For the first time in... well ever basically my main EDC isn't a glock. I went from the G23 (back in the day that was hot) to the G26 to the G43x, and now on to the Springfield Hellcat. I found myself pocket carrying too often because of various activities I was doing and the G43x was interfering. That longer grip was just slightly too long. A g43 would work, but then I lose capacity (and have no interest in aftermarket mags or springs or baseplates) as would changing my carry method but that too I had no interest in.
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I chose the Hellcat because:
- 11 round flush mags make it not interfere with other things I'm doing
- I like the OEM sights, with the yellow/green/whatever it is front there is no reason to have to upgrade to my preferred trijicon HD or ameriglo front
- I like the OEM trigger, it's like a glock with the safety dingus but is slightly wider and not flat
- I like that it's partially cocked / DAO / 'safe action' like a glock, I'm doing AIWB and won't change that because it's best for me
- somehow it fits both of the G43/43x holsters I already own and like, just had to change the trigger retention screw setting and I was 100% in business
- OEM dot is available to co-witness with the factory standard height irons
- made in Croatia (where my mom's family is from so it's gotta be good?)
I did not choose the p365 because:
- there is no factory SKU configured as I wanted, to get a p386 optics ready you have to get a p365X and then replace the grip module and get new mags to turn it back into a p365, I didn't want to build-a-bear the thing
- flat trigger on the FCU I would have to settle for, no trigger safety dingus
- fully cocked striker, probably not a big deal but since I have options I didn't want this
- don't like the 3 dot sights, would have to replace
- mags are expensive and I tend to buy a lot of them over time, guns are also expensive and both would need to be modified
On the mag issue, I do buy two of anything I carry (one for carry and one for practice/dryfire/general abuse) so even small deltas add up. I found the HC mags online for $21 (now $24 for cyber monday because reasons) which seemed reasonable.
1000 rounds in and a few weeks of dryfire and holster work and I can say that it's growing on me. Firing it back to back with a p365X the p365X is a much softer shooting gun. The HC is noticeably snappy by comparison. Haven't put them on the clock yet but from a 'feel' standpoint no one in our group that's fired both thinks the p365 isn't 'easier' to shoot. The p365 also has a better trigger, presumably because of the fully cocked striker. The HC feels like a slightly better glock trigger which is what I'm used to and prefer at this point. We don't have an actual p365 with the short grip to test, but adding the extended mags to the HC to get the full grip like the p365x and it still feels snappier.
It does (as does the p365) feel... cheap. They have to make these things light and thin down the materials when possible but holding either and then picking up a G43x, the 43x feels more solid and real and durable. Will I wear out a hellcat? Maybe, in 10 years at which time if it's still the EDC I can just replace one and promote the old carry one to practice.
No malfunctions of any sort with wolf/tula steel case 115gr, winchester white box 115gr, some random gun show blue bullet reloads nor hornady critical defense. I did have one of the reloads fail to go off, but after 3 strikes in the HC and 3 strikes in my G34 I'm pretty sure it's just a bad primer.
Accuracy is very good, both observed and from the included test targets if you believe them. Just blasting away with the assortment of ammo the group was left though:
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For me (right handed) and for another tester (left handed) and from the bench the gun was left. Just drift the sight, right? Ain't no thing.... except HOLY HELL is that sight on there tight. We tried a punch, a punch with a bigger hammer, penetrating oil, heat and a sight pusher which actually bent. No one could get that sight to move. I took it back to the LGS and asked WTF, and they said yea, they're hard to move. They had this huge sight pusher that wrapped around the entire frame and a huge vice and who knows what else and they got it moved over 1/32". With that:
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Good enough for me. I wrote springfield a nasty ass email about the sight thing. I get not wanting them to drift around in the field but come on. The test targets were showing them dead in the middle, but maybe that was with 147gr ammo? Didn't say and I don't have enough HST to casually test with. I want them on with 115gr since that's what I shoot 99% of the time. It's done now, but I'm still bitching about it.
I noticed that some holsters say G43/G43x/Hellcat and they're not kidding. It did just pop right into this fab defense holster like it was made for it:
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In the future when I move to optics I'll have to trim that little hood to clear the optic but it doesn't have a plastic reinforcing rib on the hood so it should be easy to trim and sand the edge. Or they'll make an optics ready one by then, we have time.
I'm also a little leery in general about parts, I'm used to having a 25% chance of finding what I need at the LGS when my G34 craps out, but with the lower round counts on my carry guns I'm hoping it's not an issue. I'm also predicting that while the p365 and derivatives will survive the test of time, the HC will eventually get discontinued in favor or something else and I'll have to switch yet again. But that's down the road, no sense borrowing trouble.
So that's about it, now I just need to learn to shoot the things. Took me 6 months to figure out how to shoot the 43x and come to find it 'natural', I'm hoping this doesn't take nearly as long since I've already spent time with the skinny glock. I went from 4/10 on the plate rack at first to 10/10 this weekend.... at a very slow pace. At least I'm not flinching with it so much, so I can start to build speed as I come to trust the gun is going to do what I expect.
And no, I haven't done a dual wield mag dump for science. Yet.
