Springfield Armory has sent yours truly. SA-35 Polished Blued For review, and this is the version that many have been waiting for since its original launch. I covered that first SA-35 as a T&E gun, came away impressed, and curious what Springfield would do next with the platform. What they did was take the same gun, run it through a dedicated polishing process before turning the hot salt color blue, add checkered walnut grips, and include a matching polished blued magazine in the box. Let’s dive right into the Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished Blued!
thank you so much AmmoForSale.com For providing the PMC 147gr FMJ for this review. The tremendous support from companies like this makes the work possible, and we don’t take it lightly.
Springfield Arsenal at All Outdoors:
Specifications: Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished Blued
The SA-35 Polished Blued is built on the same bones Original SA-35. Forged carbon steel frame and slide, cold hammer forged barrel, nut grips, no magazine disconnect, drop-free magazines. Springfield runs the steel through a dedicated polishing process before hot salt bluing, which gives this version depth of color rather than the matte look of the standard model. The magwell is slightly funneled for easier reloading, and a matching polished blued 15-round magazine ships with the gun.
- Calibre: 9mm
- Action: Single-Action Semi-Auto
- barrel: 4.7″ Cold Hammer Forged
- Overall Length: 7.75″
- Height: 5″
- Width: 1.34″
- weight: 31.5 ounces (unloaded)
- Capacity: 15+1
- Places: White Dot Front / Tactical Rack Rear (Dovetailed)
- grasp: checkered walnut
- finish: polished hot salt blue carbon steel
- Security: Extended manual thumb safety (right hand)
- Made in: Geneseo, Illinois
- SKU: hp9202
- MSRP: $799
SA-35 Polished Blue Keeps the same $799 MSRP as the standard matte version. The polishing step added by Springfield before blueing is not trivial, so sustaining that price is a solid value proposition for anyone ready for this finish.
“Based on one of the most prolific and popular pistols in small arms history, the Springfield Armory® SA-35 gives today’s shooters a modern take on an iconic classic. Featuring subtle but significant upgrades to John Moses Browning’s original P-35 design, the 9mm SA-35 reflects the appeal of the “wood and steel” era of weapon making, now complemented by a classic polished blued finish. Made in the United States, The SA-35 features reinforced forged steel parts for strength and durability, improved ergonomics and advanced controls, a factory-tuned trigger, modern sights, an improved feed ramp design and an increased 15-round capacity.
First Look: Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished Blued
This part is visible when it is taken out of the box. The finish has depth, the walnut grips match well with the blue, and the matching polished blue magazine is a nice detail that completes the package. Out of the box this is a nice looking gun, full stop.
If you hold it up to direct light and really examine it, you can see traces of blue polishing underneath in some places. This is something a writer or gunsmith notices because that’s what we do. You will not be able to see it if you hold it in your hand in natural light. It didn’t get the same attention as the old FN Hi-Power did in its day, but at this price point that’s not a realistic expectation. In hand and in the real world, it looks great.
The sights have the same white dot front and rear running on the Tactical Rack Springfield SA-35. The rear sight has serrated ridges that reduce glare, and the front sight is matte over the dot. Despite sitting on top of a very bright slide, glare at the range was not a problem.
Range Time: Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished Blued
About 200 rounds went into this range session SA-35 Polished Blued. It consisted of Remington 115 grain 9mm range ammunition and PMC 147 grain full metal jacket. AmmoForSale.com. Both guns fired without hesitation.
Accuracy landed in consistent three-inch groups at fifteen yards, unsupported. Recoil can be greatly controlled with a small stroke. The front of the gun is light and you feel it while firing, but it never becomes a problem. This is a comfortable gun to run on extended strings.
The trigger pull of this specific gun averaged 3 pounds 15 ounces for five pulls. The feel of it is minimal take-up, a clean wallop, then a crisp drop. No stacking, no mushyness before the break. This is a pretty neat pull compared to what I experienced on the original SA-35 T&E gun. Whether this reflects improvements in production or simply greater wear on the earlier gun, I cannot say for sure. Either way it’s a good trigger.
Reset is long. It’s not Springfield’s fault, it’s just high-power action. When shooting rapidly, I would sometimes end up with a dead trigger due to not letting the trigger go far enough. If you’re used to short touch resets, budget some time for your finger to get used to it. This isn’t a deal-breaker, it’s just design.
The thumb safety moves cleanly without sticking, but it has a lazy quality to the transition rather than a clear positive click. Functional and reliable, not as sharp as a 1911 safety.
There are two things to note for shooters with larger hands. The slide release is placed in a position where a high grip can catch it and lock the slide while firing. This is a known high-power quirk and is not specific to SA-35. Second, after the session I noticed a slight hammer bite mark, which was not felt at the time but was visible later. Light effect on the web of the hand due to suffocation from the gun. Simple to high-power design, worth knowing about.
After a range session, wiping down with gun oil is the right decision. Polished hot salt blue is more susceptible to rusting and shows scratches more easily than a matte finish. Treat it right and it will look just like it did out of the box.
Final Thoughts: Springfield Armory SA-35 Polished Blued
SA-35 Polished Blued High-powered aesthetics are what many people have always wanted at a price that makes it accessible, backed by a company that stands behind their product. This is not a safe queen. You can shoot it, take it and admire it without thinking about its finish. It’s perfect for the new shooter looking for a classic wood and steel look, as well as someone who just wants a handgun that does everything right.
For anyone who already owns a standard SA-35, the case for adding this is an aesthetic one. The polished version looks like the original Hi-Power that sticks in people’s minds when they imagine the design. Matt is a workhorse. This is a dress gun that still holds its own on the range. It is worth noting that Springfield has also introduced a 4″ SA-35 In matte blue for those interested in the shorter slide configuration.
I would like to thank Springfield Armory for sending SA-35 Polished Blued for review. As for you guys and gals, I want to hear from you. Is the polished blue finish enough to make you choose this over the standard SA-35? Do you think Springfield has achieved the classic high-powered look with this, or are you waiting for a vintage original? For those who have spent time with the SA-35 in any finish, what has the trigger been like for you over a long period of time?
