The Springfield Armory Hellcat has been a supremely popular pistol ever since its introduction into the world less than 2 years ago – and for good reasons. It is the world’s highest capacity, micro-compact on the market for people who want a smaller gun for carry, but do not want to sacrifice their round-count to get there. While I, like many others, can speak glowingly about the Hellcat, it is not a perfect gun either. The one flaw many people cite is that its trigger is very average, if not sub-par, which is a common trend among polymer pistols. For that very reason, I was excited to hear Apex Tactical had introduced a replacement trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat with their Action Enhancement Trigger package. Today, we will review it here on TFB to see if it is worth its salt or if the factory trigger is not that bad after all. Let’s dive in!

Specifications: Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for Hellcat

When we are talking about the Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat today we are referring to 3 main components: an Action Enhancement Trigger, Sear Spring, and Striker Spring. Between these three components, most polymer handguns can have their trigger cleaned-up and improved if the manufacturer utilizes good quality materials and quality control. The specifications for the Action Enhancement Trigger can be read below as presented by Apex Tactical:

• Reduce trigger pull weight to 5.0 to 5.5 lbs after break-in period
• Smooth uptake and reset
• Reduce trigger overall travel and reset distance
• Deliver a crisp trigger break
• Directly replaces factory components without additional fitting
• Maintains factory safety values

The MSRP for the Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger is $79.95 and it will be available in Black, Red, Thin Blue Line, Freedom Edition Black, and Freedom Edition TBL (Thin Blue Line). All of these trigger variations boast a 60-Day Return Policy if in the rare event you are dissatisfied plus Apex Tactical’s Limited Lifetime Warranty. Apex Tactical offers a short quotation below further boasting about their trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat:

The Action Enhancement Trigger for the Hellcat pistols is the easiest, quickest upgrade you can do to the trigger system that significantly improves the feel of the trigger pull, without reducing factory safety values.

Installation: Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for Hellcat

When it comes to the installation of the trigger in your Springfield Armory Hellcat it is authentically easy, but time-consuming and procedural. If you have ever disassembled any Springfield pistol down to its individual parts – XD, XDM, XD Mod.2, XDS, etc – you should have no difficulty working on a Hellcat. In fact, if you are versed on the internal workings of most any polymer pistol like a competing Glock, M&P, or any other model, you will be able to find your way around a Hellcat.

We won’t go into depth in this review on how to disassemble, install, and reassemble the Action Enhancement Trigger because we already have a 20+ photo review HERE of a Trigger Install: Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Set – Springfield Hellcat. If you are more of a reader in terms of learning that would be a great asset in installing your own trigger. If you happen to be a visual learner then the Apex Tactical YouTube video would be perfect in guiding you along the process to install your trigger.

safety: apex tactical action enhancement trigger for hellcat

When it comes to adding upgrades to EDC (everyday carry) guns, I am extremely hesitant to do so. For one, I (the goofball behind the mallet) have an extremely high chance of improperly installing a perfectly good product. Secondly, you do not always know to what extent manufacturers went to ensure their product is sound and capable for the rigors of everyday carry and potentially protecting your life. When it comes to the Action Enhancement Trigger from Apex Tactical, it appears we all have nothing to worry about.

As part of Apex’s routine product development process, we drop tested the new trigger. Thanks to our friends at Springfield Armory, who were kind enough to sacrifice a handful of Hellcat pistols, we were able to conduct 99 drop tests. Our drop testing is done from 6 feet onto concrete.

These drops are done in 27 different orientations, and under high-speed camera which allows us to review exactly what is happening to the trigger and pistol on impact and during its rebound. Additionally, we conduct drops not just at room temperature but also at adverse temperatures. One battery is done at -10º to 20º degrees Fahrenheit, while another is done at 120º to 150º degrees Fahrenheit.

In all the 99 drops, we did not experience a single discharge.

range time: Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for Hellcat

Once my Apex trigger was properly installed in my gun and simple function tests were completed to ensure it was indeed functional, it was time to head to the range. I brought a Trigger Pull Gauge with me just to get a baseline of what I was dealing with. For starters, I did gauge my factory Hellcat before installing the trigger and the trigger consistently broke at 6 1/4 Lbs. With the upgrade of the new Apex trigger, it was now down to 6 Lbs. For face value, I was kind of disappointed, but forgot to bear in mind that the Apex Tactical trigger does have a “wear-in period” before you get the full effect. That is better explained below by Apex:

After installing the Apex parts, and giving the pistol 100-200 rounds of break-in, to allow the springs to set, the trigger pull weight should fall in the range of 5.0 to 5.5 lbs – which is right in line with what is expected in a duty/carry pistol.

In the difficult times of poor ammo availability, I didn’t want to deplete myself by shooting 300 – 400 rounds of range ammunition so I decided to fire a healthy 150 rounds. Even with that smaller round count, I could feel the trigger slowly cleaning itself up as advertised, making itself at home, and improving. I gauged the trigger again at the end of the range session, and it dropped down an additional 3/4 Lbs to a final resting pull weight of 5 1/4 Lbs. So, after a solid range day, the Apex Tactical trigger performed exactly as it had promised.

final thoughts: Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for Hellcat

So, what are my final thoughts on the Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat?… Overall, it can be a bit tedious or time-consuming to install the trigger yourself (all aftermarket triggers would be; not just Apex). The flip-side to that is even if you are a slow shadetree gunsmith I would recommend trying it because you will gain a lot of knowledge about your personal firearm. The trigger does clean up nicely after the “wear-in” or “shoot-in” period of 100 – 200 rounds. The only negative I have ever observed in the Hellcat since its introduction was the trigger and Apex Tactical has remedied that nicely. At an asking price of roughly $80, I wholeheartedly believe this trigger is worth it. If you are looking to upgrade your Hellcat give the Apex Action Enhancement Trigger a look.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Apex Tactical for allowing TFB and myself the opportunity to try out their Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Apex Tactical Action Enhancement Trigger for the Springfield Armory Hellcat is something worth spending your money on? Would you use it on your EDC (everyday carry) pistol? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

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