Vern Evans
The world of 9mm mid-size pistols is ever-growing. The introduction of the venerable Glock 19 set the standard for what was to become the compact pistol market: 15+1 capacity and a 4-inch barrel. I don’t know how many pistols I’ve handled that meet those criteria, but I found one that got it right—the new Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C.
This gun is a shortened version of the full-size Echelon and comes with one flush 15- and one extended 18-round magazine. It is what I and a few other writers call a “Goldilocks” gun… not too big, not too small but just right.
This size pistol makes sense from a carry perspective, as its four-inch barrel is long enough to develop decent ballistics and aid in handling recoil while the grip is just right for getting all your fingers around. But its compact nature makes it easy to conceal.
Features
Some of the gun’s features include…
DEEP Slide Serrations
Press-checkers will be happy to know that Springfield has some serious serrations cut into the slide, both fore and aft. They make it easy to grab the slide to check the chamber or to rack it.
Tritium Sights
The model that was sent to me has three-dot tritium night sights installed, with a tactical ledge (I think that’s what it’s being called now) on the front edge of the rear sight so you can use it to rack the slide on a belt, table, or whatever. With the new variable interface system optics mounting system, below, red dots sit low enough (no plate needed) to enable co-witnessing. This is a long-overdue solution to the red dot mounting problem. This will work until the industry agrees on one mount for all sights. I’m not holding my breath…
Variable Interface System Optics Mount
This plate-free system consists of pins that, when placed as needed, allow the mounting of 30 red dot sights.
Central Operating Group
The Echelon has a serial-numbered fire control unit that will work with other grip frames and slides. First Sig, then Ruger promoted having one FFL-registered fire-control piece with extra grips and slides available. It makes sense, and Springfield has jumped on the bandwagon.
The modules are ready now, for $65. You can get modules in small, medium, or large sizes in one of three colors. Also available are three different backstrap sizes for $20. Go here to see all the accessories available for the Echelons.
Polished Feed Ramp
This is something I don’t see in a lot of reviews, but I like to check the feed ramps of the pistols I look at. A non-polished feed ramp is not really a deal breaker – it’s easily done – but if it is polished, so much the better. I’ve always been impressed with Springfield feed ramps – you can literally see yourself in them if you could get your face in there. In the photo below, you can see the strings of LED lights in my light box reflected in the ramp. Nice!
Two Extra Backstrap Inserts Included
The gun’s grip is adjustable via three backstrap inserts that help customize the fit for almost any hand size.
Ledge For Your Support Thumb Or Trigger Finger
I am growing to appreciate the two textured ledges molded into the frame at the forward end of the trigger guard. These ledges are there to help you to maintain a consistent grip. I find myself feeling for the ledge with my support hand thumb when I pick the gun up. And, if you need to keep your finger off the trigger, the pad on the other side works for that. Grip consistency is a great thing.
Undercut & Textured Trigger Guard
Your support index finger is greeted under the trigger guard by a small relieving cut and texturing. It feels great.
Two Magazines Are Included
You get a flush-fit 15-round and an extended 18-round magazine with the gun.
Specs
- Color: Black
- Frame: Black Polymer, Small Grip Module
- Grip Width: 1.2″
- Length: 7.25″
- Barrel: 4″ Hammer Forged Steel, Melonite® Finish, 1:10
- Sights: Tritium 3-Dot (other configurations are available)
- Magazines: (1) 15-Round, (1) 18-Round
- Height: 5.125″ w/ Flush Mag, 6.125″ w/ Extended Mag
- Slide: Billet Machined, Melonite® Finish, Optics-Ready
- Recoil System: Captive
- Weight: 23.3 oz w/ Flush Mag, 25 oz w/ Extended Mag
- Trigger Pull: 5 lbs., 6 oz. (measured with a Lyman digital gauge)
Where To Buy
Impressions
I obtained the pistol for this review and had a preconceived notion of what it might be like… you know, sort of an XD(M) Gen 2 or 3. I have owned several XDs and XDMs and have always felt that they were decent guns – well, maybe they would have been better without the grip safety – and they shot well. But they never really felt good in my hand. It’s hard to put into words. Then I picked this Echelon compact up. Wow… it was like they’d read my mind. The gun fits better than any other Springfield Armory gun I’ve owned. I will exempt the Hellcat from that statement, as it fits my hand pretty well but in terms of larger pistols, this Echelon compact feels like it was made with me and my hand size in mind.
The texturing is spot-on. I like a bit of rough texturing to help anchor my hand to the grip and this does that. Plus, they’ve continued that texturing on the frame. Speaking of texturing, they even textured the bottom of the trigger guard. Your support hand’s index finger will appreciate that.
Something else I appreciate is the “wings” at the rear of the slide. They’ve extended the slide outwards at its rear via a protrusion to give you a better gripping surface for racking the slide.
The slide stop and the magazine release are ambidextrous. That helps those of us who insist on using the “wrong hand” to shoot the gun.
Also included are three backstrap inserts, to customize the fit of the gun to different hands. And, the nice magazine loader in the box helps if you don’t own a Uplula. There’s even an extra extended base plate to convert the 15-round magazine to 18.
There’s one thing that could be better, at least on my sample size of one gun. The slide stop levers are really too small to be useful. I could see you missing the lever after loading a fresh magazine. They are simply two tiny metal tabs… I think they could have made them a bit larger. That’s all I could find to complain about. All in all, the gun is very well done – my quibble aside.
Taking The Echelon Apart
Like any other Springfield, remove the magazine and make sure the chamber is empty. Lock the slide back and rotate the takedown lever down to 6:00. Retract the slide and allow it to go forward off the frame – no trigger press is needed. Separate the spring and barrel and scrub away. Reverse the procedure to reassemble. When you lock the slide to the rear, then you can rotate the takedown lever back into position on the frame. Easy.
Carrying The Echelon Compact
I am usually in the habit of carrying a small semiauto or revolver in a pocket holster. There’s a lot of me, and sometimes IWB holsters have to compete for space. In spite of that, I bought a holster from Mission First Tactical that fits the full-size Echelon but works for the compact as well. (I can trim it if I feel that’s needed).
It’s ambidextrous and comes with the required belt clip that you can attach to either side of the holster. It allows adjustment for cant, as well. Also, I ordered a separate paddle from MFT that will allow me to carry OWB… that’s a bit easier for me. The Echelon just screams to be carried, so I will oblige it. With the included magazines, you’ve got 34 rounds of ammo onboard – that hopefully would be enough. If not, there are always magazines available. Even with the extended 18-round magazine in place, the gun isn’t hard to conceal.
Please understand that there are a ton of holsters out there for the Echelon, with more coming for the compact version. This is one that just caught my eye and is a quality product so I thought I’d give it a try.
Range Time
I happened to catch the Echelon in full recoil. It’s very controllable.
My friend Ed is a former deputy, trained to the gills, and is always ready to help me shoot guns I’m reviewing. I welcome his help, as my OEM eyeballs sometimes don’t dial things in as clearly as his younger ones. We set some targets up at 20 yards and brought out three 9mm loads, which you’ll see below with a representative target for each.
These are what I had on hand, so we went with them. All three loads shot a bit high with a center hold, but that will be addressed when I put a red dot on the pistol. The Monarch and the Armscor would suffice for inexpensive practice ammo, but the Fiocchi showed the most promise. Their Range and Training Dynamic loads have always shot well in my 9mms and this one was no exception. Of course, the search would go on to find the “Grail Load” that put all its bullets in one hole… right! 
Thanks to Bear Creek Arsenal for providing a nice ammo can and some targets.
Conclusion
I am impressed with the Echelon compact. I know the full-size Echelon is a good seller, and I can imagine that, once the supply pipeline is full, the compact version will do equally as well. It fills a niche in the carry market – the Goldilocks gun – that many shooters will find useful.
The ability to mount almost any red dot without adapter plates is a big thing and will be appreciated… at least it is, by me.
Ergonomically, this pistol hits it out of the park. From ledges to rest fingers and thumbs on to texturing that is just right to three backstrap variations… the list goes on. I have seldom picked up a pistol that felt so right in my hand as this one does.
If you’re in the market for a compact 9mm, you might want to give the Echelon 4.0C a look. It’s a quality gun that comes with enough magazine capacity to make a gun nerd smile. You can check it out here. Let us know what you think below.
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