case, we felt that Springfield’s SA-35 (left) improved feel and function of parts from the Browning ver-sion. It would supply a picture of where the current-day gun owner would start if he or she were to get the bug for a Hi-Power that could be improved as a shooter, not as a collectible. We already had on hand an almost-mint condition Browning Hi-Power from circa 1999 that had not been modified. To see whether Gun Tests readers would be wiser to buy a new Hi-Power clone or try to get one of the real things, we obtained a brand-new Springfield Armory SA-35 for review. Contrast that with the new SA-35 at an MSRP of $699. Total investment in 2003 dollars for that pistol and modifications was more than $1k. About 20 years ago, at a not inconsiderable expenditure of time and funds, we bought a Browning Hi-Power then changed the sights, trigger, grips, various internal parts, surface textures, and more. When we looked at the list of features on the new SA-35, we saw that Springfield agreed with our ideas regarding how a modern Hi-Power should be fitted out. You don’t need eyeball calipers to see the narrower channel on the Springfield feed ramp (left). Quality aftermarket parts for such modifications are also available at Cylinder & Slide and Brownells ( ). Costs can run the gamut from two-digit pricing to a full four figures. Modifications can range from a replacement extractor spring, a hammer that won’t bite you, new sights, or a wonderful trigger job all the way to complete custom pistols. Reportedly, there are first-class gunsmithing shops, such as Cylinder & Slide ( /category/cp108) and Tiger McKee, that use the Tisas Hi-Power clone import ($564 at ) for the basis of their creations. Into that vacuum came various clones of the pistol, primarily Turkish-made, and they seemed to be solidly built and have served well. What’s curious about this interest is that for many years, sales of the Hi-Power languished, tooling wore out and costs increased to the point where Browning (FN) dropped the pistol from its line a few years ago. Springfield Armory has recently released its SA-35 9mm, a new iteration of the famous Browning Hi-Power, and shooters are understandably interested in the new pistol. It seems shooters’ fondness for the HP has grown during its absence from the market, and prior to that, during years of languishing sales. To satisfy the curiosity of many readers, our test team recently shot a Springfield Armory SA-35 9mm (above right, with wood grips), against an original Browning Hi-Power (left, with plastic grips). ![]()
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