Firearm: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro Comp (MSRP: $699)
Competitive shooters have been adding compensators to their handguns for a while now, acknowledging that the devices mitigate recoil somewhat and allow faster follow-up shots. This has not gone unnoticed in the world of concealed carry, with many guns sprouting threaded barrels and then having compensators added to them. Springfield Armory did this with the Hellcat RDP, but the latest model released by Springfield Armory has the compensator integral to the slide, with a matching port in the barrel.
Springfield Armory’s Hellcat Pro Comp maintains the same dimensions as the standard Hellcat Pro: 6.6 inch overall length with a 3.7-inch barrel, 4.8-inch height, 1-inch width and 21 ounce weight. It will fit holsters made for the Pro without needing an open muzzle, and about the only noticeable difference between the Comp and the standard is the position of the front sight: out of necessity for the port, the front sight is slightly closer to the rear sight than on the standard Hellcat Pro. It’s unlikely the small difference in sight radius will make shots more difficult; especially if a red-dot sight is installed on the RMSc-footprint optics cut.
Other than the compensator, the Hellcat Pro Comp is the same as the standard Hellcat Pro – same slightly aggressive texture on the frame, same third-generation bladed-safety trigger, same accessory rail on the dustcover. Magazines are of course the same, and the Hellcat Pro Comp comes with a flush-fit 15-round magazine and a slightly extended 17-round variant. There is one other difference in the Comp model – the MSRP is $50 more than the standard Hellcat Pro. Whether it’s worth the extra money is up to the individual, of course; however, it’s a very slight upcharge for an advantage.
What I especially like about this compensator setup is how integrated it is. Compensators that attach to threaded barrels often use setscrews that can come loose – and you really don’t want to use Loctite, because you need to take the comp off to field-strip the pistol for cleaning. With the Springfield Hellcat Pro Comp, there is no hassle whatsoever. It doesn’t even require a change in holsters. There is one thing of which to be aware, though. Since the port directs gas upward to mitigate muzzle rise, it’s possible that muzzle flash will be more prominent. Experiment with various ammunition types in low-light scenarios if you think this might be problematic.
Holster: MFT Ambidextrous AIWB/OWB (MSRP: $54.99)
When I first heard about the new compensated Hellcat Pro, I assumed it would be an RDP-like model where the compensator screws onto a threaded barrel. As such, a holster with an open muzzle would be needed, so I reached out to Mission First Tactical for one of the company’s Ambidextrous AIWB/OWB holsters. These holsters are ingeniously designed to work with left- or right-handed shooters and can be used inside- or outside the waistband by simply moving the polymer belt clip.
Construction is a single sheet of Boltaron in a taco-style design with single-screw retention. The holster is cut to accept pistols with mounted optics; however, owing to the ambidextrous nature, there is no sweat guard. Cant is adjustable from 0 to 15 degrees, so the holster can be adjusted for traditional, strong-side inside-the-waistband carry, and the Ambidextrous AIWB/OWB holster is engineered with an extra-tall sight channel to accommodate pistols with tall front sights.
Optic: Shield Sights AMS (MSRP: $599.99)
Rounding out today’s kit is the new Advanced Mini Sight (AMS) enclosed-emitter red-dot sight from Shield Sights. Released at SHOT Show 2024, the AMS offers both automatic and manual brightness adjustment options, multiple reticle options and is water-resistant to 20 meters. One truly innovative feature of the AMS is the co-witnessing rear sight window, which matched the front sight of the Hellcat Pro perfectly. Should the unit lose power, there is still a functional front and rear sight. For those who crave redundancy in critical systems, that’s a big deal.
There are two features on the AMS that are worth highlighting. First, is the side-mounted battery, which enables the battery to be replaced without having to remove the unit from the pistol slide. Should you wish to Loctite the sight in place, you don’t have to worry about removing it to change batteries. The second feature is that the AMS uses the standard RMSc footprint – the mounting screws pass straight through the unit just like an open emitter. This means mounting plates aren’t needed, so the AMS can sit low on the slide and there are only two screws to keep tightened.
