Feedback Please provide your opinion. Which would you buy?

[7six2x39]

I dont have any experience with the SA35, i do have an echelon 4.5 and i really enjoy it. The cog and the almost any optic ready slide is a winner.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Polymer vs. steel & wood. If you don’t own a steel and wood pistol, I’d go that direction. I prefer steel with a hammer over striker fire and polymer and I have both.

 

[OmOpLaTa]

I really like my 1911's and CZ75s, but if there was one handgun I would pull out if SHTF or I can own for the rest of my life, it would be my Glock 17. Why? Because of it's track record for reliability, weight, and popularity; but other than those reasons - it has a rail for a light.

My vote is for the Echelon. (It's also a plus that it's optics ready)

 

[raskal35]

I have an Echelon and its really fun to shoot. Also, its modular so you can enhance it and the ergos to your preferences. Don't know too much about the SA-35 so my opinion is biased. All I can do is vouch that the Echelon is enjoyable to shoot and checks the boxes for an affordable striker-fired firearm.

 

[H. Bowman]

SA-35. Or, even better, a real Hi Power.

 

[H. Bowman]

No experience with the SA-35, but I have a Girsan Hi Power clone. It took me a bit to get used to the trigger, but now I really like shooting it. I pick up my Echelon today, will let you know how it goes!

Does the Girsan have the mag disconnect? If so, remove it. It makes the trigger MUCH nicer on the old Hi Powers.

 

[NorCALSpeed]

What's the purpose of the gun? Do you already have any striker-fired or hammer-fired pistols? Of similar sizes or are the guns you have vastly different from these? Do you want to put a light on it or just have a daytime range toy?

 

[Appropriate_Sky_8043]

Does the Girsan have the mag disconnect? If so, remove it. It makes the trigger MUCH nicer on the old Hi Powers.

Thanks - I did remove but still suboptimal - I’ve reached out to BH Spring Solutions to see if they can help.

 

[vplaza96]

Just a note about the Echelon....the mag disconnect prevents the magazine from dropping freely. I've run over 500 rounds through the gun and it still doesn't drop freely as I was hoping. If it continues this way, I may remove the mag disconnect. Other than that, the gun is extremely fun to shoot. And the size of the 4.0C is perfect for me. Smaller than my full size XD but not as small as my old XD Subcompact or a Hellcat. In other words, great size for CCW.

 

[JRAUS]

Can’t go wrong with a hammer fired classic in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 16735]

Polymer vs. steel & wood. If you don’t own a steel and wood pistol, I’d go that direction. I prefer steel with a hammer over striker fire and polymer and I have both.

not a hi point though, the hi point triggers are objectively worse than most striker fired triggers

 

[presscheckpino]

Which would you buy?

View attachment 141626


Or would you buy this instead?

View attachment 141625

I choose echelon because my eyes are bad and need a red dot. I have the full size for 3 years now and it’s been an outstanding gun.

 

[Smittty]

Does the Girsan have the mag disconnect? If so, remove it. It makes the trigger MUCH nicer on the old Hi Powers.

The markings on the girsan are hideous.

You buy the SA35 for its clean lines and aesthetic. It’s a beautiful piece, and imo better looking even than the original with cleaner markings than the original. It’s a piece of art.

The two things I don’t like about it are the safety and single action. For those reasons it would be only a range toy for me.

The echelon is entirely next level imo, modern, no manual safety, awesome pistol!

 

[Yetiultimate]

I have an SA35 and like it a lot. It’s a great shooter but you should be aware of a couple things: the hammer may bite your hand. I swapped out my hammer (and sear) for a nice barstock lower profile no bite hammer. I’m also a lefty so I put an ambi on it and the options there are limited. Finally, be prepared for a somewhat long and faint reset on the trigger. It’s a hi-power thing and takes some getting used to.

 

[ZeroFoxGiven]

SA 35. But I’m older and still appreciate steel and wood.

 

[Gryff]

I love the look of the SA35, but I consistently find that I don't enjoy shooting Hi-Power-pattern pistols. On the other hand, the Echelon is an inferior Sig P320 that doesn't go off on its own.

Personally, I wouldn't buy either and get a Walther PDP instead.