Overview
To cut through the background and get to the good stuff, Turkish gunmaker Girsan, working directly with EAA, has developed the MCP35 line over the past couple of years. Essentially starting with direct clones of the post-1980 Browning Mark II/III models (complete with the dreaded magazine-disconnect safety and hammer-bite prone beavertail), they started making more optimized Ops-series rail guns, improved Match guns, and shortened Commander-length PI models – giving the BHP-loving public new things to cheer about.
All ship with Mec-Gar's excellent 15-round flush-fit BHP mags.
Now, EAA has shifted gears with the MCP35PILW series, an acronym that just rolls off the tongue. Breaking it down, the "PI" references the fact that the new guns have a shorter 3.88-inch barrel and corresponding top end, while the "LW" means it uses a lightweight alloy frame. The weight savings are about a half-pound off the standard-length MCP35 and a quarter pound less than the standard steel-framed PI. It will be available in both an Ops (railed frame) and Match model, offered in either an all-black or two-toned black and tungsten finish.
EAA sent us an early production (SN 6!) MCP35PILW Match in all-noir for this review and we have been kicking it around for a couple of months.
The Specs
- Caliber: 9mm Luger/Para
- Capacity: 15+1 flush fit mag (others available)
- Trigger Pull: 5.75 pounds (10-pull average), SAO.
- Weight: 23.2 ounces with an empty 15-round mag, 32.1 ounces with 16 rounds loaded
- Barrel Length: 3.88 inches
- Overall Length: 7.25 inches
- Height: 4.9 inches over top of rear sights
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Width: 1.4 inches at widest over grips
Features
We've already touched on the fact that the weight of the MCP35PILW Match is much reduced via the shortened top half and lightweight alloy frame. Going deeper, it has a lot going on.
Trigger
The EAA Girsan MCP35PILW Match ships with a flat-faced single-action trigger that breaks crisply at about 5.75 pounds after just under a half-inch of travel to a straight wall. The reset is short but not audible or tactile. The deletion of the old magazine disconnect safety – a standard feature on BHPs for the last 40 years of the model's run, when a 7-to-10-pound trigger pull was the norm – is welcome but it would seem Girsan maybe could have lightened the trigger a little more. Still, folks like Cylinder & Slide and BH Spring Solutions can probably come to the rescue of those seeking to have that done.
Check out the trigger in action in this short video.
Reliability
The MCP35PILW we used in our evaluation has shown itself to be dependable. We tested it with several different Mec-Gar 15-round BHP magazines as well as some legacy 13-rounders on hand without issue, with the gun locking back on empty most of the time. Gratefully, the mags all dropped free when the release was pressed. Mk III BHPs were so notorious when it came to holding on to empty mags that FN shipped them with little springs near the floorplate that helped expel them from the mag well back in the day.
When it came to ammo used, we have put about 400 rounds through the pistol including a mix of 115, 124, and 147-grain FMJ and JHP loads from Blazer, Browning, Federal, Prvi Partizan (Nemo), and Winchester, with no reportable issues. The bulk of the testing was done with Blazer 115-grain FMJ in terms of target ammunition, and Federal Punch 124-grain JHPs for defensive ammo.
Despite its lighter weight over an all-steel gun and its shorter slide, it is controllable, as exhibited below, without undue muzzle flip. See the below video of controlled pairs and triple taps.
Accuracy
The test pistol proved accurate in range testing with the SAO trigger pairing well to the sights. Sight radius is right at 6 inches. We had no problems working the center mass of an ICE-QT target out at 15 yards from a typical offhand position as shown below.
Carry
One benefit of EAA's MCP35 PI series is that it will fit most good leather 1911 Commander-sized pistols, as the front end and trigger guard is much the same as they share an obvious family tree. Further, since the PI line came out last year, holster makers have gotten on board with good Kydex made specifically for the series.
As my "daily carry" for most of the past couple of years has typically been either a Hellcat Pro or a P365 XMacro, I found the MCP35PILW Match felt much the same – no surprise as it has very similar dimensions and weight. One noticeable difference was the extended beavertail and "cocked and locked" hammer, which did create a hotspot, especially when sitting or driving. Polymer-framed micro-9s just don't have that problem.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Classic styling
- Good magazine capacity (15+1)
- Lightweight
- Large supply of aftermarket spare parts, mags, grips, sights
- Comparable in size to many popular new micro 9s
- Reliable
- Accurate for practical use
- Optics-ready
CONS
- Trigger could be lighter
- Only ships with one magazine
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SAO design could be a learning curve for new users.
Conclusion
To add a bit of color to my personal BHP journey, one of the first pistols I ever purchased was a well-worn Hi-Power, and I carried a 1960s T-series as my EDC for several years back in the 1990s. Since then, I've owned and shot most of the different models and clones including an Argentine FM Detective, the original "PI" long before the MCP35PI was introduced. With that in mind, I'd like to say that this new take on John Browning's swansong is both welcome and relevant. It feels good. It shoots well. It's still cheaper ($700ish MSRP) than any Browning/FN-branded BHP design and includes features never combined in the platform before.
Plus, it brings a very good counter to the polymer-framed striker-fired micro 9 market today. About the only other hammer-fired metal-framed pistol in that space today is the 10+1/12+1 round S&W CSX, and I found the MCP35PILW Match to handle much better than that little hand-biter. Additionally, it gives fans of single-actioned pistols something to cheer about when it comes to concealable carry guns.
We intend to push this little 9mm through the 1K-round mark and toss an optic or two on top to see how that works out. Stay tuned for an extended review of this model in the coming weeks.
