MY IMPRESSIONS
Two features that I notice when I hold the Hellcat Pro is its lack of weight and small size. Weighing under 1.5 pounds empty, this gun is meant to be carried all day. Length and width are smaller than any full-size handgun but conceal a stainless-steel, 15-round, double-stacked magazine.
Springfield Armory knows how to “keep it simple, stupid!” This handgun has no unneeded controls; just slap a magazine in place, rack the slide, and shoot. I like that. No fumbling with safeties – controls are simply the slide-hold-open and the reversible magazine release. The gun is ambidextrous in design.
Related Review: 2K Rounds & 6 Months with the Hellcat Pro
Notice the slide serrations on the front and rear of the billet-machined slide. The large ejection port will prevent jams. The relatively short 4-inch barrel is hammer-forged and will give good accuracy for its length. The two-stage trigger breaks cleanly and crisply despite a heavy 6-pound initial pull.
For a small gun, the Hellcat Pro gives me the control I need. Finger grooves surround the grip, and the sandpaper-like finish prevents wet hands from slipping. This handgun simply feels good in my hand. It is versatile – the lower Picatinny rail will accept lights or lasers and is optics-ready. It comes with two magazines. The 15-round is compact and flush-fitting, and the other protrudes a bit but holds 17 rounds.
SIGHTS & OPTIC
The sights are my favorite feature of this gun. The tactical rack U-notch rear and tritium front dot arrangement draws my eye to center the bright front dot in the U-notch naturally. The rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage only, but no adjustment was needed in my testing.
This tiny red dot sight is amazing. A Springfield Armory product that can be ordered with the pistol, it seems to grow from the upper rear receiver. It is meant to be there. Again, there are no controls on the Shield. Its motion-activated sensor turns it on when drawn and turns it off when not in use.
A small key wrench is provided to sight in for windage and elevation. Set it and forget it. The red dot is visible in daylight and appears in line with the front sight dot. It is solid, so you can grasp it to cock the slide back to load or clear a jam. Its small size is designed to fit a carry holster. For competition or self-protection, this gun is adaptable.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall Length: 7.2 inches (with threaded barrel)
- Height: 5 inches (with compact magazine)
- Width: 1 inch
- Weight: 1 pound, 6 ounces
- Barrel: 4.4 inches, hammer-forged, threaded
- Slide: Billet-machined steel, optics-ready
- Shield red dot sight: 1.5 inches long, 1 inch tall, co-witnesses iron sights
- Fixed sights: Tactical rack U-notch rear, tritium luminescent dot front
- Trigger: 6 pounds, 5 ounces; two-stage
- Magazines: One 15 and one 17-round stainless-steel, double-stacked magazine
- Accessory rail: 2-inch located on lower forward receiver
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Controls: Slide-hold-open and reversible magazine release
SHOOTING IS BELIEVING
Located in Southern Arizona, Area 51.5 is the perfect place to test the Hellcat Pro. I have selected three steel defensive silhouette targets and 2-liter root beer jugs for fun testing. Steel targets are placed at 10 yards for this practical test.
The Shield red dot appears clearly on the steel target to guide my aiming point, and most of my shots are centered. More precise hits can be scored on the “flapper,” steel and head shots are made easily. This is done with a small lightweight pistol with a high round count. I am amazed.
The Winchester 115-grain Target and Practice FMJ ammo loads through each magazine and functions well. Empties fly through the ejection port despite low-cost ammo. Loaded with Sellier & Bellot hollow points, this little pistol shoots reliably and explodes those root beer jugs back to Jupiter.
As I shoot, I notice how easy it is to align the sights. The fixed sights and the Shield red dot come together to aid in accuracy and boost my confidence. The trigger is manageable. I must squeeze through the first stage to reach the wall of the second stage and break the shot cleanly. Once mastered, it makes accurate longer shots on 2-liter jugs possible. What fun to watch them blow up! No failures or jams of any kind were encountered on today’s test.
PROS & CONS
Pros:
- High quality, well made
- Lightweight
- Small size
- Easy to operate, few controls
- Versatile
- Ambidextrous
- Highly visible fixed sights
- Shield red dot is accurate, instinctive, small, and strong
Cons:
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Heavy two-stage trigger
FINAL THOUGHTS
Mark Twain always improved and perfected his writing and his characters. Likewise, Springfield Armory is always innovating. The Hellcat Pro is a combination of small size, light weight, accuracy, and simplicity. Add the Shield optic, and the pistol grows closer to perfection.
Although I carry my Glock 17 nearly every day, I am re-thinking my strategy in favor of something lighter and more modern. If you are thinking of your first concealed carry firearm or a new competition small gun, give the Hellcat Pro a look. You will not be disappointed!
