Sven of Manticore Arms announced they were working on a new safety selector for the Springfield Hellion. The Manticore Hellion Enhanced Safety System changes the geometry of the safety selector for a more ergonomic throw more akin to an AR-15.

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For those who have not handled a Springfield Hellion, the safety selector takes some getting used to.

Safe is at like 11 o’clock for the right side and 1 o’clock for the left side. Springfield has quietly rolled out newer safety selectors on their Hellions which we saw a month or two ago in Hellion owners groups on Facebook and Reddit. Those new safety selectors are now on the new long-barrel Hellion rifles.

But what about those of you, myself included, who have the first run Hellion and want a more ergonomic safety selector? Like what Brawndo is to plants the Manticore Hellion Enhanced Safety System is what you crave.

As far as we know, the new Springfield Hellion safety levers are not offered for sale. And you will see that removing the factory safety selector is difficult without the right tools.

Photo by Manticore Arms

The Hellion enhanced safety system is a kit that comes with:

• Specialized punch
• safety axle
• safety selectors
• screws
• Allen key

Photo by Manticore Arms

Installation of the Hellion enhanced safety system requires disassembling the rifle. Below is the safety axle. You have to install it with the tab, they call it the duck bill, towards the muzzle.

Photo by Manticore Arms

The Hellion enhanced safety system axle has these notches on the right-hand side that interact with the detent in the receiver.

Photo by Manticore Arms

Manticore machined L and R into the levers so you don’t confuse which goes where.

Photo by Manticore Arms

Photo by Manticore Arms

Manticore includes this specialized punch to help you remove the roll pin that holds the factory right-side safety lever. Manticore considers this tool, in their Hellion Enhanced safety system, to be a consumable item. It is very possible it will break when you use it.

Photo by Manticore Arms

In order to remove the factory safety and install the Hellion enhanced safety, you need to remove the barrel. There is a pin that you need to drift to the side so the barrel takedown lever can be actuated.

Photo by Manticore Arms

Press this lever up into the receiver while twisting the barrel slightly so it can be pulled away from the receiver.

Photo by Manticore Arms

The Hellion enhanced safety punch is pointing to the small roll pin that holds the factory safety lever in place. See how close the hole is to the side of the receiver? That is why Manticore’s special tool is required.

Photo by Manticore Arms

Once the right side lever is removed, it is a simple matter of pulling the left side lever away from the receiver and fishing the factory safety axle out. Then you screw in the Hellion enhanced safety lever to the Manticore safety axle, and push it into the receiver from the left side. Then bolt the right side safety lever on.

Here is a video by Manticore Arms showing the installation of the Hellion enhanced safety system.