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FN 509® Midsize MRD or Springfield Armory Hellcat ® PRO for CCW/EDC

Good afternoon everyone,

I'm looking to pick up my first CCW/EDC before the end of summer and am completely undecided between the FN 509® Midsize MRD and Springfield Armory Hellcat ® PRO. I've come up empty on all of my internet and YouTube searches for any comparisons between the two. Does anyone have any real-world experience carrying the two? I'm looking for all pros and cons to help me pick a winner.

I already have a FN Five-seveN® MKII for home defense (which will be getting upgraded to a FN Five-seveN® MRD sometime in the future).
 
I would suggest looking for somewhere that you can get your hands on both to find out which feels best to you. I was in a similar position between the Hellcat and P365xl, and was leaning towards the Hellcat. But after trying both I ended up with the P365xl.

You can read all sorts of reviews and comparisons, get all sorts of other opinions, but until you hold them in your hand it's all guess work.
 
I have and carry a HellCat. Love it. Shot a Pro didn't see much of a difference other than a longer barrel which cuts down on recoil and a larger grip surface area and the Pro holds 15 rounds. The Hellcat will hold 15 round magazines that you can order from Springfield. Just my two cents worth. But like mentioned earlier if it were me I'd try to shoot both oh and Welcome from Pennsylvania....
 
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If the FN509MsMRD is anything like the FN Edge I tried? I’d stay far, far away. Clunkiest trigger I’ve felt on a high-end striker since…ever, I think.

And while Hellcats aren’t bad…I did them very “meh”.

I’d throw out a few different options than just those two; look at a HK VP9sk, for starters. The S&W M&P+ Performance Center. Sig 365X Macro.
 
I like FN guns. With that being said I would still go with the Hellcat. The FN guns that I have had worked ok but were really ammo sensitive. I don't like being put in that position, feel a gun should be able to shoot most brands of ammo. Also I think there would be more after market products for a Springfield rather than a FN. I own a first gen Hellcat and it has never given me a problem and shoots everything I feed it. You really need to go to LGS and handle both guns. If one feels better than the other that's the one to get. Good luck in your hunting. I would also throw in the Shield Plus, a very good gun and a good price can be had on them.
 
I would suggest looking for somewhere that you can get your hands on both to find out which feels best to you. I was in a similar position between the Hellcat and P365xl, and was leaning towards the Hellcat. But after trying both I ended up with the P365xl.

You can read all sorts of reviews and comparisons, get all sorts of other opinions, but until you hold them in your hand it's all guess work.
I've already tried every local gun shop and gun range within a 1+ hour radius of my house and have struck out on both options so far. I see where the P365 X-Macro just came out a few days ago. 🤔💬💭
 
I have and carry a HellCat. Love it. Shot a Pro didn't see much of a difference other than a longer barrel which cuts down on recoil and a larger grip surface area and the Pro holds 15 rounds. The Hellcat will hold 15 round magazines that you can order from Springfield. Just my two cents worth. But like mentioned earlier if it were me I'd try to shoot both oh and Welcome from Pennsylvania....
The high capacity magazine, longer barrel and less recoil is what drew me to both options. I haven't had any luck finding either one within a 1+ hour radius of home here in Utah yet.
 
If the FN509MsMRD is anything like the FN Edge I tried? I’d stay far, far away. Clunkiest trigger I’ve felt on a high-end striker since…ever, I think.

And while Hellcats aren’t bad…I did them very “meh”.

I’d throw out a few different options than just those two; look at a HK VP9sk, for starters. The S&W M&P+ Performance Center. Sig 365X Macro.
That's interesting to hear about the FN triggers. I will definitely have to go see if Scheels has either one of these options to at least hold and dry fire now. What do you not like about the Hellcat Pro? I'm just now starting to see where people have actually boycotted them over something political Springfield Armory did in the past I guess. I will also look into the alternate options you included at the bottom.
 
If the FN509MsMRD is anything like the FN Edge I tried? I’d stay far, far away. Clunkiest trigger I’ve felt on a high-end striker since…ever, I think.

And while Hellcats aren’t bad…I did them very “meh”.

I’d throw out a few different options than just those two; look at a HK VP9sk, for starters. The S&W M&P+ Performance Center. Sig 365X Macro.
I hated the 509 trigger.
Other, older FN’s had way better triggers
 
I like FN guns. With that being said I would still go with the Hellcat. The FN guns that I have had worked ok but were really ammo sensitive. I don't like being put in that position, feel a gun should be able to shoot most brands of ammo. Also I think there would be more after market products for a Springfield rather than a FN. I own a first gen Hellcat and it has never given me a problem and shoots everything I feed it. You really need to go to LGS and handle both guns. If one feels better than the other that's the one to get. Good luck in your hunting. I would also throw in the Shield Plus, a very good gun and a good price can be had on them.
I've definitely loved my FN and the fully ambidextrous controls setup. Wow. I didn't even think about any ammo sensitivity issues. I'm sure you're right on the Hellcat Pro having way more aftermarket product support too. I plan to see if Scheels has both options and the last one you suggested to hold and dry fire.
 
Good luck with the search. As someone who has gone through many carry guns I would recommend going to a place that has a large variety so you can hold them. I hope you find what you're looking for :D . Personally the Shield+ wins in my collection.
Thank you for the well wishes! Hopefully I can be cool enough to have a collection to cycle through one day! 🤠 I will be going to Scheels to hold and dry fire all of them and I will be checking out the Shield too.
 
That's interesting to hear about the FN triggers. I will definitely have to go see if Scheels has either one of these options to at least hold and dry fire now. What do you not like about the Hellcat Pro? I'm just now starting to see where people have actually boycotted them over something political Springfield Armory did in the past I guess. I will also look into the alternate options you included at the bottom.
No politics involved here.

My dislikes are: the grip is just a hair too small for my hand, and the trigger is, like all HS made strikers, mushy (although much better than a XD).
 
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