Springfield Hellion VHS – An Honest Review

When Springfield bought patent rights to the Croatian standard service rifle VHS-2, they probably had no idea that they were going to launch one of the most divisive firearms on the American market. However, just like with the concept of bullpup rifles in general, Springfield Hellion is a firearm you’ll either despise or love with all your heart.

In this article, we’ll be taking a short look at the history of this gun, and an honest deep dive into its performance in the field.

Key Takeaways

• CIVILIAN ADAPTATION OF AN ON-FIELD PROVEN MILITARY WEAPON
• PERFECTLY ACCURATE UP TO 100 METERS, STILL FAIRLY ACCURATE AT GREATER DISTANCES
• INCREDIBLY DURABLE
• GREAT FOR LEFT-HANDED PEOPLE WITH ADAPTABLE CASING EJECTION PORT
• HEAVIER THAN MOST BULLPUPS
• THE FIRE SELECTOR IS ODDLY PLACED AND TAKES GETTING USED TO

Production History and Technical Details

Springfield Hellion was unveiled in early 2022. The weapon is a semi-automatic version of the Croatian VHS-2 rifle (VHS is an acronym for Višenamjenska Hrvatska Strojnica, which is Croatian for ‘multipurpose Croatian machine gun), produced by HS Produkt, the same guys behind semi-automatic pistols such as Echelon, and the award winning Hellcat and XD-M.

The VHS-2 is the second iteration of the rifle with notable upgrades from the VHS-1, including a better fire selector (which is the biggest point of contention with this firearm, something that we’ll discuss later), an improved handle, an adjustable buttstock, and an ambidextrous case ejection system.

VHS bullpups have been in Croatian Armed Forces service since 2009, and the general opinion of the guns is largely positive (yours truly, a Croatian Armed Forces veteran, agrees with it). Aside from Croatia, the VHS is used by several military and police forces around the globe.

Hellion’s Accuracy Is Second to None

Comments praising Hellion’s accuracy are probably the most common comments about this gun online, and I can confirm that from first-hand experience.

There are three different variants for you to choose from with 16, 18, and 20-inch barrels, resulting in a bullpup that doesn’t sacrifice accuracy for mobility and compactness.

Keep in mind that this gun was designed for military purposes and war veterans took part in its designing and testing phase – ideally, it should be able to pin down enemy combatants at 300 yards. In civilian field testing, though, it’s proven to be very accurate at 100-yard ranges with 12-inch steel plates.

I remember shooting the VHS-2, Hellion’s father, at 100, 150, and 200-meter ranges, and it was perfectly accurate at 100 meters, while I saw a minor drop in accuracy at 150 and 200 meters. That probably has more to do with the shooter than with the gun, though. Since Hellion is the civilian semi-automatic version of the VHS-2, you won’t get to experience the joy of letting out a three-round burst, but trust me when I tell you that it was amazing.

An Incredibly Durable Bullpup

Although the expected usage from a civilian shooter doesn’t include dragging it through the mud, Springfield’s Hellion was built for extreme conditions. This is a military service rifle after all, one that was and still is used in the Middle East and Africa, and it can go through at least 15 magazines (it uses 30-round mags) without cleaning and firing without a hitch.

I personally tested this during military exercises, and I remember a torrential downpour streaming over my squad for two whole days at Slunj Military Compound, without affecting the gun whatsoever. Many civilian Hellion users shared similar experiences online.

Now, I’m a firm believer in disciplined gun maintenance and I follow the good, old “If you don’t care for your gun, don’t expect it to care for you.”, but the fact that you can not clean a gun on purpose and it still operates just fine tells you a lot.

Hellion’s Weight and Adaptability

Hellion is noticeably heavier than most other bullpups. The 16-inch barrel version, which is the lightest Hellion version, weighs a bit more than 8 pounds without a magazine – for comparison, the 20-inch Steyr AUG weighs in at 7.9 pounds, with IWI X95 coming in at between 7.3 and 7.9 pounds.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with it because I got used to it after years of carrying it around every day, but I understand that the weight would be an issue for most users, especially when you add a vest of full magazines on top of the gun’s weight.

However, what Hellion lacks in lightness it compensates in adaptability, and by this I’m primarily referring to the stock and the casing ejector. Hellion is completely ambidextrous and you can switch the casing ejector from one side to the other in just a few minutes – this is a huge plus for lefties.

The other part of the gun you can adapt to your needs is the stock, but most users see this as completely pointless. You can extend it, but most people, myself included, feel more comfortable with the stock completely collapsed because the Hellion is already a fairly long bullpup.

The Unbearable Fire Selector (Safety)

The biggest con we see with the Hellion is the fire selector on this weapon. The designers chose a very odd spot for the selector and you have to move your thumb at a very uncomfortable angle to use it, and this issue will be even more apparent for people with short fingers as they’ll have trouble reaching the selector.

I’ll admit that this was the biggest problem I had with the gun when I first started shooting it, and even after years of more-or-less everyday handling, I still felt uncomfortable switching between fire modes (despite already being adjusted to it at that point).

The Verdict

Springfield Hellion is a very fun gun to shoot, but beyond that, it’s also accurate and reliable. It’s one of the hottest guns on the market right now because of how adaptable it is, making it probably the best bullpup choice for left-handed shooters, but it’s also notably heavy for a bullpup rifle with the fire selector being another issue most new owners struggle with.

I would personally recommend it to everyone who doesn’t mind those few minor issues and wants a durable bullpup that’s bang for your buck! Take a look at this great deal below that's updated daily.