A little help deciding between 2 9MM handguns

I’ll start by saying I currently already own a Smith & Wesson M&P shield compact in 9mm and really like it. I also have my carry permit. I find myself looking for another handgun. Mostly for the wife to shoot and possibly carry at some point down the road. Rather than get another M&P I’m looking at Two different models. I’ve shot and research both the Sig P365 and the Springfield hellcat. I had originally thought that the 365 would be my next purchase, but really ended up liked the feel and shooting of the Hellcat. I have not got the wife to the Range to shoot either of then just yet, so I don’t know if she will prefer one over the other or not. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these two handguns and care to share your opinions of them?

The way the market is right now, I would look at what you can find, I am looking and can not find anything in stock anywhere.

The hellcat was on my short list of a handgun to buy but the only one I could find at the time was the optics ready one which I didn’t want but, I loved the feel of it. Just to throw it out there, I ended up with a glock 43 instead and the wife really likes the grip that gun has.

bigcrappie wrote:

The way the market is right now, I would look at what you can find, I am looking and can not find anything in stock anywhere.

Ammo for that handgun could be an issue too. Unless you already have some, of course.

We have both in stock in Rochester, MN. Our range has a try before you buy so you can shoot them before making a decision. I wish everyone would as it would save a bunch of headaches and IMO actually shooting the gun makes a big difference over feeling and cycling with an empty mag. Coyote also has ammo for it as well.

I have a 365 and really like it. I have about 1500 rounds through it with no issues. It is very accurate, but has some recoil since it’s very light, which I’m guessing is the same with the HC.

I have a 365xl and a hellcat I won I’ve shot the hellcat a few times but I love the 365xl

Really like my p365. Can’t speak to the hellcat besides that it looks great as well. Very compact for being able to hold so many rounds. Great sites as well.

I was tired of carrying the weight of 13 rds on one side and in the end went Glock 43.
Hellcat,365 and G43 were my top 3.
Did not like the trigger placment so far forward on the HC.
My next will most likely be a 365 when this sh!t passes.
Try before you buy any of them.

Greenhorn wrote:

Really like my p365. Can’t speak to the hellcat besides that it looks great as well. Very compact for being able to hold so many rounds. Great sites as well.

The site on the hellcat is one of the things I really liked about it.

gunsmith89 wrote:

We have both in stock in Rochester, MN. Our range has a try before you buy so you can shoot them before making a decision. I wish everyone would as it would save a bunch of headaches and IMO actually shooting the gun makes a big difference over feeling and cycling with an empty mag. Coyote also has ammo for it as well.

This ^^^. If you can go to a shop where they have both models you’re interested in AND you can shoot them, then this is a no-brainer. Nothing else I or anyone else can add will trump what you/your wife prefers.

Grouse

BassinBill wrote:

The hellcat was on my short list of a handgun to buy but the only one I could find at the time was the optics ready one which I didn’t want but, I loved the feel of it. Just to throw it out there, I ended up with a glock 43 instead and the wife really likes the grip that gun has.

Actually I’m thinking of getting one of the Optic ready ones. I know there is a ton of love for glocks, but I’m just not a big fan of them. To be honest I’m not really sure why.

I have the 365 XL and I love it.

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BassinBill wrote:</div>
The hellcat was on my short list of a handgun to buy but the only one I could find at the time was the optics ready one which I didn’t want but, I loved the feel of it. Just to throw it out there, I ended up with a glock 43 instead and the wife really likes the grip that gun has.

Actually I’m thinking of getting one of the Optic ready ones. I know there is a ton of love for glocks, but I’m just not a big fan of them. To be honest I’m not really sure why.

Bought my first Glock last summer. Had to see what the hype was all about. Went with the 43X after looking at the 2 you mentioned and I’m very happy with it. People like to rag on the capacity of the G43, but realistically, how many rounds are you going to get off in a self defense situation before it’s over? Like others have said, shoot em all if you can.

fishthumper wrote:

I’ll start by saying I currently already own a Smith & Wesson M&P shield compact in 9mm and really like it. I also have my carry permit. I find myself looking for another handgun. Mostly for the wife to shoot and possibly carry at some point down the road. Rather than get another M&P I’m looking at Two different models. I’ve shot and research both the Sig P365 and the Springfield hellcat. I had originally thought that the 365 would be my next purchase, but really ended up liked the feel and shooting of the Hellcat. I have not got the wife to the Range to shoot either of then just yet, so I don’t know if she will prefer one over the other or not. Does anyone here have any experience with either of these two handguns and care to share your opinions of them?

If this handgun is for your wife down the road then I would spend serious $$$ on quality training for both of you first.

Then figure out the pistol.

Novice shooters don’t know what to look for.

I bought my mom a glock 19 and she is in love with it. It racks back easy and that was key for her. My g17 and 33 were to much for her. But she is in love with the 19.

If it’s for your wife, rent various models and let her shoot them. What works for you might not work for her.

Any major brand plastic 9mm on the market will be effectively reliable for carry, these are all designed to fit the same exact market. Glock 43, Hellcat, P365, PPS, Nano, shield etc. The difference will largely be in ergos on all of them.

The hellcat is an intriguing gun, but you’re spending a lot of money for a brand that has had a lot of issues with their striker fired guns.

If I didn’t already have a G43 and a G48 MOS on order, I’d seriously consider the P365 or P365 XL. I shot my father in law’s sig 2 weeks ago and it was a breeze ringing 8″ plates at 25-50 yards with it once I got used to the trigger and recoil pulse.

Shouldn’t have read this thread, dammit! Now I want a Hellcat.

My brother bought a hellcat 2 weeks ago. Very nice gun. I haven’t shot it, but it’s very comfortable and looks great

I don’t think you could go wrong with either one, but I like the trigger better on the Sig.

Ok so I went and put 300 rounds through my hellcat today. I like the way it feels in the hand and it shoots fairly good. I had 9 misfires in the 300 rounds. I will say I like the trigger on my 365xl better and the 365 shots flatter in my opinion. I still was able to get a respectable grouping with the hellcat. The 365 is money at conceal and carry distance. Both good guns but for me the 365xl hands down wins. The standard 365 I did not like the way it fit my hand if that was my choice I would go hellcat.

If your wife is going to load it by herself, without your help, Bearcats hit the nail on the head. You need to make sure she can rack the slide. A lot of the short barreled pistols can be really tough for a woman to rack the slide. S&W makes some easy rack versions, just for this reason.

Musky Ed wrote:

If your wife is going to load it by herself, without your help, Bearcats hit the nail on the head. You need to make sure she can rack the slide. A lot of the short barreled pistols can be really tough for a woman to rack the slide. S&W makes some easy rack versions, just for this reason.

I own one that my wife shoots for fun (but doesn’t carry). It’s a S&W .380EZ. The cool part about it is that it has the ergonomics of a single stack 9mm with a little more size to minimize recoil while still being concealable. It feels like you’re shooting a .22lr and is absurdly easy to rack too. I couldn’t recommend it more for someone learning or less experienced with handguns.

I had 9 misfires in the 300 rounds. I will say I like the trigger on my 365xl better and the 365 shots flatter in my opinion.

9 misfires is very concerning. Do you mean double feeds, failure to extract, failure to feed, primer strikes on the rounds and rounds failing to fire? If it isn’t ammo or magazine related I wouldn’t touch that gun ever again.

It’s ballistically impossible for the same caliber pistol to shoot flatter then another using the same ammo at concealed carry ranges.

These are all polymer framed striker fired pistols. As long as it has a great record of being reliable and quality (Glock, Sig, S&W) it doesn’t matter what you get.

It matters that you get proper training with it. Most people who own pistols don’t know how to shoot them. There are many people who have concealed and carry who can’t shoot a pistol. They think they do but they suck.

People who say I can shoot bullseyes with this striker fired pistol but I can’t get good groups with that (different make or model) striker fired pistol at concealed carry ranges….It’s like saying man I can drive a dodge pickup straight down the middle of the road all day long. But when I get in a Toyota pickup I cross the center line every 1/4 mile and every other day I end up in the ditch. It ain’t the pistol it’s you.

Get proper training on how to shoot a pistol. It’s 7-10 yards.

If you can’t rack the slide, hit the gym or don’t carry a striker fired pistol.

If we all get serious about real training for our moms, wives, daughters, and granddaughters with pistols. Then the second amendment will always be strong in this country.

To clarify my 9 misfires. 1 was a round issue, primer strike no boom all others were feed related and were at the end of 1 of the magazines the other magazine no issues. The one mag was noticeably easier to load than the other so I’m guessing weak spring out of the box.

That being said I have thousands of rounds through my sig and have had maybe 3 or 4 misfires ever.