I know Springfield is trying to take a bite out of the micro compact by introducing the Hellcat.
I was at a gun show this weekend, Fort Myers, and I asked around certain vendors who tried the Hellvat. I had very mixed reactions.
Bottom line is a vast majority of them said it’s a knock off on the Sig p365.
I do like Springfield I do have Springfield XDMs and XDS but I’m willing to trade my XDS mod 2 9 mm for a Sig p365 or the p365 SAS.
So would it be worth it to trade or go for the Hellcat?
I had a very nice NRA P365. Had a crisp, very nice 4.5 lb trigger (measured) from the box, while I shot it very well, a very light crisp trigger on a striker fired weapon with no added safety didn’t do it for me. I replaced mine with a CZ RAMI. I’ve no knowledge of the hellcat, but I always liked the XDS.
How soon do you plan on switching? The P365 has gone through some issues with firing pins, trigger springs, barrel peening etc… The Hellcat is brand new and may have a similar learning curve in its future. The Hellcat is also in demand so the “Me first” crowd is paying top dollar for them… a $500+ optic ready Hellcat with a $400 Shield RMSc red dot is a lot more expensive than a Walther PPS M2 with the same factory RMSc. If I had to choose between them today I would go with the devil I know and take the P365. 6 months from now when the initial demand has been met and we have some idea that it is reliable I would lean towards taking the Hellcat.
I don’t know yet maybe in a few weeks maybe in a few months?
I think time is your friend… The reliability questions will be answered, the two brands will compete on price, and there will be more holster and accessories available.
Keep in mind the Sig P365 XL. I wish I had known about that. Frame is the same size as the P365 when you have the 12 round mag in it, and the slide is about half an inch longer or so. SIG P365 9mm Everyday Carry Pistol Series | SIG SAUER P365
I like my P365, but I don’t care for the mag being part of the ‘grip’.
No experience with that particular Hellcat.
Too add to what @Greg1 is saying. The holsters are gonna be very limited for awhile also. I hopped on the sig deal. It was the first time I rushed to get the latest and greatest. I’ll never do it again. 6 months to a year is a great window.
So today I rented the Sig P365 at my range. At 5 yards out, thoroughly enjoy shooting the gun.
I am now highly thinking of trading my xds.
Thanks! Thoroughly enjoyed the article and I think I’m leaning more towards the Sig p365. For that matter I’m actually considering getting the p365 sas.
One thing I noticed regarding the Hellcat in video reviews is that it looks snappier than the p365.
And does an extra round in the magazine size make that much of a big difference?
Make sure you shoot a P365 sas before you buy one. I had the Bullseye site on one of my guns and it was lousy. It had very poor accuracy and if there was a bright light source behind you the reflection made it impossible to see the “dot and ring”.
I have the bullseye sight on my carry pistol currently and like how fast I can pick up the sight. However for shooting smaller more precise shots it can be a challenge. For me on my Kahr CM9 I was always shooting low. I wonder if by having the sight integral to the slide and being closer to being in line with the barrel it would be dead on? I really like how the 365 shoots and am to considering adding the xl to my CCW setup.
I just watched a review on the P365 SAS and it brought up a couple of things I did not think of. It has a ported barrel so if you are up close and personal you need to think about the “up flash” of the porting. Also the sights of the SAS seem to be not as reliable as the regular P365. I like the way my regular 365 sights line up and have gotten reliable groupings with it, The green dot it very visible and quick to acquire vs lining up the optic of the SAS. Food for thought.
I think these sight were designed to make handgun accurate for max 15 yards. They are great self defense (short distance).
My favorite reviewer finally put in his two pennies:
Hopefully this will help with good decision.
My range buddy/best friend bought a Hellcat and loves it. I had just got a p366xl before that. I compared them live fire. Like my Sig trigger much better. However, its the 1st 9mm I’ve had cause I’m a 1911 “snob” for the most part.
Carried the Sig for cpl mos, switched back to my Kimber 1911, and will carry a 1911 henceforth for primary weapon. The Sig could see backup duty. I dunno, guess I’m old school and prefer steel guns that can be used as blunt force option 
And tho I don’t wanna debate calibers, my personal preference is 45 ACP…
Anyway, as for the lack of an added safety. I could care less personally. Dont squeeze trigger = no fire.
I have never shot the SAS but think you would be significantly sacrificing longer range accuracy with it because the gun would cover up so much of the target. I can easily make 30 yard torso shots with my regular P365. I will say that I am not as in love with the standard P365 sights as most people are. They are way better than the sights that come with most guns but for me the green outline does not pop enough in daylight and the tritium front sight appears smaller and less eye grabbing than the rears at night. I immediately swapped my front sight for an ameriglo orange outline night sight that is much more eye grabbing day and night. I also used permanent black marker to dull the rear sights even more.
