Firearm: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP (MSRP: $649)
We’re going back to a familiar handgun for today’s kit: The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP. The standard Hellcat was one of the original offerings at the start of the recent micro 9 mm double-stack boom along with the SIG Sauer P365. These pistols brought near-full-size capacity to a pistol size that had really only been known for revolver-like numbers in single-stack guise. Seemingly overnight, the small 9 mm pistol expanded from a six- or seven-round magazine to 10 or 11, with slightly extended versions offering 13 to 15 rounds in a size that still fit in a pocket.
Once these pistols started sprouting red-dot sights on their slides, though, they left the pocket, and once they started riding inside-the-waistband, it didn’t take companies long to realize that a very slightly larger gun would be easier to shoot and hold as many rounds as most larger pistols. Enter the Hellcat Pro, with a full three-finger grip, 15-round flush-fit magazine and an accessory rail. Note that capacity is the same as the Glock G19, but the Hellcat Pro is smaller in all dimensions: It’s a full inch shorter in overall length, .2 inch shorter in height, .16 inch slimmer and 2 ounces lighter.
Up top, the Hellcat Pro OSP has Springfield Armory’s Tactical Rack U-notch rear sight and a tritium front sight with luminescent ring for iron sights and an optics cut for RMSc footprint optics. Texturing on the grip and frame is slightly aggressive, to anchor the Hellcat Pro in the hand without being unduly painful, and cocking serrations are placed fore and aft for administrative functions like charging and press checks. A number of Hellcat Pro variants abound, including those in flat dark earth, models with threaded barrels and even compensated handguns.
Closing on a personal anecdote, this particular pistol happens to be my personal EDC go-to. Out of curiosity, I ran a series of tests to see how pistol and dot size affected performance. I had the Hellcat Pro with a Bushnell red-dot, a Glock G19 with a Radian compensator and Holosun SCS MOS red dot and a full-size Smith & Wesson M&P with a Trijicon SRO. As you might expect, the M&P with the SRO was the fastest and most accurate—but the Hellcat Pro still produced passing grades on the 5X5 drill, The Test and a Bill Drill. It was eye-opening how well the Hellcat Pro ran with larger pistols.
Holster: Tulster ARC IWB Light-Bearing Holster (MSRP: $124.99)
Tulster recently launched its ARC line, a new series of light-bearing holsters with fits for smaller pistols like the Hellcat Pro. The company’s goal was to provide a smaller, more easily concealed holster for those with micro-compact pistols that still wanted to add a light to their EDC handgun. Constructed of .93-inch kydex using a taco-style, single-sheet arrangement, the ARC series offers molded retention not only on the firearm, but also on the attached light.
Designed to facilitate all-day comfort in your inside-the-waistband carry, the ARC series offers adjustable ride height, Tulster’s Flex Mod system to help the rig conform to the body’s curves, a wing to tuck the holster into the body for maximum concealment, tuckable belt clips and a design that allows for the addition of foam wedges to further customize the holster’s comfort.
Accessory: Streamlight TLR-7 X weaponlight (MSRP: $253.66)
Since the new Tulster ARC holster is designed to accommodate smaller handguns with commensurately smaller attached lights, we’ve opted for the Streamlight TLR-7 X light to round out this kit for the Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro pistol. Offering 500 lumens and the ability to run on either a USB-rechargeable battery or a single CR123A battery, the TLR-7 X is actuated by twin paddles on either side of the unit that are push-and-hold for momentary on and push down for constant on. The TLR-7 X can be configured for a number of different accessory-rail configurations and also has two different styles of buttons for activation.
As we’ve cautioned before, specialized instruction centering on weapon-mounted lights is an excellent idea; in any case it is crucial to realize that the light on the pistol is only for target identification—for general illumination purposes, use a handheld light. What the TLR-7 X and Tulster ARC holster allow, however, is for a method of carrying a pistol with a light that’s comfortable, secure and still quite functional. If you want an EDC rig with a light that doesn’t require an overly large holster, this is definitely worth consideration.
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