SA Hellcat Got Even Smaller: 3″ Micro-Compact OSP .380ACP

There is a battle raging in the handgun world. Each manufacturer is seeking to grab a bigger share of the growing micro-compact market. Some have succeeded, while others have failed. A company that sets itself firmly in front is Springfield Armory. With the release of the Hellcat in 2019, they became a major player in the small EDC world. Today, they are expanding that line with the Hellcat 3-inch Micro-Compact OSP .380 ACP.

Hellcat 3-inch Micro-Compact OSP in .380 – New from Springfield

Designed as a purpose-built micro-compact, the Hellcat .380 delivers effective defensive performance while remaining exceptionally easy to conceal. It accepts class-leading 11- and 13-round magazines. Tritium U-Dot sights provide fast, positive sight acquisition, and the optics-ready slide accepts direct-mount micro red dots for instinctive aiming. Being optics-ready is a major bonus on a micro-compact pistol with a shorter sight radius.

 Rugged components, including a hammer-forged barrel and slide, make it a dependable everyday carry. With class-leading capacity for its size, extensive optics compatibility, and a softer shooting impulse that improves control, the Hellcat .380 is a formidable defensive pistol built to perform when it matters most.

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Easy to Carry

I believe that every gun needs to be more than just a pretty face. This is especially true of defensive handguns. Many small guns shoot well but are awkward to carry or have various odd features. With that in mind, I broke out my holster and carried the Hellcat for over a week and a half. Its small size, combined with Springfield’s focus on taking the edge off for comfort, paid off. I barely noticed the gun and believe it would be an exceptional carry for someone in need of a small-sized blaster for their EDC.

The gun weighs just over 16 ounces, which is almost nothing when you carry correctly. Performance-wise, it was a shooter. The gun was easy to index, and I was able to quickly draw the gun with no issues at all. I found the Hellcat easy to run. The small, concealed carry, and pocket guns of the world have a reputation for being less than friendly when shooting. The price for shrinking a gun for ease of carry is increased recoil and snap. Physics is real, and in smaller guns, there is simply less weight and surface area to help the shooter manage the shots.

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Soft Shooting

However, Springfield seems to have found the secret sauce with the new Hellcat. The Hellcat .380 combines a softer shooting impulse with slim, lightweight dimensions for exceptional control and effortless concealment. Paired with modern defensive ammunition, it delivers reliable penetration and expansion for potent personal defense. It is chambered in .380, and it is indeed very soft-shooting. Their adaptive grip texture performed as described. It provided me with excellent grip and control of the gun from start to finish.

Although the gun is not designed for 50-yard bullseye competitions, it proved to be very accurate for its size. It shot a very respectable 1½ inch five round group at seven yards. I also ran function tests using hollow-point ammunition. It is a defensive carry gun, so it will need to run a variety of HP ammo. While it ate everything I fed it, it seemed to prefer the Federal HST. It produced better groups and had a better overall feel in recoil. This is what we call a “bad breath distance” gun. It is intended for personal protection, typically in close quarters.

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Hellcat 3-inch Micro-Compact OSP .380

With that in mind, I ran most of my drills in a close-quarter setting. What I found was that the gun ran well. I shot the Hellcat in a variety of situations, but its best performance was in the zero to ten-yard range, as it produced good shot groups even when shooting at a pace. I ran everything from close-contact drills to punching steel at 50 yards. As I said, it is not really designed for it, but it is certainly capable of it. As expected, the further back I went, the more the groups opened. I ran 400 rounds of ammunition and experienced no malfunctions.

The Springfield Hellcat brings a solid pistol in the pocket carry realm. It has everything we need and nothing we don’t. A slim slide, light weight, and Springfield reliability make this a solid choice in the micro-compact market.

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For more information, visit Springfield Armory.

Hellcat 3-inch Micro-Compact OSP .380 ACP Specs

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