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New Springfield Hellcat .380 Micro Compact – First Look
The Springfield Hellcat has been one of the most popular micro compacts since it came out in 2019. Between its size and magazine capacity, it has gained a cult following over time thanks to the Hellcat’s ability to conceal easily and still have some bigger-gun attributes despite its size.
Its size makes it the perfect summer carry gun. Especially for you, magazine capacity nuts, much similar to myself, who don’t want to walk around with less ammo for the sake of properly concealing their pistol.
It’s one of the compromises we made for many years with carrying a .380, and it’s no longer necessary.
Ammo Inc .380 ACP 90gr Jacketed Hollow Point Ammo
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Times have changed. And the new Hellcat .380 is one of those pistols that have helped bridge a gap.
Anyway, we’re taking a first look at the new Springfield Hellcat .380 and going over these features and a few others that have thrust .380 into the future. Let’s dive in.
Nice and easy to stow away. Ready when you need it. Source
Specifications
- Caliber – .380 ACP
- Barrel – 3″ Hammer Forged Steel, Melonite® Finish, 1:10
- Weight – 16.1 oz w/ Flush Mag, 16.5 oz w/ Extended Mag
- Length – 6”
- Magazine Capacity (Shipped) – (1) 11-Round, (1) 13-Round Extended
- Grip Width – 1”
- Height – 4″ w/ Flush Mag, 4.5″ w/ Extended Mag
- Sights – Tritium/Luminescent Front, Tactical Rack U-Notch Rear
Magazine Capacity
Carrying a .380 has always come with caveats. For one, the round was known to be snappy, which is the opposite of what you would need for defensive purposes. A good self-defense pistol allows you to get multiple rounds on target quickly. But this can be done with any pistol; your training is most important here.
Even a .22 can be highly effective in the right hands.
Two, the magazine capacities were always extremely low. Six rounds were fairly common and were a huge sacrifice when 9mm variants carry four more rounds at a minimum.
But that’s not the case with the Hellcat .380, which ships with an 11-round flush-fit magazine and a 13-round extended magazine from the factory. That’s twice the capacity in a pistol with the same footprint as the popular Glock 42, without adding any unnecessary size.
Everyone wants to have more ammo at the ready, and the Hellcat has brought the .380 up to modern capacities.
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Springfield Armory Hellcat .380 ACP 11 Round Magazine
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SALE 
Springfield Armory Hellcat .380 ACP 13 Round Magazine
3 reviews
Original price was: $34.99.$24.99Current price is: $24.99.
Optics Ready
Pistol-mounted red dots are here, and in a self-defense situation, there is nothing better than being able to put a dot on something and pull the trigger. Why would you want to spend the extra time to line up iron sights when you’re in danger?
Seems like a no-brainer. And the Hellcat .380 comes with the facilities to mount the optic, zero, and go. It comes with the Shield RMS footprint and is compatible with many popular micro red dots on the market today.
Just remember that these are smaller red dots with smaller windows. You can’t put a big old Trijicon SRO on it.
Cut for the most popular optics on the micro red-dot market. Source
Factory Sights
We have all stared down some terrible factory sights at least once in our shooting careers. Very seldom do they get it right from the factory, and there are plenty of examples of that.
The Hellcat .380 aims to be the opposite of that, using a tritium front sight and a U-notch rear sight to create a clear contrast and an easy sight picture.
Chambered in .380
.380 was a popular round back in the 80s and 90s, but lost favor over the years to the 9mm and .45 ACP due to the latter’s better ballistic performance in close-quarters combat. And, like I mentioned before, the magazine capacity was typically low.
But modern ammo technology has brought .380 back into the conversation, and the soft shooting round inside of the high-cap Hellcat makes a fine candidate for concealed carry.
Great blend of power and size. Source
Great Aftermarket Support
One of the most important things for a gun owner is being able to put a gun together that fits their needs. The Hellcat has a ton of aftermarket support, making it super easy to turn the factory model into your own. Almost every major aftermarket parts manufacturer has something for the Hellcat.
Tons of manufacturers offer triggers, performance and threaded barrels, magazine extensions, and almost anything else you can think of to transform the look and feel of the Hellcat.
Who wants to be stuck with factory parts? Everyone likes custom pieces, and aftermarket parts are how you get there.
Best Uses For The Hellcat .380
Pistols this small tend to lend themselves to concealed carry roles, where you need a pistol that’s easier to conceal and deploy when necessary.
13 rounds in a small package is nothing you can be mad at. Source
It’s small enough to fit under light clothing, and no one would be the wiser while providing an excellent magazine capacity.
What Do You Think?
The Hellcat .380 is an excellent addition to the market. With all the advancements to the Hellcat platform and to .380 ammo itself, having that much ammo in a small package is going to put the old caliber back in the conversation.
What do you think about the Hellcat .380?
It has the makings of a great gun, and the Hellcat was already loved by many. When we find out, we’ll update you.
Be good and take care.
