Springfield Armory Hellcat Goes 20,000 Rounds

by
posted on July 1, 2020
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
springfield-armory-hellcat-20k-round-test-f.jpg
When Springfield Armory launched its innovative Hellcat micro-compact pistol in 2019, the company took steps to highlight the durability of this dedicated defensive pistol. In the same year, one Springfield Armory Hellcat, Serial No. AT234795, was fired 10,000 times with no parts breakage and minimal cleaning. Now, that same gun did it again, going 20,000 rounds with no gun-related issues.

In one marathon range session, Paul Carlson, owner of Safety Solutions Academy, and a team of shooters put 10,000 rounds of Federal Premium American Eagle 9 mm through Hellcat No. AT234795 in 10 hours. The test differed slightly from the first 10,000-round shoot, but the team recorded every round fired and maintained a minimal maintenance schedule. To prevent the gun from becoming too hot to handle, the Hellcat was cooled off by an air compressor every 250 rounds.

“We are very proud to see that the Hellcat once again proved its dominant position in the market as the finest and most durable micro 9mm available,” says Steve Kramer, vice president of marketing at Springfield Armory. “Carlson’s test held the Hellcat to a very high standard, and it once again showed that the pistol has what it takes to deliver the performance and capability concealed carry users should demand.”

The Springfield Armory Hellcat, reviewed here by American Rifleman, boasts an on-board carrying capacity of 11+1 rounds in a flush-fit magazine or 13+1 rounds in the extended magazine. This dramatic jump in round count is made possible through a stagger-stack magazine design, which allows the Hellcat to maintain a size similar to many popular single-stack handguns while significantly increasing capacity. The gun is offered in iron-sighted and optic-ready models, and an all-new FDE-finished variant launched in mid-2020.

“No one would ever expect a micro-sized pistol intended for CCW to be subjected to such an incredibly demanding test, but we never doubted the Hellcat would come out on top,” says Dennis Reese, CEO of Springfield Armory. “Quality is our number one priority and it always will be, and the Hellcat proved that during this test. We’ll be watching as it continues to prove itself for the next 10K rounds, and beyond.”

For more details on the test and the gun itself, visit springfield-armory.com.

Latest

Customizing X Card Shotgun 1
Customizing X Card Shotgun 1

Building an X-Card Gun for Turkey Shoots

Unofficially known as a “turkey shoot,” X-Card competition challenges shotgunners to place shot pellets as closely as possible to the center of a target. And some makers have perfected a way to fine-tune shotguns for this purpose.

Spanish National Police Adopt Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC

The Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional) has officially adopted the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC 9mm pistol as the issue pistol for its uniformed officers.

NRA Launches New NRA.org Platform and Official App to Modernize and Enhance the Member Experience

The National Rifle Association today launched its new NRA.org website and continued enhancements to the official NRA App, marking a major step and significant investment to modernize the organization and better serve members.

Political Report | Federal Firearms Rights Restoration is Officially Back

Criminal-justice reform has been distorted to mean counterproductive policies like eliminating cash bail or politicized district attorneys exhibiting a determined indifference to violence, but there is a place for sensible reforms that allow genuinely rehabilitated offenders to reintegrate into the community of law-abiding citizens.

Stable Fun: The Taurus Brace-Ready TX22

Taurus USA first adopted the ideal of a brace-ready format for a traditional handgun in its GX4 Strike Bravo, and now, the company is extending that concept to its TX22 rimfire handgun.

I Have This Old Gun: The Whitney Navy Revolver

One of the lesser-known revolvers from the Civil War era, the Whitney Navy revolver had several notable features and even inspired a copycat in the Confederacy.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.