The video opens with the hosts jokingly misidentifying the rifle as a Tavor, AUG, Steyr, or MDR before revealing the actual gun: the Springfield Armory Hellion bullpup. They introduce themselves and explain that the review will benefit from their varied experience levels with bullpup rifles, ranging from complete newcomers to shooters with extensive time on platforms like the IWI Tavor. Early discussion centers on the Hellion’s fully ambidextrous design. The rifle uses a G36-style non-reciprocating charging handle that can be run from either side, along with a short-throw ambidextrous safety. The magazine release is positioned at the rear of the magwell, also accessible from both sides. The hosts immediately focus on the unconventional bolt catch located inside the magwell and a rear bolt release lever placed close to the mag release, raising concerns about how intuitive these controls will be during reloads and malfunction clearance under stress.
Attention shifts to how the Hellion’s control layout actually feels in the hands. The shooters note difficulty reaching the rear bolt release while inserting a magazine, describing the required hand rotation as more awkward than on an IWI Tavor-style system. They question whether the magwell-mounted bolt catch and closely spaced mag release and bolt release will slow reloads or cause fumbles. The trigger receives a detailed evaluation: there is noticeable take-up leading to a defined wall, followed by slight creep and a reset that feels somewhat long. Overall, the trigger is described as acceptable and serviceable for a bullpup, but spongy and not exceptional. The hosts highlight the 16-inch chromoly barrel and four-prong flash hider, then emphasize the short-stroke gas piston system with an adjustable gas block, which they expect will make the Hellion a strong candidate for suppressed use. Sturdy flip-up iron sights with integrated buttons and fully ambidextrous controls round out this technical overview.
The video moves into the Hellion’s internal design and user configurability. The hosts explain its toolless disassembly, using several captive pins to remove the stock and access the internal components. Once opened, the captured bolt group can be withdrawn and rotated 180 degrees to switch ejection from one side to the other. This conversion uses a dust cover locking pin and does not require any separate left-hand-specific bolt or additional parts, underscoring the rifle’s ambidextrous engineering. They also highlight the adjustable cheek weld, which allows shooters to tailor comb height for different optic setups and the already tall sight line. The Hellion accepts standard AR-15 pistol grips, and the included beavertail-style grip is compared favorably to BCM or Springfield-branded AR grips, with a comfortable angle and contour. These features are presented as key ergonomic advantages that help the bullpup feel more familiar to AR shooters despite its unconventional layout.
With the technical overview complete, the shooters begin live fire and share their first real shooting impressions. They immediately notice the Hellion’s very soft recoil, describing it as extremely easy to control and pleasant to shoot. However, the bullpup’s high sight line and resulting height over bore quickly become apparent. At close distances, shooters find they must aim higher, sometimes at the head, to achieve center-mass hits, and they discuss how this will be even more pronounced once optics are added above the already tall irons. The long trigger take-up and somewhat spongy break make rapid strings of fire more challenging until the shooter learns the reset and timing. Despite these quirks, the rifle is praised as fun and forgiving, with easy shot correction while firing. The group notes that while they cannot yet run it as fast as a familiar AR, the Hellion’s controllability and compactness are strong positives.
To better understand the Hellion’s ergonomics under time pressure, the group sets up a simple one-reload-one drill. Each run starts with one round in the chamber and an empty magazine inserted. After firing the first shot, the shooter must drop the empty mag, insert a fresh magazine, send the bolt home, and fire a second aimed shot. Timed runs reveal how the unconventional control layout affects performance. Some shooters accidentally engage the safety instead of the intended control, while others hunt for the rear-mounted bolt release, losing precious seconds. The drill highlights how the magwell bolt catch and rear bolt release differ from AR muscle memory. The hosts compare times between shooters with and without bullpup experience, noting that familiarity with the platform’s specific mechanics is crucial. This segment frames the Hellion as a rifle that rewards dedicated training to unlock its full potential in reload speed and manipulation.
The focus shifts to refining reload techniques specific to the Hellion. Shooters experiment with how to eject the magazine and how best to cradle the rifle during reloads, balancing control of the gun with access to the rear magwell and bolt release. A brief debate emerges over whether to keep eyes strictly downrange during reloads or to briefly look at the rifle to ensure a clean magazine insertion, with some arguing that getting the gun back into the fight quickly can justify momentary visual focus on the reload. They repeat the one-reload-one drill multiple times, comparing new times to earlier runs and noting clear improvements as muscle memory develops. The group emphasizes that repetition is especially important with bullpups, where controls are located behind the firing hand. The segment concludes with a practical demonstration of the Hellion running a full magazine, reinforcing that once the manual of arms is learned, the rifle can be operated efficiently and confidently.
Attention turns to magazine compatibility and reliability. The hosts specifically test a standard GI OK Industries aluminum magazine in the Springfield Hellion to see if the rifle runs reliably with common, non-polymer mags. During live fire, the GI magazine feeds and extracts without issue as Sarah empties a full magazine, confirming functional compatibility. While the rifle cycles smoothly, the safety selector is noted as somewhat stiff, requiring deliberate pressure to actuate. This observation reinforces earlier comments that some controls may feel less refined out of the box and could benefit from break-in or user familiarity. The successful test with the GI aluminum mag reassures viewers that the Hellion is not limited to proprietary or niche magazines and should integrate well into existing AR-15 magazine inventories, an important consideration for shooters who already own large numbers of standard mags.
The hosts step back to evaluate the Hellion’s overall handling and size. Multiple shooters, many of them new to bullpups, remark that the rifle is lighter, more compact, and more enjoyable than they expected. With a 16-inch barrel in a package roughly 28 inches long, the Hellion offers the ballistic performance of a full-length barrel in an overall length comparable to a 10.3-inch SBR, but without any NFA requirements. They highlight the short-stroke gas piston system with adjustable gas, fully ambidextrous controls, toolless takedown, left-hand extraction capability, AR-style grip, adjustable stock, and M-LOK rail as features that make the rifle modern and adaptable. The already high iron-sight line means that adding optics will further increase height over bore, demanding careful aiming at close distances. Despite this, shooters find the rifle points naturally and balances well, making it a strong candidate for both range use and practical applications.
In closing, the reviewers focus on the Hellion’s most persistent ergonomic complaint: its extremely tight magwell. Throughout testing, magazines had to be almost perfectly aligned to seat properly, which slowed reloads and caused the most difficulty under time pressure. The hosts strongly recommend that Springfield flare the magwell to make insertions more forgiving, especially in stressful or low-visibility situations. They argue that a slightly more generous or beveled magwell would significantly improve the rifle’s real-world usability without compromising retention. Despite this criticism, the Hellion is described as a pretty cool and capable rifle overall, with soft recoil, compact dimensions, and robust ambidextrous features. The team mentions plans to include the Hellion in an upcoming suppressor comparison, leveraging its adjustable gas system and piston operation, and invites viewers to comment if they want to see the bullpup featured in future silencer testing content.
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