We live in exciting times, currently – and, no – I am not referring to the fact that we can summon strangers to come pick us up (Uber), deliver us processed food on a whim (Door Dash), or even come walk our dog because we’re too lazy (Rover). What I am referring to is the sheer abundance of quality concealed carry and tactical handguns on the market today. It was a mere 10 – 15 years ago where if you wanted to conceal carry something it was either: A) a full-size handgun that was difficult at best to hide, B) a dainty .380 Auto (LCP, TCP, P3AT, etc), or C) a wildly unreliable and now bankrupt company like Jennings or Davis Industries. Nowadays, the moment you walk into your local gun store you have 10+ authentically good options for concealed carry with a bevy of modern features. So, my question to you is which one is the best? Who and what is the king of tactical concealed carry handguns? Let’s journey down the rabbit hole as I entertain that the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm is the gun we’re all searching for. Let’s dive in!
Springfield Armory Hellcat Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Springfield Debuts Cali-Compliant Hellcat, Hellcat Pro, XD-M Elite Pistols
- California Legal Hellcat, Hellcat Pro, XD-M Elite are Coming Soon!
- AO Review: Springfield Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm Desert FDE
- NEW Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm Desert FDE
- Comped or Suppressed? Springfield’s New Hellcat Pro Threaded Barrel
What are We Looking For?
It was only 5 months ago that I penned that the FN Reflex MRD 9mm could be on top of the mountain; the possible king of concealed carry. I didn’t say that it was the best on the market, but it had a lot of great attributes. So, what exactly am I (or should you) be looking for in a potential concealed carry pistol if it is to be crowned the BEST Tactical CCW Handgun. This is my list of features that I am looking for in that particular handgun.
- Concealable
- “WOW” Factor
- Optics Readiness
- Readily Available Holsters
- Suppressor/Compensator Compatibility
- High-Capacity with Multiple Magazine Options
- Track Record of Functionality/Durability/Reliability
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
– often attributed to William Shakespeare, but definitive origin unknown
Does This Check All the Boxes? 
Some of the traits that I listed you might have chuckled at, but let’s entertain them for a bit. Some characteristics need to have utility. Some might be purely aesthetic. All in all, they need to come together for a safe, accurate, reliable, somewhat modular, and attractive handgun. Fight me on the latter, but “no one wants a sports car that’s ugly.” If we’re piecing together the BEST Tactical CCW Handgun, then it better look decent. With all of that being said, let’s dive in.
Concealable
The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm definitely checks this box. It is a mere 1″ in width yet it can carry between 15 – 17 rounds depending on the magazine you choose to deploy. Moreover, this handgun minus all of the accessories you might hang off of it, only weighs in at 22 ounces. This is something you could easily backpack while hiking, carry appendix inside-the-waistband (AIWB), or even on your hip. Wherever it might find its home, it’ll be comfortable.
“WOW” Factor
I’ll say it again, it is okay to want your handgun to look cool (and admit it, too). This handgun with its Desert FDE colorway – aka Peanut Butter drip – is sexy to look at and all of the black accents of the trigger, magazine release, takedown lever, slide stop, and guide rod are a nice compliment to its Flat Dark Earth (Desert FDE) colorway.
Optics Readiness
In the 21st century that we live in, if you are someone who is opposed to having a micro red dot on your handgun, I am going to be a bit of party-pooper and judge you. We can save the discussion for the merits of iron sights for a different day, but if you are a firearm manufacturer crafting a new model of handgun it has to be optics ready to be competitive in today’s market. Whether the end user deploys one or not is up to them, but it needs to be optics ready. The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm once again checks that box.
Readily Available Holsters
The way that I have this Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm kitted out with a Dead Air Odessa-9 silencer wouldn’t work well for holster compatibility, but if you remove the suppressor, then there are lots of options out on the market today. The Springfield Armory Hellcat family of handguns has been around for almost 5 years now and is well supported by holster companies for people who are looking to carry.
Suppressor/Compensator Compatibility
Aside from the concealed carry market and the abundance of micro red dots nowadays, the silencer market is burgeoning like never before. Therefore, it is very appreciated if concealed carry handgun companies can cater to those of us who own silencers by offering at least a couple SKUs or models of suppressor ready handguns. It is even better when they are a concealed carry model.
High-Capacity with Multiple Magazine Options
Once again, the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm comes out a winner because the flush-fit magazines for this handgun proudly carry 15 rounds and Springfield Armory even offers slighted extended magazines that additional bring to the table 17 rounds. Both options give you more rounds than you should hopefully ever need in a concealed carry pistol (unless you’re Alec Baldwin’s neighbor).
Track Record of Functionality/Durability/Reliability
We already alluded to this, but the Springfield Armory Hellcat family of handguns has been around for close to 5 years now and has never seen the black-eye of a recall… no issues that curbed potential sales… none of that. This handgun from the word go has been reliable, eats any ammo you feed it, and Springfield has leaned so hard into it because of its reliability that they make 44 variants of the Hellcat; 44 models!
Final Thoughts – Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm in Desert FDE
So, have I swayed you?… The BEST handgun that you can conceal carry is the one that you are most comfortable with, but if you consider yourself John Wick and can conceal anything, then I highly recommend the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm. You will love it and it has all of the accoutrements and features to kit it out exactly the way that you want it to be.
In closing, I want to say thank you to Springfield Armory for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm in a Desert FDE colorway. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP Threaded 9mm in a Desert FDE colorway is something worth spending your money on? Would you deploy one for everyday concealed carry? Take it with you camping or hiking? As always, let us know all of your thoughts about Springfield Armory in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
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