On The Range: Springfield Armory Hellion

by
posted on January 17, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Watch our American Rifleman range video above to see the new Springfield Armory Hellion in action.

Springfield Armory capitalized on its long, fruitful relationship with Croatian company HS Produkt to bring a commercial variant of the VHS-2 bullpup rifle to U.S. shores in 2022. Stateside, Springfield markets this highly successful and adaptable bullpup rifle as the Hellion, and it retains many of the benefits of the original Croatian design while incorporating a few enhancements to make it friendlier to U.S. shooters.

One of the standout features of the Springfield Armory Hellion is its reversible case-ejection system, which allows the shooter to swap between right- and left-hand ejection with only a simple fieldstrip required for implementation. For left-handed shooters particularly, this feature is welcome, as lefties have long had issue with bullpup-style platforms, due to the rearward nature of the ejection system on most traditionally right-handed designs.

Welcome changes that Springfield made to the original VHS-2 design include compatibility with STANAG AR-15 magazines and the ability to add AR-15-style pistol grips to the gun. Uniquely among bullpup rifles, the Hellion includes an adjustable length-of-pull with five possible  stock positions. At the top of the gun, you'll find a full-length Picatinny rail for optics mounting, as well as integrated flip-up sights that provide a readily available backup option without impeding other mounted optics.

Each Springfield Armory Hellion is outfitted with a 16" cold-hammer-forged barrel, and thanks to the gun's bullpup configuration, this full-length barrel sits inside a package that measures just over 28" overall. In keeping with the gun's reversible ejection system, the rifle is completely ambidextrous, featuring a bilateral charging handle, safety selector, magazine release and bolt release. An adjustable gas system is also included on the Hellion, providing two positions for "Suppressed" and "Normal" use. The gun also includes M-Lok attachment slots at the front for lights, lasers and other accessories.

Suggested retail pricing on the Springfield Armory Hellion is $1,999. For more information, visit springfield-armory.com.

Latest

Murdoch EM85 01
Murdoch EM85 01

The Murdoch & Co. EM85: An SA80 for America

Most modern service rifles are sold in the U.S. in semi-automatic form. There is one glaring exception, and that is the British L85. Murdoch & Co., an American company, is changing that reality with its EM85.

I Have This Old Gun: The British Brown Bess

One of the most iconic military longarms ever made, the British Land Pattern musket, more commonly known as the "Brown Bess," equipped British infantrymen across the world for more than a century.

Rifleman Interview: CCI Rimfire Ammunition

CCI’s rimfire offerings were part of the Plinkapalooza event in May.

First Impressions of the Staccato P4X

Down in Texas, Staccato launched a new pistol to celebrate America's 250th anniversary: the P4X. One can hardly blame them considering that the company's entire product line is based on the 1911, arguably the most American of handguns.

A Big Third Circuit Ruling on America’s Rifle

In an appeal of a case the NRA filed in 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit struck down New Jersey’s ban on “assault weapons” and “large capacity” ammunition magazines as unconstitutional.

Top Cop: How an Armed American Saved President Trump’s Life

An NRA Benefactor Member and NRA Certified Law Enforcement Patrol Rifle Instructor, Sergeant Aaron Zaliponi likely saved the life of President Trump in Butler, Pa. For these reasons, the NRA has selected him as the 2025 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.