So I have the Girsan Match Ops version (light rail one with the straight trigger), an SA-35, and a pair of FN Mk3s.
The Girsan guns overall are pretty solid and faithful clones of the original FN, warts and all.
I think they offer an excellent value and make for a great gateway drug. I like some of the crazy innovation they did with the Match Ops frame adding the light rail; that’s what I wanted from the new FN but we got that overpriced abomination instead. That said, the trigger is pretty uninspiring, even with the tarted up mall-ninja version. My Mk3s are pretty broken-in and feel great, so maybe someday the Girsan will get there too. I dumped the lame Girsan grips for some nicer Lok ones on day one. That blued version on CDNN does look really nice and I don’t think I’d be too compelled to muck with it on a visual level.
The SA-35 is absolutely a better gun overall. Mine is an earlier one but it hasn’t broken the extractor yet. I have two C&S replacements on hand just in case. The trigger is absolutely wonderful. I love the walnut grips and oem finish; no compulsion to change them. It’s a pure joy to shoot, maybe even a little better than my 9mm Mk3 which is one of my favorite handguns. The premium is worth it on the SA compared to the Girsan if the little details matter. One of the few pistols that was just “right” out of the box.
All that said, I do want to get the ugly FDE Girsan and I’m looking forward to the “Inglis” branded “L9A1” SDS/Tisas will be importing this year. The Turkish clones absolutely scratch the itch and make hoarding HPs fun without the cost of the original Browning/FN models. And they all share the same reasonably-priced Mec-gar magazines so I have an excuse to make that pile bigger!