These days it takes a lot to write a check for another handgun. So many perform so well I am very selective. Among the pistols I have purchased lately is the Springfield Hellcat Pro. The pistol is slightly longer than the original Hellcat- a scant .6 inch- and a little taller-.8 inch.
The grip is redesigned and the pistol accepts a fifteen round magazine. The Hellcat Pro is just slightly larger than the original Hellcat but it shoots better. Nothing wrong with the Hellcat’s performance in the sub compact realm, it shoots better than most. But the new pistol is the better shooter and a better shooter than most anything it its size and weight class. Let’s look at the specifications
- Cartridge: 9mm
- Barrel: 3.7 in. 1 in 10 twist
- Slide: Steel, Melonite® Finish, Optics Ready
- Frame: Black Polymer
- Sights: Tritium/Luminescent Front, Tactical Rack U-Notch Rear
- Magazines: (2) 15-Round
- Width: 1″
- Weight: 21 oz
- Length: 6.6″
- Height: 4.8″
- Average price – should be less than six hundred dollars in shops, the MSRP is $634
The Springfield Hellcat Pro is surprisingly comfortable in the hand. The new grip is squared off more so than the original and the grip treatment is excellent. The balance of adhesion and abrasion is good, even ideal. The coverage isn’t spot coverage but full coverage of the gripping surface.
Springfield calls the treatment Adaptive Grip Texturing. Folks have paid good money to have their Glocks and other polymer frame pistols treated to this texture. A smaller gun often is more difficult to draw quickly and more difficult to get on target quickly. The Hellcat excels as a sub compact. The Hellcat Pro is even faster on the draw and on target as it should be. The original Hellcat is a very good deep cover pistol. The Hellcat Pro is easily concealed in a proper holster. The Hellcat Pro makes a great home defense handgun. With the ability to mount a modern combat light and with a fifteen round reserve the pistol is formidable against unwanted boarders. But don’t forget the Hellcat Pro is only an inch wide making for easy concealment. The trigger breaks at a crisp six pounds. Reset is sharp.
Among the best features of the Hellcat is the sights.
Carried on from the original the front sight features a bright white circle around a self luminous tritium front post. The rear sight is a U notch type with white outline. These sights are excellent personal defense sights. The open notch rear mates well with the front post. Put the post on the target and you have a hit if you have mastered the trigger press. These sights are also capable of fine longer range accuracy. The pistol’s magazine release, slide stop, and trigger are all crisp in operation.
During the firing test most of the ammunition fired was Remington’s 115 grain FMJ loading. This is a clean burning load that offers good practical accuracy. The pistol never failed to feed, chamber, fire or eject during the test. The Hellcat Pro is pleasant to fire. Recoil may as soft as Glock 19 and far easier to handle than the smaller original Hellcat. I fired the pistol at 7,10, and 15 yards with good results. Firing as quickly as I could recover the sights and fire again accuracy is good. This isn’t an across the table gun-although it could be- but a pistol you could save you life with at 25 yards if need be. I fired a quantity of the Remington FMJ and also the Remington 124 grain Golden Saber to test absolute accuracy. Five shot groups at 15 yards were as small as 1.5 inches with none over 2.4 inches. The pistol is plenty accurate for any conceivable defensive encounter. I like the Hellcat Pro. This is a reliable handgun that shoot like a big gun- but it isn’t. It is just the right size.
