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  4. Review: New Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch Compact

Springfield Armory has its take on a Detective, or Commander-sized Hi Power in the new American-made SA-35 4-inch, and we have the full review. 

Quick Summary: We've previously reviewed and enjoyed Springfield's full-size SA-35, and the new shortened 4-inch version keeps everything we liked about that instant classic while chopping it down to a more carry-friendly size. 
 

Table of Contents

Overview
The Specs
Features
Trigger
Reliability
Accuracy
Pros & Cons
Conclusion

Overview


The 13+1-shot Browning Hi-Power, introduced in 1935, was the first "wonder nine" and a worldwide classic for generations until the company finally put it to bed in 2017. 

Then came a few companies to fill the void, with EAA offering a Turkish-made clone by Girsan and Springfield Armory, in 2021, debuting the SA-35. We evaluated the latter and found it a faithful salute to the classic 1960s/70s C/T-series BHP in terms of aesthetic, but with the bonus of several subtle improvements to boost performance. 

Now, Springfield has whittled down the gun by about an inch in length while keeping everything else, akin to the old Argentine FM Hi-Powers seen on the consumer market in the early 1990s – but better done, with several notable changes and flush-fit 15+1 round magazines.
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch runs a steel frame, slide, and barrel, hitting the scales at 29.8 ounces unloaded. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Overall length is 7.1 inches, while the height is 4.8 inches. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The SA-35 4-inch, left, compared to its 7.8-inch full-sized brother. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The difference in length is just under an inch, while the weight savings is about 2 ounces. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Compared to a 4.25-inch Commander-length 1911 – in this case, Springfield Armory's Operator AOS Commander – the SA-35 4-inch comes in noticeably shorter and thinner. 


For full disclosure, Springfield sent Guns.com this SA-35 4-inch for review purposes. All testing was done on this one pistol, which has been under evaluation since mid-February 2026.

Specs

Weight 29.8 ounces, with optic and empty 15-round mag
Overall Length 7.1 inches

Barrel Length

4 inches

Trigger Pull 4.4 pounds (10-pull average)
Caliber 9mm
Capacity 15+1 flush-fit (ships with two)
Sight Radius 6.1 inches
Safety Single-action-only manual thumb safety
MRD Optic Footprint None

Features
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
While appearing at first glance almost a throwback to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the SA-35 line looks vintage but has some subtle differences. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The matte finish blued forged carbon steel handgun and its finely checkered walnut grips are a vibe today in a world where everything is alloys and polymer.
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The white dot front and Tactical Rack rear sights of the SA-35 offer users a much better sight picture than legacy offerings. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Meanwhile, the abbreviated 4-inch barrel eases concealment and allows a faster draw over the more full-length models. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
This gives you a wood-and-steel alternative to a carry gun with classic styling that is still compact and allows 16 rounds at the ready when carried locked in Condition One. Loaded weight with 147-grain Federal HST is 38.4 ounces. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The SA-35 4-inch ships with a pair of steel 15-round magazines. We're 99 percent sure these are made by Mec-Gar in Italy, which is an exceptionally good thing if so, as they are about the best BHP mags on the market today. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The SA-35 line has improved ergonomics over legacy BHPs to include an extended beavertail grip and a ring-style hammer spur. This helps cure the platform's notorious habit of slide bite, especially for modern shooters who use a higher grip than in generations past. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Surface controls are on the left side of the frame for right-handed users. The push-button magazine release drops the mags free, while the pistol sports an extended slide-stop lever and a redesigned safety/lock lever. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The Springfield has deeper, more aggressive slide serrations than seen on older BHPs.
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Disassembly is easy and, as it is a bushing-less design, it is an improvement over 1911s. We did find the slide catch/stop lever on our review pistol, which must be removed for take-down, to be very tight. It should also be pointed out that you don't have to pull the trigger to disassemble this handgun. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
We found the SA-35 4-inch to fit common Commander-sized holsters we had on hand, such as this Falco Langdon Timeless Open-Top IWB. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The pistol ships from Springfield in a branded zipper bag with two magazines. 


Trigger
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
A quiet but significant improvement that the SA-35 has over legacy BHPs and many clones is that it does not have an internal magazine safety, which keeps the trigger smooth. 


After shooting Hi-Powers and their clones for four decades, I can confidently say the SA-35 offers one of the best factory triggers. It's slim and avoids the stiff, gritty movement found in MK III and later BHPs, breaking cleanly at around 4.4 pounds. Like most triggers, it has become smoother with continued use as we've fired numerous rounds at the range. Best yet, if you don't like it, the BHP trigger is one of the most commonly available aftermarket upgrades on the market, with folks like BH Spring Solutions, Cylinder & Slide, and Apex Tactical easy to find. 
 

Reliability
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The SA-35's improved feed ramp is designed to function reliably with modern defensive ammunition, and we had no issue with a variety of hollow points with Federal's 147 grain HST delivering both accuracy and dependability, delivering our tightest groups in testing.
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
In range workups with a variety of ball ammo from Federal, Remington, and CCI spanning 115 to 150 grains, we had only one malfunction: a FTF on a 115-grain Syntech on a dirty gun towards the end of our 500-round session. Once cleared, the SA-35 was right back in action. We also tried other BHP-pattern magazines in testing, with no issues other than the pistol failing to lock back a couple of times on a very old (WWII-era) mag. 


Accuracy


While a very 20th century-style pistol sans any ability to mount an optic, the SA-35, with its Tactical Rack rear sight, still has a workable 6-inch sight radius. Its smooth 4.4-pound single-action trigger, 38-ounce loaded weight, and full-sized grips allow for easy control and follow-up. In short, it is as accurate as you can ask for in a compact pistol. 
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
In a true BHP-style test, here is a 60-round four-magazine group of back-to-back Mozambique drills from the 7-yard mark. 

Pros & Cons


The Pros

  • Classic, "old school" feel and looks
  • Natural Pointer: Exceptional ergonomics and grip texture.
  • Great trigger.
  • Capacity: Competitive 15+1 rounds in a compact footprint.
  • Easily customizable: widely available aftermarket support
  • Budget-friendly: Cheaper than a vintage BHP while having updated features
  • Viable carry gun: Delivers good performance and capacity with existing holster options


The Cons

  • Lacks modern features (light rail, optics)
  • Single action requires more training
  • Heavy: All-steel design brings more mass than some modern 15+1 shot 9mm carry guns. 

Conclusion


This writer has been a fan of BHP platforms and Browning's preceding 1911 design since Grand Funk Railroad and John Denver were charting as Top 10 artists. I love what Springfield has been doing with the SA-35 line and found myself instantly feeling the love when it came to the new 4-inch model. Even looking at it objectively, it is hard to throw many rocks at the piece, with the majority of those pebbles being that the gun is still firmly ancient in terms of optics and light rails (it doesn't have either as shipped), and in the fact that SAO pistols require a bit more training to carry and use with confidence. 

Still, at a $799 MSRP, the SA-35 4-inch checks a lot of boxes, ranging from nostalgia to being a tool for practical carry and defense if needed. 
 

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch with stopbox
The new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch, seen with a StopBox. Firearms safety is a responsibility. 
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