Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro

Springfield Armory entered the micro-compact 9 mm Luger handgun market in 2019 with its Hellcat, which provided a 11+1-round capacity with a flush-fit magazine in an easily carried package. A couple years later, the company upsized the design with the Hellcat Pro. Despite the similarities between the two platforms, the Hellcat Pro offers some intrinsic benefits not found in the original Hellcat. Watch our "American Rifleman Television" Rifleman Review segment above to learn more about these differences.

"Springfield Armory entered the micro-compact handgun market in a really big way when it introduced the original Hellcat, and it really set the standard for what a go-to micro-compact handgun ought to be," American Rifleman Executive Editor Evan Brune said. "The Hellcat Pro obviously matches a lot of the styling and construction and aesthetics of the original Hellcat, but it is bigger in almost every dimension."

The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro measures 6.6" compared to the original 6" length of the Hellcat. Similarly, the height is 4.8" on the Pro model, with a flush-fit magazine, compared to 4" overall height on the Hellcat. Barrel length is similarly lengthened, with the Hellcat Pro having a 3.7" barrel compared to the 3" barrel on the Hellcat.

"You've got a larger platform compared to the original Hellcat, but when you think about a lot of the popular concealed-carry handguns of past years, this is still a slim, trim ultra-carryable handgun," Brune said. "You've got more meat in the grip area. You've got a little bit more weight, not much, you're talking about only 3 ozs. heavier. You've got a little bit more of a platform to work with."

Despite the larger dimensions, there are benefits that come with the enlarged size and the lengthened slide and barrel.

"You've got an increased sight radius, so if you're running just the straight irons without a Hex Wasp red-dot on top of the slide, you can take advantage of that sight radius for a little bit more control over your group sizes. It's a benefit, in some ways, to be able to carry just a step up in terms of size."

Of course, the Hellcat Pro provides a larger magazine capacity, with 15 rounds on board in a flush-fit magazine compared to the 11 rounds contained in the original Hellcat's flush-fit box.

"If you're looking for a concealed-carry handgun that just has a little bit more capacity to it, while still being easily carried, and you enjoyed the features found in the original Hellcat, the Hellcat Pro is a great option to look at," Brune concluded.

Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Specifications
Manufacturer: HS Produkt
Importer: Springfield Armory
Action Type: recoil-operated, striker-fired, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Frame: black polymer
Slide: Melonite-finished steel
Barrel: forged; 3.7"
Rifling: six-groove; 1:10" RH twist
Length: 6.6"
Height: 4.8"
Width: 1"
Magazine: 15-round detachable box
Trigger: striker-fired; 5-lb., 4-oz. pull
Sights: tritium dot front, U-notch rear; drift adjustable for windage; optics ready
Weight: 21 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, spare magazine, slide cover plate, carrying case, lock

To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.