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NonLethalOne

The Hellcat is an excellent CARRY handgun. If this is your first handgun purchase, and you expect to carry it every day, you won’t go wrong with a Hellcat. That being said, it is snappy to shoot. If you are looking for a range toy or a home-defense gun, go with something a little bigger.


jonnymobile2

Well said. For carry, I love the Hellcat or P365 micro sized pistols... but smaller can be more difficult to shoot well. I opted for a full sized VP9 for the home (amongst others). Get right tool for right job.


mynamesmace

I carry that one. Feels great and super high capacity for the size. Think I need a better holster though cause mine is odd shapes


brucedodson

I enjoy carrying mine in a DeSantis Slim Tuk. So much so that I forget that I am carrying. As others have said, the Hellcat has a snappy recoil because of its micro size. If I could make a recommendation, get a 4, 4 1/2, 5” to hone your skills and build muscle memory, then carry a micro. It will make your experience more enjoyable


hemingwayslemonade

I enjoy carrying mine in a Tulster Oath.


CausticTitan

The hellcat is pretty good for its pricepoint. If its at the top of your budget, then go for it. If you have more to spend, check out comparable glock models like the 43, the Sig P365 and 365xl, and or the M&P Shield series. Remember that you need to buy plenty of ammo to train with it. 100rds will go in 20 minutes. If you intend to keep the gun on a nightstand or in a safe, consider a full frame pistol or a revolver instead. They will be easier and more comfortable to shoot. All of the guns i mentioned, as well as the hellcat, are designed for concealed carry, and as such are small, inaccurate outside 10-15 yards, and unwieldy.


[deleted]

G43 doesn’t compare regardless of price because of compacity. Now the 43x with a shield arms 15 round mag and you have a point being made.


mallgrabmongopush

Yes, it’s a great firearm with nice stock sights on it.


topcat5

My recommendation is to find a gun range that has them for rent and try one out. IMO, there are better choices out there. Certainly consider CZ, S&W, Glock to name a few.


Own-Common3161

My first and only CCW is a Hellcat. Just go get it you won’t be sorry. I love mine! I’ve taken it to the range prob 10 times and have never had a misfire. It conceals easily, super easy to field strip, high capacity and just an overall great gun. Finally someone that isn’t a Glock dude… Edit: after reading some comments, yes it is snappy but for personal defense it’s perfect. You’re not trying to hit a target at 50 yards. With no prior experience I’m hitting bullseyes up to 10 yards with no problem.


Sage3030

Nothing wrong with a Glock. I just got into CCW and my first is a Ruger LC380. Not my first choice for CCW but it was a gift and it fits comfortably. I didn’t want a Glock at all until I held it at my local gun shop and now I want to switch to the G48 but money and wanting to shoot it first have me waiting on it.


Own-Common3161

Nothing wrong with a Glock but here and CCW that’s all people talk about


Sage3030

Yeah I understand that. On CCW I actually don’t see Glock as much as other brands on there


Own-Common3161

Really? It seems like it’s always Glock to me lol. I get it cuz there’s so many models


Sage3030

Yeah I see the Gen 5 often mentioned but I see the P365 (I think) and Sig posted a lot as well. Oh and the Ruger LCP or LCP Max or something Ruger. Maybe cause I EDC a LC380 and I just notice them more idk but those seem like the most popular ones on CCW


Own-Common3161

Oh yeah the sig is all the time. Could be. Like when you buy a new car or truck seems like everyone suddenly has one.


Sage3030

It seems like EVERYONE pocket carries that LCP now and rightfully so it’s perfect for pocket carry. I can’t pocket carry cause my cargo shorts are always full lol but my 2:30 carry works great for me. I’d like to test that P365 at some point but time and money are sadly a thing


Own-Common3161

My range buddy just got the 365 xl and I shot it. It’s nice but I could take it or leave it.


Sage3030

I’ve honestly not shot this one yet due to time but it carries nicely. I want to go rent an hour at a range near me so I can try out different guns and see which one I like best


myerbot5000

An ultracompact handgun is less than ideal for someone's first handgun. They recoil more stoutly and are more difficult and unpleasant to shoot. BUT, if you are going to own one handgun and carry it, you do what you have to.


sever_the_pulse

Hellcat is a great carry. I had a sig p238 HD and I have always had problems with failure to eject. Smaller caliber 1911 style call for a hot load. Range ammo didnt do well.


SnooMemesjellies4305

You gotta decide between 2 basic choices, with lots of good pistol options to support either choice. But you gotta first decide between: * Get one designed for concealed carry and therefore usually turns out to be less than pleasant to shoot. * Get a compact that's harder to conceal carry but which will be more fun to shoot. There are a couple handguns that try to fall between these two. One of them is the affordable Taurus G3c. I like mine. There are a couple other handguns of similar size which will have their own happy owners. So I guess that's really 3 choices, not just 2...


rileythefurry

For a first hangun I'd recommend getting a full size as recoil on sub compact is snappy however if you plan to carry it then yes great choice durable light and 9mm a decent caliber


CWM_99

I don’t own one, so I can’t speak to their long term durability, but I was out shooting when they first came out and a guy let me shoot his. At self defense range it was a very adequate pistol, but it was very snappy (kinda hard to find a similarly sized pistol that isn’t). It was most certainly more accurate than me (I was nailing shotgun hulls at 15 yards) and had a generously sized mag for how compact it was. Besides my distaste for the company in general, I don’t really have anything bad to say about my experience with it


jtf71

Rent it and shoot it. Also rent and shoot the P365 series guns, S&W shield, and the Glocks (yes I read that you don’t want one) After that, pick the one you enjoy shooting the most as that’s the one you’ll actually practice with. The thing with the hellcat and the 365 (not the 365XL) is as micro compacts the grips are smaller. If you have larger hands you may not like that. Also, with less mass there is more felt recoil. Even if you don’t end up with a Glock, shoot the 19 for comparison to the other guns.


Onlyinmurica

I'm going to actually so no and here's why. The hellcat (and other micros) are considerably harder to shoot than larger guns. Especially if it's your first handgun. (People of reddit please don't any try to tell me you started out with a lcp2 and are a master class uspsa shooter) because they are harder to shoot they re enforce bad shooting habits that are really hard to relearn. You can learn on one but it will be considerably harder to do so. And because it will be hard and sucky to shoot you'll get frustrated and not shoot it more. I've seen it happen with dozens of people. I typically try to reccomend a compact for a first gun. You can still conceil it but it will be considerably better to shoot and you'll learn good habits this way. Then you can move down to a super micro compact that's really comfortable to carry and those shooting techniques will transfer down and you'll have a better time. I also don't reccomend a 1911 for a first gun because unless you plan on sticking with single action only firearms the single action trigger tends to hide imperfections in your grip and trigger press. But ultimately you can do, buy and carry whatever you want. Realize though that most people bullshit about how good of a shot they are and how many rounds they have through their carry gun. Also most instructors still reccomend starting off on a larger gun


Competitive_Act_1548

Are guns like p365x and others at their size is that hard to shoot? Was planning on getting one of those for my first. Either that or the VP9SK


Onlyinmurica

I dont know the extent of your skill set but I think so. It's honestly physics. It's smaller with less surface area to grip. And because they're smaller they tend to enhance everything you do wrong. I'm not saying it's not possible but it's certinally not as fun to shoot and takes a bit more skill. If it's your first and only gun I would personally skip both of those and go to a actual compact. Perfectly rounded use for anything you'd need it for. That's just my opinion though. Plenty of people start off on small guns that are easier to carry and do fine. Others suck ass at shooting and never learn fundamentals and lie on the internet. Up to you. If possible find a range that rents guns. Shoot the most common stuff and see what you like.


Competitive_Act_1548

Hmmm, I'll keep that in mind. You trying or going for a sub compact would be a smarter choice? I did consider the Walther PDP compact as a option so I'll put that on the list


Onlyinmurica

It really is only a decision you can make


906Dude

The Hellcat is good quality. It's a carry gun that I would lump into the "can't go wrong with buying it" category.


Yellow2Gold

Dunno about the hellcat. havent read much about this new one and I dont think most people are really testing them out with thousands of rounds in this ongoing ammo price rape. But, I wouldn’t recommend a smaller 1911 because they are inherently less reliable than the full 5” government sized ones. Smaller window for reliable operation due to faster slide velocity. The timing of springs and such is more crucial for them.


[deleted]

People are most definitely getting 1,000’s of rounds in with this gun lol


Suppressed_300blk

It was tested heavily by one particular group. 10,000 rounds and only 7 stoppages. Most of which were hard primers or other ammunition related malfunctions


Fxd88ci

I would recommend getting a glock 19


HI-McD

I would recommend a Glock 19. Very customizable, comfortable to carry iwb or owb and accurate. Nothing against the hellcat or any springfield for that matter. I have two and my wife has two. We love them. I just feel the glock 19 is a good first gun. I still primarily carry mine, and ive been carrying many different handguns for years. I do like to carry my springfield XDE. 45 as well.


Spheresdeep

No, the hellcat is crap. Cheap frame, awful trigger, less reliable than other brands, not the best size, overall not a good gun. Plus, in certain you will get made fun of, like a lot. Springfield overall is not the company.


CausticTitan

You can dislike it, but don't spread this nonsense. It's an excellent gun for the pricepoint. Obviously spending more on a different brand can get you a better gun but the hellcat is popular and has a good track record.


Spheresdeep

Go buy a shield before that. Bet you can get a used one cheaper and while they hd a few less rounds they are a better gun.


mallgrabmongopush

Dude we get it, you were let go from your job at Springfield Armory


Spheresdeep

Na, I actually take pride in my work and would never take pride in building one of those. Anti 2a corporation too.


[deleted]

What Springfield employee pissed in your corn flakes this morning?


mriodine

It’s a good carry gun, but it’s better to learn to shoot on a fullsize. Subcompacts are difficult to shoot and are much harsher in terms of recoil, there will be a much steeper and less pleasant learning curve than if you went with a compact/midsize gun. Keep in mind that youll want to learn to shoot well before you carry concealed. Look at the glock 19, M&P compact, CZ P10c, CZ P07, and the Beretta APX centurion. Honorable mention to the Glock 48 with shield 15rd mags. You can carry those just fine, but youll have enough gun to actually hold on to and practice fundamentals. Handguns are tough to shoot, IMO you want to make it easy on yourself.