Board Thread:Discussions/@comment-35898226-20180616172050/@comment-24909831-20180618221319

In older editions these high-power lasguns were called Hellguns but GW began to call them Hot-shots for no apparent reason somewhere in early 2010s. I bet it had something to do with GW's intellectual property things with what they struggled back then. In latest (8th Edition) Astra Militarum codex Scions' weapons are hot-shots, when 3rd Edition's 2nd codex has Stormtroopers (which are one and same) and they have hellguns.

In the "Made to Order" boxet set the Kasrkin weaponry's name was changed to hot-shots: "The Cadian Kasrkin squad comprises one sergeant armed with power sword and hot-shot las pistol, seven Kasrkin armed with hot-shot lasguns, one Kasrkin armed with a flamer, and one Kasrkin armed with grenade launcher. Use them as alternative Militarum Tempestus Scions in games of Warhammer 40,000. This ten man metal squad comes in 20 components and is supplied with 10 25mm round bases and a Cadian transfer sheet."

- boxet set description as displayed here

So hot-shot is quite definately a new name for hellguns and the two terms are wholly interchangebly.

I think the Hellguns were cooler.