Is it fair to compare Heckler & Koch’s USP Compact against Springfield Armory’s Hellcat Pro? After all, the USP Compact was introduced in 1996, and the Hellcat Pro was only recently introduced and is fairly new on the market.
I believe the comparison is relevant, considering H&K still makes the USP Compact, so it’s a current production pistol. Beyond that, there are many of them out there today, being bought and sold like hotcakes, which is a testament to their popularity.
The mission of both pistols is the same: to provide the user with a concealable, effective, and durable pistol for self-defense. So, does one succeed in this mission better than the other? Let’s take a look!
H&K’s USP Compact
The Specs
We’ll kick off this ballgame with the senior pistol, the 9mm USP Compact. As previously mentioned, it was introduced in the late 1990s (three decades ago!). The recoil-operated USP Compact is 6.81 inches in length, five inches overall height, and 1.38 inches thick, so it’s definitely not a slim pistol.
The cold hammer-forged barrel with polygonal rifling is 3.58 inches long. The USP Compact weighs 27.2 ounces.
The slide is one piece of machined steel. The black finish is a Hostile Environment finish, which effectively resists corrosion. It’s a hard, nitro-gas carburized black oxide coating that even resists salt water. There is a rail on the dust cover for mounting lights and such.
Grip
Although the USP Compact’s grip is plain without any finger grooves, it still offers a good purchase for the hand.
The sides of the grips have stippling molded into them, which offers a grippy surface. There is also checkering molded into the front and back straps of the grip, which also adds to the positive purchase.
There are cutouts at the bottom of both sides of the grip in the event a stuck magazine needs to be ripped from the magazine well. Such a thing would rarely happen, but it never hurts to have the option. Sometimes, if a pistol suffers a double feed, the magazine can be stubborn to eject. The USP Compact’s grip fits my medium hands very well, and I give it a high comfort factor.
Trigger
The USP Compact’s single-action trigger is 4.5 pounds, with the double-action pull coming in at 11.5 pounds. It is a double-action/single-action pistol, which differs from the Hellcat Pro’s striker-fired action.
The USP Compact’s trigger is good overall, especially for a polymer-framed pistol. It will appeal to the old-school crowd who likes the double action/single action. And for those who enjoy carrying single action, cocked and locked, the USP Compact also allows that. It has an external safety, so if the hammer is cocked, it can be placed on safe.
For those wishing to carry with the hammer down, the safety also serves as a decocker lever. As far as versatility, the USP Compact’s trigger system has it all.
Magazines & Capacity
Magazines for the USP Compact are metal with witness holes in the rear. They hold a total of 13 rounds.
A nice aspect of the USP Compact’s magazine is that they have a hard, rubber base that also has a finger rest. These base plates are hard but are slightly flexible. This is great for when the mags hit the hard floor, as the flexibility prevents breakage.
Controls
Controls are great on the USP Compact and perhaps a little unique.
First, the slide stop/release is very long, giving the user lots of leverage. It’s also very easy for the thumb to find, given the fact that it has a generous ledge that sticks out. Overall, this is the best slide release of any pistol that I’ve ever used.
Next, the magazine release is of the paddle type and can be found on either side of the trigger guard. The user pushes down on the release and the magazine flies out as if it’s rocket-powered. I like to use both sides of the release simultaneously, using my thumb and trigger finger. At first, this type of mag release takes a little getting used to. But after a very short time, it became my favorite magazine release style.
Finally, the safety/hammer drop is excellent. It’s a simple lever that operates just like a 1911, in that the thumb swipes it downward to remove the safety and fire. It allows the pistol to be carried cocked and locked in single action or with the safety off in double action. It can also act as a hammer drop. All in all, it offers all the versatility we could want.
At The Range
Accuracy with the USP Compact is outstanding. I shot a group at 15 yards that was a hair over two inches. And I’m sure the pistol is far more accurate than I can be.
Recoil, as expected, is very tame, given the ample grip size and chunky slide, and feels very smooth when fired. To be honest, when you fire an H&K, you truly understand why people rave about them. It’s hard to put my finger on why, but I suspect it’s the firing impulse and how smoothly it shoots. The accuracy doesn’t hurt, either.
Overall, the pistol is dripping with quality, and it’s obvious that the German engineers who designed it stereotypically over-engineered it. This is a good thing because it looks amazing and functions even better.
Carry Options
Now for the negative part. Very few holster manufacturers have much of a selection for the H&K USP Compact. People are looking at this pistol as a “has-been”, and it’s kind of slipped into the forgotten annals of the gun culture. I did manage to land a holster from DeSantis (a soft, IWB holster called the “Insider”), which works okay.
I really wish more holster makers still made holsters for this pistol. It’s a perfect example of an excellent weapon being passed over by time in favor of the newer, “better” models. Speaking of newer, better models, let’s look at the Hellcat Pro and see what it brings to the table.
Hellcat Pro
Springfield Armory’s Hellcat Pro is intended as a professional carry pistol. It’s not an ultra-compact pistol, but it’s built to be streamlined, easy to carry, and with serious capacity. Springfield has succeeded famously here.
Specs
The barrel length is 3.7 inches, which falls into the mid-range nicely. Weight is 21 ounces. The length is 6.6 inches, and the height is 4.8 inches. The grip width is one inch.
The slide is milled to accept optics, which today’s shooters seem to be obsessed with. The slide also has forward and rear cocking serrations, which helps in racking the slide. My pistol wears a coat of Flat Dark Earth, with the slide being Cerakoted. The OSP version has a cutout for optics, and mine came mounted with an optical red dot sight.
Magazines And Capacity
The Hellcat Pro’s standard magazines hold 15 rounds, with 17-round magazines being an option. The mags are heavy gauge stainless steel and are very durable, with witness holes in the rear.
Sights
The Pro’s sights deserve special mention, as they are remarkable among pistols. They’re steel, and the rear is a U-notch, with the front being a dot with a Tritium insert so it can be seen at night.
Grip
The grip on the Hellcat Pro is one of the very best in the industry. It features very subtle finger grooves (they’re barely noticeable) and an Adaptive Grip Texture. When you squeeze the pistol’s grip, it’s almost like sandpaper and your hand absolutely will not slip, even if it’s wet.
The grip angle is great. As far as the comfort, it seems to melt into my hand perfectly. Although it’s not a tiny pistol, the grip isn’t terribly long and isn’t difficult to conceal.
Trigger
Springfield’s Hellcat Pro is a striker-fired pistol. As such, the trigger operation will be familiar to many shooters these days. There is the usual take-up, followed by the wall. It’s not a light trigger, but certainly it’s not heavy. The break is pleasantly crisp and lends itself to good accuracy.
Controls
All controls on the Hellcat Pro are very standard. The magazine release is just behind the trigger guard like you’d expect, and magazines eject very positively. It protrudes far enough that the thumb can easily push it. A few serrations help to give positive purchase too. It’s elongated, and the shape makes it easier for the thumb to find.
The slide release is surprisingly accessible, given its small size; it protrudes enough that it’s easy for the thumb to find and activate. Overall, this one is better than many on the market.
There is no safety or other controls to operate.
At The Range
Reliability with this pistol has been 100% perfect with various brands of ammo, both FMJ and hollow point.
It was easy to obtain decent groups at 25 yards, and this pistol will deliver fine accuracy well past the 25-yard mark. I’m certain it will score hits at 100 yards, though I haven’t yet tested it that far out.
The pistol’s action is smooth when firing. Recoil is modest, making follow-up shots easy and fast. The Hellcat Pro’s very low bore axis really helps in reducing felt recoil.
Comparisons
The USP Compact holds 13 rounds. The Hellcat Pro holds 15, with the 17-round magazine being an option. But never mind the Hellcat Pro…the regular Hellcat, which is smaller than both of them, can also hold 13 rounds. One must marvel when they see the little Hellcat next to the USP Compact, with both holding 13 rounds!
The Hellcat Pro is optics-ready, while the USP Compact will not accept optics unless it’s machined for them.
The Hellcat Pro manages to pack a longer barrel into a shorter pistol. The Pro’s barrel is 3.7 inches versus the HK’s 3.58-inch long barrel. The Pro is 6.6 inches long versus the HK’s 6.81 inches.
The HK weighs 27.2 ounces versus the Pro’s 21 ounces. And the Hellcat Pro is quite a bit thinner as well.
Overall, the Hellcat Pro beats the HK in every physical category, including weight, length, and height. The Hellcat Pro also bests the HK in magazine capacity; 13 versus 15 and 17 rounds.
Bottom Line
So which do I like better? That’s a tough one! For everyday carry, I like the Hellcat Pro for the efficient tool that it is. Being thinner, it’s easier to carry than the USP Compact.
The HK USP Compact is a classic. Its reputation and reliability are legendary. I love the way the slide looks. The overall feel of the pistol inspires confidence, almost like driving a finely tuned sports car; it’s responsive, fast, and precise, and definitely a refined design.
The Hellcat Pro is the latest design, taking advantage of every fraction of an inch of space. It has a longer barrel than the HK, but a shorter overall length. It’s lighter, too.
One thing to consider is the support gear, such as holsters and accessories for both platforms. The edge there goes to the Hellcat Pro, as it’s a newer design. Sadly, the HK lags in this department (although that’s no fault of H&K).
With all that said, I think the Hellcat Pro is the better pistol overall, given its dimensions and performance. It can also easily mount lights, lasers, and optics, whereas the HK’s proprietary rail makes mounting such items more difficult.
But that’s just me. Every shooter is different! But, one thing is clear: whichever pistol you choose, it’s sure to be a winner.
