I am a big fan of the compact 9mm Springfield Hellcat Pro. Recently, it replaced my decade-old Smith & Wesson Shield as my EDC. Needless to say, I was excited to get my hands on the True Precision threaded barrel for it. The factory barrel is excellent from a purely functional perspective, so I didn’t need to upgrade. However, the ability to attach a suppressor or compensator opens up some fun possibilities for this little pistol. Sometimes upgrades aren’t about need but want. That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.
Initial Impressions
Over the years, I’ve shot other threaded barrels from varied prices, ranging from sub-$100 to almost equal the price of a gun. To me, there isn’t much difference in the beginning. Sure, there are material and finish differences that show up immediately (boring, dull black vs. shiny bling gold, for example). Still, it’s in the long term that the price difference begins to reveal itself. How well does the barrel hold up? Does it affect the gun’s performance? How dirty does it get? How well does the thread protector stay on? (More on that later.) Is it picky about suppressors?
The True Precision barrel made an excellent first impression right out of the box. The machining and finish are top-notch. The threads are cleanly cut and nicely chamfered for smooth accessory attachment. The thread protector was tight, with a decent grip texture for screwing on and off. And at only $179.99, the price was not prohibitive either.
Installation
As expected, the installation was very straightforward. The True Precision barrel dropped right into place with no issues. Of course, it took me two times because I made the common mistake of forgetting to remove the thread protector before inserting the barrel into the slide. Duh. That was on me, not the barrel. After fixing my mistake, the barrel slid right in, and the pistol was reassembled without further complications.
Range Time
With the threaded barrel installed, I headed to the range to put it through its paces. I ran an initial 50 rounds of 115gr FMJ ammo through it to ensure function. Everything ran flawlessly. Ejection was consistent, and there were no indications of increased recoil or muzzle flip compared to the factory barrel.
After giving the barrel a moment to cool down, I checked the thread protector to see how much it had backed off. This is a common problem with threaded barrels. Even normal recoil and vibration from shooting can cause thread protectors to unscrew themselves slightly and begin to back off the barrel. Almost every threaded barrel I’ve used does this. It’s very annoying. What’s worse, it’s an easy and inexpensive fix with a ten-cent O-ring. It amazes me how few manufacturers include this simple and cheap part in their barrels. I’ve shot very expensive barrels that don’t have an O-ring and, conversely, less expensive ones that do. Fortunately, the True Precision barrel does. After the initial 50 rounds, the thread protector was still locked in place, with no backing off. So, I kept going.
Accuracy seemed to be on par with the factory barrel as well. I could consistently shoot in the 3-4 inch range for realistic defensive distances out to 25 yards. This is excellent combat accuracy for a micro-compact pistol with a 3-inch barrel. The True Precision barrel exhibited no signs of excessive shifting or inconsistencies that could open groups compared to the factory offering.
Suppressed Firing
I work at the range where I test stuff, so I was able to borrow the resident Sig Sauer suppressor because, well, science. I would be remiss if I didn’t shoot some suppressed rounds, right? After all, that’s why we have threaded barrels in the first place: so we can go all James Bond. Back to the range I went, can in hand.
Not only did the suppressor thread on perfectly, but it also worked in perfect tandem with the barrel, sending hushed rounds downrange accurately and quietly. I tried both subsonic and supersonic rounds to hear the difference. As expected, the supersonic rounds included a crack as they left the barrel, but they were still substantially quieter than shooting sans suppresser.
After letting the suppressor cool down, I unscrewed it and resumed shooting normally.
Parting Shot
Overall, I’ve been extremely impressed with the True Precision threaded barrel for the Springfield Hellcat Pro. It’s very well-made, fits and functions perfectly, and expands the capabilities of this exceptional micro-compact pistol. At around $185, it offers tremendous added value for not much more than the cost of a few boxes of premium ammo. If you want to suppress or run a comp on your Hellcat, this is the barrel to get.
If you want to run the Hellcat Pro with a compensator for reduced muzzle flip and recoil, the True Precision threaded barrel also allows for that. Compensators can be picked up relatively inexpensively, significantly enhancing shootability on small but snappy 9mms like the Hellcat. The True Precision barrel lets you outfit the Hellcat Pro for nearly any role, from a suppressor for hearing protection to a compensator for recoil management.
