Hi Power Clones

[Nathan]

So, if a person wanted a semi fancy high power with good quality/function/reliability, decent sights, extended safety, decent finish, decent accuracy, what would you get in today’s market.

My budget is anything under $1500 would be considered, but really want to stay under $800. Heck, there are guns under $450….any good?

[44 AMP]

Springfield Armory SA-35.

Better in some ways than an actual Browning.

[105kw]

Second vote for SA35, new price is under 750 dollars.
Smooth gun, well built, good sights.
I would avoid a Girsan. Worse fit, trigger pull rough. And it has the magazine disconnect.
I traded it in after test firing. I am not getting rid of my SA35.

[The Happy kaboomer]

X2......On the Springfield SA 35.............For your #1500 and under ya can get a real BHP off the gun auction sites.

[GeneS]

I have to agree on the Springfield SA 35. I've had a Browning Hi Power MkII since the 80s and an SA 35 for a year. The Springfield clone is better in pretty much every way that I can tell.

[ammo.crafter]

PM me if interested in Hi Power Practical Belgium Browning.

[Aguila Blanca]

I have to agree on the Springfield Armory SA-35.

Browning has discontinued manufacture of the Hi-Power. Springfield stepped in to fill that void. A plus for me (possibly a negative to purists) is that the SA-35 does not have a magazine disconnect. The original Hi-Power does have a magazine disconnect, which many owners/users remove.

[Sharkbite]

I have a SA-35 currently. Ive had a cpl Brownings over the years. I like the Springfield better.

I did have to knock off some of the sharp edges and then had the frame refinished. Smooth as a babys butt now.

Good sights. Reasonable trigger. Goes bang everytime and hits where its pointed.

Does it compair to a custol 1911… no. But if you want a Hi-power, i think its a winner.

[44 AMP]

A plus for me (possibly a negative to purists) is that the SA-35 does not have a magazine disconnect. The original Hi-Power does have a magazine disconnect, which many owners/users remove.

The original prototype Browing designed did not have a magazine disconnect. FN engineers were left with the task of finishing the pistol. France demanded a magazine disconnect, and believing France would be a major customer, FN engineers put one in the pistol, finishing some other details to get the gun ready for production, creating the Browning Hi Power we know today.

The French never bought any.

I had a commercial Browning Hi Power in the 80s. Great gun, fine fit and finish, mine even had factory adjustable sights. Fit my hand well, worked well, I liked it a lot, except for three things. The trigger pull was very heavy and horrid. The safety lever tab was small, and the safety lever does not "lock" in either positions like the 1911 design does, it relies on friction to stay on, or off, And it had the magazine disconnector.

I recently had the opportunity to do a (non shooting) side by side comparison of the Springfield SA-35 and the Girsan. The SA-35 was superior in every way that matters to me. Fit and finish were better, Trigger pull was better than any factory stock Hi Power I've ever handled, and the magazines drop free when the release is pushed. The Springfield was unfired, the Girsan had one box (50) fired through it. The Girsan was stiffer to operate, and it took noticeably more force to cock the hammer or pull the trigger. The Girsan has an ambidextrous safety, the Springfield does not, which might matter to some people, but does not matter to me.

I would purchase the SA-35 over any of the other Hi Powers out there, even an actual Browning.

[Drm50]

I don’t even look at Brownings unless Belgian produced. For the money I would look for a good used HP, you can find for $1k in high condition or look into one of the licensed models from Mauser or other European brands. I have several HPs and shot a SA-35, didn’t do much for me. Will take word that Girsan isn’t up to SA-35 quality. I had Mauser awhile back SA-80 I think was model, contracted to FEG by Mauser. I could not fault it against any military produced HP. It had holster wear but running gears suggested low round count. I let it go for $500.

[rodfac]

Here's another vote for the SA-35.

I've owned and shot Hi Powers for over 50 years, including almost a full year in Vietnam, and this one is the best I've ever handled. It's trigger is far better than two of my currently owned Hi Powers.

Added bonuses: good sized safety that's accessible but positive in function and Springfield dispensed with the abominable magazine safety, outstanding sights, re-engineered hammer to eliminate 'bite', functional finish, great machining, good walnut stocks, and accuracy that's better, out of the box, than any other 9mm I've owned....< 2.5" @ 25 yds, rested. And at ~1500 rounds, I can't truthfully remember a bobble, that's reliability.

I can't speak to the other 'clones' but this one is outstanding.

Best Regards, Rod

[Nathan]

How do the Girsan and FN pistols rate?

[jetinteriorguy]

I keep eyeballing the SA35 but every time I see one for sale I go down to my safe and pull out my FEG and am reminded how good it feels in my hand and how well it shoots. I did remove the mag disconnect and polish things up a bit and for the $250.00 I paid for it resist buying the SA35.

[bac1023]

The clones are great for those that truly like the design and enjoy shooting it. For me, the Browning Hi Power is a poor shooter, with somewhat fragile construction and thin frames. Trigger is God-awful and accuracy is fair at best.

I have some vintage models for history and nostalgia, but there are dozens of guns I’d rather shoot. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I shot any of mine. The GP Competition model does have an improved factory trigger.

[Erno86]

I do like the feel of the Pachmayr Grips on my Browning Hi-Power.

[eastbank]

my mauser-mod 80 sa 9mm serial number 80035xx has been a very good pistol, in over 500 rounds with out any problems at all(i do clean and service after any range time) and the good part only 250.00 at public auction. i carry it in a bianchi #3S thumb break holster cocked.

[44caliberkid]

I have one of the new Inglis Hi Powers, that are made in Turkey. I bought because of its beautiful case hardened colors finish and Turkish walnut grips. It is 100% functional, but shoots 7 or 8 inch groups (10 shots) at 25 yards. I also have a Belgian Browning made in 1966 and it is similarly accurate, but it jams occasionally.

[Seven High]

7 to 8 inch groups ? Is that typical for Hipowers? That doesn’t sound very accurate to me!

[eastbank]

my mauser mod 80 hi power clone will do 4-5 inch groups at 25 yards and will some times do a little better from a rest with hard ball ammo. 7-8 inch groups seems a little large to me, maybe a different brand of ammo could shrink the group.

[Shoots Left]

I've nothing of substance to address Nathan's original question but gosh darn after this thread I really want to rent an SA-35 before I just go out an just buy one.

Dang! Something like this wasn't on my RADAR before...thanks a lot everyone!

[Pumpkin]

I will have to say that the SA-35 does it for me, dang it.

[44caliberkid]

I have never found the 9mm Luger cartridge to be particularly accurate. My first 9mm was an HK P9S that I bought in 1978. It also printed 6 to 8 inch groups at 25 yards, and that was when I had young eyes and steadier hands, so it was easy for me to let it go when something else came along. My next 9 was when we switched from revolvers to Wonder Nines in 1989, and I bought a Taurus PT99, instead of the Beretta, for the adjustable sights and frame mounted safety. It would keep everything inside of 4 inches, so I was satisfied with it, still have it in the family. Since then I’ve had Hi Powers, P-38’s, a Luger et al. Surprisingly, one of my most accurate 9mm’s, is a Helwan Brigadier, and among new pistols, the Canik TP9SFx, both will group 3.5 inches or less at 25 yards. But I have never seen clover leaf or one hole groups from a 9mm, like I get from my target 1911 45acp.

[44 AMP]

But I have never seen clover leaf or one hole groups from a 9mm, like I get from my target 1911 45acp.

As long as you are comparing a target pistol to service grade pistols, you probably won't.

[smee78]

I picked up one of the Arcus 94 clones, removed the mag safety, and helped the trigger a lot. If you are looking for a newer clone the SA-35 is hard to beat for what you get.

[KyJim]

I like the SA-35 enough to buy two.