Picked up a Girsan P35 Match today and the 1st range session went great. Didn't clean, just added a little oil to the rails and slide channel. 150rds zero malfunctions. I did have to adjust the rear sight slightly to get it to shoot center mass.

Price was $589 and I think this is a much better pistol than the Springfield which I put some rounds through (local range had one in the rental case) when it first came out.

My only gripe would be that it only comes with 1 magazine but a quick trip to Greg Cotes website and I have 4 more Mecgars 15rd mags on the way.

https://www.girsan.com/en/mc-p35-3856

Does the Match take normal BHP sights if you want to replace them? Or is it a proprietary notch?

I dumped my Girsan Match. Nothing technically wrong with it but the flare at the bottom of the grip didn’t play well with my hand. I found a gently used adjustable sight MKIII Browning as a replacement so I am just fine with that outcome. I would buy another Girsan (especially the FM Detective copy) that didn’t have the grip flare as a companion for my Browning.

I haven't found anything on replacement sights for the Girsan.

I did find this interesting bit from the American Rifleman review of the Girsan:

https://www.americanrifleman.o...-eaa-s-girsan-mcp35/

quote:

The Girsan MCP35 pistol is constructed of 4140 chrome-moly steel. The only polymer to be found on the gun is in the stock panels. The slide is milled from cold-drawn bar stock while the frame is fully machined from a forging; both are heat-treated for added durability. The internal components are machined from high-tensile steel.

If that's true, that's amazing for the price point.

If there were a knowledge-level below "BHP Novice," I'd be it.

How close are the Girsans in terms of parts interchange, design, dimensions, and such to the legitimate BHPs?

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
How close are the Girsans in terms of parts interchange, design, dimensions, and such to the legitimate BHPs?

Start at 11:30

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:
If there were a knowledge-level below "BHP Novice," I'd be it.

How close are the Girsans in terms of parts interchange, design, dimensions, and such to the legitimate BHPs?

Pretty much 100%. I know they added a firing pin block that might not have been on the original and we're not sure about what sights they're using. Other than that, it's pretty close.

The Tisas clones were made with a proprietary sight cut. I don't know if the Girsan is the same. I did find BHSpringsolutions sells a better set of hi viz sights for that cut made by xs I believe, but not totally sure.

In any case, I am waiting to get my hands on one of the detective models. It looks most interesting.

I picked up a P35 Match and hit the range today.

I used to have 2 old school BHPs, but sold them and regret it. The Springfield SA35 was interesting to me, but they are hard to find and when I do they are $150 - $200 over MSRP and I'm not paying over MSRP. I used to have issues with hammer bite on my old ones, so I was a little concerned about that.

Ergos - Very nice, the Match comes with the extended beaver tail, and I will never have a BHP again without one. Very comfortable, and 100% elimination of hammer bite with a high grip and my big hands. The slide release is easy to hit, and the mag release is easy to hit. There is a little bit of a flare on the mag well, but it did not bother my hands at all

Trigger - Trigger pull is nice and clean. The Match has the straight trigger and the mag disconnect is removed. Not a lot of take up, and a clean break. However the reset is non existent. You cant feel it at all, or hear it. Didn't really bother me, but more advanced shooters than me may be bothered by it.

Accuracy - accuracy was good, I was shooting my Glock and Sig better, but I have a lot of time on those and this was the first time I shot this one. It was still making nice groups once I got a few mags through it and got the feel.

Overall - The mag does not drop free, but that could be because it needs a good cleaning, but also I know a lot BHPs have that issue with the non-spring mags. The first 50 rounds or so I did get some brass to the face, but seemed to go away after that. I did about 200 rounds of Speer Lawman 124gr and there were no malfunctions at all. I am happy with it, for the price it is a great clone, I will be putting a lot of rounds through this one. I just need to find out if the sights are standard, the factory sights aren't bad, the front fiber optic is easy to pick up, but I would like to put some Novaks on it.

Something else they showed off at SHOT Show is the PI models will also be getting the Match/Ops treatment along with the optic cut for the Holosun 507k/Romeo Zero. When those come out, I'll be getting one so I can send it out for a trigger job and some stippling and possibly as a potential carry gun.

quote:

The mag does not drop free,

I have the exact same gun and my mags drop free. All of the mags are Mecgar 15rd. (I have 5 of them).

Those of us who have a bit of fantasy in our brain are waiting for Browning to get the original back on the market.

My first Hi Power was a Belgian P-35 in very worn but fully functional condition. Picked up from a North Vietnamese officer who had no further need for it. Registered it as a War Trophy and carried it home from Vietnam in 1970.

Burglary of my home in 1973, pistol stolen and never recovered. Located a replacement about 1974, a Belgian made Browning Hi Power T-series. Carried that as an off-duty piece and later working plain clothes investigations until mid-1980s. Foolishly let it get away in order to finance the purchase of my next "perfect pistol".

Mid-1990s I came across a Mark III in decent condition for a reasonable price, took it home. I'm not crazy about the applied black finish, but the pistol functions flawlessly with anything I feed it, and the higher profile fixed sights are far superior to the original style. This remains as one of my "must have" pistols today.

So, 53 years of my experience with the Hi Power pistols.

The standard model Girsan looks like a very good choice to me.

quote:

Those of us who have a bit of fantasy in our brain are waiting for Browning to get the original back on the market.

Fantasy indeed. Please don't hold your breath waiting for one.

I did look at the new version Browning HiPower today at my LGS and wasn't impressed. Can't remember the exact price but it was north of $1200. I'll take my $589 Girsan Match over the new Browning pistol.

I just had Don Williams of the action works out a set of sights on my Girsan. He said it will standard hp sights.

quote:

He said it will standard hp sights.

Good to hear. Thanks for letting us know.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarms229:

quote:

The mag does not drop free,

I have the exact same gun and my mags drop free. All of the mags are Mecgar 15rd. (I have 5 of them).

I had a P35 Ops with all 15 round MecGars, and I would occasionally have 1 or 2 mags not drop free after firing, and it was completely at random.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarms229:

quote:

Those of us who have a bit of fantasy in our brain are waiting for Browning to get the original back on the market.

Fantasy indeed. Please don't hold your breath waiting for one.

I did look at the new version Browning HiPower today at my LGS and wasn't impressed. Can't remember the exact price but it was north of $1200. I'll take my $589 Girsan Match over the new Browning pistol.

The new HP north of $1200. If it was a true copy it would be a consideration.

Monday I went to Cabela’s Dundee to use some gift cards and to burn up some money on my CC. In the cabinet that is now called the Gun Library there were two well used FN Hi-Powers, well “experienced” black finish and mounded grips. Both priced at $1199.00, they reminded me of the Israeli trade ins that Gander Mountain was selling 2015-16 era for $425.00

I was looking at them through the showcase, all of the staff were too “busy” having a huddle to walk down there to ask if there was anyway they could help me. Slight criticism you would think that once they saw someone looking at their overpriced IMO used guns that someone would have at least made an attempt to show them. I recently turned down a blued 50’s era FN HP for not much more that the Cabela’s price.

FN built a new and improved pistol.

The Hi Power’s accuracy was fair at best, trigger was horrendous, and the construction was relatively fragile.

I have many BHP’s because I like the history and looks. As a shooter, they pretty much suck.

quote:

Originally posted by monoblok:
When we could still get them I liked everything about them except those damn mile-long serial numbers so many of the Turkish companies are so fond of using. Makes doing the bound book entries and background check paperwork that much more annoying.

From what I have heard, it has to do with Turkish law and information that has to be in the SN. Like the VIN on a car.