Springfield Hellcat or Sig P365?

[AZRedhawk44]

My current micro-compact carry is a Springfield XDs in 45acp.  Been that way for awhile and been content enough with it, but it was chosen back when my primary carry was a Colt LW Commander in .45.  I've been carrying a CZ P-01 Omega for several years now as primary carry and retired the Colt to the safe, and the XDs grip is just a skosh too skinny for my taste, and I'd like to match caliber of my micro-compact with the larger carry gun.  No, I don't typically carry both a micro-compact and a standard size pistol, but I have done so on rare occasions.

Also, I've been testing the waters with a Trijicon RMR on a CZ P-07.  So far I like the sight, but I had reliability problems with my P-07 that required a few trips to the vendor (CZ Custom in Mesa) and back to CZ themselves.  I need to put rounds through this gun to build confidence in it which I have finally decided I will do now that ammo availability is returning, and then it will make its way into carry duty and the P-01 will go into the safe once I'm confident in the P-07.

Which brings me to my question.  Given that I'm looking at transitioning to RMR for my primary pistol, I think I should look into updating my micro-compact carry so that it also has a red dot.  Anyone here have any experience with the Hellcat RDP package, either the Wasp or the SMSc red dot offerings?  Should I just get a Hellcat w/o optic installed and go Trijicon for commonality with my other pistol?  Compensator on the Hellcat:  good idea or no?  I'm not interested in the larger format P365X or XL offerings, does the smallest P365 come in a pre-milled RMR compatible format, with one bundled?  In general, Hellcat vs P365, which do you prefer and why?

[dogmush]

I really like my P365xl with Romeo Zero, but if you want the smaller gun, the Hellcat is probably for you.  I don't believe the small 365 comes milled for the optic, so you either need an adapter plate (adds size and snaggyness) or to pay someone to mill the slide ($$).

The Hellcat is ready to go out of the box.

On the optic, look at the Shield RMSc. At under an inch wide it's one of the few optics that will not add girth to your new subcompact.  And it bolts to the hellcat slide with no adapters.

[MechAg94]

I thought I heard Sig does have a P365 model that comes with the optics cut.   
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/sig-sauer-p365-x-carry-9mm-pistol?sku=9mm-x-19
This might be it, but I don't know for sure. 

My P365 I have has been reliable for me.  I got a S&W Shield plus recently.  The shield plus has a better grip IMO, downside is I have not seen spare mags in the wild yet.  I still like the P365, but I was never as confident as I wanted to be with draw practice.  I started carrying my Arex Delta M this year and I like that pistol so much I haven't really considered carrying the P365.

I have not shot the Hellcat, but a lot of people like them.  You may want to find a gun shop with both and see how well they handle.

[dogmush]

The P365X is the longer grip of the P365XL with the shorter barrel and slide.  12 rounds vs 10 in the flush fit mags.  As far as I am aware no model of the short gripped P365 comes optics ready.

Here's the whole family:

https://www.sigsauer.com/firearms/pistols/p365.html

[Ben]

I don't know what I think of that 365X. If I already have the bigger grip, which to me is the primary concealment problem, I might as well have the slightly longer barrel of the 365XL.

I don't find my 365XL "oversized" at all. It's just a sweet spot for me in size vs concealability. For when concealability is paramount. Otherwise when it's not, I still carry a big gun and don't care if I print. 

[AZRedhawk44]

On the optic, look at the Shield RMSc. At under an inch wide it's one of the few optics that will not add girth to your new subcompact.  And it bolts to the hellcat slide with no adapters.

Springfield offers it with the Shield SMSc.  Trying to determine what's different between the RMSc and SMSc, can't figure it out.  Shield's website says the SMSc is an RMSc.  Seems that the RMSc is made of aluminum while the SMSc is made of polymer.  Is that the key difference?

[dogmush]

I believe that is the difference, but I'm not an expert on Shield optics.  I don't have any, I just remember looking at the RMSc before deciding on the RomeoZero for cost reasons, and noting that they fit the Hellcat.  Gimmie a sec, and I'll get a pic of the difference between an RMR and a 365's slide width.  (the 365 and Hellcat have pretty similar widths.)

[dogmush]

This is my P365XL/RomeoZero and a G19 with a RMR Type 2.  (The RZero is 3 1/100s of an inch wider than an RMSc)




The Kingslayer sitting on my 365's slide.  The aluminum part of the kingslayer is the same width as an RMR (just ignore the battery tray on the side)



Honestly, even if you could get it to bolt up with an adapter or something, I think putting a full-size (hah) mini red dot on the slim AF 365/Hellcat family is negating the main purpose of those guns.  If you are going to stick something that fat in your pants, just use a G19.

As far as I know the only optics that are under an inch wide to match the subcompact slides are the RMSc/SMSc, the Romeo Zero, and the RMR cc.  THe first two share a mounting footprint and bolt directly to the optics ready slide.  The RMR cc is proprietary and to mount it to either pistol requires a dovetail plate in the rear slide dovetail, which is inelegant and increases height over bore.

Pays your money, takes your choice.

[AZRedhawk44]

I went to the shop fully expecting to prefer the Hellcat RDP over the Sig, but honestly the P365XL won me over and I came home with one with their stock RMR offering.  The P365XL matched up dimensionally to the Hellcat RDP about as exactly as I could perceive.

The Sig won me over despite a bias against Sig due to bad prior ownership experiences with one of their 1911's and not being a fan of the P220/P226 platforms either.  Seems to have a really nice low bore axis, backstrap to trigger face distance is just right, and the little bit of additional palm swell in the XL fills my palm just right in a way that the Hellcat just doesn't.  And the Hellcat is just a bit too aggressively checkered whereas the Sig seems to have a sweet spot in just right texture.

[Lennyjoe]

I have both.  The P365 came into my collection first and I’ve owned it for over a year now.  Just added the Hellcat OSP about 3 months ago.  Even though the Hellcat has the provision to add a red dot, I don’t plan on doing so.  I prefer the stock u channel spread site and big dot front site for Conceal carry.

Both shoot great but the Hellcat is feeling a little better in my hand.  The P365 rides nice in my rear pocket and both ride nice in a kydex IWM holster.  I usually carry the Hellcat with a 13 round Mag with a spare 13 round on the hip. 

I did a write up on THR comparison those two along with my Glock 43X. 

[AZRedhawk44]

Went to the indoor range today to confirm zero on my Sig P365 and CZ P07 with their red dots.  About 30 rounds total downrange, they were both close but needed some slight tweaks.  No malfs, both ran fine.  That P365 is a remarkably easy shooter for its diminutive size.

Going to an indoor pistol match tomorrow evening.  Match sometimes has a BUG stage, though usually not.  I don't have enough mags yet for the P365 to use it as primary, so it'll be P-07 unless there's a deliberate BUG course. 

Looking forward to training my eyes for red dot.  Seems a lot easier to keep both eyes open with it.

[Jim147]

I always keep both eyes open. I can't see for crap.

If I see a Hellcat with tritium sights and have the money it will be my next carry weapon.