The Springfield Hellcat and the Sig P365 are two immensely popular concealed carry pistols. Their easy shooting and accuracy belies their small size. Almost anyone can conceal these pistols, and their comfort can make you almost forget they are on your belt. So, which one is better when considering the Springfield Hellcat vs. P365? Both have some pros and cons, depending on you how you plan to use the gun…so read on and find out!
Sig P365
The Sig P365 was introduced in January of 2018, and when it landed, it was a big deal. The P365 was the original in a brand-new size category, the “micro nines.” It held a double(ish)-stack magazine that held an eye-popping ten rounds in an unbelievably compact package. The P365 launched not only a genre of pistols, but also an entire line of Sig pistols based around the P365’s chassis system. The P365 was an immediate and continuing home run for Sig, and is currently one of the most popular concealed carry handguns in the United States.
The reason for its popularity was not just the capacity; the gun was also tiny. At just 5.8 inches long and 4.2 inches tall, it was just a hair taller and quite a bit shorter than its nearest (at the time) competitor, the Glock 26. Those all sound like small differences, and in a way they are. The major difference was in the grip; the P365’s grip was just so much smaller than the Glock 26’s, while still holding the same payload.
Even more importantly, the P365 shoots like a gun that is much larger in size. The recoil characteristics, comfort, and accuracy of the little P365 were a legitimate game-changer in the concealed-carry marketplace. The P365 family has expanded to include larger frames, longer slides (that can, to some extent be mixed and matched), and longer magazines. P365 magazines are backwards-compatible to smaller models and include 12, 15, 17, and 21-rounders. For all these reasons the Sig P365 is one of America’s top-selling concealed carry pistols to this day.
Springfield Hellcat
Barely a year after the introduction of the P365, Springfield entered the same market with a strong contender: the Hellcat. Springfield had enjoyed a loyal following with the XD series of pistols, but alongside Glocks, M&Ps, and Sigs, the XD family was largely considered an also-ran. That was not the case for the Hellcat which achieved instant popularity.
Around a year later the Hellcat came out. Nearly identical in dimension, the Hellcat also has a striker-fired action and a polymer frame. However, Springfield – somewhat unbelievably – managed to cram an extra round in the magazine, making the Hellcat the “the world’s highest capacity micro compact 9mm.” The Hellcat comes with an 11-round, flush-fitting magazine (or 10, if you live in certain states), but 13, 15, and 17-round magazines are available, as well. The Springfield Hellcat is still a best seller in the concealed carry space.
Springfield Hellcat vs. P365: Similarities
The Springfield Hellcat and the P365 have a lot in common. Aimed at the same market, these two pistols are direct competitors and, as this author’s dad would say, “both fishing in the same pond.” The niche they share is the “micro-nine” niche invented in tandem with the Sig P365. Not that there isn’t room in this pond; the appetite for ultra-compact 9mm pistols seems bottomless.
And this popularity is a good thing for consumers. Though the Sig P365 is probably a bit more popular, the Springfield Hellcat is no slouch. This means that aftermarket support for both is robust and one shouldn’t have a hard time finding holsters, sights, or much of anything else one needs for a defensive carry pistol. This also includes optics.
Both the Springfield Hellcat and the P365 have optic-ready versions readily available. Both share the RMSc footprint, an incredibly popular footprint that supports the Shield RMSc, the Sig Romeo Compact, and numerous others. Optics are becoming increasingly popular and are now considered “standard equipment” rather than some exotic extra hardware. Mounting an optic on either of these pistols is a snap.
Likewise, both are available with the option for a manual thumb safety. Some users like the extra safety margin of an external safety, especially when carrying in the appendix position. Additionally, unlike the manual safeties on some very compact pistols (we’re looking at you, Shield Plus), the safety is very practical and usable. The ability to purchase a gun with or without the manual safety is a good thing, as users can have it whichever way they want it, without having to sacrifice a feature they feel strongly about.
Springfield Hellcat vs. P365: Differences
Despite a long list of similarities, these pistols are different in some significant ways. These differences have a big impact on how these guns can be used and modified, so make sure you understand these before you commit to one or the other!
First and maybe most importantly, the Sig P365 is based on a removable chassis system. The guts of the gun – the trigger mechanism and metal chassis of the frame – is called the Fire Control Unit (FCU), and is the only serialized part of the gun. The chassis can be removed and mixed-and-matched with different slides frames, taking one P365 chassis from ultra-compact, deep-concealment gun to full-sized duty gun, in a matter of a few seconds. This provides a tremendous degree of versatility to mix and match longer or shorter slides with longer or shorter frames, while working off of one, single pistol.
Another tangible difference is light mounting. The Hellcat has a single picatinny slot. This industry-standard mounting option can work with many off-the-shelf weapon mounted lights. Meanwhile the P365 has a proprietary mounting slot. Lights are being made for this proprietary mounting system, from the likes of Surefire and Streamlight, but an open-source system would be preferred.
Another difference is the varieties of guns available. So far, we’ve pretty much just compared the standard Hellcat vs the standard P365, but there are variants of both. The Hellcat also comes in the RDP (Rapid Defense Package) with an OEM compensator and a Shield SMSc optic. The third variant, the Hellcat Pro, is larger and sports a flush-fit, 15-round magazine. The winner here is pretty clear-cut: the Sig P365 is available in several different versions including the P365X, P365XL, X-Macro, and FUSE variants. The Sig pistols run the gamut from ultra-compact to essentially full-sized.
One final difference is the subjective feel of these two pistols. The Sig generally seems more rounded than the Springfield offering. This isn’t a good or bad thing, and both pistols shoot exceptionally well! The Hellcat does fill the hand a bit more, though. Some shooters will like this and some won’t, and that’s fine – just choose the one that works best for you and go with it!
Springfield Hellcat vs. P365: Which Is Right for YOU?
Which one of these pistols works best for you is up to you, but here are the main things to consider. Both pistols are polymer-framed, striker-fired, micro-nines. Both the Hellcat and the P365 are very popular and enjoy tremendous aftermarket support. Neither is going to break the bank, both are exceedingly pleasant to shoot, considering their small size, and both pack an impressive magazine capacity.
The main differences are the chassis system present in the Sig, but not in the Hellcat. This makes one pistol easily adaptable to multiple different configurations. The Sig has a proprietary light mount while the Springfield has an open-source Picatinny slot. The Sig is available in far more variants…but if you want the stock variant this is largely irrelevant. Finally, there is the subjective feel of these two guns. Both feel great in the hand, but we acknowledge that this is completely subjective and up to individual user preference.
Springfield Hellcat vs. P365: The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that it is hard to go wrong with either of these excellent handguns. Both offer the potent 9mm in an extremely concealable package, and with a very solid capacity of 10+1 (P365) or 11+1 (Hellcat). Both have the ability to utilize larger magazines, both are available with or without a manual safety, and both can readily mount optics. There are some subtle differences between the two pistols, but for most folks these are going to be more academic than practical.
The bottom line is, go with the one you prefer. We would prefer you carry a gun that you like and will train with, and both of these options are good ones. Most important of all, both of these pistols are reliable. Both will work when the chips are down. Really, when considering an pistol for “social” purposes, very little matters other than the gun going “bang” every time you pull the trigger, and being able to hit the target accurately. The bottom line: there’s not best. Either these guns will do just fine pick the one you like best and go with it!
