Firearms News Editor-in-Chief Vincent DeNiro tries out the new Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro pistol chambered in 9mm.
March 22, 2022
By David M. Fortier, Senior Field Editor
Let’s face it, compact 9mm pistols which hold a lot of rounds are hot right now. The higher the magazine capacity the better for personal protection, right? Older single-stack designs like Glock’s 43 have fallen out of favor. With that in mind, Springfield Armory’s recently introduced Hellcat Pro offers 15+1 capacity in a compact and easy-to-carry footprint. Obviously designed with personal protection in mind, the Hellcat Pro has a number of features, which makes it one to consider for anyone looking for a pistol for concealed carry.
Compact Size Springfield Armory’s new Hellcat Pro is very compact in size with a 3.7-inch barrel and 6.6-inch overall length, so it is easy to carry and conceal.
One desirable feature in a handgun intended for concealed carry is for it to be slim and compact, allowing it to easily conceal out of sight. The Hellcat Pro is just one inch wide, 6.6 inches in overall length and 4.8 inches high. It is fitted with a 3.7-inch hammer-forged barrel. So, the Hellcat Pro is just a bit bigger than Springfield Armory’s Hellcat . Weight comes in at just 21 ounces.
15+1 Capacity Magazine capacity on the new Hellcat Pro is a whopping 15 rounds! Despite its compact size though, the Hellcat Pro feeds from a 15-round magazine. This gives it the same magazine capacity as a Glock 19. It holds three times as many rounds as an S&W J-frame revolver, over twice as many as a Glock 43 and has an advantage over its similar size competitors in the market. More cartridges in a similar size package is certainly an advantage. In the current market, it is also a selling point.
Red Dot Ready The Hellcat Pro is Red Dot Ready out of the box and features co-witnessing U-Dot sights. Another feature in high demand today is being “red dot ready”, and the Hellcat Pro is out of the box. Developed with the use of red dot optics in mind, the Hellcat Pro’s slide is milled with the Springfield Micro footprint. It is designed to direct mount the smallest, most popular micro red dots on the market for the lowest mount possible. So, if you are looking for a compact handgun that accepts a red dot sight, the Hellcat Pro is one to consider. Plus, it comes fitted with co-witnessing U-dot sights. These feature a high visibility Tritium and luminescent front sight paired with a Tactical Rack rear sight.
Accessory Rail Mounting a white light, laser or other accessory is easy thanks to a Picatinny rail. Despite its small size, the Hellcat Pro features a Picatinny accessory rail on its dustcover. This facilitates easy mounting of important accessories such as a white light. This longer section of rail allows mounting a wider range of accessories for various applications. So, if you desire to mount a white light or laser you have the ability to.
Reversible Mag Release Springfield Armory designed the Hellcat Pro so its magazine release can be easily removed and installed on the opposite side, no gunsmith required. One nice feature worth noting, if you are a South Paw is the Hellcat Pro features a reversible magazine release. This allows you to easily configure the magazine release to match your particular needs. Rather than having to conform to the pistol, you can swap the mag release to either side. A certain percentage of the population will really appreciate this.
All in all, Springfield Armory’s new Hellcat Pro looks well-suited to personal protection and concealed carry. It’s chambered in the hugely popular 9mm Luger, has front and top slide serrations, a loaded chamber indicator, Melonite finish, nicely textured grip, it ships with two 15-round magazines and has an MSRP of $634. Visit the Springfield Armory Hellcat web page for more information. Look for a full review on Springfield Armory’s new Hellcat Pro in the pages of Firearms News magazine, as well as a video review on our website by our editor!
If you have any thoughts or comments on this article, we’d love to hear them. Email us at FirearmsNews@OutdoorSG.com
About the Author: David M. Fortier has been covering firearms, ammunition and optics since 1998. He is a recipient of the Carl Zeiss Outdoor Writer of the Year award and his writing has been recognized by the Civil Rights organization JPFO. In 2007 he covered the war in Iraq as an embedded journalist.
