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Hellcat - new owner questions

S

SoNic

Elite
I just bought this beautiful 9 mm Springfield Hellcat and I did spend some time shooting it (and $$ on ammo). I am new to this gun ownership, so please take this in consideration.
I have two complains/questions and I am not sure if any of those can/should be fixed in warranty or I have to fix them myself.

1. The gun, from factory, shoots low and to the left. I have drifted a bit the rear sight and I am able to group on center of target, but it's still low at 10'. Some bullets are better than others on this - for example 150 grains are better than 124 grains.
Is there anything that can be done or this is the nature of a short barrel?

2. The spring for the magazine release seems too weak. When I shoot, I try to keep my thumb in the indent above it, but I found my thumb sliding down and releasing the magazine mid-shooting. It's fine at the range, but this would be BAD if happens in an actual life threatening situation.

Can this be replaced with something stiffer? Is this covered by warranty?
 
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Shooting low/left, assuming you're right handed, is typically a symptom of squeezing your fingers while you pull the trigger. Make sure that your grip has consistent pressure throughout the entire trigger pull. You want to squeeze the trigger finger but not your entire hand, which has the effect of pulling the muzzle down and to the side.

Here are some correction targets you may want to try: http://blog.gunlink.info/2012/03/04/free-downloadable-pistol-correction-targets/

Regarding the magazine release I haven't experienced the problem myself. Sounds like a question for Springfield.
 
Look closely at your sights. Mine were not centered and it shot left.

It was off by a lot, seven inches at seven yards. Gunsmith drifted the front sight back to center and now it's only three inches left.
I tested it off a bench and got the same results.

I finally just said screw it and got a Romeo Zero. The iron sights I'll use for close-up/close-enough and the red dot for distance. Until I get used to the red dot enough to use it all of the time at full speed.
 
Actually I got one of the Viridian laser attachments, and with that one it's much easier, especially with my eyesight not being that good close-up anymore (without reading glasses, the sights are blurry).

I am still unsure about the mag release. maybe I am holding it wrong.
Now I understand why some manufacturers made a slide or paddle that slides "away" instead of being pushed "in" when gripping the gun.
 
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SoNic said:
I just bought this beautiful 9 mm Springfield Hellcat and I did spend some time shooting it (and $$ on ammo). I am new to this gun ownership, so please take this in consideration.
I have two complains/questions and I am not sure if any of those can/should be fixed in warranty or I have to fix them myself.

1. The gun, from factory, shoots low and to the left. I have drifted a bit the rear sight and I am able to group on center of target, but it's still low at 10'. Some bullets are better than others on this - for example 150 grains are better than 124 grains.
Is there anything that can be done or this is the nature of a short barrel?

2. The spring for the magazine release seems too weak. When I shoot, I try to keep my thumb in the indent above it, but I found my thumb sliding down and releasing the magazine mid-shooting. It's fine at the range, but this would be BAD if happens in an actual life threatening situation.

Can this be replaced with something stiffer? Is this covered by warranty?
Click to expand...
Just curious if you found a solution to the magazine release issue? I purchased a new Hellcat OPS last week and I am having the same problem with the recoil causing my thumb to release the magazine while shooting.
 
Ok so I don’t own a HellCat as I shot one and it didn’t fit my hands, on that note those having issues with the mag release need to keep one thing in mind, this is a small gun and all components of the gun are closer together so if your hands are average or bigger then average it will take practice to learn how to control your gun.
At a recent trip to a local LGS I watched a salesman sell a HellCat to a guy that had baseball mitt sized hands, the gun literally disappeared in his hands while holding it. I wanted to say something but decided to mind my own business.
 
Shooting pistols with iron sights at close range I just wear my reading glasses. If the sights are in focus it's ok for the target to be a tad blurry. The sight alignment is what counts.
A cheap Hogue grip sleeve can make it easier for large hands to find a good grip that doesn't drop the magazine while shooting. Snap caps and careful practice can improve trigger technique and having faith that the gun is indeed shooting where it's pointed will bring real improvement.
If you doubt it, have a skilled pistol shooter at the range try your gun. After the first few rounds for orientation he'll be putting them right in there. The Hellcat is a very good little gun, have a little faith, man!
 
SoNic said:
Great pointers guys! This video indeed tells me why I am missing low and left:
Click to expand...

Another thing to consider and remember with good grip, not seen in the video, that may help is where wrist and arm placement are in relationship to each other. Mag release may also not be an issue once a better or different grip is used. This article may help you in that direction. Most of issues seem to be in grip areas.

www.luckygunner.com

How to Grip a Handgun - Tips to Find a Proper Grip

It can be tough to find the right pistol grip. In this post, Chris from the Lucky Gunner team explains how to avoid a handgun that doesn't fit your hands
www.luckygunner.com
 
I have a 3" Taurus that I struggled with for a while. Checked some forums, found a lot of people had the same issues. I assumed that it couldn't be me, had to be the pistol, I was pretty accurate with most of my other pistols. But in my determination to figure it out, after several videos, Hikock45, sootch and a couple of others, turns out it was my grip. Smaller guns require a bit more adjustment than I had considered and I have been much improved since.
 
Watching Hickok45 shooting belly guns 80 yards at his gong and getting hit after hit should teach us that all decent modern guns shoot better than we do. I was given an old Mossberg Chuckster .22mag rifle. I put two different rimfire scopes on trying to get it to shoot a decent group. Couldn't do it, gave it away. Brother asked me what happened to it so I told him. He reminded me of the hundreds of groundhogs and rats at the dump he had dispatched with it.
A few years ago I bought a Henry .22mag and the very first shot ever I hit the cap on a water bottle about 30 yards away offhand. Believing it is inherently accurate I get all kinds of tight little 50 yard groups out of it with the ammo it likes.
Why?
Because faith, man. I know it will go exactly where I point it.
You can't hit with a gun you think is inaccurate. So don't think that.
 
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