Steel or Polymer? Springfield's SA-35 4-inch vs. the Hellcat Pro for Carry

A writer who spent 13 years behind an FFL counter puts two very different Springfield Armory 9mms side by side for concealed carry: the forged-steel SA-35 4-inch and the polymer Hellcat Pro OSP. Both hold 15 rounds. They get there by very different routes.

Key points

• SA-35 4-inch: single-action, hammer-fired, forged-steel slide, frame and barrel, checkered walnut, 4-inch barrel, 7.1 inches overall, 29.8 oz, one flush 15-round magazine, $799. It gets an extended thumb safety and a recontoured hammer against hammer bite, but no optic cut and no rail.
• Hellcat Pro OSP: striker-fired, 3.7-inch barrel, 6.6 inches overall, 21 oz, 1 inch wide, two 15-round magazines, RMSc optic cut, accessory rail and a tritium front sight, $670. The test gun wore a Vortex Defender-CCW.
• Range: about 100 rounds of 115-grain CCI Blazer through each gun straight out of the box, no cleaning, no malfunctions. Three groups each at 10 yards with Hornady American Gunner 115-grain JHP. The all-steel SA-35 shot noticeably softer than a polymer gun.
• Holsters: the Springfield store lists two pages of SA-35 holsters and about five for the Hellcat family; check Hellcat Pro fit before buying.

Quick take

The Armory Life's verdict is that there is no wrong answer. The Hellcat Pro is the modern carry gun most buyers expect: light, slim, dot-ready and light-ready. The SA-35 4-inch gives up the optic and the rail but pays it back in shootability and feel, and the author says it should not be slept on.

Read the full story at The Armory Life.