The Springfield Echelon, released in July of 2023, is an excellent pistol. I find its ergonomics, feature set, and overall shootability are on par with or better than the other polymer-framed pistols in its class (think Glock 17, S&W M&P 2.0, FN 509, Shadow Systems MR920, HK VP9, and the Sig P320). With this pistol, Springfield took in the market trends and adapted them. Things like a built-in gas pedal, double under-cut triggerguard, aggressive texturing on the frame and slide, and an optics mounting system that doesn’t require the addition of plates and is one of the most robust on the market. They even made it modular. Similarly to a Sig Sauer P320, the “Central Operating Group” is individually serialized and can be removed. This means frame modules can be swapped out (look up Icarus precision) to give the end user even more customization. So far, Springfield has released the Echelon in different colors, with a threaded barrel, different sights, and even a comped slide. But they’ve all been full-size pistols. Some prefer the stature of a compact gun (as in the size of a Glock 19, which really isn’t compact, but that’s the word the industry chose to go with). Citizens use these all over for concealed carry or by professional end users. With such popularity in that size, Springfield released a compact as well.

The Echelon 4.0C is every bit of the standard Echelon but shrunk down, literally. The barrel is reduced from 4.5” to 4”, and the frame is downsized to accept 15-round magazines. However, an 18-round mag ships with the gun. Initial offerings will include the standard U-Notch sights, upgraded 3-Dot Tritium sights, and a model with a threaded barrel—a perfect host for a Herrington Arms compensator. I mentioned above that it’s optics-ready, but I want to dive into that again. Springfield calls their optic mounting system the “Visionary Optics Integration.” This system is compatible with thirty different optics that mount without adapter plates. To accomplish this, Springfield provides a variety of self-locking pins for your desired footprint. I’ve been shooting red dots on handguns for years, and the VIS system from Springfield is the cleanest and strongest I’ve seen yet. This mounting system keeps the optic low to the slide, and it doesn’t stack tolerances, limiting equipment failure. For people who require a handgun for duty or hard use, look at the Echelon.

Retail pricing for the Echelon 4.0C starts at $679 for the standard and $739 for the threaded-barreled model. I’d expect the prices to be much lower at the street level. Currently, the standard Echelon can be found for $619.99 and is on sale for $549.99 at many places. And like everything Springfield, I imagine their popular Gear Up promo will come to the Echelon 4.0C. I think this is an excellent extension to an already good lineup of pistols. And I don’t say that lightly. Springfield has done plenty to tarnish their reputation with gun owners. But with the release of the Hellcat and Echelon line of pistols, they are doing their best to amend relationships. The pistol should be shipping by the time you read this article.