THE HELLCAT GOES PRO!
I called it! Last year one of my predictions and wishes was for a G19 sized Springfield Armory Hellcat. At the time the RDP Hellcat had just come out, but I wanted the larger frame for more capacity. (Check out my other predictions at www.xdman.com/gginsights and let's see if I get any more right.) That said, sometimes Springfield will give you hints at future plans. Remember a couple months ago when Springfield released the 15-round hellcat mags? As soon as I laid my hands on these longer magazines I smiled and knew it would not be long before my coveted Hellcat Pro would be in my hands. As I write this I am looking at my XDM 35 round magazine…Can you say Carbine Caliber Carbine?
The Hellcat micro family grows today with the scaled-up Hellcat Pro. At this size Springfield Armory is directly taking on pistols like the Glock 19 and the SIG Sauer 365XL. At one time the Glock 19 was the most popular handgun sold in America, striking the “perfect” balance of size, capacity, and shootability. Like everything else, time catches up with design and it is almost laughable that we used to consider a gun the size of a Glock 19 concealable. While the length and height is pretty damn close with a Glock 19, it’s the width that makes the most difference. As the kids say, “that Glock is THICC.” Don’t get me wrong, thick is nice, unless you have to carry and conceal it all day. Modern handguns shave that width, saving weight and making a more easily concealable pistol. Springfield does this while matching the capacity of 15 plus 1. You have to ask yourself: Why carry a 2x4 gripped boat anchor?
Running a gun store means I get to compare weapons with customers every single day. Since size-wise the Hellcat Pro is closest in size to the SIG 365XL, there will undoubtedly be the comparisons between the two. For me the easiest way to have a customer choose what is best for them is testing the triggers. I describe the trigger pull of SIG pistols as that of trying to break a half-cooked carrot. Imagining the trigger is the half-cooked carrot, and as you pull the trigger, the carrot is bending and eventually just gives up. The trigger basically rolls off the edge. By contrast, the SA Hellcats use a light take-up and then you reach a glass rod that has a defined snap. Triggers are like politics; it seems like it is usually half and half, if you love one trigger the other just does not feel right. Personally, I like the feel of the defined moment the trigger will fire. This kind of trigger allows me to stage the trigger and be more accurate. Also, it means that if you ride the trigger back to reset you feel the reset, meaning less overall movement in the trigger pull.
So for the technical stuff, the 15-round magazines that come with the Hellcat Pro do not use grip extensions, because the Hellcat Pro has a longer grip from the Hellcat Micro. That means that the Pro magazines are backwards compatible with the Micro Hellcats, but will stick out of the grip. If you have some of the Hellcat Micro 15-round magazines, if you slide the grip extension off the magazine tube, it will now fit the Pro since they are the same magazines. Now the shorter Hellcat Micro magazines, like the 13-round ones, will not work with the newer Pro pistol. The magazine tubes are too short. This means that magazines are already out in circulation for the Pro; Springfield basically secretly seeded them into the public. The Pro boasts a longer slide, which means more mass and less recoil. Micro pistols can be a handful to handle for novice shooters.
But this is where the Pro moniker really comes into fruition. If you drive a pistol for a living, faster follow-up shots can mean the difference between life and death. The other benefit of the longer slide is the longer dust cover and larger accessory rail. I can actually install my full-size Surefire X300 pistol light on the Hellcat Pro. This opens up the accessory market for the Hellcat Pro. Whereas the Micro Hellcats need compact micro lights and lasers, the flashlights and lasers you already have for your larger pistols will probably now be compatible with the Hellcat Pro.
The Pro solves another problem some few micro Hellcat users have — pinched fingers. If you have large hands, when you attempt a speed reload it was easy to pinch your hands between the frame and magazine. A longer grip, such as the one the Pro offers, alleviates any problems with the frame biting you during a reload.
I have found that my Hellcat Pro fits in all of my current Hellcat holsters that have an open bottom. Basically the end of the longer pro muzzle sticks out of the bottom. If you have a fully wrapped holster where the muzzle is fully enclosed by the holster, the longer slide will be too long. (Snip the tip, performing a holster circumcision, and you are back in business.)
Yes I have been excited for this release for some time, that’s no secret! I am also a big fan of the Hellcat, this is number four for me now. What I love is that HS Produkt and Springfield are constantly developing. The Micro Hellcats make for great pocket pistols that can be adapted with larger magazines to mimic a more full sized pistol. The Pro comes in for those of us that want or need that larger size performance without the girth of a duty sized pistol. Carrying a skinny pistol IWB is so much more comfortable than a fat pistol. It may be my imagination, but I think that The Pro has the best factory Hellcat trigger yet. Neither trigger nor safety have any sharp edges to irritate your finger. The take up is light and is made to easily stack your trigger pull. As soon as you get to the break point ,the trigger just snaps with authority. By the way, this is great for dry fire training. The reset is easily felt and heard, and the trigger is back in business really quickly for follow up shots. For a factory trigger it is quite clean, with no real drag or grinding as you are deactivating the safety or pulling the striker back during the trigger pull. Available as an optics-ready pistol, thePpro uses the same red dots as all other previous Hellcat pistols. I see the mold marks in the Pro frame for where a safety would go, so it makes sense that a thumb safety version will not be too far off for users who need one. It also makes sense that an FDE version should be available as well since the Hellcat Micros offer that as an option. What I want all the reader to consider is that the Hellcat Pro is further expanding a pistol series to fill in gaps. Not everyone needs or wants a pocket-sized pistol—there is a reason that the Glock 19 was the most popular pistol sold. Notice I said WAS. The Hellcat, then the Hellcat RDP, and now the Pro will all be chipping away at the market share that was once dominated by the Austrians.
