Category: Releases

Springfield Armory has released a “Low Capacity” Hellion option. The Hellion is, of course, their 5.56mm bullpup-style rifle. This is the same weapon, just shipped with a state-compliant” Magpul 10-round magazine. Hopefully, they won’t be necessary for too long in California. Unfortunately, this will remain necessary in several states no matter what happens in California.

10 Round Springfield Armory Hellion

The 10-round Hellion is, as Springfield explains, ideal for “restrictive locales.” You’ll still get all the maneuverability benefits and compactness of the Hellion; you’ll just have to reload more often.

The Hellion is a short, modular, fully ambidextrous bullpup platform based on the Croatian armed forces VH-2. The latter weapon has been proven in the field in a number of places on a couple of continents. The former has proven extremely popular despite being Springfield Armory’s first production gun in this configuration.

A bullpup has several advantages, though these must be weighed against potential disadvantages presented by an unfamiliar manual of arms. Bullpups are designed with the action and magazine well behind the trigger, back almost to the buttstock. For instance, this allows you to retain a 16-inch barrel while significantly shortening the weapon’s overall length.

However, one of this bullpup’s best features is its reversibility and ambidexterity. It features an ejection system that can be reversed without additional parts or tools and a full suite of ambi controls (safety, charging handle, magazine release, bolt release). It also sports a five-position collapsible buttstock and dual-position adjustable gas system.

Steve Kramer, Springfield Armory’s Vice President of Marketing, says, “The semi-automatic Hellion builds upon the solid foundation of the Croatian VHS-2 and adapts it to the needs of American shooters. And now, with the 10-round version, it’s available to an even broader range of shooters.”

NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, happening this weekend in Indianapolis, is sure to be full of new things for the industry. Speer Ammunition will be displaying its new products, including the new Gold Dot Carbine load.

“With the popularity of PCC and the continuing high pace of new 9mm carbine introductions in market, we thought it would be worth looking into what was possible for optimizing a defensive load,” said Speer’s Centerfire Handgun Product Line Manager, Chris Laack. “We found in evaluating a huge selection of our existing designs, as well as others available in market, certain bullet technologies and design features stood out in performance through carbines.”

The Speer Gold Dot Carbine is a 135-grain 9mm load. The company says it’s extremely effective in producing the necessary penetration and expansion, according to Speer standards. It produces the ideal velocity with carbine-length barrels and supposedly cycles flawlessly with the elastomer-filled bullet nose.

“While it is impossible to cover every carbine and magazine combination, we optimized function for as many as possible. We did a deep dive on accuracy, velocity, and terminal performance through different barrel lengths. The goal was to have a bullet that provided enhanced accuracy and terminal performance from a carbine at slightly longer distances—out to one hundred yards—but also worked well up close,” continued Laack. “Knowing that people would also likely have a 9mm handgun, and it being common for carbines to share magazines with these handguns, we also made sure performance could be relied on through full size handguns. The final product is a hybrid of different Speer Gold Dot technologies that is really going to work great for people looking to have a 9mm carbine for personal defense.”

No word on pricing as of yet, but that should be announced when NRAAM kicks off this weekend. If I were to venture a guess, it would be right on par with the rest of the G2 series of Speer Gold Dot.

Tyrant Designs has updated its offerings for aftermarket pistol accessories, this time producing flared magwells for certain H&K VP9 and VP40 model pistols. This addition should make owners of those H&K happy to have another option for upgrades.

Precision machined from billet aluminum, the H&K VP9/VP40 Flared Magwells offers a simple and nonpermanent addition to help guild magazines in place smoother and easier. According to Tyrant, the flared magwell adds to the ergonomics of the pistol and in turn, helps increase loading speeds.

Thanks to the aluminum construction, the VP9/VP40 flared magwells add very little weight and bulk to the pistol keeping the profile sleek and still able to easily conceal. The magwell acts like an OEM replacement and is shaped like a funnel to help guide magazines into place quickly and easily. The weight it does add to the pistol provides balance to the pistol and thanks to the one-piece design, the user won’t have to worry about losing pieces.

The anodized aluminum flared magwell can be secured in place with a set screw. The functionality of the piece and retention are aided by underside cuts on the piece but thanks to the design, magazines won’t get stuck.

The Tyrant Designs H&K VP9/VP40 flared magwells are compatible with certain models, including the VP9, VP9L, VP9 Tactical, VP40, and VP40 Tactical. The magwell will not work with the H&K VP9 SK. The flared magwells are available in different colors including black, red, machined aluminum, grey, blue, and gold.

The Tyrant Designs H&K VP9/VP40 flared magwells are light but will not make the pistol imprint while concealed carrying or being used during competitions. The increased ease of reloading magazines with the H&K pistols means with some practice no-look reloading can be accomplished, according to Tyrant. The flared magwells have an MSRP of $69.95.

When you’re carrying a holstered firearm, it isn’t only the holster that matters. Your belt matters, too. Whether you’re carrying concealed or openly a good holster won’t be enough without an equally solid gun belt. Nexbelt understands the importance of a rigid, reliable gun belt, and the NTAC-45 EDC Belt is specifically designed to stand up to regular wear. Even better, there are no holes, so even though it’s adjustable, it isn’t dependent on pre-punched holes.

Ratcheting Technology

According to Nexbelt, the NTAC-45 is a unique design made specifically for 1.75-inch EDC (everyday carry) belts. This belt utilizes the company’s proven ratcheting technology and has two tracks on the strap as well as two push-button buckle releases and two locking mechanisms for truly secure closure. The buttons work independently of one another to prevent accidental buckle release.

The belt works using a unique ratcheting system called PreciseFit. Using this, the wearer can adjust his or her belt in ¼ inch increments instead of the usual 1-inch adjustment of a traditional belt with a buckle. This ability to adjust a belt in ¼ inch increments is important for those practicing open or concealed carry. This is because having the right amount of tension to safely secure your firearm is critical. The belt is offered in black and fits up to a 50-inch waist.

EDC or Competition Use

This belt was designed with IDPA, USPSA, and 3-Gun competitors in mind, but it’s useful for anyone carrying a holstered firearm. The 1.75-inch width is ideal to secure larger amounts of equipment to your waistline while remaining rigid and providing solid support. Solid shooting skills and firearm safety are not the only things required to compete. Competitions put you in a variety of scenarios and shooting positions, all with some level of stress. Your gun belt should be both comfortable and secure, and it should stay that way all day. The NTAC-45 does just that.

This belt is designed to help you perform at the level needed to compete and allows adjustments as you go. Whether you choose to loosen the buckle for relaxed comfort on the sidelines or tighten it up before the shot timer sets you sprinting, the NTAC-45 belt is a fantastic addition to your gear.

MSRP for the Nexbelt NTAC-45 EDC Belt is set at $99.99.