Springfield Armory is releasing two new variants of the Hellion bullpup rifle with either an 18- or 20-inch barrel length.
The Hellion is based on the proven VHS-2 rifle used by the Croatian armed forces, and Springfield Armory offers American shooters a semi-automatic version of this highly capable and fully ambidextrous firearm.
“The Hellion built upon the solid foundation of the VHS-2, adapting it to the needs of American shooters,” says Steve Kramer, Springfield Armory’s Vice President of Marketing. “With these two new longer-barreled variants in 18- and 20-inch barrels, shooters have the option of increased downrange performance as well as features true to the original design.”
The original Hellion launched with a 16-inch barrel was designed to offer the most compact package possible. These newly released variants feature extended 18- and 20-inch barrels, resulting in a 5.56 NATO rifle that still offers the compact handling characteristics of a bullpup, but with enhanced velocity and downrange performance
In addition to this, the 20-inch-barreled version of the Hellion has a configuration similar to that of the Croatian VHS-D2 rifle, a designated marksman version of the VHS. The 20-inch Hellion has a distinctive ribbed forward section of barrel for enhanced cooling as well as an integrated bayonet lug.
As part of the Hellion’s development, Springfield Armory adapted the original VHS-2 design for the American market. This includes its ability to feed from AR-pattern magazines, the use of replaceable AR-pattern pistol grips, M-Lok slots in the handguard and the addition of six QD mounts. The result is a rifle with international roots, yet addressed to the specific needs of American shooters.
All Hellions feature a reversible ejection system that requires no additional parts or tools. There is a set of fully ambidextrous controls, including the safety, charging handle, magazine and bolt release. A five-position collapsible buttstock, two-position adjustable gas system and integrated flip-up iron sights further add to the design’s adaptability.
Both of these new rifles come with a 30-round Magpul PMag and Bravo Company USA BCMGunfighter Mod 3 pistol grip. MSRP for the 18-inch version is $2,016, while the 20-inch version has an MSRP of $2,031. Please visit springfield-armory.com for more information on these new Hellion rifles or other products from Springfield Armory.
