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Springfield Armory can trace its heritage to 1777 and George Washington, but the brand we know today was resurrected by the Reese family in 1974, and it began the manufacture of legacy firearms like the M1 Garand, the 1911, and the M14. In 2001, a partnership with Croation manufacturer HS Produkt led to the XD pistol, the compact Hellcat, and the Echelon. The latest Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC COA comes with an Aimpoint COA dot sight, and the pistol—with or without the dot sight—is one of the best values out there. I recently put the gun through its paces on my home range, and below is my full review.
Quick Overview
Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC COA
Pros
- Comes with or without dot sight
- Comfortable grip
- High capacity
- Affordable
Cons
- Thick profile
- COA version is a dedicated Aimpoint COA Pistol
Specs
- Chambering: 9mm Luger
- Action: Striker fired semi-automatic
- Sights: Fixed front and rear sights, w/ Aimpoint COA
- Barrel: 4.0 inches
- Length: 7.25 inches
- Weight: 24.0 ounces
- Frame: Polymer w/ serialized central operating group (COG)
- Slide: Billet machined w/ Melonite finish
- Trigger: 4.5 pounds (as tested)
- Capacity: 17+1 and 20+1 rounds
- Accessories: Soft-sided case, loader, two backstraps, and extended magazine base plate, optic wrench, extra battery
- MSRP: $1,119
Related: Lipsey’s S&W Model 386 NightGuard Handgun Review—Expert Tested
What is the Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC COA?
Echelon pistols are built around a central operating group (COG) or what some call a fire-control unit (FCU). This is a stainless-steel serialized unit with a second-sear system for added safety. The COG is transferable/modular from frame to frame. It’s a similar concept adopted by other manufacturers like Sig Sauer, Ruger, and now even Wilson Combat. The Echelon’s frame is polymer with a lightly stippled grip that has a radiused profile. It also has a removeable backstrap, and the pistol comes with three different backstraps to allow you to optimize/customize the grip. The “F” in the model designation stands for full-size grip frame.
The billet machined Melonite finished slide has deep grasping groves at the front and rear and a Springfield Armory logo on top of the slide forward of the ejection port. There is also a ledge at the midpoint and rear of the slide to assist with press checks and manual-slide operation. The front of the slide is dovetailed for a sight, and on the COA model the U-notch rear sight is installed with two screws. Between the rear sight and ejection port, there is an optics cut, and the screw-on rear sight locks the Aimpoint COA dot sight in place. The non-COA Echelon has a dovetailed rear sight, and optics cut and cover plate. The COA version of the Echelon does not come with an optics cut cover plate and the non-COA version ($710.00) has a variable plate-less interface optics mounting system that will work with more than 30 optical sights. If you want dot-sight versatility, do not get the COA version.
Selecting the right Echelon pistol for you might seem confusing because there are 30 variants to choose from. There are compact “C” versions with a 4-inch barrel, mid-size “FC” versions with a full-size frame and 4-inch barrel, and the full-size “F” version with a 4.5 inch barrel. You can also choose between black, FDE, and OD green pistols as well as California-compliant models.
Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC COA Test Results
The standard Echelon is an optics-ready pistol, and the COA model I tested comes with an Aimpoint COA dot sight installed. All the test firing was conducted with the dot sight, and it’s important to note that when it comes to precision shooting—shooting groups—I typically shoot about 35% better with a dot sight. Keep that in mind when looking over the results, which were very good with the dot sight but would probably fall in the average range for most defensive handguns had open sights been used.
There were no stoppages during the firing of 300 rounds of multiple self-defense loads during the testing from the bench or while conducting various drills. The pistol proved to be 100% reliable. Recoil was not uncomfortable but was a bit stiffer than what you would feel with the slightly heavier SA-35 and Bulwark pistols also tested. This is partly due to the Echelon’s lighter 24-ounce weight.
The pistol was very comfortable in hand, and I could depress the magazine release without altering my grip. (I wear a size-9 glove.) Additionally, the magazine release is not reversible but is ambidextrous, meaning you can release the magazine by pushing the release on either side of the pistol. The slide lock is positioned further to the rear than you will find with many pistols, and it was easy to depress with the thumb of the shooting hand if that’s how you prefer to release a slide. It was also nice that the open sights could be witnessed with the Aimpoint COA.
Related: Best 22 Pistols, Tested and Reviewed
Final Thoughts on the New Echelon
As tested, this pistol comes in at more than a grand, but it is available without the Aimpoint COA sight, and that’s the configuration I believe offers the best value of all the handguns I’ve tested this year. However, at only $1,119 with the Aimpoint sight, which retails for $499, the COA version of this pistol is still a great value. Additionally, the interchangeable backstraps make the pistol even more appealing from a user interface standpoint.
Compact polymer framed striker fired pistols chambered for the 9mm Luger are popular because they are pistols most can shoot comfortably, they generally have high capacities, and because they’re reasonably affordable. The latest Echelon from Springfield Armory—either with or without the Aimpoint COA—is a fine example of what has become the most popular type of pistol in America. Springfield-Armory even offers an Echelon 4.0FC Gear Pack that includes the pistol, a Viridian RFX11 dot sight, four magazines, and a pistol case, for only $790! I think the Echelon 4.0FC—regardless of the configuration—is one of the best values when it comes to a home/self-defense or recreational centerfire handgun.
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