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The Hellcat beyond what Springfield is telling you

163K views 204 replies 79 participants last post by  Fd1007  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ok here is what we know on the Hellcat beyond what Springfield is telling you. This pistol is basically a double stack XDS—well really 1.5 stack. Just like the Sig P365 is not a true double stack, but not a single stack either. This adds to the capacity without making the grip so big.

The Hellcat is based off a three pin Glock just like the XDS. The Hellcat is a simpler weapon with less parts than the XDS and will be more reliable as far as parts breaking. For example, I have seen the loaded chamber indicator break multiple times on the XDS, XD, & XDM. You can't break a simple peep hole. No Grip Safety, for some reason, was the biggest complaint for the XD/XDM/XDS. Who knows how true of a problem it really is, but people read complaints on the 1911 and hear how the gun can fail if you don't depress the safety blah blah blah. So that same skepticism is transferred to the XD's. This should please that crowed of people and again gives less stuff to break. The sights, on the initial two pistols for release, have night sights. This is the number one upgrade people do for their pistols. Well, the Hellcat already has them. The reversible mag release—yes it is reversible—is not really the story here.

Another big complaint on the XDS is the amount of pressure that it takes to release the magazine. The mag release gets "stuck" and is mushy....not positive. The Hellcat looks like an improvement. Something closer to a 1911 then the rotating XDS mag catch. No Grip Zone—sorry Springfield you deserve that.


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#30 ·
It's basically the exact same size as the P365
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#4 ·
I'm sure these too will be hard to come by for the average sportsman. . Only by watching video's recoil seams to be more than my 365. I dunno for sure can't wait to ad to the collection. . . .
 
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#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'll go on record saying that my initial thoughts of the hellcat may have been a little too harsh and unreasonable. Especially considering I was basing the last several new releases without even knowing what it was going to be yet.

So, I may can see a lot of utility in it.

No way it's $599 msrp is going to cause me to rush out and buy one though. They'll have to come down a lot from that.

Too many other viable and good options for a CCW handgun in the $200-$400 range.

$229 Ruger EC9S
Ruger EC9S

$279 Ruger Security-9 Compact
Ruger Security-9 Compact 9MM Pistol | Academy

$398 Beretta APX Carry
Beretta APX Carry 9mm Pistol | Academy
 
#10 ·
I'll go on record saying that my initial thoughts of the hellcat may have been a little too harsh and unreasonable. Especially considering I was basing the last several new releases without even knowing what it was going to be yet.

So, I may can see a lot of utility in it.

No way it's $599 msrp is going to cause me to rush out and buy one though. They'll have to come down a lot from that.

Too many other viable and good options for a CCW handgun in the $200-$400 range.

$229 Ruger EC9S
https://www.brownells.com/firearms/...nk&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=Avantlink&utm_content=NA&utm_campaign=Itwine

$279 Ruger Security-9 Compact
Ruger Security-9 Compact 9MM Pistol | Academy

$398 Beretta APX Carry
Beretta APX Carry 9mm Pistol | Academy
How much is the red dot worth? 200 bucks?
 
#11 ·
I don't know many guys who are going to be CC'ing with the red dot. I'm just talking about the standard 3 dot sight model.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I like my XDs, and the Hellcat looks promising, but I’m not at all impressed with their choice of red dot.

Buy a stack of batteries and be super careful when you clean the lens. RDS in my pic is a Jpoint, but I'm on my second Shield RMS and it eats batteries.

I really like the names for the guns rather than just numbers. Anyone remember the Hodaka Combat Wombat??
 

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#14 ·
I'm up to 4 red dot equipped guns. A PPQ Q5 Match with the Leupold Delta Point Pro on it, a Sig P320 X5 with a Romeo 1 on it, a FN FNX Tactical with a Vortex Venom on it, and my trusty Buckmark 7 1/4" URX with a Bushnell TRS-25 on it.

Love red dot sights, great for a guy with old eyes.

But, I can't see every carrying a gun with a red dot on it. The main reason is I really doubt when you're in a use-your-gun-to-save-your-life scenario you're going to make sure you can pick up the dot before you fire. And if you're looking for the dot you've lost focus on the bad guy. I do like grip activated lasers because your eyes never leave the bad guy, you just see a dot appear and fire, and if you don't see the dot because of battery or whatever failure you're still looking at the bad guy.

Then you factor in the fact red dot sights aren't exactly robust. Spend the money on one and a drop or two later it's busted?

I could see the possibility of the type of sight Sig is using in their 365 SAS in theory but I'd have to try one out. I get Springfield putting the mounting plate in from the beginning as being a good business strategy but just speaking for me I don't see carrying with one. Ever.
 
#19 ·
Dennis Reese said something to the effect of this was a the start of this lineup of pistol. And will be a future direction the Springfield and HS Product will take. In my eyes that means Larger versions, different calibers.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Looks interesting enough to dig deeper. I'm not a SA fanboy, but I don't hate SA stuff either...I'd happily give one a lookover.

There's some pretty stiff competition in the CC market, the bar has been moved pretty dramatically from even 5 yrs ago. Is it smaller (thinner) than my P99c? Hold more than my PPS. Have a better trigger than my P30sk? Nicer fit/finish than my USP9C. REAL night sights?

Let's find out.
 
#27 ·
I'm waiting to see more information about the trigger, and how accurately this new pistol shoots. Reliability will also be important, so I hope we see some very thorough reviews on the net soon. It's way too early to tell if Springfield hit a home run with this new CC pistol. But, if it proves reliable and accurate it could very well be the new game in town.
 
#28 ·
It's way too early to tell if Springfield hit a home run with this new CC pistol. But, if it proves reliable and accurate it could very well be the new game in town.
If I were guessing, I would say that SA is just importing these from another country like the entire XD line and not actually making these either, so they would be at the mercy of HS Produkt as to how it works.

Unreliability is not one of the XD traits though.
 
#33 ·
I compared my XDS 3.3 next to a P365 and the Sig is noticeably smaller.