Answering a call for a more compact version of John Browning's classic Hi-Power design, Florida-based EAA just announced it will bring in a shorter version of the new Girsan MCP35, dubbed the PI.
While Mr. Browning's Colt 1911 design has been abbreviated over the years to Commander and Officer-sized models among others, his Hi-Power never got the same widespread treatment from FN. Sure, there were custom gunsmiths such as Austin Behlert's shop and Bill Laughridge's Cylinder & Slide who made so-called "Mini-Brownings," and Argentina's state-owned FM plant made so-called "Detective" models that were imported by folks like Armscorp, Century and Sarco, but even this limited supply petered out more than a decade ago.
That's what makes the new MCP35 PI from EAA a very interesting design. With its full-sized grip that still accommodates the standard 13+1/15+1 Hi-Power mag, the chopped-down BHP clone runs a slim trigger, single-action ring hammer, ambidextrous safety, windage adjustable drift sight, and a 3.88-inch barrel with a matching slide. This is roughly an inch shorter but makes a big difference, especially to those looking for a carry gun.
Sure, it is kind of old school, being SAO with a steel frame, but there are still lots of folks that like such ancient ways.
"Not only did Girsan find a way to make the already popular MCP35 family of handguns easier to carry but they have found another great market for our retailers to capitalize on," said Chase Duffey, EAA's National Sales & Import Manager at EAA Corp. "We’ve already seen a huge demand for the more compact MCP35 PI."
Speaking of huge demand, I know I've been telling Chase (and anyone who read our MCP35 reviews) that EAA needed a Detective/Mini-Browning in the catalog, so it's nice to see one is inbound.
We don't have an MSRP or availability date yet but stay tuned. For a frame of reference, standard MCP35 run about $500ish, so there's that.
