The most popular type of carry gun for the last decade has been the subcompact polymer-­framed striker-­fired 9mm. Since its December 2019 introduction in Guns & Ammo, atop the list of these pistols has been the Springfield Armory Hellcat. However, people who regularly shoot the guns they carry have discovered that while sub-­ and micro-­compact pistols are convenient for carry, they’re not always that easy to shoot. Hence, many brands have developed up-sized versions of its flagship micro. Springfield Armory did the same when it announced the Hellcat Pro in the July 2022 issue. For 2024, G&A has received the Hellcat Pro Comp Optical Sight Pistol (OSP), arguably the most feature-rich Hellcat that Springfield Armory has offered. The design started with the Hellcat Pro OSP, the barrel of which was given a single-­port compensator.

The first Hellcat model paired a 3-­inch barrel with a short grip that fit 11 rounds in a stack-and-a-half staggered magazine. The Hellcat Pro stretched the 9mm barrel to a length of 3.7 inches, and the grip was lengthened to accept 15-round magazines.

The difference between the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP and the existing Hellcat Pro OSP is the oval port in the barrel and slide. The single port acts as a compensator, venting some of the expanding gas up near the muzzle to reduce muzzlerise. Large ports have proven to be more effective in managing recoil since they break the vacuum seal behind the bullet. To make room for the port, the front sight was moved back almost half an inch. Depending on the ammo and shooting style, Springfield Armory suggested the port reduces muzzlerise between 15 and ­25 percent. With red-dot-sighted pistols, compensators are becoming more sought after, which help shooters keep track of a bouncing dot.

At its introduction on June 4, 2024, the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP was available in a black, optic-ready configuration. There are three different magazine options depending on the restrictions a person is subject to. For those living in restrictive states, two 10-­round magazines are provided, or two 15-­round magazines. Otherwise, the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP includes one flush-fit 15-­round magazine and a 17-rounder. Magazines are built with stainless steel bodies and numbered with index holes at the spine.

Advertisement

The Hellcat Pro Comp OSP measures 6.6 inches long, 4.8 inches tall with iron sights only, and just 1-inch wide. It weighs 21 ounces with an empty, flush magazine in place, which is the same as the existing Hellcat Pro. There are gentle finger grooves molded into the frame, and most people should be able to wrap every finger around the grip, vastly improving recoil control. And that is the point, the “why” in the question, “Why are we now seeing larger versions of subcompact pistols?” Despite keeping the 1-inch-wide grip, adding length to support additional fingers improves control and shootability. If you have massive hands, the extended 17-­round magazine offers a textured grip extension.

Aiming Points

The Hellcat and the Hellcat Pro have what many critics labeled “Best-­in-­Class” iron sights. They are a steel front post and rear U-shaped notch arrangement. The front sight has a tritium insert surrounded by a bright yellow-green ring of luminescent paint. The front sight is easily visible in daylight or darkness. Take the pistol from a brightly ­lit area into a dim environment and the ring will glow for several minutes — in addition to the constant-on glow from the center tritium vial. If you hit the front sight with light from a flashlight for a few seconds, the painted ring reactivates.

The U-­shaped notch at the rear has a white upside-down semi-­circle. The notch is generous, allowing for a good amount of ambient light around the front sight, and that’s what you want. Align the top of the sights and nest the front sight dot in the rear “U.”

Advertisement

The Hellcat was designed to accommodate a deep cut into the rear of the slide to allow for the direct mounting of an optic ahead of the rear sight using the Shield RMSc footprint. For Guns & Ammo’s testing, an RMSc was attached to the slide. Springfield Armory does offer several package versions of the Hellcat Pro with this optic factory mounted, and we predict they’ll do the same for the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP. 

At the start of production, the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP will only be offered in black, but if you look back to the company’s penchant for making Hellcats in flat dark earth (FDE), we’d expect an FDE variant to follow soon.

If you’re a shooter that prefers using the Hellcat Pro with iron sights only, know that the front face of the rear sight was machined vertically; it’s tall enough that it can be racked one-­handed against a hard surface if a situation requires it. If an optic is mounted to the slide, you can use the front of the optic to rack the slide.

Finish & Function

The barrel and slide are finished in corrosion-resistant Melonite, which is a type of nitride surface treatment. It has proven to be reliable. 

At the rear of the barrel hood is a notch that serves as a loaded chamber indicator (LCI). Though they can provide a visual aid to the status of a chamber, we always recommend a chamber press check versus a glance at an LCI, if a situation requires it.

The slide has cocking serrations up front and at the rear. They are shallower than those on many full-­size pistols, but very useful when handling the slide. Inside the slide assembly is a two spring recoil system that gradually dissipates recoil energy to ensure reliability with the 9mm’s different grainweights and muzzle velocities. Working the slide by hand was not difficult. In fact, it was easier than most pistols of this size and type.

The slide stop, takedown lever, and reversible magazine release are all steel, low-profile components. The slide stop works better as a slide release than the typical lever on other striker-fired pistols, but the one on the Hellcat Pro is still small.

The trigger shoe is polymer, featuring the familiar drop-­safety lever in the center. The trigger face is nearly flat and straight, and fires close to 90 degrees when compressed.

In all forms, the Croatian-made Hellcat has been a success for Springfield Armory. The trigger press is heavier than those on most competing pistols. G&A’s Hellcat Pro Comp OSP sample, however, demonstrated a better-than-average trigger. After a short take-­up, the let-off was as crisp as expected with a striker-fired pistol. Total pull weight was measured at 61/4 pounds. Shooting to its accuracy potential with the RMSc sight was not as difficult.

Injection molding continues to improve. The Hellcat has a traditional grip angle, which is between the 22-degree grip angle of the Glock design and the steeper grip angle of the SIG Sauer P365 series. Springfield Armory developed its Adaptive Grip Texture for the Hellcat. The frame texture is somewhat fine and covers almost all of the frame. The harder you squeeze the gun, the more the texture helps you grip. The texture is actually raised, staggered pyramid shapes. In addition to the grip, there are dished areas on the frame above the front of the triggerguard that have the texture.

The front of the frame is complete with a two-­slot rail for mounting lights. Even the larger Pro models are smaller than some compacts, so, to mount a light that fits its profile, you’ll need to look at the Nightstick TCM series, Streamlight TLR-­7 and SureFire XSC, which offer Hellcat-specific mounting for ideal fitment.

Hellcats are supplied with a nylon carry case to hold the pistol and a spare magazine. It makes an excellent, discreet off-­body means to carry the pistol.

Parting Shots

At the range, the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP was reliable, expectedly accurate and pleasant to shoot. The high visibility sights were especially useful and easy to find when shooting without an optic. 

There’s a bark from the port, but it’s accompanied by the feel of reduced muzzlerise. With some ammunition, you may see some vertical flash, especially in diminished light.

Of course, the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP is not nearly as concealable as other Hellcat models, but it is easier to shoot, and that’s a trade-­off that shooters will consider. The added grip is welcome when shooting +P ammunition, but it was a more manageable pistol regardless of the load. The Hellcat Pro is a proven design, and users of the compensated model benefit from that experience.

The Hellcat Pro Comp OSP exists in the so-called “Goldilocks” zone of carry guns, meaning that it conceals well but shoots similarly to a full-­size gun — and that’s the point of these upsized versions of subcompacts. 

Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm

• Type: Recoil operated, striker ­fired, semiautomatic
• Cartridge: 9mm
• Capacity: 15+1 rds. or 17+1 rds.
• Barrel: 3.7 in., ported, 1:10-in. twist, carbon steel
• Overall Length: 6.6 in.
• Width: 1 in.
• Height: 4.8 in.
• Weight: 1 lb., 5 oz. (tested)
• Materials: Polymer (frame), carbon steel (slide)
• Finish: Melonite (steel)
• Sights: Steel, tritium/luminescent (front), Tactical Rack U-­notch (rear), optic ready
• Trigger: 6 ­lbs., 4 oz. (tested)
• Safety: Striker safety, trigger safety lever
• MAP: $699
• Accessories: Two magazines (one 15-, one 17-­roundmagazine standard), cable lock, soft case
• Manufacturer: HS Produkt, Croatia
• Importer: Springfield Armory, 800-680-6866, springfield-­armory.com