Adaptive Grip Texture: Hang On To That Hellcat!

When it comes to defensive firearms, reliability is a must. The gun needs to work for you every time you pull the trigger. Believe it or not, a handgun’s grip can play a large role in reliability.

If you can’t hold onto the pistol, your accuracy will be awful and you may even induce malfunctions. The new Adaptive Grip Texture on the Springfield Hellcat is a remedy for such problems.

Hellcat Grip Testing

So, how do you test reliability at this level? You could do a 20K round torture test of the Hellcat, but that’s a lot of money and time to invest — both of which few of us have.

Yamil found that the Hellcat is a remarkably controllable pistol for its tiny size.

So how about the “mag dump”? A mag dump is the rapid discharge of a semi-automatic pistol, and has become one of the many tools to test the reliability and ergonomics of the Springfield Armory Hellcat. It is a quick and dirty way to get a gauge on whether your gun has the chops.

Hellcat pistol sitting on brass from a mag dump. The gun grip texture is plainly visible on the surface of the pistol. — Doing a mag dump is a great way to get a quick gauge on the performance of your pistol — without having to shoot a ton of rounds.

Why It Matters

Beyond just the function of the gun — can it run the rounds that fast and not hang up? — this is also a good test of the ergonomics of the pistol. When it comes to really small guns, it can be a handful to hang on to them during a drill like this, so this is a great way to assess the ergonomics of a CCW pistol. So, what we’re looking at is not only a simple and effective test of your gun’s reliability and function but also its handling characteristics.

Grip texture of the Springfield Hellcat does not damage the leather holster or the author's clothing. — Yamil has been toting the Hellcat as his carry gun and is very impressed with it.

Coming to Grips

I was particularly curious about how the new 9mm Hellcat would do because of its “Adaptive Grip Texture.” This is fancy talk for what I’ve basically found to be a great gun grip texture that gives you enough grippiness to hold, but smooth enough to not abrade your skin or catch on clothing.

Close up photo of the Adaptive Grip Texture. The Springfield Hellcat grip is very effective without being harsh on the hands. — The Adaptive Grip Texture treatment on the Hellcat gives enough texture for grip, yet is smooth enough to not abrade your skin.

The Adaptive Grip Texture is a surface treatment on the Hellcat that locks the pistol into your hands. The surface is covered with a combination of short and tall pyramid shapes. The taller pyramids have a flat top while the short ones have a point.

What these staggered pyramids accomplish is a Springfield Hellcat grip that doesn’t bounce around in your hand. Yet the gun’s grip texture doesn’t ruin your clothes or feel rough against your skin.

Where It Counts

The combination of the Hellcat’s reliability and its excellent ergonomics made it a pleasure to shoot during my “mag dump” test (see video at top).

For such a small gun, it handles and shoots like a much larger pistol. Combine it’s impressive Adaptive Grip Texture with its impressive capacity, terrific sights, and just all-around impressive characteristics, and you have a winner in the EDC micro 9mm world.