By Richard Johnson
Without a doubt, the Springfield Armory Hellcat is one of the hottest guns on the market. People have been buying them as quickly as the company can make them. I’m one of those owners, and I’ve been thrilled with my purchase.
In addition to the standard version, Springfield Armory offers the Hellcat with OSP options. The OSP, or Optical Sight Pistol, is a version of the gun that allows an electronic optic’s easy addition through direct mounting to the slide. The result is a means for low-mounting a micro-optic that will allow co-witnessing with the pistol’s excellent U-Dot sights.
These guns’ slides are machined to fit theSpringfield Micro footprint which is 100% compatible with the existing Shield RMScoptic footprint. The Springfield Micro footprint is the standard for micro-optics designed for thin carry pistols.
If you are like me, you wanted to find the best red dot to mount on your Hellcat. Let’s look at some of the options, and I will share what I picked for my own daily carry Hellcat.
HEX Wasp
If you want a red dot optic that is designed to work perfectly with the Hellcat, the HEX Wasp is the clear choice.
Designed by Springfield Armory, the HEX line of optics are rugged reflex sights that match the size and styling of the company’s guns. The Wasp is an ideal example.
The HEX Wasp mounts directly to the slide of the Hellcat OSP. That gives the sight a low profile. When combined with the relief cut at the rear of the Wasp, this red dot co-witnesses with the factory U-Dot sights.
Springfield manufactures the Wasp body from 6061-T6 aluminum with a hardcoat anodized finish. Not only will it stand up to daily wear and tear, but it resists corrosion and is even waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes.
Unlike some of the cheaply made optics on the market, the HEX Wasp uses impact-resistant glass for optical clarity. The lens has coatings that make it both scratch- and glare-resistant.
The aiming dot is a 3.5 MOA red dot. A sensor on the Wasp adjusts the brightness automatically to match the ambient conditions. This allows the sight to stay on constantly so you never have any delay when coming on target. Battery life is estimated at two years with regular use.
Springfield Armory lists the HEX Wasp at $299. Not only is that a great red dot for the money, but the company also backs it with a lifetime warranty. That pushes it into the “best buy” category.
JP Enterprises JPoint
Well known in the competition and precision shooting markets, JP Enterprises has a reputation of building and selling quality firearms and shooting gear. The company extends that tradition with a pair of compact red dot style sights that will mount to the Hellcat’s RMSc optic footprint.
Called the JPoint, the sight is available with either a 4 MOA or 8 MOA red aiming point and is considered by some to be one of the best Springfield Hellcat optics available. An LED — not a laser — projects the aiming dot, so there is no danger of accidental eye damage. The hard-coated acrylic lens has a 98% light transmission rating.
These sights are lightweight — less than one ounce each — which allows you to add one to your Hellcat without a meaningful weight increase on your belt. Made of glass-reinforced nylon polymer, the optic is designed to handle more than 5000g of recoil force. Additionally, it has an operating temperature of -13˚ F to more than 130˚ F.
Powered by a single CR2032 battery, the sights have an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the aiming dot. The company states that in normal use, the battery life should be between six and 12 months. I’d recommend changing batteries at the same six-month interval with your smoke detectors for much the same reason.
The sights are affordable at $299, with either-sized aiming dot. JP Enterprises backs the JPoint with a warranty for as long as you own it. That warranty is transferrable to a second owner.
Shield Sights SMSc
The Shield Sights SMSc is a polymer-bodied version of the aluminum Shield RMSc. It was one of the first micro-sized sights on the market and is a perfect fit on the Hellcat. That’s one of the reasons why you see so many of the pistols fitted with the SMSc.
The sights have a polymer body that offers a balance of light weight and durability. An internal LED projects a 4 MOA aiming dot onto the quartz-coated polymer lens, which allows you to get on target fast.
Shield Sights designed the SMSc to operate in a constant-on mode, meaning it is always ready to go. It uses an automatic brightness adjustment system to keep the aiming point bright enough for the lighting conditions.
According to the company, a single CR2032 battery should power the unit for two to three years. However, with typical carry and storage, the dot is often minimally powered. The company expects the average user to get four or more years of use on a single battery. My recommendation is to pick a date on the calendar and change the battery once a year on that date. Batteries are relatively cheap, and you don’t want your sight to go down because you were trying to save a few pennies.
The Shield Sights SMSc is a good value with a price tag of $299. That price includes everything you need to install and zero the sight. Also, a battery is included.
Swampfox Sentinel
Swampfox is a scrappy young company that you should take a look at if you aren’t already familiar with its products. The Sentinel is the company’s micro red dot that perfectly complements the Hellcat.
The company uses top materials and construction techniques in the Sentinel. The body is machined 7075-T6 aluminum with a hard coat finish. Swampfox uses an LED emitter with a true glass lens for incredible optic clarity. A multi-coating finish on the glass reduces fogging, repels water and helps to resist scratching — a real advantage for a Springfield Hellcat red dot.
Swampfox offers two models of the sight. One is a standard Sentinel with manual controls. I opted for the constant-on model that automatically adjusts the brightness of the 3 MOA aiming dot. A light sensor measures ambient lighting conditions and matches the aiming point for the environment.
Automatic adjustments happened rapidly in my testing. I worked with this optic on my Hellcat in a broad range of lighting conditions, and the sight consistently kept up with changes. The aiming dot was always visible.
Swampfox lists the full retail price as $279-$299 depending on the model you choose. With that, you get a warranty that covers the optic for 50,000 rounds of live fire. To me, it offers a great balance of price and performance.
Trijicon RMRcc
For many people, Trijicon is the go-to name in optics. It enjoys a long-standing reputation of making rugged night sights, military rifle optics and other battle-tested products.
The recently introduced RMRcc is Trijicon’s entry into the micro red dot sight market. Built on the success of the extremely popular RMR line of handgun optics, the new RMRcc promises exceptional durability and a lifetime of service.
While the footprint of the optic is not compatible with the Hellcat OSP’s slide cut, the company does offer an adapter mount that fits in the rear sight’s dovetail slot. Trijicon offers two versions of this sight. One uses a 3.25 MOA aiming dot while the other has a 6.5 MOA dot. Both variants function identically.
The RMRcc uses a constant-on design with a total of eight brightness settings, two of which are suitable for use with night-vision equipment. According to company testing, a single CR2032 battery should power the sight for more than four years on a medium setting.
Trijicon lists the retail price as $699 for both models. That makes it the most expensive micro red dot sight on this list, but the RMRcc is backed by a lifetime warranty. If you’ve ever wanted an RMR on your Springfield Hellcat, the RMRcc is just the ticket. For more information on this optic, read our Trijicon RMRcc review.
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Conclusion
So there you have it, an overview of today’s top red dots for the ever-popular Hellcat OSP pistol from Springfield Armory. With this list, you should be able to find an optic that fits your budget and your needs, and one that will take the already impressive performance of your Hellcat to the next level.
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