Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and this time, we’re looking at possibly the most-upgraded High Power pistol you can get straight from the factory. This is the EAA Girsan MCP35 PI Ops. Watch our video above to see this latest version of the famed High Power pistol in use on the range.
European American Armory Corp. led the charge in reviving the famous High Power pistol design after Browning discontinued the line in 2018. Only a few years later, EAA had its first rendition of the classic High Power design in its MCP35, which was faithful to the original in terms of size and overall construction. After that, though, EAA looked at the marketplace of custom High Powers and decided it would create a factory offering that answered many of the demands of High power fans. The result was the MCP35 PI Ops.
Right off the bat, you’ll notice that it’s shorter than the standard High Power, having a 3.88” barrel instead of the 4.6” barrel of the original. Of course, the slide has been shortened up, too, providing a compact profile designed to be carried easily. Yet another noticeable upgrade is the addition of a three-slot Picatinny accessory rail on the frame, an enhancement that was never seen on the original High Power and one that opens up a world of accessory attachments for the modern High Power fan.
The upgrades don’t end there, though. Early Girsan High Power clones included a redesigned rowel hammer to prevent hammer bite, but on the PI Ops, your strong hand is even more protected, thanks to the generously sized frame beavertail. An ambidextrous manual safety is located on the frame just forward of the beavertail, with the levers sharing the profile of the Mark III safety found on the original design. A flat-faced, straight trigger blade provides a clean, crisp break compared to the curved triggers found on most other designs.
Perhaps the biggest upgrade included on the MCP35 PI Ops, though, is at the top of the gun. A cover plate that incorporates the open rear sight can be removed to reveal a milled slide cut for Shield RMSc-pattern red-dot sights, a feature that brings the venerable High Power design well into the 21st century and keeps the gun relevant to consumers looking for this feature set.
Despite its compact size, the Girsan MCP35 PI Ops was an incredibly comfortable shooter on the range. Part of this is due to the gun’s weight, since it’s still an all-steel design that weighs in at just over 25 ozs. Too, despite the shortening of the slide and barrel, it’s still a full-size frame, which enabled us to get a full, comfortable firing grip. That full-size grip also allowed us to enjoy the 15-round magazine capacity, thanks to the Mec-Gar magazine that ships with this pistol.
We shot the MCP35 PI Ops with and without a dot, and while the red-dot does add a different dimension to the shooting experience, it’s worth noting that Girsan’s included cover plate does provide a decent set of easily visible open sights, too, if that’s more your speed. All things considered, the EAA Girsan MCP35 PI Ops is the easiest, most affordable way to get a fully loaded High Power with all the bells and whistles.
EAA Girsan MCP35 PI Ops Specifications
Importer: European American Armory
Manufacturer: Girsan (Turkey)
Action Type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Barrel: 3.88” carbon steel; six-groove, 1:7.87” RH-twist rifling
Frame: 4140 steel; matte-black finish
Slide: 4140 steel; matte-black finish
Sights: three-dot; drift-adjustable front, fixed rear
Trigger: single-action; 5-lb., 8-oz. pull
Height: 5.1”
Length: 6.25
Width: 1.29”
Weight: 25.6 ozs.
MSRP: $733
