Went to the indoor range Friday, and decided to try a few rental guns. Loved the P320-X5 Legion (duh!) but oh, my word, did that darn Springfield Hellcat sting my hands.

I shoot a couple hundred rounds a session with the P365. I stop only when I run out of ammo, or out of time.

The Hellcat shot fairly accurately, but OUCH! Right (shooting hand) wrist got sharp, painful twinges every shot. Using factory load 115 grain range ammo sold by the range (rented gun - must use their ammo) no +P+ HD stuff. I've shot a lot of handguns, and this was easily among the least comfortable.

I shot two mags worth, and that was enough. Packed up and went home with time on the rental clock and most of two boxes of range ammo in the bag.

Any idea what differences in design might account for this?

I think some guns just channel energy into a given shooters bones in just the “right” spot. The hellcat is known to be snappy but I bet it’s just “YOUR GUN” that gets you just right.

I am not recoil shy. Never have been, that said the Glock 30s was “MY GUN”. Certainly not a small gun but it channeled it’s recoil right into my wrist and was really fatiguing for me. Strangely a stock Gen 3 Glock 30 is a pleasant as the day is long for me.

So I am gonna say combination of tiny gun with snappy recoil that is hitting you “just right”.

I think I may be the only guy in the world who can't shoot a G19. Hurts. My 48 and 17 are great. Hate a 19

Different guns can affect people’s bodies in weird ways. I have a SP01 shadow target II that is very accurate. But every time I fire it, it feels like my trigger finger got slammed in a door. To the point I may even get rid of it if I don’t figure it out.

I never experienced "trigger 'sting'" that I'd heard so much about until I got a CZ P-01. Not just sting, but the trigger actually dug a hole in my finger and left a flap of skin hanging. I had CGW replace the sharply curved trigger with one of theirs plus some action polishing. It is much better, but there is still a "backbite" (impact) when the gun recoils. Strangely, the similar PCR I had before it never did this.

Worst trigger stinger for me: Glock 23.
I must be a glutton for punishment because I just picked up a Gen 4 23.
Hello... Overwatch Precision!

I had a similar experience. The 365 was comfortable, the Hellcat hurt. In the M& series, the Shield was comfortable, the Compact was not. For me, this is true of many comparable and/or similar guns.

My 365SAS was ok with recoil, tried the Hellcat and after just a few rounds, took it back to the rental counter, it really stung, especially the web of my right hand. Now I'm also shooting a P320
which is the mildest of them all.

I HATE the stock CZ’s black super aggressive curved trigger. It’s the first thing I replace when I get one.

I have a few P226’s that I can’t shoot worth a damn anymore, but my P228’s are like lasers.
The P226 feels good in my hand but everything goes to shit when I fire them, very strange.

quote:

Originally posted by goforbroke:
I HATE the stock CZ’s black super aggressive curved trigger. It’s the first thing I replace when I get one.

I have a few P226’s that I can’t shoot worth a damn anymore, but my P228’s are like lasers.
The P226 feels good in my hand but everything goes to shit when I fire them, very strange.

I have the exact same issue with my 226! All is great with my 228 or 229s! It is odd to me.

quote:

Originally posted by ARH19456:

quote:

Originally posted by goforbroke:
I HATE the stock CZ’s black super aggressive curved trigger. It’s the first thing I replace when I get one.

I have a few P226’s that I can’t shoot worth a damn anymore, but my P228’s are like lasers.
The P226 feels good in my hand but everything goes to shit when I fire them, very strange.

I have the exact same issue with my 226! All is great with my 228 or 229s! It is odd to me.

HA! I’m not alone. I don’t know what the issue is with that platform and me. I’m guessing it’s because I mostly only shoot my CZ’s and PPQ’s(been that way for years now) with the exception of my P228s. Even still that doesn’t make much sense to me because the P226 and P228 are so closely resembled.

I've not shot the Hellcat yet but I had a customer who rented both it and the 365 over at Wade's (or West Coast Armory; don't remember for sure) and reported the same issue. From her range experiences she came back to us and bought the 365XL, only because we temporarily ran out of 365s at the time, which had been her first choice.

quote:

I am not recoil shy. Never have been, that said the Glock 30s was “MY GUN”. Certainly not a small gun but it channeled it’s recoil right into my wrist and was really fatiguing for me. Strangely a stock Gen 3 Glock 30 is a pleasant as the day is long for me.

Similar for me. Standard G30 is a relative breeze, narrow slide G30S and G36...painful. Due to the narrow slide, there's less slide mass to dampen and slow the recoil is my guess as to why it's like that.

To me, the Hellcat is definitely snappier than the 365, but I don't find it painful. I also prefer the girth of the Hellcat to the 365 and find its sights easier to acquire. But the 365 is easier to aim and shoot. Gonna have to try the handall to solve one of the 365's issues.

The only pain I have ever felt with a handgun is trigger slap from various 9x18mm pistols--namely the P64.