The coolest thing about the Shield Arms SA-15 FLR isn’t that it’s a folding AR15 (although that’s pretty cool). The coolest thing about the Shield Arms SA-15 FLR is that it’s an integrally folding AR15: meaning no after-market thingamawhatsits to get it thataway.
Hence Folding Lower Receiver (FLR). Funny how that works eh?
Anyway, the Shield Arms Folding Lower Receiver (FLR) is now available in pistol, rifle, and stripped lower configuration and (as of this writing) it’s in stock. As originally reported on Soldier Systems Daily, the SA-15 FLR is a fully-folding lower receiver that does not require an adapter.
It’s a patent-pending billet AR-15 lower receiver with a folding stock mechanism machined and built directly into the receiver, allowing the stock or pistol brace to fold without the need of an aftermarket folding adapter.
The various SA15s feed via standard (i.e. unmodified) AR15 magazines.
Here’s what it looks like when locked in place and set up with some other cool toys for Insta:
An SA-15 folding AR pistol in FDE build on the Shield Arms folding lower receiver. Keeping it company; Glock 43X with extended S15 mag, SA hat, and a G10 Pugio dagger (w/IWB kydex sheath) in coyote tan. Or coyote brown. Or whatever we’re supposed to call it now.
Each respective configuration is detailed below.
SA-15 FLR
A 16 in. folding Rifle built on Shield Arms folding lower.
Brock Trautman is the senior news anchor for The Mag Life, the official publication of GunMag Warehouse. He’s also a cartoon, so…don’t get butt-hurt about anything he says. He’s not making subjective judgments on things, or reviewing anything – he’s just passing along the news.
Last fall, Sig Sauer launched the new AXG line of pistols with the Custom Works P320 AXG Scorpion—a compact 9mm hybrid that combines features of the striker-fired P320 with a P226-style metal frame. In case you were wondering, the AXG stands for Alloy XSeries Grip, and the metal frame was a fairly significant change from the original design of the traditional polymer frame P320.
As Travis put it in the review he wrote in January, “There is something about a metal frame that fits my hand better and is ergonomically superior to polymer frames. Not that I hate polymer frames, I have polymer frame friends, you guys. Metal frames feel better in my hands, so when SIG announced the P320 AXG, I got excited.”
Fast forward to Spring 2021 and the next model in the AXG lineup came out: the P320 AXG Classic. The Classic is a limited edition Sig Custom Works variant, carry-sized with custom walnut grip panels.
And now, just a month after the Classic model was released, Sig has rounded out the AXG lineup by announcing the full-sized model. This one is a standard offering (as compared to Custom Works). It’s called the P320 AXG Pro and the features include a pro-cut full-length slide, black anodized grip module, black G10 grips, and XRAY3 day/night sights. It’s optics-ready and compatible with several popular red dots.
In the video below, Phis Strader covers the details.
Here’s how Sig describes it in the official press release:
SIG SAUER is pleased to introduce the P320 AXG Pro, the first full-sized P320 pistol featuring the metal AXG grip module, with the AXG detachable magwell, and paired with the full-length SIG SAUER Pro-Cut slide.
“The hottest ticket in the world of P320 is the AXG series of pistols which combines the modern features and modularity of the P320 platform, with the performance and feel of a metal frame,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc. “With the lightening cuts of the pro-cut slide and the added weight of the AXG metal grip, the P320 AXG Pro is the perfect combination of style and performance, from fit to finish, in a full-size package.”
The SIG SAUER P320 AXG Pro is a metal, 9mm striker-fired pistol, with a black anodized AXG full-size grip module with a detachable AXG magwell, custom Hogue black G10 grip panels, a precision-machined deep undercut, and an extended beavertail for an ergonomic, comfortable fit. The pistol features an XSERIES flat trigger and a Nitron full-size SIG Pro-Cut slide with lightening cuts, XRAY3 Day/Night sights, comes optic-ready, and is compatible with direct-mount options for the SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO1Pro, the soon to be released SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO2, Delta Point Pro, and RMR Reflex Optics. The P320 AXG Pro ships with (2) 17-round steel magazines featuring Henning Group basepads.
P320 AXG Pro Specs
Overall length: 8.2 inches
Overall height: 5.5 inches
Overall width: 1.6 inches
Barrel length: 4.7 inches
Sight Radius: 6.6inches
Weight (w/magazine): 35.4 oz.
The black anodized AXG grip has Hogue G10 grip panels and a detachable magwell. The optic-ready Pro-cut slide is compatible with Romeo1PRO, Romeo2, Deltapoint PRO, and RMR optics without the need for adaptor plates.
Stephanie Kimmell is the firstborn daughter of Missouri’s Pecan King, worthy scion of a Vietnam veteran sailor turned mad engineer-orchardist-inventor-genius. With a BA in technical writing, she freelances as a writer and editor. A Zymurgist greatly interested in the decoction of fermented barley and hops, she is in many ways a modern amalgam of Esther Hobart Morris, Rebecca Boone, and Nellie Bly. She hunts, fishes, butchers, and cooks most anything. When not editing or writing, she makes soaps and salves, spins wool, and occasionally makes cheese from cows she milked herself. Kimmell is a driven epistemophilic who loves live music and all sorts of beer.
This is not a gun review in the usual sense. This one is more along the lines of watching ‘Top Gear’ to see the latest Ferrari weighed against the newest Koenigsegg, and to watch someone complain about the dimensions of the cupholders in a million-dollar hypercar.
We will assess the Laugo Alien pistol to determine — if one is in the habit of making foolishly extravagant financial decisions — just how foolish this one might be. Allow me to offer the lede, and even the conclusion, up front: I am pleased to report, as one of the common folk fortunate and/or foolish enough to have acquired the Laugo Alien Signature Edition pistol, that its claims to fame are justified.
The effect of this exotic gun’s design is not magic. If you can’t shoot a $500 pistol worth beans, you won’t be able to shoot this one worth beans either. That said, the Laugo Alien is…surreal. It rewards good technique astonishingly well without the need for a compensator or barrel porting.
Courtesy William Collier
As its designers claim, the recoil vector is directed almost straight back into the web of the strong hand. With proper forearm strength and technique and a bit of practice, a skilled shooter can hold a sight picture throughout recoil. That is, when you manage it, quite a strange experience, especially on a pistol which doesn’t vent gasses vertically.
My rapid-fire group sizes were significantly smaller than my groups with my other pistols for any given rate of fire….on the order of 50% tighter. As fast as I could work the trigger with my amateur finger, I couldn’t manage to land a round outside the head on a standard silhouette at seven yards.
Courtesy Laugo Arms
The Laugo Alien feels in the hand like a pistol, but the results in rapid fire feel more like a carbine. Again, that’s not because the pistol “makes it easy,” necessarily, not because it substitutes for good technique, but because it rewards you when you do your job, as a precision instrument should. That’s something I have never experienced in the same way except with a carbine.
My results with the Laugo Alien in slow fire were likewise dramatic. The pistol rewarded me for eliminating a very slight angle in the vector of my trigger pressure, shifting the point of impact at seven yards from a quarter inch left of aim to dead-nuts center.
I don’t have the facilities to determine how accurate this pistol is. With simple remanufactured FMJ and a red dot, I was able to discern no dispersal at all at seven yards. As long as my technique was correct, the bullet hit exactly where the center of the dot had been at the moment of break, centered to less than a millimeter. It is rifle-accurate.
I have employed several less-experienced shooters, some experienced with rifles and shotguns, but less so with pistols and even a few who were brand new to shooting, to help me test this thing. We observed that each improvement a shooter made to his or her technique dramatically reduced group size in rapid fire and noticeably improved shot placement in slow fire. It’s just real good.
Courtesy William Collier
I will note here the nature of the Alien’s felt recoil. Others have accurately said that such a low bore axis results in a sharp recoil impulse. Your hand, wrist, and arm absorb the full impact, unlike in pistols of a higher bore axis which send their recoil at least partially over the hand in the form of a rotating movement.
Courtesy William Collier
With the Alien, you feel the recoil as a percussive impact into the web of your hand, rather than as vertical torque. Think of the difference in recoil between a Beretta 92 (or other higher-bore pistol) and a pistol with a relatively lower axis such as a GLOCK. The Alien is the GLOCK in this comparison, only much, much more so.
The Alien’s rearward recoil impulse is not unpleasant as pistols go, thanks to its weight, the strength of its operating springs, and its gas-delayed blowback operating system. One female tester who generally prefers to battle the muzzle-rise of a high-bore pistol rather than endure the more uncomfortable hammering of GLOCKs and their relatively lower bore axis ilk, absolutely adores the Alien.
Attesting to this: with the Alien, for the first time in her life, she was shooting a pistol at such a rate of fire as to produce a coherent parabolic stream of empty brass through the air.
Courtesy William Collier
With higher-bore-axis pistols, she hadn’t the forearm strength to shoot that fast with accuracy, and with other lower-bore-axis pistols she would not because it hurt too much. With the Alien, even for her, it was a joy to pour out full-power 9mm rounds as fast as she could make her finger go. To her credit and the pistol’s, she made a tight cluster of holes at six yards.
Unlike many highly tuned match guns that I have shot, the Alien seems to be extremely reliable. We experienced not a single malfunction in the hundreds of rounds we have fired consisting of simple, cheap remanufactured FMJ in slow and rapid fire. This is noteworthy because the same lot of ammunition suffers failures to fire (at a rate of 1% to 2%) in other high-quality firearms.
Granted, this Alien is very new, but my daily-carry GLOCK has less than a thousand rounds through it, and the same ammunition in the GLOCK produces FTFs (nicely-dimpled primers in unfired cartridges) at the above rate. The Alien fires them without a hitch.
I presume its upside-down hammer to be dropping with some thunder. We haven’t tried any wad-cutter bullets through it, but round-nose and defensive hollow-points all feed perfectly. The strange upward way the pistol lobs empty brass (of necessity because the chamber is way down there in the frame, well below the slide) seems to work just fine.
Courtesy William Collier
The replaceable top rail works as advertised, which is to say, shockingly well. Installing the rail is a matter of positioning it on the frame, sliding it aft so that it “snaps” into place, and then pushing home the captive pin at the front.
Initially, the “snap” was very tight. It took a sharp rap with the heel of the palm or a nylon mallet to get the rail to seat properly. That eased within 10 repetitions until it could be done with strong thumb pressure.
The top rails held zero throughout multiple swaps. The adjustable iron sights are excellent, though as with all open sights, they best reward those who have learned the full volume of pistol iron sights technique. These sights and this pistol are easily equal to the task of a bull’s-eye pistol competition, more than able to hold their own against tuned 1911s on the 50-yard slow-fire target.
Courtesy William Collier
That said, a note about the Alien’s trigger: It’s also very good, certainly one of the best stock pistol triggers on the market, but not quite as clean as a race-tuned 1911. It has a couple of degrees of smooth slack, and then a bit of travel under friction (AKA “creep”) as the sear is drawn off the hammer.
To be sure, it brooks no comparison to common striker guns, and feels very different from even the lightest and finest of those (such as the Walther PPQ), but that creep is there and a factor if you are trying to make those precise shots into a six-inch space at 50 yards with one hand.
On my unit, the bearing surface between the hammer and sear seems to be about 0.025 inches, according to my digital calipers, so that’s how far you have to move the sear with the trigger before the hammer springs free. I suspect that competition shooters (who can accept extremely light trigger pull weights) will experiment with sears cutting closer to the edge, but as it stands now, the 25 thousandths of an inch of sear bearing surface translates to about 35 thousandths of an inch of trigger creep at the tip of the trigger.
While noticeable in slow fire, that can be taken up carefully if you need to make an ultra-precise shot at the highest levels of competition. In rapid fire it goes unnoticed and is a non-factor.
Courtesy William Collier
Grip texturing is, in a word, awesome on the front and back straps. The golf ball style grip panel texture and precise front and rear checkering yield zero slippage during rapid fire. Never once did I have to readjust my grip.
The slide serrations are also excellent. They could be used to saw through timber and will flay your hand before they let your grip on the slide slip.
Overall, fit and finish are, well, perfect giving the impression of a hand-fitted match-grade pistol. The only thing I had to monitor was the installation screw for the detachable magazine well flare. The flange works as advertised, making reloads a breeze, but it can be removed by backing out a small set screw on the bottom.
I found that this screw backs out of its own accord during shooting, loosening the removable flange until it rattles a little. A little blue Loctite and some judiciously applied torque took care of that.
Courtesy William Collier
Are there any real flaws in the Alien, any drawbacks at all? Well, yes, relatively speaking. As others have noted, the price of the gun is broadly prohibitive. You will pay what you would for your bull’s-eye tuned 1911—after all the tuning. Fortunately, you get that level of quality from Alien, as well.
Alien owners are waiting for customization options, such as a barrel with a threaded muzzle, or magazines of expanded capacity. Lancer, the Alien’s distributor, remains committed so far to long-term support of the gun and swears these and other options are coming, but there is still no word yet of aftermarket or even spare parts support for the pistol.
The Alien is also a full-sized, all-steel pistol, so it is big and heavy and not meant for real-world carry, per se. It comes with what is supposedly a race holster, but I don’t much care for the thing. It tends to bite down and bind on the pistol if you don’t pull at exactly the right angle (some training helps here).
Finally, because this pistol begs to be shot at machine gun speeds, you will tend to do that, burning through tremendous volumes of ammunition. So you may consider that a drawback given current ammunition prices and availability.
The upshot of all of that rapid-fire shooting, in conjunction with the pistol’s all-metal construction, is that in short order its entire frame is smoking hot. The thumb and heel of the palm of your support hand, and your trigger finger which you so conscientiously keep “straight and off the trigger” between engagements, will be singed if you don’t have shooting gloves with good insulation.
Courtesy William Collier
All in all, I am floored by the Alien. It is exactly what it is advertised to be, an out-of-the-box competitor to highly-modified race guns and hand-fitted bull’s-eye guns…a surreal shooting experience for expert and novice alike.
Courtesy William Collier
I would like to thank Lancer’s people, particularly, for fighting the good fight to bring it to our shores. To give the reader a little background on that, the ATF essentially used COVID and other excuses to refrain from acting on the already legal and approved import agreement, effectively stonewalling (without justification) the pistol’s importation.
Lancer’s leadership went to war, legally speaking, filing suits and ultimately enlisting the aid of elected officials to force the ATF to finish processing the application and issue the final approval. It’s through the dedicated efforts of Lancer Systems that we have this new toy today.
Overall: * * * * ½ A brilliant gun that’s almost impossible to acquire and lights you on fire if you have too much fun with it. The cup-holders are a little small.
This is not a gun review in the usual sense. This one is more along the lines of watching ‘Top Gear’ to see the latest Ferrari weighed against the newest Koenigsegg, and to watch someone complain about the dimensions of the cupholders in a million-dollar hypercar.
We will assess the Laugo Alien pistol to determine — if one is in the habit of making foolishly extravagant financial decisions — just how foolish this one might be. Allow me to offer the lede, and even the conclusion, up front: I am pleased to report, as one of the common folk fortunate and/or foolish enough to have acquired the Laugo Alien Signature Edition pistol, that its claims to fame are justified.
The effect of this exotic gun’s design is not magic. If you can’t shoot a $500 pistol worth beans, you won’t be able to shoot this one worth beans either. That said, the Laugo Alien is…surreal. It rewards good technique astonishingly well without the need for a compensator or barrel porting.
Courtesy William Collier
As its designers claim, the recoil vector is directed almost straight back into the web of the strong hand. With proper forearm strength and technique and a bit of practice, a skilled shooter can hold a sight picture throughout recoil. That is, when you manage it, quite a strange experience, especially on a pistol which doesn’t vent gasses vertically.
My rapid-fire group sizes were significantly smaller than my groups with my other pistols for any given rate of fire….on the order of 50% tighter. As fast as I could work the trigger with my amateur finger, I couldn’t manage to land a round outside the head on a standard silhouette at seven yards.
Courtesy Laugo Arms
The Laugo Alien feels in the hand like a pistol, but the results in rapid fire feel more like a carbine. Again, that’s not because the pistol “makes it easy,” necessarily, not because it substitutes for good technique, but because it rewards you when you do your job, as a precision instrument should. That’s something I have never experienced in the same way except with a carbine.
My results with the Laugo Alien in slow fire were likewise dramatic. The pistol rewarded me for eliminating a very slight angle in the vector of my trigger pressure, shifting the point of impact at seven yards from a quarter inch left of aim to dead-nuts center.
I don’t have the facilities to determine how accurate this pistol is. With simple remanufactured FMJ and a red dot, I was able to discern no dispersal at all at seven yards. As long as my technique was correct, the bullet hit exactly where the center of the dot had been at the moment of break, centered to less than a millimeter. It is rifle-accurate.
I have employed several less-experienced shooters, some experienced with rifles and shotguns, but less so with pistols and even a few who were brand new to shooting, to help me test this thing. We observed that each improvement a shooter made to his or her technique dramatically reduced group size in rapid fire and noticeably improved shot placement in slow fire. It’s just real good.
Courtesy William Collier
I will note here the nature of the Alien’s felt recoil. Others have accurately said that such a low bore axis results in a sharp recoil impulse. Your hand, wrist, and arm absorb the full impact, unlike in pistols of a higher bore axis which send their recoil at least partially over the hand in the form of a rotating movement.
Courtesy William Collier
With the Alien, you feel the recoil as a percussive impact into the web of your hand, rather than as vertical torque. Think of the difference in recoil between a Beretta 92 (or other higher-bore pistol) and a pistol with a relatively lower axis such as a GLOCK. The Alien is the GLOCK in this comparison, only much, much more so.
The Alien’s rearward recoil impulse is not unpleasant as pistols go, thanks to its weight, the strength of its operating springs, and its gas-delayed blowback operating system. One female tester who generally prefers to battle the muzzle-rise of a high-bore pistol rather than endure the more uncomfortable hammering of GLOCKs and their relatively lower bore axis ilk, absolutely adores the Alien.
Attesting to this: with the Alien, for the first time in her life, she was shooting a pistol at such a rate of fire as to produce a coherent parabolic stream of empty brass through the air.
Courtesy William Collier
With higher-bore-axis pistols, she hadn’t the forearm strength to shoot that fast with accuracy, and with other lower-bore-axis pistols she would not because it hurt too much. With the Alien, even for her, it was a joy to pour out full-power 9mm rounds as fast as she could make her finger go. To her credit and the pistol’s, she made a tight cluster of holes at six yards.
Unlike many highly tuned match guns that I have shot, the Alien seems to be extremely reliable. We experienced not a single malfunction in the hundreds of rounds we have fired consisting of simple, cheap remanufactured FMJ in slow and rapid fire. This is noteworthy because the same lot of ammunition suffers failures to fire (at a rate of 1% to 2%) in other high-quality firearms.
Granted, this Alien is very new, but my daily-carry GLOCK has less than a thousand rounds through it, and the same ammunition in the GLOCK produces FTFs (nicely-dimpled primers in unfired cartridges) at the above rate. The Alien fires them without a hitch.
I presume its upside-down hammer to be dropping with some thunder. We haven’t tried any wad-cutter bullets through it, but round-nose and defensive hollow-points all feed perfectly. The strange upward way the pistol lobs empty brass (of necessity because the chamber is way down there in the frame, well below the slide) seems to work just fine.
Courtesy William Collier
The replaceable top rail works as advertised, which is to say, shockingly well. Installing the rail is a matter of positioning it on the frame, sliding it aft so that it “snaps” into place, and then pushing home the captive pin at the front.
Initially, the “snap” was very tight. It took a sharp rap with the heel of the palm or a nylon mallet to get the rail to seat properly. That eased within 10 repetitions until it could be done with strong thumb pressure.
The top rails held zero throughout multiple swaps. The adjustable iron sights are excellent, though as with all open sights, they best reward those who have learned the full volume of pistol iron sights technique. These sights and this pistol are easily equal to the task of a bull’s-eye pistol competition, more than able to hold their own against tuned 1911s on the 50-yard slow-fire target.
Courtesy William Collier
That said, a note about the Alien’s trigger: It’s also very good, certainly one of the best stock pistol triggers on the market, but not quite as clean as a race-tuned 1911. It has a couple of degrees of smooth slack, and then a bit of travel under friction (AKA “creep”) as the sear is drawn off the hammer.
To be sure, it brooks no comparison to common striker guns, and feels very different from even the lightest and finest of those (such as the Walther PPQ), but that creep is there and a factor if you are trying to make those precise shots into a six-inch space at 50 yards with one hand.
On my unit, the bearing surface between the hammer and sear seems to be about 0.025 inches, according to my digital calipers, so that’s how far you have to move the sear with the trigger before the hammer springs free. I suspect that competition shooters (who can accept extremely light trigger pull weights) will experiment with sears cutting closer to the edge, but as it stands now, the 25 thousandths of an inch of sear bearing surface translates to about 35 thousandths of an inch of trigger creep at the tip of the trigger.
While noticeable in slow fire, that can be taken up carefully if you need to make an ultra-precise shot at the highest levels of competition. In rapid fire it goes unnoticed and is a non-factor.
Courtesy William Collier
Grip texturing is, in a word, awesome on the front and back straps. The golf ball style grip panel texture and precise front and rear checkering yield zero slippage during rapid fire. Never once did I have to readjust my grip.
The slide serrations are also excellent. They could be used to saw through timber and will flay your hand before they let your grip on the slide slip.
Overall, fit and finish are, well, perfect giving the impression of a hand-fitted match-grade pistol. The only thing I had to monitor was the installation screw for the detachable magazine well flare. The flange works as advertised, making reloads a breeze, but it can be removed by backing out a small set screw on the bottom.
I found that this screw backs out of its own accord during shooting, loosening the removable flange until it rattles a little. A little blue Loctite and some judiciously applied torque took care of that.
Courtesy William Collier
Are there any real flaws in the Alien, any drawbacks at all? Well, yes, relatively speaking. As others have noted, the price of the gun is broadly prohibitive. You will pay what you would for your bull’s-eye tuned 1911—after all the tuning. Fortunately, you get that level of quality from Alien, as well.
Alien owners are waiting for customization options, such as a barrel with a threaded muzzle, or magazines of expanded capacity. Lancer, the Alien’s distributor, remains committed so far to long-term support of the gun and swears these and other options are coming, but there is still no word yet of aftermarket or even spare parts support for the pistol.
The Alien is also a full-sized, all-steel pistol, so it is big and heavy and not meant for real-world carry, per se. It comes with what is supposedly a race holster, but I don’t much care for the thing. It tends to bite down and bind on the pistol if you don’t pull at exactly the right angle (some training helps here).
Finally, because this pistol begs to be shot at machine gun speeds, you will tend to do that, burning through tremendous volumes of ammunition. So you may consider that a drawback given current ammunition prices and availability.
The upshot of all of that rapid-fire shooting, in conjunction with the pistol’s all-metal construction, is that in short order its entire frame is smoking hot. The thumb and heel of the palm of your support hand, and your trigger finger which you so conscientiously keep “straight and off the trigger” between engagements, will be singed if you don’t have shooting gloves with good insulation.
Courtesy William Collier
All in all, I am floored by the Alien. It is exactly what it is advertised to be, an out-of-the-box competitor to highly-modified race guns and hand-fitted bull’s-eye guns…a surreal shooting experience for expert and novice alike.
Courtesy William Collier
I would like to thank Lancer’s people, particularly, for fighting the good fight to bring it to our shores. To give the reader a little background on that, the ATF essentially used COVID and other excuses to refrain from acting on the already legal and approved import agreement, effectively stonewalling (without justification) the pistol’s importation.
Lancer’s leadership went to war, legally speaking, filing suits and ultimately enlisting the aid of elected officials to force the ATF to finish processing the application and issue the final approval. It’s through the dedicated efforts of Lancer Systems that we have this new toy today.
Overall: * * * * ½ A brilliant gun that’s almost impossible to acquire and lights you on fire if you have too much fun with it. The cup-holders are a little small.
Olight’s PL-Pro Valkyrie is designed as a powerful, full-featured weapon light for pistols, rifles or shotguns.
Dan Z. for TTAG
The PL-Pro Valkyrie has Olight’s integral quick-release mount that makes attaching it to any rail fast and simple. It comes with interchangeable bars for either GLOCK or standard 1913 Pic rails. Olight lists the PL-Pro as being compatible with these pistols . . .
I attached the new Valkyrie to a non-GLOCK GLOCK, on which it mounted and worked well. I shot it as extensively as my ammunition inventory would allow. I also popped it on an AR for a couple of magazine and it did just fine (as you’d expect) and put on a Remington 870 DM for a few rounds of buckshot, too.
If you want to use the PL-Pro on your AR, Olight offers an optional magnetic remote pressure switch for use on a rifle (or shotgun). While we haven’t tested the switch, it’s hard to believe it wouldn’t work as advertised. The switch connects to the light’s magnetic charging port on the bottom of the light.
In the end, though, most users will see the PL-Pro Valkyrie as a pistol light and use it that way.
Dan Z. for TTAG
As for output, that’s where the PL-Pro Valkyrie really shines (sorry). The weapon light has three settings; low, high and strobe. Low is 300 lumens and high is a whopping 1500 lumens. The PL-Pro is rated with a 280-meter throw, almost the length of a football field.
In order to maximize the throw distance, the PL-Pro Mini produces a fairly focused beam. That means the field that it illuminates isn’t as wide as some lights, but I didn’t have trouble seeing things off-center, even at midnight. That beam width is a conscious decision Olight made in favor or producing a longer reach.
Dan Z. for TTAG
The PL-Pro Valkyrie has two rocker switches (they depress inward, rather than up and down) that control momentary or constant on/off, brightness, strobe, or activation of the light’s lockout mode. The switches have a slight tactile detent and an audible (though quiet) click when using them.
Dan Z. for TTAG
Like most Olight lights, the PL-Pro Valkyrie is rechargeable (it has a lithium-ion battery) with a magnetic USB cable. It takes about 1½ hours to fully charge a fully depleted battery.
To see how long the battery lasts, I did what most users will never do — I turned it on and left it on. Be aware that the PL-Pro Valkyrie has a power-saver setting that dims the light after about a minute or so. Turn it on full power and you get the full 1500 lumens. After a minute it begins to dim to what looks like about half power.
That’s probably sooner than a lot of users would expect, but when you think about it, most users will never leave their light on for more than a minute at a time. If they do, the half-power setting may cut the beam’s throw distance, but it’s still more than enough to light up a room or a decent size yard.
The light lasted one hour and ten minutes before going dark. On low power, it lasted just short of two hours before the batter was drained.
Courtesy Olight
The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie has an IPX6 water resistance rating. Technically that means it’s safe from “high pressure water.” You can’t dunk it, but it should be good in a downpour. I put it my sink at hit it for a solid minute with the spray nozzle. That’s more water than it’s likely to get in an hour or two under a pistol or rifle in a rainstorm. I wiped it off and it’s worked flawlessly ever since.
In the end, the PL-Pro Vakyrie does what it’s designed to do. It’s more than bright enough for the vast majority of users (as long as you don’t leave it on for too long) and it’s priced competitively with similar lights from reputable makers.
The PL-Pro Valkyrie is available in your choice of black or tactical peanut butter. It usually retails for about $129, but Olight is having a flash sale that starts tonight and they’re pricing it at $100.69 (the sale begins at 8:00p eastern, use this link).
Olight’s PL-Pro Valkyrie is designed as a powerful, full-featured weapon light for pistols, rifles or shotguns.
Dan Z. for TTAG
The PL-Pro Valkyrie has Olight’s integral quick-release mount that makes attaching it to any rail fast and simple. It comes with interchangeable bars for either GLOCK or standard 1913 Pic rails. Olight lists the PL-Pro as being compatible with these pistols . . .
I attached the new Valkyrie to a non-GLOCK GLOCK, on which it mounted and worked well. I shot it as extensively as my ammunition inventory would allow. I also popped it on an AR for a couple of magazine and it did just fine (as you’d expect) and put on a Remington 870 DM for a few rounds of buckshot, too.
If you want to use the PL-Pro on your AR, Olight offers an optional magnetic remote pressure switch for use on a rifle (or shotgun). While we haven’t tested the switch, it’s hard to believe it wouldn’t work as advertised. The switch connects to the light’s magnetic charging port on the bottom of the light.
In the end, though, most users will see the PL-Pro Valkyrie as a pistol light and use it that way.
Dan Z. for TTAG
As for output, that’s where the PL-Pro Valkyrie really shines (sorry). The weapon light has three settings; low, high and strobe. Low is 300 lumens and high is a whopping 1500 lumens. The PL-Pro is rated with a 280-meter throw, almost the length of a football field.
In order to maximize the throw distance, the PL-Pro Mini produces a fairly focused beam. That means the field that it illuminates isn’t as wide as some lights, but I didn’t have trouble seeing things off-center, even at midnight. That beam width is a conscious decision Olight made in favor or producing a longer reach.
Dan Z. for TTAG
The PL-Pro Valkyrie has two rocker switches (they depress inward, rather than up and down) that control momentary or constant on/off, brightness, strobe, or activation of the light’s lockout mode. The switches have a slight tactile detent and an audible (though quiet) click when using them.
Dan Z. for TTAG
Like most Olight lights, the PL-Pro Valkyrie is rechargeable (it has a lithium-ion battery) with a magnetic USB cable. It takes about 1½ hours to fully charge a fully depleted battery.
To see how long the battery lasts, I did what most users will never do — I turned it on and left it on. Be aware that the PL-Pro Valkyrie has a power-saver setting that dims the light after about a minute or so. Turn it on full power and you get the full 1500 lumens. After a minute it begins to dim to what looks like about half power.
That’s probably sooner than a lot of users would expect, but when you think about it, most users will never leave their light on for more than a minute at a time. If they do, the half-power setting may cut the beam’s throw distance, but it’s still more than enough to light up a room or a decent size yard.
The light lasted one hour and ten minutes before going dark. On low power, it lasted just short of two hours before the batter was drained.
Courtesy Olight
The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie has an IPX6 water resistance rating. Technically that means it’s safe from “high pressure water.” You can’t dunk it, but it should be good in a downpour. I put it my sink at hit it for a solid minute with the spray nozzle. That’s more water than it’s likely to get in an hour or two under a pistol or rifle in a rainstorm. I wiped it off and it’s worked flawlessly ever since.
In the end, the PL-Pro Vakyrie does what it’s designed to do. It’s more than bright enough for the vast majority of users (as long as you don’t leave it on for too long) and it’s priced competitively with similar lights from reputable makers.
The PL-Pro Valkyrie is available in your choice of black or tactical peanut butter. It usually retails for about $129, but Olight is having a flash sale that starts tonight and they’re pricing it at $100.69 (the sale begins at 8:00p eastern, use this link).
The two main reasons I bought a are that it’s not , and, well, I like weird guns.
Seriously, aren’t we all just a bit bored with the AR-15? I know, I know, the AR-15 platform is hands down the best auto-loading rifle ever designed. I get that, but I am still bored with it. Even a mid-range AR-15 is better than the AUG in almost every measurable way, but “better” doesn’t always matter.
Before I go over the rest of the reasons why I bought an AUG I want to go over why you shouldn’t buy one.
Customizing an AUG is expensive and you only have a few options. The rail space is very limited in its factory configuration. If you want to mount much more than an optic and a light you are going to have issues.
The trigger isn’t nearly as bad as people say (how’s that for damning with faint praise?). It’s bad but it’s not horrible. One word can accurately summarize the AUG trigger: vague.
The fire control group is plastic; even the hammer. In reality a plastic hammer is completely fine and will last longer than a barrel, but I would prefer a metal hammer and sear engagement. Aftermarket trigger options are very limited.
The AUG’s sling attachments are in weird spots. The front sling mount interferes with the charging handle and optic. The rear one is the same pin that holds the rear of the rifle together. It’s fine, but I still don’t like it.
The AUG, as equipped from the factory, doesn’t suppress well. The barrel is threaded 13×1 LH which means you will need an adapter to use common suppressor or muzzle devices. Not a big deal but it’s worth mentioning.
The gas regulator is adjustable, but it doesn’t have a suppressed setting. Steyr sells a suppressed gas regulator but that’s another $98 and they are rarely (basically for about an hour once every few months) in stock.
Assuming the sling is not in the way and you use the charging handle, there is a fair chance you will cut your fingers on the top rail. If you use a scope mount you better use one that is pretty thin on the charging handle side of the rifle.
If you don’t, you will hit your hand on the mount when charging the rifle. Several manufacturers make replacement changing handles and I will certainly be replacing mine.
Magazine changes are awkward and slow. The mag release button is perfectly usable, but it’s a lot slower than an AR-15 or similar rifle.
So, why buy one?
AUGs are comfortable, the stock is just about perfect, and it points very quickly. The integrated foregrip, which folds, is equally comfortable.
However, the foregrip is integrated to the barrel assembly so if you want to replace it you will need an aftermarket handguard.
The quick change barrel feature is pretty cool, but in reality I don’t think many people actually use this feature often.
Honestly, I can’t think of many practical reasons to buy an AUG other than its compact size and even then, the Tavor is about an inch shorter.
The #1 reason I bought an AUG…I found one in stock at a reasonable price. Yet even with it’s many flaws, I still love it. For some reason.
The popularity of Springfield Armory’s now-signature micro-compact has necessarily produced a wide range of Hellcat holster options. For similar reasons (and because so many of us like to tinker with our pistols) we’ve seen a whole slew of Springfield Hellcat accessories. Among them are a wide range of functional upgrades, aesthetic modifications, and implements to expand modularity. We’ll cover some of those below. While no means comprehensive, it will include news that relates to the Hellcat and provide some of our own reviews.
Apex Tactical Solutions just added a new model to its lineup of Failure Resistant Extractors — this one is for the Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol line— designed to, “…ensure consistent and reliable extraction under the most adverse conditions.” Their aftermarket extractor replaces the factory extractor and is intended to deliver more consistent, reliable extraction.
Here’s the factory extractor next to the Apex Tactical Solutions extractor. See that little dot on the one to the right? That’s their Rockwell Hardness Checkmark, which confirms that the part was checked for hardness.
Machined from a billet of heat-treated stainless steel, the critical engagement surface features Apex’s custom extractor hook geometry. The extractor is Black Melonite finished for enhanced durability.
Features and Specifications: • Replaces factory extractor • Features Apex’s custom extractor hook geometry • Provides consistent, reliable extraction • Works with all current 9mm Hellcat model pistols • Easy to install • Apex Part #: 115-090
Extractor Installation
Installation is fairly simple. The only tool you’ll need is a 3/32″ pin punch, or a 1/16″ if that’s what you have.
Field strip the slide.
Remove the backplate and pull out the striker and extractor plunger system (these typically come out in one unit).
Once the plunger system is out of the way, depress the striker block with the pin punch to press the striker block in. Then roll the extractor into the breach, and out of the way. Once the extractor is out, relieve tension on the striker block so it doesn’t shoot out.
Consider cleaning out the extractor channel while everything is taken apart.
Install the replacement extractor.
Press the striker block as far in as you can, up out of the way, so the extractor can be seated properly.
Drop the extractor into the breach, roll it back, then drop it into the slide.
When you release the striker block, the extractor is held in place.
Reinstall the plunger assembly.
Take note of the small shelf on it. That shelf has to go down against the extractor. If it goes up or any other direction, it’s not going to seat properly.
Insert the plunger assembly and guide it forward. If you’ve got it right, you’ll be able to see it come through the window and push against the back of the extractor. If it’s not aligned right, it’ll sit inside the window and won’t protrude.
Put the striker back in.
Put the backplate back on: press in the striker with the fork on the backplate and press the plunger in with the pin punch. The backplate should snap into place.
Perform a function check when the slide is reassembled. Using the pin punch, articulate the extractor inside the breech a couple of times to make sure it moves.
If the function check is unsuccessful, go through the assembly process again.
Apex also has these extractors available for Gen 3/5 Glocks, Gen 4 Glocks, FN 509, M&P, and M&P M2.0 model pistols.
Here’s the full installation video.
Hogue Beavertail HandALL Grip Sleeves for the Hellcat
(November 2020)
Hogue has expanded their line of HandALL grip sleeves to include models fit for the Springfield Hellcat. Hogue says these soft rubber Beavertail grip sleeves are guaranteed to enhance the Hellcat shooting experience with a more secure grasp, protection for the hands, and best of all: reducing the felt recoil.
From Hogue:
It has become common for shooters to resort to custom stippling to upgrade the factory texture of polymer pistols; however, this practice ultimately compromises the original condition of the firearm’s frame. To avoid this irreversible trade-off, Hogue has perfected their Beavertail grip sleeve design to ensure a long-lasting, yet non-permanent alternative that will greatly enhance the shooter’s grip experience. Hogue HandALL Beavertail grip sleeves come in a variety of colors and retail at an affordable $12.95.
The new grip sleeves are available in six different colors, made of thermoplastic elastomer, and designed to fit securely with the Hellcat’s texture and contours.
Specs
• Precision fit for Springfield Armory Hellcat • Material: Rubber • Texture: Cobblestone • Colors: Black, FDE, Olive Drab Green, Purple, Aqua, and Pink
Features
• Gentle palm swells fit comfortably in hand • Finger grooves naturally position fingers for optimal grip • Textured with Hogue’s famous Cobblestone pattern for increased comfort and grip • Beavertail cushions the hand on recoil and offers increased hand comfort higher on the grip • Made from long-lasting durable thermoplastic elastomer that ages gracefully for years of service • Designed for a tight and secure fit engaging with the texture and contours of the firearm’s frame
New Apex Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Hellcat
(August 2020)
Apex Tactical Specialties just announced its new Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Hellcat pistol. The body of the trigger is aluminum machined with a center-mount pivoting safety that sits just sub-flush when the trigger is pulled. Installation is direct drop-in, with no adjustments required, and according to the company, the trigger pull will be 5-5.25 lbs after a little break-in period.
The Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Hellcat is available in five color options. Top: Freedom Edition Black, and Freedom Edition Thin Blue Line. Bottom: Black, Red, and Thin Blue Line.
The package includes the trigger shoe, sear spring, and striker spring.
Here’s how Apex described the new trigger in their press release:
Starting at just $79.95, the package includes an Apex Action Enhancement Trigger, Apex Sear Spring and Apex Striker Spring, which, when installed, significantly improves the feel of the trigger pull while reducing trigger travel and pull weight to that appropriate for a duty or carry pistol.
Apex’s engineering and design team developed the Action Enhancement Trigger as a direct drop-in replacement of the factory polymer trigger and springs of the Hellcat. The new trigger will be available in Black, Red, Thin Blue Line, and Black anodized Freedom Edition versions. Pre-ordering will begin soon.
Features and Specifications
• Reduces trigger pull weight to 5.0 to 5.5 lbs after break-in period • Smooths uptake and reset • Reduces overall trigger travel and reset distance • Crisp trigger break • Direct drop-in replacement of factory polymer trigger • Maintains factory safety values • Easy to install (Drop-in installation)
Here’s the product launch video that Apex put out.
Here’s a complete installation video guide. Note the differences between the factory components next to the Apex parts. The Apex striker spring is slightly longer and the Apex sear spring has an hourglass shape compared to the straight cylindrical coil of the factory sear spring. The differences between the two trigger bodies are fairly obvious.
Between the number of holsters you can choose from to the number of small and easily carryable guns on the market — holy crap, is it a good time to be carrying a gun! One such gun is the Springfield Hellcat. The Hellcat stormed upon American shores offering shooters an excellent compromise with its small size but high capacity. The Hellcat is the size of any old standard single stack 9mm but packs 11 to 13 rounds in its magazine. If you have one you need a holster for it, right? With its popularity, a massive amount of holsters have been released. Here’s our roundup of the best Springfield Hellcat Holster options available as of this writing.
1. Crossbreed Reckoning Hellcat Holster
Crossbreed embraced the Hellcat with open arms with a massive amount of different Springfield Hellcat holster options in various configurations. This includes IWB, OWB, pocket, Bellyband, and beyond. One that stands out is the Reckoning. The Reckoning is a compact-sized IWB rig designed primarily for AIWB carry, but it can also be carried strong side IWB.
The Reckoning features vegetable-tanned leather with a polymer molded shell. This Crossbreed holster embraces dual metal clips for a rugged design. The sweat guard protects you from the gun and vice versa and allows for maximum comfort. Lastly, the Reckoning is modular. You can add an Accomplice mag carrier to the rig for a complete appendix carry rig.
2. Bravo Concealment OWB Hellcat Holster
I’m an OWB nerd, and I’ve long appreciated OWB designs. The Bravo Concealment OWB design is primarily made from polymer and is custom fit for the Hellcat. The Bravo Concealment rig is ultra-modern and designed to cling tight to the body and disappear with minimal fuss. The design incorporates passive but adjustable retention.
Since the Hellcat comes in an OSP model, the Bravo Concealment OWB holster is cut for an optic and will even accommodate a threaded barrel. This Springfield Hellcat holster allows for slightly adjustable cant for increased concealment. The Bravo Concealment OWB rig is a thoroughly modern and well thought out OWB rig for those of us who still prefer OWB carry. It’s comfortable, lightweight, and well designed.
3. Desantis Mini Scabbard Hellcat Holster
Leather may not be tactical anymore, but my oh my, is it still fashionable. The Desantis Mini Scabbard is a little fella that might be far from tactical, but still a comfortable option for those of us a little less high speed. The Mini Scabbard pushes the Hellcat up and out of the way for a very concealable carry option in the OWB arena.
The Mini Scabbard is molded to the Hellcat, and this ensures the rig is safer than most leather rigs. The Scabbard sports an adjustable tension device, allowing the end-user to customize just how hard or how easy it is the remove the gun from the holster. The Mini Scabbard is an old-school cool Hellcat Holster with a dose of modern common sense.
4. Crucial Concealment Covert IWB Hellcat Holster
Crucial Concealment has discovered a magic formula that makes holsters disappear while leaving the user in complete comfort. Their Covert IWB rig is a minimalist Hellcat AIWB holster featuring a single wide clip that attaches with a lustful passion to your belt, or so it seems when I try to take it off. This little rig allows the end-user to adjust the cant by simply removing and reattaching a screw. This is a simple device to make the gun disappear a bit more or to make it easier to grip and rip.
The Crucial Concealment Cover IWB is also ambidextrous so you can swap the clip from side to side with ease. The Covert IWB has an adjustable tension device, and yep, they were smart enough to cut it for optic compatibility. This Springfield Hellcat holster is a smart design that’s blends comfort and concealability with a good dose of practicality.
5. Clinger Holsters IWB Hinge Hellcat Holster
Holster design doesn’t grow in leaps and bounds, but by slight steps forward that are often tagged with innovation. The Clinger Holsters rigs might be the next step forward. Their hinge system is aimed at strongside IWB. The rig uses a polymer holster with two leather wings that house the clips for your belt. It’s odd but super functional.
It allows the gun to sit extremely close to the body, remaining comfortable and unencumbered. The Clinger Holster IWB Hinge system keeps it simple and comfortable. The gun remains easy to draw and absolutely disappears under light clothing. It’s simple and, in a way, quite ingenious. Clinger also produces a pad to attach to the side of the rig for increased comfort.
6. Alien Gear Shapeshift Hellcat Holster
The Shapeshift system is so much a single holster but a series of holsters that incorporate a common shell. The Alien Gear system is quite ingenious and allows one to carry a gun in nearly a dozen different ways. This includes a shoulder rig, ankle rig, cheat rig, and normal IWB, OWB, and AIWB options. You swap shells from backing to backing, and you can carry any which way you like.
The Shapeshift is the most modular Hellcat Holster on the list. It allows you to carry with essentially the same holster over many different rigs. If you normally go AIWB but gotta prepare for a road trip? Well, toss on the shoulder rig or even the ankle rig. Each backing can be used throughout the whole Shapeshift line, so if you wanna carry your Glock instead of your Hellcat, you can use the same backings with a different shell.
The Shapeshift system is a massive undertaking from Alien Gear and the start of something interesting for the holster industry. However, for right now, it’s the most modular Hellcat Holster on the market.
The Hellcat Holster Market
These are the Springfield Hellcat holsters that interest me as of this writing. There will be more!
Each different design brings something to the table that captures my imagination and often a credit card number. There are, without a doubt, dozens of companies making near-identical AIWB polymer holsters for the Hellcat. If you don’t see the holster that works for you, drop a comment below. Let us know what works and why you like it. Better yet, let us know what doesn’t work and why.
N8 Tactical KO-1 AIWB/IWB Kydex Holster
(July 2020)
N8’s first all-Kydex holster is a Hellcat option that begins with a one-piece Kydex pocket that is form-fitted to the specific gun.
The KO-1 offers multiple clip options, adjustable retention, and an available ModWing attachment.
Multiple Clip Options
Your carry method may change and your holster should change with it. The KO-1 AIWB/IWB All Kydex holster has two different clip options: a low ride tuckable option (default configuration), or a non-tuckable high ride EZ Clip option (optional).
Adjustable Retention
Set up your holster with YOUR desired retention! With the KO-1 AIWB/IWB All Kydex Holster by N8 Tactical, you can easily adjust the retention of your holster by simply tightening or loosening two screws that connect the front and back of your holster.
Available ModWing / Claw for Maximum Concealability
Carrying concealed means exactly that: concealed. With the ability to easily add a concealed holster ModWing (claw) you can ensure superior concealment by pressing the holster closer to your body to help eliminate any unnecessary printing.
News of this IWB Hellcat Holster comes along at just the right time as we enter the heat of summer. Take a look at the holster below, and you’ll see why.
Galco says the KingTuk Cloud is designed for comfortable carry and superior concealment. The backing plate is made of ballistic nylon front over a closed-cell foam body. The back portion of the plate that rides against the wearer is lined with Galco’s Comfort Cloth, an Adaptive Performance Mesh that provides padding and moisture-wicking.
A rigid Kydex holster pocket provides fast draw and easy holstering while facilitating a full firing grip. Worn inside the waistband, the KingTuk Cloud includes Galco’s patent-pending, tuckable polymer UniClips for excellent concealment, stability and easy on-off capability. The clips can be moved up or down in the corresponding holes in the backing plate, enabling the user to set the carry height and angle to suit their unique preferences.
KingTuk Cloud Features
•Hybrid Kydex/nylon construction
•Ballistic nylon front over closed cell foam
•Comfort Cloth™ lining provides padding and moisture wicking
•Rigid Kydex holster pocket for fast draw and easy holstering
•Full firing grip accessibility
•Dual tuckable polymer UniClips™ adjust for ride height/angle
•Fits belts to 1 3/4″
Comp-Tac Hellcat Holsters
(April 2020)
Comp-Tac just added three new holsters fitted for the Springfield Hellcat: the Warrior Holster, eV2, and Infidel Max.
The Warrior holster is an outside the waistband (OWB) holster that was recently approved by the National Training Officers Association (NTOA). An all-Kydex pancake design is excellent for concealed carry and or general range use. The Warrior is optics friendly and will accommodate both the standard Hellcat and the OSP optics-ready version.
The eV2 holster is an appendix inside the waistband (AIWB) holster designed for concealed carry. The eV2 is optics compatible and includes the Comp-Tac KICK, a piece designed to help press the grip of the gun into the body for better concealment.
The Infidel Max holster is an inside the waistband holster designed to be worn behind the hip at the 4 o’clock or 5 o’clock position. With an easy-on-easy-off single clip, this holster is a favorite for users who want the ability to put on their gun or take it off as their environment changes.
1791 Tactical and 1791 Gunleather just announced their new IWB Kydex Holster for the Springfield Hellcat.
1791 says this newTactical IWB Kydex Holster is made from durable and proven 0.080” Kydex and has an integrated concealment wing that allows for an even stealthier level of concealment.
From 1791 Tactical:
Its open-muzzle design accommodates weapons with threaded barrels and a tall sight channel works great with suppressor height sights. The RMR/Optic cut accommodates most pistol optics. The Kydex option is available, as well as multiple IWB and OWB options in leather. The 1791 Gunleather Belt Holster BHC, Smooth Concealment Holster (size 1), Two Way IWB (size 2), Three Way, Ambidextrous Belt Slide Holster 3WH (size 2) and the Four-Way IWB/OWB holster 4WH (size 2), are great options for the Hellcat as well.
When new guns launch it can be difficult to find quality holsters for those guns. It takes some time for the accessory market to see how consumers respond to a gun and then take action to bring products to market. As an example, Springfield Armory’s recent micro-compact pistol; it’s a great little handgun, but there was necessarily a gap between the release and the first availability of a Springfield Hellcat holster.
Holster manufacturers can’t afford to invest in the R&D and the tooling to bring a product to market unless that gun is going to be a success.
I have enjoyed shooting my Springfield Hellcat, but until now I hadn’t found the right holster for it. The Burdette Custom Holsters HC3 has changed that.
Burdette Custom Holsters
This HC3A2 is the 4th prototype of Burdette’s Springfield Hellcat holster that Joe Weyer provided input on.
Doyle Burdette started Burdette Custom Gun Leather in order to scratch his own itch. Burdette has been a police officer for 27 years. He started making holsters because he couldn’t find quality holsters that he could afford on a cop’s salary.
I appreciate the fact that Doyle understands the importance of the role a holster plays. If a holster isn’t comfortable you won’t wear it. A holster that makes it hard to hide a gun won’t get used either. Both issues result in your gun being at home instead of on your body. A holster also has to keep the gun accessible. If you can’t draw it, you might as well not have it… These aspects of the importance of holsters are lost on many holster makers who instead are focused on churning out holsters that only meet some of the needs an armed citizen has.
From the Burdette Custom Gun Leather site:
“Every holster design I make has been tested by officers or others who go in harm’s way. These are not mere ideas but proven designs that work.
I realize that your life may depend on the holster I make for you and I work to ensure your holster will be an integral part of your personal security. I take pride in the fact that officers, military personnel, and civilians choose my holsters.”
Even with the 13 round magazine, the Hellcat is a small gun. Burdette didn’t make it any bigger with his holster.
Comfort
There is something about a good leather holster. It has just the right amount of give in just the right places. It has been years since I have slid a leather holster into my waistband. When I clipped the Burdette Hellcat holster onto my belt I realized that I have missed leather.
The size of the Hellcat micro-compact and the holster complement each other. The holster doesn’t needlessly increase the size of the gun and this adds to the comfortable feel of the combination of the gun and holster together.
As I write this I am just back from a bike ride with the kids. I wore the Hellcat in the Burdette holster and it wasn’t an issue even leaning over the bars of my mountain bike.
Concealability
The Burdette Custom Gun Leather Holster for the Springfield Armory Hellcat isn’t designed to be a race holster. Instead, it is optimized for concealment.
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The Hellcat is a naturally concealable handgun because of its diminutive size. The Burdette Custom Holster makes it more so. To the right of the trigger guard is built up on the holster to help and cam the magazine into the body.
In addition, the holster is slightly longer than the slide of the gun. This additional length can help to spread the pressure of the gun out over a larger area. This is more comfortable but also helps with concealability. The extra 1/4”, when coupled with the stiff spring steel clip, helps to keep the mass of the grip from rolling out away from the body.
Speaking of the clip, the ride height is set so that the gun sits deep in the waistband to help hide the gun.
Accessibility
The gun sits deep but not too deep. There is just enough room for me to get my fingers between my belt and the grip of the gun. This allows me to establish a full firing grip while the gun is still in the holster. The holster is just supple enough to allow the belt to increase the retention of the holster, but it isn’t so soft that it collapses when the gun comes out. This makes one-handed reholstering an easy task.
Details
It is clear that the details were well thought out on the holster. Many of the details are a result of Burdette’s 25 years of experience in making holsters. Joe Weyer, a career LEO and head trainer at Alliance Police Training also advised Burdette on the holster. Weyer gave input to Springfield as they developed the Hellcat. As a result, has a vested interest in having a quality holster for the subcompact.
It’s not surprising that details were attended to in the holster. An excellent example is that the seam on the holster is on the face, under the clip instead of along the trigger guard or the sight channel. The intent is to increase comfort for the wearer.
The mouth of the holster stays open enough so that the Hellcat can be holstered with one hand.
Sweat Guard
I’m not sure I’m a super fan of the sweat guard. My gut tends to push it over the opening of the holster requiring me to use my thumb to move it out of the way of the mouth of the holster. A quick glance reveals that there is no stitching on the sweat guard. This means that after a time I could simply cut it down to a shape that suits me.
Obviously, cutting a sweat guard off is much easier than adding one after the fact.
Sight Channel
The Burdette Custom Gun Leather holster for the Hellcat stacks leather on top of the gun for rigidity and to help cant the grip into the body.
The Hellcat’s U-Notch sights aren’t huge, but they are substantial sights for such a small gun. The Burdette Custom Holster for the Hellcat makes sure that the sights have a clear path during the draw. The holster is cut for an optic making it a fit for either the iron sight Hellcat or the OSP version with an optic.
Stitching
The stitching on the holster is minimal, but what is there is neat in appearance and solid. It is clear that this handmade holster is a quality piece of work.
Final Thoughts
Despite the layers on the front of this excellent little custom leather holster, very little width is added to the package.
I have a Springfield Hellcat OSP on the way and it is going to get some carry time for sure. Up until now, I haven’t found a holster for the Hellcat that fits my needs. The Burdette Holster is comfortable, concealable and it keeps the gun accessible. Each of the holsters that comes from Burdette is custom made to order and the price is reasonable on the HC3 at about $80. The distinct advantage of this is that I may have some specific requests when I place my order. I’m going to be looking for a mag pouch as well to carry the 13 round hellcat mag for my reload…
If you are looking for a holster to carry your Hellcat or any other holster for that matter, consider taking a look at the gallery at Burdette Custom Gun Leather.
Then reach out and see what Doyle and his team can do for you.
This has been a collaborative effort by two or more members of The Mag Life contributor team: to wit, a JWOT (Joint Writing Operations Team). We’ll advise which specific contributors in the text of the article. Subscribe to GunMag TV and follow GMW on Instagram, @gunmagwarehouse. Connect on Facebook, /gunmagwarehouse/.
There’s just something about tackling it yourself, right? In this guide, Taylor will walk you through how to create a homemade duck call. Who knows, you might have just the touch to bring them in the next time you’re out in the field hunting.
