Hey everyone, this is Shooting Illustrated bringing you another episode of “I Carry.” In today’s feature, we’re looking at the new Springfield Armory Hellcat 380 and some related gear. Let’s take a closer look at this setup:
Firearm: Springfield Armory Hellcat 380 (MSRP: $653)
Springfield Armory recently expanded its Hellcat line of striker-fired, polymer-frame pistols to include a version chambered in .380 ACP. It joins the ranks of such pistols as the Ruger Security 380, SIG Sauer P365-380 and Smith & Wesson Shield EZ, all double-stack, larger-than-subcompact pistols in .380 ACP. For a long time, pistols in .380 were this size but single stack – think Walther PPK – and with the rapid expansion of concealed carry, the .380 became a tiny pocket pistol – think KelTec P3AT. We’re seeing a return to the mid-size .380, only lighter and with greater capacity, as an option for the recoil averse, those with limited hand strength or just folks looking for something less snappy than 9 mm in a smaller handgun.
Sizewise, the Hellcat 380 is identical in size to the 9 mm version: 3-inch barrel, 6-inch overall length, 1-inch width and 4-inch height with the flush-fit magazine. The Hellcat 380 is slightly lighter: it weighs 16.1 ounces to the 9 mm’s 17.9. Holsters that fit the 9 mm Hellcat should work for the 380, but of course, be sure to test first. The Hellcat 380’s size is eminently concealable; with the .380 ACP chambering over the 9 mm, it’s supremely shootable as well.
Because of its size, the Hellcat 380 has something a lot of .380 ACP pistols do not: an optics cut. Like the Hellcat 9 mm and Hellcat Pro, the Hellcat 380 has a dedicated optics cut for optics that use the RMSc footprint. Simply remove the cover plate, install the optic using the optic-manufacturer’s torque specifications and it’s one of the easier installations out there. Just remember to select an optic with the RMSc footprint and you can easily equip your Hellcat 380 with a small red-dot sight.
What’s the appeal of the Hellcat 380? In a nutshell, this pistol is extremely easy to shoot. There’s very little recoil and it is ridiculously simple to keep on target. If the recoil of 9 mm in a small gun like the Hellcat gives you pause, try the Hellcat 380. Excellent defensive options for .380 ACP like Federal’s 85-grain Punch or Hornady’s 90-grain Critical Defense make the .380 ACP much less of a compromise than it used to be.
And, speaking of ammunition, since today is Halloween, we’ve thrown in some of Hornady’s Zombie Max ammunition from the early 2010s for some holiday flair. The whole zombie trend may have run its course, but the Zombie Max ammunition remains, at heart, Hornady’s excellent Critical Defense FTX bullet, but with a zombie-green tip rather than the traditional red. Just the thing for the undead!
Holster: N8 Tactical Xecutive (MSRP: $39.95; $48.90 as configured)
To carry the new Hellcat 380, we’ve gone with a N8 Tactical Xecutive kydex holster. This taco-style design offers IWB or appendix-style carry in a minimalist, yet well-apportioned design that allows for quite a bit of customization. The standard metal belt clip is adjustable for either straight-drop for appendix carry or a slight cant for more traditional inside-the-waistband positioning. Xecutives are available for a wide variety of handguns and for both right- and left-handed shooters.
What’s really neat about the Xecutive series is the wide range of custom options available. A multitude of color and pattern options can be selected not just for the kydex, but even for the mounting hardware. A variety of belt-attachment options ranging from the standard metal clip, to pull-the-dot loops to Ulti-clips for maximum concealment are available to help best tailor your carry method. A Modwing is available to help tuck the holster into the body, and foam wedges can be ordered for extra comfort.
Accessory: Shield Sights RMSsc red-dot sight (MSRP: $429.99)
Since the Hellcat 380 has an optics cut, we’ve chosen the new Shield Sights RMSsc subcompact red-dot sight. This is an even smaller version of the company’s RMSc, in fact it’s so small that Shield Sights proclaims it to be the “smallest micro red dot optic on the market.” While we haven’t measured it against other micro red dots, its slim size and minimalist construction don’t give us reason to doubt. It’s also IP67-rated for water immersion, although we didn’t throw it in the tub or take it swimming so we haven’t tested it for leaks when placed in up to 1 meter of water.
At its heart, though, the RMSsc has the same technology we expect in an optic from the company that brought us the RMSc footprint: always on, automatic brightness detection and a run time of 9,000 hours on a single CR1632 battery per the company’s claim. Dots are available in 4- and 8-MOA sizes, the anti-reflective-coated lens is glass and the body is 6061 aluminum. As with other optics of this size and type, the battery is located on the bottom of the unit, so it will need to be removed from the pistol approximately once a year to change.
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