Springfield Armory Echelon

The Springfield Armory Echelon is a polymer frame striker-fired semi-automatic pistol line sold in the United States by Springfield Armory, Inc., and manufactured in Croatia by HS Produkt.^[1] Introduced in July 2023, it is chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum and primarily intended for duty sidearm and defensive use and secondary for concealed carry, with 10-, 17- and 20-round magazines.^[2]

Springfield Armory Echelon
Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	Croatia
Production history
Manufacturer	HS Produkt
Unit cost	$679 (MSRP, standard version) $719 (MSRP, OSP version)
Produced	2023–present
Specifications
Mass	23.9 to 24.3 oz (680 to 690 g)
Length	8.00 in (203 mm)
Barrel length	4.50 in (114 mm)
Width	1.20 in (30 mm)
Height	5.50 in (140 mm)
Cartridge	9×19mm Parabellum
Action	Striker-fired short recoil, locked breech, tilting barrel
Rate of fire	Semi-automatic
Feed system	10-, 17- or 20-round detachable steel box magazines
Sights	Iron sights; OSP version allows adding a red dot sight

Design details

In an effort to appeal to future military and law enforcement tenders as well as introduce a forward-looking new modular design, the company has brought out a pistol based on a serialized chassis like that of the SIG Sauer P320/SIG Sauer M17 and Beretta APX series. The serialized chassis allows relatively easy customization and creation of variants with less legal complications.

The Echelon is a handgun that has a modular, stainless steel self-contained fire-control chassis that is removable for cleaning and maintenance.^[3][4]

The Echelon pistol features fully ambidextrous controls and was introduced with a medium grip module with small, medium and large sized back straps. Small and large grip modules can be purchased separately for further user selectable and changeable grip module configurations to promote comfortable grip and operation for different sized/shaped hands.

The stock iron sights consist of a big green tritium/luminescent circle set in the front post and a U-notch rear with white outline. The handgun can also feature three-dot tritium sights as an option. The optics direct mounting system offers adaptability with most red dot sights, that often can co-witness with the stock iron sight line. Some red dot sights require adapter plates for indirect mounting.

The hammer forged barrel and billet machined steel optics ready slide undergo treatment with a proprietary nitriding process called Melonite. The Melonite ferritic nitrocarburizing process used by the manufacturer produces a matte gray non-glare surface with approximately 68 Rockwell C surface hardness rating.

Accessories

The factory extended capacity staggered-column single feed (aka double-stack single feed) steel box magazines add 3 rounds capacity and add 1 inch overall height to the handgun. For jurisdictions that do not allow high capacity box magazine possession, 10-round reduced capacity magazines are available. OEM grip modules and slides are available in black, olive drab green and flat dark earth colored surface finishes. The colored sides receive a Cerakoate ceramic surface finish. Other OEM and third party after market accessories and customization part kits include threaded barrels, screw on compensators, trigger parts, iron sight lines and magazine funnels and plates.

Variants

Echelon 4.5F

This basic full-size version has a 4.5-inch barrel and comes with a flush-fit 17-round magazine and an extended 20-round magazine. It weighs 677 g with the flush magazine, and 688 g with the extended 20-round magazine.

Echelon 4.5F Comp

This full-size integral compensated version has a 4.5-inch compensated/ported barrel and slide to reduce muzzle rise and comes with a flush-fit 17-round magazine and an extended 20-round magazine. It weighs 677 g with the flush magazine, and 688 g with the extended 20-round magazine.

Echelon TB

This full-size version has a 5.28-inch (134 mm) threaded (.5 x 28) barrel and comes with a flush-fit 17-round magazine and an extended 20-round magazine. It weighs 694 g with the flush magazine and 705 g with the extended 20-round magazine. The overall length is 223.5 mm (8.8-inch).^[5]

Echelon 4.0C

This compact model has a 4-inch (101.6 mm) barrel and a 15-round capacity with the flush magazine. It weighs 24 oz (680 g) with the flush magazine, 25 oz (708 g) with the extended 18-round magazine, is 7.25 inch (184.1 mm) long and 5.125 inch (155.5 mm) high. The reduced height and length make concealed carry easier. It is possible to mount a full-size slide on the compact model grip module.

Accolades

The Echelon was named Guns & Ammo handgun of the year and won the NASGW-POMA 2023 award for best new handgun.^[6]