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Hellcat vs XD-S models?

J

johnwiki

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Does anyone know the difference between the Hellcat and XD-S models? (I do see the magazine capacity is one major one).

I'm looking to purchase a concealed carry weapon, and I'm interested in one or the other.

The grip safety looks like a nice safety feature on the XD-S (as I have a 2 year old), but, do you really need the grip safety?

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks. (I've been watching as many videos and searching these forums as much as possible).

Of note, Im also a fairly in-expreienced shooter, so I'm planning to take classes, etc. soon. (I did however grow up around a few firearms, so I'm not completely ignorant. I'm getting into the scene now for obvious reasons).
 
johnwiki said:
Does anyone know the difference between the Hellcat and XD-S models? (I do see the magazine capacity is one major one).

I'm looking to purchase a concealed carry weapon, and I'm interested in one or the other.

The grip safety looks like a nice safety feature on the XD-S (as I have a 2 year old), but, do you really need the grip safety?

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks. (I've been watching as many videos and searching these forums as much as possible).

Of note, Im also a fairly in-expreienced shooter, so I'm planning to take classes, etc. soon. (I did however grow up around a few firearms, so I'm not completely ignorant. I'm getting into the scene now for obvious reasons).
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You can compare guns on the SA website. That's a start. I did a compare and copied the link below. Not sure if it will keep the guns compared, but if it doesn't, you can go to the SA website, click on compare on the left and pick the guns you want to compare. Hope this helps.

Compare - Springfield Armory (springfield-armory.com)

Right off the bat, the XDs is a little bigger, less magazine capacity and the XDs has a white dot front sight with no dots on the rear sight and the Hellcat has the Tritium/Luminescent front sight with U-notch white outline rear sight.
 
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You will get many different takes on here. In the end it’s $ weight/capacity, and if you want all the other add ons (optic, etc). If you can visit your LGS do so and hold them if not fire them.

I almost bought an xds the other day, but it was huge in my hands compared to my hellcat (I do have girlie fingers) but the largest issue for me was weight. Ounces matter to me personally. Also, sights were so so on my xds. My hellcat has been a trooper. It’s an older model with fiber optic, but the newer one has the yellowish tritanium.

if none of that mattersand you just want reliability and save a bucks, pm me I saw a link to a base xds mod 2 9mm for 389 which is cheap by today’s standard. Just have to find it.
 
you absolutely need to hold them and see which fits you. I tried a hellcat ant it was so small and just felt wrong. I have a walther pps m2 that's about as small, that I love the way it feels, even with the small mag. I really like the way my xd subcompact fits my hand. Good luck finding something that feels comfortable and natural.
 
Rupert1911 said:
you absolutely need to hold them and see which fits you. I tried a hellcat ant it was so small and just felt wrong. I have a walther pps m2 that's about as small, that I love the way it feels, even with the small mag. I really like the way my xd subcompact fits my hand. Good luck finding something that feels comfortable and natural.
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Good call. My most recent obsession was an xdm elite compact. @johnwiki you may also want to consider the elite compact as well as the xds if you need a larger grip. I know a few people that just hate the hellcat as their pinky hangs.
 
johnwiki said:
Thanks all. What about those grip safety's? Is that really needed?
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Not really necessary, but reassuring, and I do like them on 1911s. This is like mine, only this is an xdm compact and I have an earlier xd subcompact. Mine is the 9&13 round mags too. It's actually very comfortable shooting 45 acp.
 
I own both (my XDs is a Mod.1 with the waffle grip), and love both.

I have XL hands (glove size) - the grips are different, but similar in overall circumference. The XDs grip is longer and skinnier; the Hellcat is more square (wider and shorter).

Fully loaded, the Hellcat is lighter compared to a fully loaded XDs.

I've upgraded both sets of sights - my XDs has Truglo TFX on it, my Hellcat I added a Trijicon rear night sight to go with the factory front night sight. My XDs has a Viridian Reactor R5 instant-on green laser; my Hellcat has an Olight Baldr Mini green laser with tac light.

Shooting-wise, they are VERY similar. So similar, in fact, that in 2019 when the Hellcat was released I didn't buy one, because it was so similar and I couldn't justify the expense, for basically the "same" gun but with more capacity. Then, COVID, riots...2020 in general hit, and when I saw a Hellcat in stock, I took it home. Biggest difference is, I had to change where my strong-hand thumb goes on the Hellcat - I kept hitting the mag release. I changed to putting my support thumb under my strong thumb, and that fixed that. I am likely on the release button on the XDs as well, but it takes a much more deliberate push to release the slide than the Hellcat does. The Hellcat reacts more to hand placement as far as shot placement goes, but that's a function of the shorter (3" versus 3.3") barrel and it is absolutely manageable. Neither is "too" snappy, and with practice you can learn to "time" the rhythm of the gun (fire-slide recoil-reset-fire), and dump a mag accurately on target with ease. I can put a full mag into an 8" plate at 10 yards, no problem. With either gun.

The grip safety is nice, but on a small handgun like these it's pretty hard NOT to hold it the right way so it's more peace of mind than anything. I don't miss it on the Hellcat...but I also appreciate it on the XDs. They're both drop-safe with internal safeties and I carry both IWB in kydex hybrid holsters with good trigger protection.

Teardown and maintenance wise...they may as well be the same gun. Built just about the same; tear down the same; clean the same; reassemble the same.

Less than helpful, I'm sure, but to echo the above statements - shoot both. One will be "right" for you, your hands, and your stance. The other will be close...but one will edge out the other. Personally, I think I prefer the XDs a little bit at the moment, but the capacity and lighter weight (even with the fully loaded 13 rd. mag) sure are nice on the Hellcat. I wear my XDs daily due to the Hellcat starting to pick at my clothing - that grip is AGGRESSIVE - but when I'm wearing non-work clothes...I've got the Hellcat on. If you shoot them well, and are comfortable with them, you can't go wrong with either.
 
johnwiki said:
Does anyone know the difference between the Hellcat and XD-S models? (I do see the magazine capacity is one major one).

I'm looking to purchase a concealed carry weapon, and I'm interested in one or the other.

The grip safety looks like a nice safety feature on the XD-S (as I have a 2 year old), but, do you really need the grip safety?

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks. (I've been watching as many videos and searching these forums as much as possible).

Of note, Im also a fairly in-expreienced shooter, so I'm planning to take classes, etc. soon. (I did however grow up around a few firearms, so I'm not completely ignorant. I'm getting into the scene now for obvious reasons).
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First of all, Peglegjoe's answer covers pretty much everything I might have said. I own a .45 ACP XDs and a Hellcat. The XDs is my primary and the Hellcat is my primary backup. (I carry both at the same time.) I am comfortable with both and would recommend both.

That said, I would try to handle, and shoot if possible, both guns the same day. That will be more helpful to you than anything you might read as many people have already stated here.

The guns have really different sighting systems as they come from the factory. Frankly I wish the XDs had come with the system that is on the Hellcat as the Hellcat sights are way faster to acquire than sights you find on most guns. That can be really important in a self defense encounter.

While the XDs came with good sights for daytime use, they were of little value in low light or the dark, so like others, I spent more money to replace them. This is, of course, pretty common with all brands and types of handguns which keeps aftermarket sight manufacturers in business.

Finally, I really like the grip safety on the XDs and wish the Hellcat had one as well, but you should know that many shooters who didn't "grow up" on 1911 pistols would not agree. Some actually hate the grip safety. It is a matter of opinion based on the shooter's experience.

Good luck and you really can't go wrong with either choice as long as the gun fits your hand.
 
I own both, and the XDS Mod.2 9mm I purchased came with the same front sight as the Hellcat. I was very impressed with the Hellcat from an engineering standpoint. However, the XDS Mod.2 with Springfield's 8-round magazine fits my hand perfectly and conceals easier due to the flatter grip shape. The Hellcat is a fine gun, but I prefer to carry the XDS. As other posters have said, it would be best to shoot both to determine your preference.
 
wmg1299 said:
I own both, and the XDS Mod.2 9mm I purchased came with the same front sight as the Hellcat. I was very impressed with the Hellcat from an engineering standpoint. However, the XDS Mod.2 with Springfield's 8-round magazine fits my hand perfectly and conceals easier due to the flatter grip shape. The Hellcat is a fine gun, but I prefer to carry the XDS. As other posters have said, it would be best to shoot both to determine your preference.
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Does anyone know if the slightly longer xds mod 2 barrel will fit the hellcat?
 
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