Alternative To Springfield Armory’s Hellcat?

There’s no question that Springfield Armory’s Hellcat series has been an incredibly popular line of handguns. The increased capacity, which was new when it came out (though, many manufacturers have followed suit since then), in that small package made it a very practical concealable every day carry pistol.

But, like in any other area of life, there are some who don’t care for the Hellcat for their own reasons. Some people are loyal to other firearms brands, and others don’t care for how the Hellcat fits in the hand, for example.

For those of you who like Springfield Armory and like the higher capacity in a concealable size, but who don’t like the Hellcat, you do have a choice that may be what you’ve been looking for, a choice that one reviewer suggested may be the “do everything” 9mm that you’ve been looking for. James Tarr writes,

Let’s just say the [Springfield Armory] XD-M Elite line is tweaked for performance, and with a 14+1 capacity in 9mm, short frame, and a 3.8-inch barrel the 3.8″ Compact model is the one best suited for concealed carry [….]

So, it has a similar capacity to the Hellcat, though, “tweaked for performance” and small enough to carry, without being so small that it’s uncomfortable to shoot. Tarr continues:

For the people who hate Glocks because of their aggressive grip angle, the Springfield XD and XD-M pistols have always been popular because they have a grip angle similar to the 1911. Also, like the 1911, they are one of the few striker-fired pistols with a grip safety. Interestingly, if the grip safety isn’t depressed, you can only pull the slide back about half an inch; far enough to check the status of your chamber, but not enough to chamber or eject a round.

Again, from Tarr:

oth the original XD and the newer XD-M pistols sport uniformly good trigger pulls from the factory. At the time of the XD’s introduction its crisper-than-the-competition trigger pull was another reason 1911 fans tended to gravitate toward it. There is some takeup, with a surprisingly crisp (at least for a striker-fired gun) trigger break.

So, nice capacity for concealed carry, nice grip angle and grip safety, and a crisp trigger. Put that together with the distinctive looks of the XD series, and this is a pistol that is likely to appeal to a number of people.

So, if you’re in the market for another concealed carry firearm, the Springfield Armory XD–M Elite Compact may be one to consider.