In today’s news section, you’ll read the formal announcement of Springfield Armory’s latest iteration of their highly-regarded Echelon pistol. This new Echelon is the Echelon 4.0C COMP, and as the name implies, it’s a downsized version of their full-size Echelon. With a shorter barrel (four-inch), smaller grip module and a 1.25” grip width, you might expect the 9mm unit to be a bit, er…snappy.
Compared to the full-size model it would, were it not for the “COMP” part of the nomenclature. This Echelon features an integral compensator. With the comp in place, the pistol wasn’t nearly as feisty as I imagined when I first started shooting one.
It’s not one of those options that screams “performance” but the single cut compensator on this pistol does help with muzzle rise. OWDN photos.
Since I’m not what I’d call an expert shooter or technical expert, this is in no way a comprehensive review of the pistol. It is my opinion and first impressions of the gun after only a couple of range sessions and about 200 rounds through the pistol.
Wanting a real-world comparison between the 4.0 and the full-size Echelon, I shot a couple of warmup drills through my full-size Echelon. It’s the pistol I wound up running through a Gunsite 250 pistol course last year when my personal pistol simply stopped running reliably. Following that class and its performance, it replaced my previous pistol of choice.
Following those “failure drills” I loaded up the 4.0C COMP and started shooting. The first impression? Tighten that grip and focus on the sights. My full-size has an optic. The test pistol didn’t. Old eyes and a lazy grip quickly showed me the error of my ways.
Once I started doing my part, the benefit of the compensation became obvious. Riding the trigger in slow fire, I found myself starting to shoot at my natural rhythm. In other words, I realized I could shoot faster without feeling like I was fighting to control muzzle rise or recoil.
If you live in non-permissive states, you get a pair of 10-round magazines. Otherwise, you get a standard 15-round and an extended 18-round magazine. I ran both, and had no difficulty with either. I ran reload and dummy round drills with both and had no difficulty quickly (for me) dropping either mag and reloading.
The Outpost Armory range doesn’t allow “civilians” to work from a holster, but in a series of dry-fire exercises, I found the gun very manageable inside a 1791 Gunleather Smooth Concealment holster.
Using a 1791 Gunleather Smooth Concealment holster, the Echelon 4.0C carried as discretely as you’d expect a gun only 1.2 inches wide and 7.25 inches long to carry. Carrying with the extended magazine could be more problematic as the height increases an inch. I carry extended mags as backups.
My recent travel schedule has limited my range time. And shooting, especially handguns, is a decidedly perishable skill. So I decided to do something uncharacteristic. Rather than try complicated exercises like Failures or Bill drills or whatever, I would shoot the pistol for accuracy. That would force me to concentrate on my mechanics and remove most of my bad habits. I wouldn’t correct presbyopic eyes, but it would minimize shaky muscles and tired joints.
This target’s not going to win any awards in a precision shooting competition, but three magazines held inside a 12- inch circle at 25 yards is as well as I’m capable of shooting today.
The results speak for themselves. The pistol shot far better than the trigger operator. And it did so repeatedly at the range I consider my “responsible maximum” these days without the benefit of an optic. Shooting deliberately and concentrating on the tritium front and U-Dot rear sight I managed to keep all the rounds inside the 12-inch Caldwell Orange Peel target. I wasn’t exactly disappointed with the results. After the first magazine, I checked the target, adjusted my point of aim, and remembered to slowly press not squeeze the trigger.
The Echelon 4.0C COMP is another addition to Springfield Armory’s Echelon line of pistols that will probably be as popular as its predecessors. With an MSRP of $749, it will be priced to appeal to Echelon owners who want a smaller model that accepts the line’s Central Operating Group and features the Variable Interface System that allows direct-mounting of most of today’s leading red dot sights.
It may also be the downsized model that brings smaller-framed shooters inside the Echelon sphere. It’s well-mannered, accurate and concealable. Pretty good characteristics.
We’ll keep you posted.
— Jim Shepherd
