Springfield Armory Hellcat RDP & Hellcat Pro 9mm Pistols: Full Review

“Now that Springfield Armory has expanded its tenacious line of micro-compact 9mm pistols with the Hellcat RDP and Hellcat Pro, shooters can take their pick of the pride.

Early in the race to build the mightiest micro compact, an emerging class of high-capacity super-compact pistols, Springfield Armory brought to market the Hellcat, a striker-fired 9mm offering 11-plus-1­ and 13-plus-1 capacity. Since its introduction in Guns & Ammo’s December 2019 issue, the concealed-carry pistol market has grown rapidly — and so has the Hellcat.

The Hellcat RDP, introduced in February 2021, and the Hellcat Pro, launched in March 2022, add features and functionality to the original and expand the platform’s appeal to specific sectors of the personal-defense market. But which one is right for you?

In this article, I’ll take a closer look at the Hellcat’s latest litter­mates and put them to the test to compare performance. First up: Springfield Armory’s Hellcat RDP.

Introduced on February 23, 2021, Springfield Armory’s Hellcat RDP — “RDP” stands for “Rapid Defense Package” — represented a collection of running upgrades for the Hellcat and a bold reimagining of what a micro-compact defense pistol could be. The original Hellcat was optionally available in an optic-ready configuration for an additional upcharge, which was designated “OSP” for “Optical Sight Pistol.” The Hellcat RDP comes optic-included. That included optic is a Hex Wasp 3.5 MOA micro red-dot. Hex Optics is a separate brand launched by Springfield Armory on the same day as the RDP.

The Hellcat was acclaimed for its shootability, a cumulative characteristic describing ergonomics and manageable felt recoil. To further control muzzle rise on the new RDP, Springfield added a freaking compensator! The company’s Self Indexing Compensator threads directly to the 3.8-inch barrel’s ½-28-threaded muzzle, and it directs vented gasses upward through ports at the top and on the sides. The vents act like thrusters, driving the muzzle down to counteract the upward forces of recoil. The RDP’s comp effectively keeps the front end of the gun more level than without as the slide cycles. The threaded barrel will also accept a suppressor, or it can be capped with an included thread protector when no muzzle device is desired.”

The full article can be found here.

Photo Credit: Original Author

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