Springfield Armory Hellcat
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 76 mm
- Weight, empty
- 519 g
- Introduced
- 2019
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is a micro-compact, striker-fired semi-automatic pistol introduced in September 2019, purpose-built for everyday concealed carry. At launch it claimed the title of the world's highest-capacity micro-compact 9mm, delivering 11+1 rounds from a patented flush-fitting magazine within a frame measuring just 152mm (6.0 inches) long, 102mm (4.0 inches) tall, and 25mm (1.0 inch) wide -- weighing only 519g (18.3 oz) empty. The Hellcat features Springfield Armory's Adaptive Grip Texture, a staggered pyramid pattern that activates under grip pressure for secure purchase without snagging during draw. Its 76mm (3.0-inch) hammer-forged Melonite-finished barrel is paired with a dual captive recoil spring system. Standard sights consist of a high-visibility tritium and luminescent front dot paired with a Tactical Rack U-Dot rear notch for fast acquisition in all lighting conditions. The pistol includes a loaded chamber indicator witness hole, flat-faced trigger with a nickel boron-coated trigger group, reversible magazine release, forward and rear cocking serrations, and a standoff device on the guide rod. An included 13-round extended magazine provides additional capacity. The Hellcat rapidly became one of the top-selling concealed carry pistols in the United States, praised for its exceptional capacity-to-size ratio that outclassed competitors at introduction, and spawned a full family of variants including the optics-ready OSP, compensated RDP, larger-frame Hellcat Pro with 15+1 capacity, and the integrally compensated Pro Comp.
The Hellcat was the first micro-compact pistol to offer 11+1 standard capacity, beating the SIG P365's 10+1 in a comparably sized package. Springfield Armory manufactured it through their partnership with Croatian firm HS Produkt, which also produces the XD series, though the Hellcat was designed specifically for the U.S. concealed carry market.
The Hellcat was the first micro-compact pistol to offer 11+1 standard capacity, exceeding the SIG Sauer P365's 10+1 in a comparably sized package. The OSP (Optical Sight Pistol) variant launched simultaneously in September 2019 with a milled slide for direct-mount micro red dots using the Shield RMSc / Springfield Micro footprint. The RDP (Rapid Defense Package, February 2021) adds a 3.8-inch threaded barrel with self-indexing compensator and ships with a HEX Wasp red dot. The Hellcat Pro (March 2022) extends the grip to accept 15-round flush magazines and features a 3.7-inch barrel with Picatinny rail, bridging the micro-compact and compact categories. The Pro Comp OSP (June 2024) integrates a single-port compensator directly into the barrel and slide for reduced muzzle rise without added length. A .380 ACP variant was introduced in 2023 for the reduced-recoil market. Optional ambidextrous manual safety is available on select SKUs. Factory trigger pull averages approximately 6.5 lbs (29N). Model number HC9319B denotes the base 9mm variant; HC9319BOSP is the optics-ready model.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Springfield Armory, Inc.
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2019
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 76 mm
- Overall length
- 152 mm
- Height
- 102 mm
- Width
- 25 mm
- Weight, empty
- 519 g
- Weight, loaded
- 651 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 29.0 N
- Capacity
- 11
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Melonite
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 340 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 431 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
- Maximum range
- 1500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Adaptive grip texture
High capacity micro compact
Tritium luminescent front sight- U dot rear sight
Reversible mag release
Accessory rail
Forward rear slide serrations
Hammer forged barrel
Standoff device
Dual captive recoil spring
Extended magazine option
Nickel boron coated trigger
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 519 g | 765 g | Lighter than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 152 mm | 191 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 76 mm | 105 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 11 | 15 | Holds fewer rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Springfield Armory Hellcat
How much does the Springfield Armory Hellcat weigh?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat weighs 519 g (1.14 lb) empty and 651 g (1.44 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Springfield Armory Hellcat?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Springfield Armory Hellcat hold?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat holds 11 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Springfield Armory Hellcat?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is 152 mm (5.98 in) long overall, with a 76 mm (2.99 in) barrel.
Who makes the Springfield Armory Hellcat?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat is made by Springfield Armory, Inc. (United States).
When was the Springfield Armory Hellcat introduced?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat was introduced in 2019.
How does the Springfield Armory Hellcat operate?
The Springfield Armory Hellcat uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- U.S. Civilian Concealed Carry Market
- 2019
Provenance
Confidence in this record
91%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/springfield-hellcat' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "springfield-hellcat", "name": "Springfield Armory Hellcat", "manufacturer": { "id": "springfield-armory", "name": "Springfield Armory, Inc.", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1974, "website": "https://www.springfield-armory.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "25f76dc992edbd0bbf9fcae464532e0cdea93a1bb7636f2858e213931d45a359" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2019, "barrel_length_mm": 76, "weight_empty_g": 519, "action_type": "short_recoil"}