Growing Hell..ion
Springfield Armory has been importing its American take on the Croatian-made VHS2 5.56 NATO chambered bullpup carbine for a minute, and now they have expanded the lineup to include both 18- and 20-inch variants, really growing the family.
The HS Produkt VHS is a legit combat rifle, already seeing some real-life service around the globe in some very armpit-quality places even though it is only about 15 years old. The improved second-gen VHS2, which was introduced back in 2013, first came into the U.S. in early 2022 as a semi-auto version with enough Section 922 tweaks (BCM Gunfighter grip, Magpul mag, etc.) to make it compliant.
The standard 16 inch model, which I reviewed in 2022
Debuted over here as the Springfield Armory Hellion with a 16-inch barrel, it has gained a reputation as a reliable, easy shooting, accurate, and feature-rich (user-adjustable gas system, fully ambidextrous, 5-position collapsible stock, swappable ejection port, excellent flip up iron sights on a full Pic rail, etc.) bullpup, outclassing a lot of the competition such as the Tavor, AUG, and FS 2000.
I have put upwards of 2K rounds through one on a T&E and loved it enough to buy it.
Well now, Springfield has introduced two new variants that share every feature and only change with the barrel length and type.
The new models include an 18-inch and a 20-inch, the latter with a ribbed forward section for enhanced cooling as well as an integrated bayonet lug (with the company promising compatible bayonets on the way). Springfield points out that the 20-inch model sports a similar configuration to that of the Croatian Army’s VHS-D2, a super accurate designated marksman version of the VHS-2.
16, 18, and 20…
Hellion 18-inch model
Hellion 20-inch model. Note the ribbed barrel and bayonet lug. Springfield says this model is a ringer for the VHS-designated marksman rifle
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Hellion 16 |
Hellion 18 |
Hellion 20 |
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Barrel Length: |
16 inches |
18 inches |
20 inches (includes bayonet lug) |
|
Overall Length: |
28.25 – 29.75 inches |
30.25 — 31.75 inches |
32.25 — 33.75 inches |
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Weight: |
8 pounds |
8 pounds, 3 oz |
8 pounds, 6 oz |
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MSRP: |
$1,999 |
$2,016 |
$2,031 |
The neat thing is that the price point is practically the same, and, while some other Springfield platforms (looking at you, Prodigy) have gotten some downright mixed to bad reviews, it seems like everyone kind of likes the Hellion.
Time will tell.