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

Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1
Icarry Taurus TX9 Compact 1

I Carry: Taurus TX9 Compact in a Galco Holster

In our latest "I Carry" segment, we pair the new Taurus TX9 Compact with a leather Stow-N-Go holster from Galco, Inc. This compact, concealed-carry kit is rounded out with an Xolotl automatic knife produced by CRKT.

The Armed Citizen® March 13, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Canik USA MC9 Prime

Canik USA built out its concealed-carry handgun lineup with the MC9 Prime, which is a larger, yet still slim, CCW gun that sits in the same category as other upsized micro-compacts.

U.S. Army Awards Mossberg Contract for Additional 590A1 Pump-Action Shotguns

The U.S. Army has awarded O.F. Mossberg & Sons a contract for approximately $11.6 million dollars to supply the U.S. Army with additional Mossberg 590A1 pump-action shotguns.

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Bolt-Actions & Semi-Automatics on the Battlefield

In just a few decades, the U.S. Army would see itself go from a single-shot, blackpowder design in the form of the Trapdoor Springfield to a modern, semi-automatic fighting rifle in the M1 Garand.

Modernized & Economical Muzzleloaders: The CVA Optima XP & XP-SB

CVA's longest-lasting muzzleloader design, the Optima, has been updated in 2026 with "modern ergonomics and modularity."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.