Sig Sauer P365 VS Springfield Hellcat

It’s the Sig Sauer P365 vs Springfield Hellcat. So, this was honestly one of the best comparisons we’ve had the chance to do at Gun University. And the reason is… they’re both great pistols especially for CCW purposes. But who will reign supreme?

Will it be the Sig P365 — our own Ryan Cleckner’s personal CCW — or the challenger, the Springfield Hellcat?

P365 vs Hellcat Spec Comparison

Why the Springfield Hellcat vs Sig Sauer P365?

So if you’ve been up-to-date on Springfield Armory, you probably well aware of the teasers they were sent out prior to the release of the new Hellcat. Their new release was touted to be a world leader in its class, and with the teaser’s urban imagery, it leads us to believe that a new CCW was on the horizon.

And just how right we were.

The Hellcat was released. It’s a micro 9mm pistol with a monstrous carrying capacity.

But that’s not all. Springfield Armory reached out to Gun U’s Ryan Cleckner and sent a sample for us to review. (Shout-out to Springfield Armory!)

Once Ryan got his hands on the Hellcat, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. However, he managed to hold back his emotions. We still needed to put it to the test. And against the reigning CCW champion at that.

The Sig Sauer P365. For those of you who don’t know, the Sig P365 actually dethroned Ryan’s original CCW standy, the Glock 43. He even made a break up video for just that occasion. Anyone looking to see that can check it out here in our full Sig Sauer P365 gun review.

So…can the Hellcat do the same to the P365?

Well, we put it to the test and determined… it’s a great gun. An excellent gun at that. But was it good enough to dethrone the king?

Sig Sauer P365 vs Springfield Hellcat

Now, let’s get down to business. Below you’ll find some of our defining features, pros/cons, and what we did and didn’t like about each gun. Plus, we’ve thrown in a bunch of sweet comparison pictures between the two, so you can really see what we mean.

Sig Sauer P365 Review

The Sig Sauer P365 is an excellent pistol known for its reliable performance and accuracy. We dive into this firearm to see if it lives up to our expectations!

Sig Sauer P365 Features

1 Insane Accuracy

This may be one of the most accurate shooting pistols we’ve gotten our hands on. Most definitely worth noting.

2 Amazing Trigger

According to Sig, the trigger is a 6 lb. pull. However, it seems so much lighter than that. And with a great trigger reset, this trigger provides for a light, easy firing experience.

3 Tritium XRAY3 Sights

These are some of the best day/night sights that you can have on a CCW. Enough said.

4 Great Carrying Capacity

When using the flush magazine, you will get 10+1 rounds. When using the extended (our preferred choice), you’ll receive 12+1.

Sig Sauer P365 Review: Our Take

We really like this gun. Most of the time, you’ll prefer a full-sized version of a firearm over its smaller counterpart. When it comes to the P365, this is the gun we’d rather have. Seriously, the P365 is one of our absolute favorites.

What We Like About the Sig Sauer P365:
The first thing that stood out to us about the P365 is just how natural the gun feels in your hand. It truly feels like an extension of your arm. You’ll feel confident that you are in complete control of the weapon when you handle it. And that’s very important.

When firing the gun, the trigger is nice and crisp with a very nice reset. I feel like it would be easier to fire for those with smaller hands, but it’s still rugged enough for those of you with bear paws. And the XRAY sights? Those might be one of the major factors (along with that trigger pull) for the remarkable accuracy we get from this gun.

All-in-all, we feel safe with this gun. One that we’d trust our lives and families’ with.

What We Don’t Like About the P365:
There are a few issues with the P365 though. First, I really think Sig can revisit the finish that comes on their magazines. While I haven’t quite experienced it myself, there are reports that the magazines are susceptible to rust.

Another problem is for First and Second Gen owners only. This being a primer drag issue that can cause the firing pin to break. Sig has since resolved the dilemma with its subsequent releases.

Sig Sauer P365 Pros and Cons

Sig Sauer P365 Gun Deals

Springfield Hellcat Review

The Springfield Armory Hellcat is a micro 9mm pistol with huge capacity. It holds 11+1 rounds of 9mm with a flush magazine and 13+1 rounds of 9mm with the extended magazine. Let us dive into its featured and we’ll give you our take on this pistol.

Springfield Hellcat Features

1 Standard Sized Rail on Dustcover

This is really awesome because it allows you to use universally sized attachments on a smaller size handgun.

2 Optics Ready and Wrap Over Serrations

No need to have your Hellcat prepped and cut for that new red dot. It comes pre-arranged so all you have to do is connect your optics of choice.

3 13+1 or 11+1 Capacity

If you’re looking for a super-high capacity handgun, the Hellcat can give you just that due to its unique patented design.

Springfield Hellcat Review: Our Take

When we unboxed our Hellcat, it really was real treat. Not really knowing what to expect, we found this gun is full of awesome surprises.

What We Like About the Springfield Hellcat:
Right out the box, we noticed two things in particular. First, the wrap around slide serrations. These provided a great grip option without a red dot optics system. Speaking of… The gun comes pre-drilled for red dot optics. We all know red dot is the way of the future on pistols. It’s nice to see that Springfield made it readily accessible out of the gate.

Another thing that’s really unique about the Hellcat is that it comes with a full sized accessory rail. This means you can easily customize with any standard accessories. Thumbs up to Springfield. Aside from that, the gun is extremely accurate and we had no reliability issues when firing.

What We Don’t Like About the Hellcat:
Our number one concern is the price. This gun feels like a great value gun. But it lacks that top tier feel we’ve come to expect from Sig. And they’re priced exactly the same. We think this gun would be more justifiable $100 cheaper.

We also feel that the trigger could have been much better. It feels like a standard Glock trigger if you catch my drift.

Springfield Hellcat Pros and Cons

Springfield Hellcat Gun Deals

P365 vs Hellcat Report Card

Now that you’ve checked out a partial review on the p365, there are a couple of things I want you to think about if you already own it or are about to purchase it. We’ll first start with some of the things you should purchase as must haves if you don’t already have them:

• GUN SAFE: Vaultek Biometric Gun Safe
• AMMO:
  • Self Defense- Barnes 9mm 115 GR Ammo
  • Range/Training- MagTech 9mm 115GR FMJ Ammo
• Extra Magazine: Sig Sauer 10 Rd Magazine

Now let’s take a look at a couple of items you can check out to either upgrade or accessorize your p365. The following are not mandatory to get, however, they will help maximize your firearm and can improve the overall performance.

Accessories and Upgrades for the Sig P365

Editors Choice STREAMLIGHT TACTICAL LIGHTLASER		Easy to attach to your p365 Lighting and laser is clearly seen	Check Price
#2 Viridian Essential Red Laser Sight		Minimal design Easy to keep concealed	Check Price
#3 Sig Sauer IWB P365 Holster		Ideal holster for your P365 Minimalist design that maximizes comfort	Check Price
#4 SAFARILAND IWB HOLSTER		Constructed with ultra-thin Boltaron material Ultimate concealment	Check Price
5. Craft Holster – Lynx – IWB		Hand made product Custom glove-like fit Produced by Craft Holsters	Check Amazon

Other Sub-Compacts of its Class to Check Out

There are many options in the CCW class but how do you pick the right one?. Below are a few popular options that we also like. Maybe they are as good as the P365, and maybe they are not!? Look below to see our take and reviews on what we think…you might be surprised!

How to Care for Your Sig P365

If you own a gun, you’re going to want to take care of it. The P365 is an amazing firearm and I actually get excited about the maintenance. If you keep up with the maintenance it lasts a lifetime! If you don’t have a cleaning kit, we like the below from Gloryfire because it allows you to clean both handguns, rifles, etc. We found this video to give you a step by step approach to clean your P365 and it does a good job explaining…

If you’d like to get started cleaning your gun, here is the recommended cleaning kit for the p365:

• GUN CLEANING KIT: Gloryfire Universal Cleaning Kit on Amazon

IMPORTANT LINKS AND MANUALS FOR YOUR SIG P365

• Sig P365 Website
• Sig 365 Videos
• Sig Sauer P365 Operators Manual

Reported Sig P365 Firing Pin Problems – Update: Resolved!

When Sig Sauer came out with their first ever subcompact pistol, the initial run had problems. Sig Sauer initiated a call back, due to reported problems. A company that demands excellence resolved the problem and the second run ran into no problems.

However, a couple of months after the “Gen 2” (as many Sig fans call it) came out, a couple of users started posting things on social media and forums claiming that the was “primer drag.”

Primer drag is where the face of the firing pin drags across the primer when the barrel unlocks during the firing sequence. This can cause damage and over time, cause the firing pin to break.

While it’s a bit impossible to verify the validity or severity of posts on social media, Phil Stader, the Product Manager, responded on both Sig Forum and Sig Talk to address the so called social media postings. Basically, he reported that after the Gen 2, there have been minimal issues with the striker and trigger return springs and thus the Gen 2 fixed all problems.

Below are specifics to his response:

• “The number of fractured striker tip returns account for 0.08% of the P365s shipped” (which is well below industry average)
• “It was found that an extremely small percentage of strikers were out of spec due to start-up issues. This has been resolved.”
• “[Primer Drag] is completely normal and has absolutely no effect on striker endurance.”

So, with that, anything you see about the Sig Sauer P365 having a firing pin problem or issues is either false or has been resolved. Having fired my P365 hundreds of times and never seeing any problems with it, I’ll have to whole-heartedly agree.

AND HERE’S WHY

This was a pretty tough battle of the Sig Sauer P365 vs Springfield Hellcat. But in the end, we had to give it to the Sig P365. When comparing the them, two major points stood out against the Hellcat that influenced our decision.

1. The trigger on the Hellcat is good, but it’s not great. We’ve come to expect more from a trigger–especially a single-action one.
2. The Hellcat feels like a great “value” pistol. However, the price implies that it’s anything but that. If this was priced just $100 cheaper, you’d bet that this would be one of our most recommended pistols. But it’s priced the exact same as the Sig which has a much higher quality feel to it.

Enough has pretty much been said…the clear winner is the Sig Sauer P365. (It was a very good competition though) Not much to say here except if you have not gotten one yet, it is probably time to invest. The Sig P365 is in a class of its own, and thousands of others agree.