Introduced in 2019, the Springfield Hellcat joined the ranks of what many refer to as the Micro-Pistols, or Micro-9mms. It’s a relatively small pistol, though I wouldn’t quite call it a Pocket Pistol (unless we’re talking about a coat pocket). Its hammer-forged barrel is three inches, with an overall length of six inches and a height of four inches. It weighs a reasonable 18.3 ounces (with an empty magazine inserted), and it’s just shy of an inch wide. That’s a fairly compact handgun. As mentioned, it’s not a tiny pocket pistol, but it’s certainly not a large, full-sized pistol.
Hellcat Magazines
These days, manufacturers are racing to pack more and more rounds into their respective pistols. This competition is yielding some impressive results in the industry and Springfield Armory is one of the leaders in capacity for small 9mm pistols. My Hellcat came with two magazines: one 11-round mag that has a flush-fit base plate included, but with an extended base plate installed, that gives the little finger a landing zone. I much prefer the extended base plate as opposed to the flush fit since I like a place to put my finger. With the flush-fit base plate, my finger dangles below the grip of the pistol.
Even with the extended base plate on the 11-rounder, it doesn’t give the lower part of my palm full support because the base plate tapers at the pistol’s backstrap. For such a short magazine, it’s not a bad one. It is the most concealable of the Hellcat magazines.
And then there’s the 13-round Hellcat magazine. It gives about the same length of support for the little finger, but it extends straight back to the rear of the magazine. Because of that, it gives the support on the knife edge of my palm that I was after.
Is the 13-round Hellcat magazine more difficult to conceal than the 11-rounder?
In my experience, not really, the two are fairly close. Yes, the 11-rounder has a very small edge, but to me, it’s minuscule. And for that tiny increase in size, we’re getting an extra two rounds.
So, we have a very small Hellcat pistol that can hold 13+1 rounds. Consider that the Sig P228 carries the same amount of ammunition, and it is quite a bit larger than the little Hellcat. But when the P228 was introduced in 1988, many of us rejoiced because we now had a “compact” pistol with a respectable capacity. For the time period, the P228 was an innovation.
Nowadays, if you’re used to carrying a Hellcat and then you pick up a Sig P228, you’ll likely exclaim in shock at how large the P228 feels! It happened to me. It makes you feel amazed at today’s technical innovations.
There’s More!
Springfield wasn’t finished yet, though. They upped the ante (and the round count) and came out with a 15-round magazine. Because….well, why not?
Compared to the 13-round magazine, the 15-rounder is about 5/8 inch longer. That’s not a tremendous increase in length, but it does make the Hellcat’s grip slightly longer, and therefore, slightly harder to conceal. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s a little something to consider. I recommend grabbing a 15-rounder so you can see the difference, and also because they’re nice to have as spares. If it hits the fan and you need to reload in an emergency, a few more rounds certainly won’t hurt.
All of the Hellcat magazines are made of heavy gauge stainless steel that’s very durable. The polymer base plates are durable. And I love the fact that they use stainless steel springs and polymer followers. The witness holes (for all of their magazines) on the rear help us to see how many rounds are remaining. All in all, these magazines are low maintenance.
13 Rounds — the Goldilocks Sweet Spot in the Middle
But I digress. Now that I’ve spoken about the 11, 13, and 15-round magazines, I’ll get back to the subject of this article, which is the 13-rounder.
My Hellcat is currently my EDC (Everyday Carry) pistol. At this time, I carry the 13-round magazine in it. Personally, I think it’s just right. As in, Goldilocks just right — not too large, not too small… just right!
More rounds are always better, but I like the balance of capacity and concealability that the 13-round magazines offer. Keep in mind that I have medium-sized hands, so folks with huge meat hooks might gravitate to the 15-round mags, and that’s okay. The 13-rounders give me just enough space to fit my little finger on the grip with no space left over.
One detail that Springfield extended onto the mag is their Adaptive Grip Texture, just like it is on the Hellcat’s grip. This might be the best grip texture in the industry if you like a texture that anchors your hand to the pistol. It will not move in your hand, period — even if your hands are slippery or wet. The Hellcat’s grip gets further kudos because while there are very subtle finger grooves, they are barely perceptible.
For the record, I do carry at least one 15-rounder as a spare magazine when I carry the Hellcat. And truth be told, if I had to carry the Hellcat with a 15-rounder in place, I’d be totally fine with that.
Final Verdict — Best Hellcat Magazine
I’m declaring Springfield Armory Hellcat’s 13-round magazine the winner. It barely adds any length beyond that of the 11-round magazine while increasing the capacity appreciably. It’s made of robust, low-maintenance materials and will take a substantial amount of abuse while not rusting.
At the time of writing, these magazines sell for $27.99 each, which is a darned good deal! I recommend picking up a few because you can never have too many magazines.
The 13-round Hellcat magazine is a straight-up home run!
