Hellcat seems to feel better in most people’s hands at the store but the p365 XL is such a sweet shooter…

Thanks for sharing.  I wear cargo shorts throughout the warmer months and jeans in the colder (I work from home).  So hopefully whatever I land on works for those two uniforms.

I wouldn't be open to the XL specifically for pocket carry but on the hip?...maybe.  However, this is what I've read time and time again.  People shoot the P365 better but like the Hellcat's feel and features, initially, better.  

I will be going with whatever I shoot better.  I will be considering nothing else.

Gruman F6F Hellcat.

In the hand it’s not much heavier than the polymer framed pistol, but IMHO a little extra weight in such a small package isn’t a bad thing. The grip panels can be swapped out. Not sure if they offer panels with different contours, but I like the stock panels.

In terms of reliability with an aluminum lower, not sure. A lot of reviews on retailer pages seem to indicate they’re good to go.

FN hates you and probably will find a way out of the warranty so it’s really a hellcat vs a p365 at this point. I would go 365

It might be appealing to some but not me.  This won't be a show piece...it'll come out at the range and to stop a threat.  So looks don't matter.  Only accuracy and reliability matter.

Thanks for breaking it down though.

Can you elaborate a bit more on the hating me part??  

But at this point, yes, the Reflex has been eliminated from the race for now.  If I can't shoot it, I won't gamble on it.  

Thanks

I will also chime in on the Reflex since I'm one of the few to own one.  I'm not one of those guys who is going to promote my bad decisions because i own the thing and therefore I'm always right. It absolutely shot hard low left right out of the box and was basically unusable until i spent $120 for sights for a brand new pistol. The pistol is absolutely creepy. Its an SA with no safety, with an SA trigger that is always cocked during carry if you have a round in the chamber. I'm the guy who opts for no safety on my SA/DA pistols. I carry them De-cocked and have all the confidence in the world that, that is safe. I do not believe the Reflex is safe to carry in its factory configuration. I do believe newer runs addressed the mismatched sight issue. For the ones who got hosed, FN chose to tell them all it was fine, and combat hold is the answer. Mine required a combat hold 2' high and 1' right at 10yds.

It has merits. Maybe a hellcat style trigger safety is all it needs i don't know. But i really feel like FN did its customers dirty. It was basically the last 1-1/2 stack 9 to hit the market. They had almost a decade to refine it, and it left the factory with mismatched and misaligned sights, begging to be negligently discharged. Already not the cheapest of the group requiring hundreds in upgrades to just become usable.

That's quite a report!  I do believe H&K is the last to bring their version to market but I voild be wrong.

Thanks for sharing!

Well it's not to market yet. I'm actually waiting and waiting and waiting for it....H&K says it exists.

This was exactly my experience. The Hellcat isn't a bad gun, but my times were noticeably faster with my P365 due to the much more favorable recoil impulse. Accurate and fast rounds on target wins for me. I have a P365 for pocket carry with a Vedder pocket locker and a P365XL w/ Wilson grip for belt carry.

I've owned a couple smaller polymer Springfields and they just don't quite have it down yet. All of them recoiled much more than their peer competitors.

I saw an image of it.  Not my undoubtedly overpriced cup of tea but we are living in interesting times that afford us a plethora of choices.

The ergos of the hellcat are why I shoot best with it FWIW. The sig shot similarly but not quite as well in my hands. And the sights are hands down better on the hellcat.

Good on you for doing your homework and seeing what works best in your hands.

Oh those sights were hypnotic!!! I got the gun in my hand, felt good....then I looked down the sights..... was thoroughly impressed!!!!

People say FN hates it's customers. H&K hates their customers, FN's customers, FN, and everyone that looks like them. We'll get it when we get it and like it.

But i used to say the same thing. After years of shooting and discovering what i like and don't like, understanding subtle quality differences, and valuing grip repeatability built into ERGO's I've grown to appreciate H&K and can justify their price point. After owning and shooting them I've become a hopeless fanboy at this point with no hope of redemption. I have complete faith that when it does come out it will be spot on, and H&K will hate me more for buying one.

How German of them!!! H&K and the Soup Nazi sound like they'd get along great...or just mutually hate each other.  

Personally, the 365 feels better in my hand and I shoot it better. It was an easy choice for me.

I actually have an XL slide set up with a 407k that will drop right onto my 365 frame, so the same pistol can be set up for IWB with an optic or pocket carry with the original slide. That's one of the neat features the 365 offers that the Hellcat falls a little behind on.

Also, FWIW - after some range time with it last week I wouldn't necessarily say I do better with one or the other. It's all about familiarity and preference.

Working ahead there but that's a consideration I'm making....three different guns.  Hip, pocket, ankle....but all sharing the same magazines and other modularity/interchangeability.  Yes, there seems to be a significant edge to the P365 with this stuff...not as much with the Hellcat.  

That's the plan....I've got 50rds at this overpriced range to split between both guns and test which I like better.  I plan to do some single shots (shoot the P365 once then shoot the Hellcat once), some triple shots, and then a mag dump or two.  At the end I'll consider feel (perceived recoil and ease of use) as well as accuracy and I'll pick whichever one I shoot best.

Thanks

Did you look at the Shield Plus? I love mine. It's new trigger is very nice.

Edit - disregard. Saw later posts.

You have to look at the Shield Plus - not the shield.

Ok, while we're getting warmer....that is still a solid .25"-.5" taller than either the P365 or Hellcat.  Height and thickness are what matter the most here so I'm still going to pass.  But thanks for the suggestion.  

Coming back to the P365 grip modules....looks like there's a bunch of options.  When looking for ones with normal accessory rails and cheap....is there a go-to option that's good to go in terms of reliability?  So far the cheapest I'm seeing is $65-ish.  This looks like it should take about a buck or two worth of filament on a 3D printer so hopefully they get less expensive.  

Then the $400+ aluminum options.... just wow.  

Thanks!

Anyone?

Thanks