Adam Scepaniak 06.04.24
What started out as a solitary model in the original Hellcat – billed as the world’s highest capacity, micro-compact at the time of its release – has grown into an utter army of offerings. If you care for the smallest footprint while carrying, the original Hellcat is currently offered in 15 unique variations. If you desire a bit more features, then the Hellcat RDP (Rapid Defense Package) might be more of your speed in its 8 custom iterations. Then, there is the “big brother” to the Hellcat series in the grouping of Hellcat Pro pistols where you have your choice of 24 handguns with longer barrels and grips for more accuracy and more rounds on board. This family with 47 permutations of the Hellcat looked rounded out nicely until Springfield Armory surprised, once again, with yet another model to tempt our wallets: the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm. So, in this AllOutdoor Review, we are going to take a look at the all-new Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm to see how it performs out in the field. Let’s dive in!
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Specifications – Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm
The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol has an MSRP of $699 making it pretty affordable for the impressive feature-set that it offers to shooters. This handgun still touts a 3.7″ barrel – like traditional Hellcat Pro handguns – except this specific model has a compensator built into the barrel with a matching cut-out slide so gas can be vented upward for a more pleasant shooting experience. It is a clean presentation with no need of attaching muzzle devices to get that desired reduced recoil. The rest of the notable specs for the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm can be read below as presented by Springfield Armory:
- Cartridge: 9mm
- Barrel: 3.7″ Hammer Forged Steel, Melonite® Finish, 1:10
- Slide: Billet Machined, Melonite® Finish, Optics Ready, Integral Compensator
- Frame: Black Polymer w/ Adaptive Grip Texture
- Sights: Tritium/Luminescent Front, Tactical Rack U-Notch Rear
- Recoil System: Dual Captive Recoil Spring w/ Full Length Guide Rod
- Grip Width: 1″
- Magazines: (1) 15-Round, (1) 17-Round
- Weight: 21 oz w/ Flush Mag, 21.4 oz w/ Extended Mag
- Length: 6.6″
- Height: 4.8″ w/ Flush Mag, 5.3″ w/ Extended Mag
- MSRP: $699
While the integral compensator is absolutely the hallmark feature of the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP, there are a lot of other features that make this a desirable carry pistol. This OSP (Optical Sight Pistol) configuration makes for easy mounting of micro red dots which are all the rage these days. The Springfield Micro™ footprint (also Shield RSMc/SMSc compatible) that is on this pistol makes it direct mount compatible with dozens of popular micro red dots. For this review, I played with a Shield SMSc (provided by Springfield to review the pistol), and I also deployed a newer Vortex Optics Defender-CCW as well.
- INTEGRAL COMPENSATOR – The integral compensator featured on the Hellcat Pro Comp is discreetly designed with a single port on the top of the hammer-forged slide and barrel. Redirecting gas upwards, it effectively reduces muzzle rise and enhances control. The result is a pistol that delivers faster and more accurate follow-up shots. In addition, the front sight is positioned behind the compensator for an uninterrupted sight picture.
- OPTICS-READY – With a milled slide fitting the Springfield Micro™ footprint, the Hellcat® Pro Comp is an OSP™ configuration designed to accept today’s most popular micro red dots.
- 3.7″ HAMMER FORGED BARREL – The 3.7” barrel of the Hellcat® Pro Comp offers enhanced ballistics and downrange performance and is hammer forged for impressive strength and durability.
- TWO MAGAZINES INCLUDED – The Hellcat® Pro Comp comes with two magazines, a flush-fitting 15-round mag for concealability and an extended 17-rounder.
- HANDGUN CASE INCLUDED – A double-zipper case is included with each Springfield Armory handgun. The soft-sided shell ensures the firearm and mounted accessories are protected during transportation, while an interior pouch can hold an additional magazine.
As always, in the rare event that you should ever need service for your firearm, Springfield Armory has a Lifetime Warranty that stands behind all of their firearms. One final snapshot into what the new Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol is all about can be read below in Springfield Armory’s Press Release statement:
Geneseo, Illinois – June 4th, 2024 – Springfield Armory® is proud to announce the launch of the Hellcat® Pro Comp OSP™ 9mm pistol. Integrally compensated to reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise, the Hellcat® Pro Comp is meticulously engineered to offer the perfect balance between concealability and capacity.
The integral compensator featured on the Hellcat Pro Comp is discreetly designed with a single port on the top of the hammer-forged slide and barrel. Redirecting gas upwards, it effectively reduces muzzle rise and enhances control. The result is a pistol that delivers faster and more accurate follow-up shots. In addition, the front sight is positioned behind the compensator for an uninterrupted sight picture.
“The Hellcat Pro was designed to deliver full-size performance in a concealable, EDC-ready package with unmatched ergonomics,” said Steve Kramer, Springfield Armory’s Vice President of Marketing. “Now with the Hellcat Pro Comp, shooters have a new option that combines advanced performance with ease of concealability.”
Field Use – Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm
To review the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol, I enrolled the assistance of my lovely, wife, Andrea and her pistol-curious friend, Ashley. While Ashley does not own her own CCW pistol (concealed carry pistol), she has always expressed great interest in learning, trying new platforms, and even gives me feedback on various handguns that I review for my job as a writer. So, this trio of shooters took the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm for a spin a couple times to form some opinions on it.
For the diet we fed this handgun, it was primarily some CCI Blazer Brass 9mm 115 Grain FMJ that I purchased from my family’s gun shop – The Guns And Gear Store of Waite Park, MN. We also ran a heaping offering of Gold Medal Action Pistol that was provided by Federal Premium, and we thank them for supporting this review with that ammo.
While we had the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm on the range, I also brought with my personal Hellcat Pro OSP handgun so we could do some side-by-side recoil comparisons. All of us were skeptical that the integral compensator was going to make a noticeable difference in recoil because 9mm doesn’t kick that much to begin with, right? Well, we were immediately proven wrong.
I had Andrea and Ashley shoot my standard Hellcat Pro handgun first, and then promptly switched them over to the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm. Both of them exclaimed how there was a noticeable difference in the recoil impulse: less muzzle rise, less push, and faster returns on target. Anecdotally, most people across the internet will state that adding a muzzle brake or compensator to a handgun cuts the recoil by ~30% and I would be willing to bet that this simple, integral compensator by Springfield Armory defeats even more recoil than that.
So, the integral compensator definitely delivers on its boasted, implied promise of less recoil, but what about this pistol’s 2nd most prominent feature: the OSP (Optical Sight Pistol) configuration making for the easy mounting of micro red dots? Springfield graciously supplied a Shield SMSc micro red dot for us to test this pistol, and I also deployed a Vortex Optics Defender-CCW micro red dot as well. Both optics secured crisply to the top of the slide, maintained a zero, and could be easily interchanged with a simple Torx wrench – no proprietary or weird tools required.
In regards to accuracy, this pistol has what I would call point-and-hit accuracy. As along as you – the shooter – provide a good trigger press and proper grip, this pistol is as accurate as you could ever hope it to be. Andrea, Ashley, and myself performed a lot of range drills on steel targets with the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm and we had that steel ringing and singing like church bells. This pistol, even in its diminutive footprint, is incredibly accurate.
As far as comfort, the Adaptive Grip Texturing present on this Hellcat (as well as all others) is very comfortable and affords you a sound grip whether your palms are sweaty, your hands are cold, or whatever the shooting environment might be doing to you. While all 3 of us found the grip size, texturing, and circumference to be very comfortable, if anyone out there is searching for a smaller handgun for simply less of a footprint under clothing, I would easily refer them to the original Hellcat model.
Final Thoughts – Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm
So, what are my final thoughts on the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol?… Overall, if you don’t currently own any Hellcat pistols, it is a no-brainer to jump up to the best – the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm – to add to your collection. If you already own a Hellcat or several Hellcat pistols like myself, I am still going to go out and buy this handgun. It’s flatly the best. All the Hellcat features from top-to-bottom with less recoil to boot! Plus, the $699 price tag is hundreds of dollars less than its competitors. If you’ve been holding off on a Hellcat or getting your next CCW handgun, wait no more. Bag yourself a Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm.
In closing, I want to say thank you to Springfield Armory for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol is something worth spending your money on? Would you take one with you hunting? Shoot a league or competition? Potentially deploy it for EDC (everyday carry)? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Springfield Armory and the Hellcat Pro Comp OSP 9mm pistol in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
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