When Springfield dropped the original SA-35 a couple of years ago, not only they revived the classic Browning Hi-Power; they fixed the issues of this old design as well – namely the hammer bite and the notoriously gritty trigger. Now, Springfield has chopped the barrel down to 4 inches, essentially giving gun enthusiasts a shortened Commander/Detective style Hi-Power configuration they have been asking for decades – the SA-35 4″ Compact
How It Looks and How It’s Built
The 4-inch SA-35 keeps the look that draws people to the platform in the first place. Blued steel, walnut grips, slim lines; no accessory rail, no optics cut interrupting the slide, no aggressive front strap checkering.
Unlike the carry-ready CZ Shadow 2 version that swapped the steel frame for an aluminum one to make it lighter, Springfield kept the forged steel frame and slide, pairing them with a cold hammered 4-inch barrel to achieve a more compact footprint.
Specs:
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel length: 4″
- Overall length: 7.1″
- Height: 4″
- Weight: 29.8 oz. unloaded
- Capacity: 15+1
- Action: Single-Action
- MSRP: $799
At an MSRP of $799, shoppers frequently compare it to the Girsan Hi-Power clones. The Springfield comes at a higher price, but you pay for forged parts, better factory sights and flush-fit 15-round Mec-Gar magazines.
Fit, Feel, Ergonomics
The original P-35 design had a nasty habit of chewing up the web of your hand. Springfield solved this by recontouring the hammer and adding a slight beavertail, so even if you have meaty hands or use a high thumbs-forward grip, you won’t get pinched.
Also, Springfield completely ditched the magazine disconnect safety. Because of that, magazines drop free effortlessly, and the trigger pull is remarkably smooth. It breaks cleanly right around 4.3-4.4 pounds.
It has a subtle, quiet reset, which might take a magazine or two to get used to if you only shoot striker-fired guns, but the metal-on-metal break is excellent.
The thumb safety is an extended, 1911-style paddle that you can easily ride and it clicks on and off with a very positive, tactile snap.
The sights are a massive improvement over vintage models. You get a white dot front sight and a serrated “Tactical Rack” U-notch rear sight. That rear sight sports a flat ledge for one-handed slide manipulation against a belt or boot.
Video by Springfield Armory
How It Shoots
You might expect a shorter 4-inch barrel to make the gun significantly snappier, but that isn’t the case. It tracks quickly, returns to target fast, and keeps the familiar soft-shooting Hi-Power personality. Some testers even liked the recoil cycle more than expected, noting that the compact upper gave the gun a quick but controlled feel.
Springfield redesigned the internals for a shorter slide, adding a full-length guide rod and a flat recoil spring. Additionally, the steel frame aids with the recoil from firing defensive 9mm loads.
Reliability
When the original 5-inch SA-35 launched, some early adopters dealt with occasional extractor failures and ejection issues. The good news is that Springfield seems to have taken care of that. Based on high-round-count tests, the updated feed ramp has no problems handling modern hollow points, and extraction issues appear resolved out of the box.
Stop by GRITR Range, located at Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, and test out the original SA-35 pistol. See how it handles firsthand!
A Viable Carry Gun?
Yes, with a realistic understanding of what you’re carrying.
The shortened slide obviously makes the gun easier to carry – easier holstering, quicker draw clearance, less barrel poking into a seat or hip crease – those small things add up.
Still, this remains an all-steel, single-action pistol weighing over 38 ounces fully loaded. That weight can help on the range; on the belt, you will feel it. But if you prefer carrying an all-metal pistol, the SA-35 4-inch is roughly the same footprint as a Glock 19 and it conceals well under a light jacket or flannel.
The manual of arms is worth discussing here. Not all people are comfortable carrying a single-action pistol cocked and locked (with a round in the chamber, hammer back, and thumb switch in a safe position). But if you want to try, start with a little test. Unload the gun completely. Rack the slide to cock it, flip the safety on, and wear the empty gun around your house for a week. You will quickly notice the trigger never drops on its own.
But your rig plays a huge role here. You need a quality gun belt + holster combo. Get a good leather holster with a thumb break strap, such as Galco. That leather strap physically blocks the hammer from falling. Kydex holsters work beautifully too, provided they securely cover the trigger guard and prevent the safety from getting bumped during daily activities.
Buy some snap caps and practice your draw from concealment. Clear the holster, sweep the safety down, get your sight picture, and press the trigger. Repeat that process a thousand times until the motions feel completely natural.
Pros: Natural pointer, excellent single-action trigger, forged steel durability, soft recoil.
Cons: Heavy, lacks modern optics cuts, manual safety demands specific training.
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