The Springfield Armory Echelon series continues to rake in awards, seemingly setting a new bar for modularity and striker-fired ergonomics. Its success has already fueled a massive aftermarket, making compatibility wide and varied and spawning a whole lineup of aftermarket Springfield Echelon accessories.
Before we run down the best products with which to trick out your new gun, let’s briefly highlight the Echelon’s salient features.
Springfield Armory Steps Up
Springfield’s XD line has long been a solid, if not especially exciting, handgun. The XD was based on the Croatian military’s HS2000 pistol, developed by firearms manufacturer HS Produkt, which also manufactured the XD.
Springfield’s Echelon continues the Croatian collaboration. The Echelon is built around the now ubiquitous serialized chassis system, which Springfield calls the Central Operating Group (COG). The COG is key to the design’s modularity, including three different grip frame sizes, each with interchangeable backstraps.
The slide is aggressively cut with deep front and rear serrations and front and rear cocking ears, easing slide manipulation. But these cocking ears are milled into the slide instead of sticking out, maintaining the gun’s streamlined profile.
The controls are fully ambidextrous, and the Echelon ships with tritium sights for maximum visibility in any lighting conditions. No special night sights are needed. You can choose a U-Notch rear sight with a luminescent front ring or a traditional 3-dot configuration.
Echelon’s Extraordinary Variable Interface System (VIS)
I think the Echelon’s best feature is the Variable Interface System (VIS). Shooters have long complained about the lack of a standard optic footprint on handgun slides. Choosing the right optic can be a hassle, what with matching footprints and shelling out extra money for compatible plates.
Springfield has all but eliminated that hassle. The Echelon VIS features three sets of interlocking pins to create three popular footprints without needing an adapter plate. These interlocking pins directly accommodate enclosed emitter micro RDS like the Holosun EPS Carry, Trijicon RMR HD, and others.
VIS allows you to mount over 30 optics that fit the Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, and Shield footprints. Mounting the optics directly to the slide increases stability and eliminates a possible failure point. But if you need them, Springfield offers adapter plates for the Aimpoint ACRO and Docter footprints for maximum compatibility.
Setting up the VIS is simple. Just choose your pin set, plug it in, and mount your optic. The pins must be properly torqued, so make certain you have the right tools. Improperly torqued pins won’t give you the stability you want. The gun ships with all three pin sets.
The VIS really is a game-changer. We’ve been clamoring for a standardized optic footprint. Optics companies have not delivered on that request, so Springfield came very close to doing it for them, while also throwing down the gauntlet to other handgun designers. We’ll see if they step up to the challenge.
Tolerance Stacking: Most optic-ready pistols rely on an adapter plate that bolts to the slide, and the optic then bolts to the plate. Each layer adds a cumulative change to the combined system’s overall tolerances, e.g., an accumulation of variances, however small, that in aggregate can become significant (slide-to-plate fit, plate-to-optic fit, lugs, pins, screws, etc.) Using the VIS drops the RDS directly onto the slide, eliminating the plate and its accompanying potential failure points.
Mechanical Offset: You may be more familiar with the term height over bore. Removing the adapter plate drops the RDS lower down, however marginally that might be. This reduces the distance between the center of the optic and the center of the bore and can potentially allow an easier lower-third or absolute co-witness with standard-height iron sights (though it doesn’t guarantee it, and some optic models still require plates). Many shooters also find that a lower height-over-bore lets them “pick up the dot” more quickly.
The Springfield Echelon Ecosystem
There are now four primary frame/slide configurations, effectively creating a “Small, Medium, and Large” selection for the Echelon.
The 4.5 F (Full Size): The original 4.5 barrel duty pistol.
The 4.0C (Compact): The concealed-carry focus with a 4″ barrel and a shorter 15-round grip.
The 4.0FC (Full-Size Compact): Often referred to as the “Professional’s Hybrid.” It uses the 4″ compact slide on a full-sized 17-round grip. This layout effectively bridges the gap between concealability, control (recoil mitigation), and magazine capacity – a natural result of the mechanical advantage and increased capacity of the full-length grip frame, which helps establish and maintain a solid master grip without any dangling fingers.
Like the G19X or Glock 45, this layout is a good option for those who want the faster handling of a shorter slide but the capacity and control of a full-sized frame. And it still utilizes the Variable Interface System (VIS) with all the optic-mounting advantages it provides.
The Comp Series: Both the 4.5F and 4.0C are now available with Integral Compensators milled directly into the slide/barrel.
The “COA” Series: Springfield has launched the Echelon in three specific COA configurations— 4.5F COA, 4.0FC COA, and 4.0C COA. All come factory-milled with the Aimpoint A-CUT interface and are equipped with the Aimpoint COA closed-emitter red dot sight.
California-Compliant Models: Four models built to meet California-specific requirements — the 4.5F, 4.5F Comp, 4.0C, and 4.0C Comp — bringing the Echelon’s modularity to shooters in restrictive states.
Echelon Magazines
The Echelon features a brand-new magazine designed for hard use and everyday reliability. The mags are coated with a scratch- and wear-resistant black finish to enhance durability. Flush-fitting 17-round mags are standard with an extended baseplate 20-round mag also available.
About Those Springfield Echelon Accessories
Since the Echelon is so accessory-friendly, let’s look at some good options to trick it out. Our look at the VIS demands we start with optics.
Optics
Springfield offers a complete and impressive list of compatible optics. Space prohibits listing them all here, but let’s hit the high points:
- Trijicon RMR, SRO, RMR HD
- Leupold DeltaPoint Pro
- Shield RMSc, SMSc, SMS2, RMSX
- Holosun 507c-X2,508T, 507k, EPS
- Swampfox Kingslayer, Liberty, Justice
- Vortex Defender CCW
- EOTECH EFLX
That’s only about half the optics list, not including Aimpoint and Docter compatible products, which would add even more. Springfield really hit a grand slam on optic compatibility.
Holsters
Safariland offers several holsters compatible with the Echelon, including the 6360RDS, 6390RDS, 6390RDSO ALS Duty Holsters, and the 6378 RDS ALS Concealment Holster.
Weapon-Lights
The Echelon features a generous four-slot Picatinny rail, so your weapon-light choices are wide open. But let’s offer some choices anyway. For concealed carry, check these out:
- Streamlight TLR-7 A
- Surefire XSC
- Nightstick TCM-10
- O-Light PL-Mini 2 Valkyrie
For a larger, duty-style light, consider these:
- Surefire X300T
- Streamlight TLR-9
- Night Stick TWM-30
Or if you want a light/laser combo:
- Streamlight TLR8A
- O-Light BALDR S
- Surefire X400 Ultra
Other Springfield Echelon Accessories
Want to add a suppressor? No problem. Springfield offers a 4.5-inch threaded barrel for the muzzle device of your choice. Suppressor height sights are available.
And you might want to save your thumbs with all the 9mm you’ll be shooting, so maybe pick up an Echelon magazine loader. You can also purchase Echelon grip modules, interchangeable back straps, and extra VIS pin sets if you want.
Aftermarket Echelon Accessories
The aftermarket has been kind to the Echelon, with lots of cool stuff becoming available.
For improved ergonomics and faster reloads, Apex Tactical Specialties provides an extended Echelon mag release, while NDZ Performance offers the Lo-Pro Mag Well for those who want a flared opening without the bulk of a competition-style funnel.
To manage recoil and stay flatter on target, compensators are becoming a staple. While Springfield now offers factory-integrated options, Patriot CNC has the Performance Comp for the Echelon. Springer Precision also makes a Shorty Compensator for the Echelon.
Sharps Bros. lets you upgrade the Echelon’s grip frame with their aluminum SBGM16 frame, featuring a steeper grip angle, better ergonomics, cherrywood grips, and a flared mag well.
Want to upgrade your Echelon’s trigger? Powder River Precision and Tyrant CNC can help you out.
Springfield’s engineers obviously worked hard to bring shooters a truly feature-rich pistol at an attractive price. Modularity: check. Ergonomics: check. High-performance sights: check. Easy to upgrade: check. Not to mention it’s a good-looking pistol.
