The pistols were loaned to the reviewer by Springfield Armory for the purposes of this review.
But first, lets back up a little bit.
At its launch in July of 2023, the Echelon immediately established itself as a trend-setting pistol.
Springfield Armory has released the Echelon pistol in two new colors: OD Green and Desert FDE. Both have grip modules and slides that match for a uniform appearance.
This was no small feat as the market for full-size striker-fired 9mm pistols is obviously a crowded one.
But climb that hill Springfield did, and the resulting handgun made the trek well worth the effort.
[Be sure to read Massad AyoobsEchelon reviewfor additional information on the original pistol.]
The Desert FDE finish is popular with many shooters. Springfield Armory’s new Echelon in this color will likely be in high demand.
So what exactly makes the Echelon so special?
Frankly, that is not a simple question to answer.
But, lets dive in and see if we can lay out the details.
Springfield Armory is also offering the Echelon in OD, or Olive Drab, Green. This is a subdued look that offers shooters a non-flashy alternative to standard black.
This modular chassis, which employs cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, is an entirely self-contained and serialized part.
The result is a system that can be easily moved between available grip modules in seconds.
Which leads us to the next point the grip module.
As with the standard Echelon, the OD Green and Desert FDE models have fully ambidextrous controls.
The included three interchangeable backstraps are designed to fit all three grip module sizes.
While we are on the topic of ergonomics, lets discuss the fact the Echelon is entirely ambidextrous.
Further enhancing the users control of the pistol are four distinct engagement surfaces on the slide.
Springfield Armory did an exceptionally good job when designing the Echelon. Shown here in OD green, the Echelon uses a modular grip system, an innovative optics mounting system and solid reliability.
Housed within the Central Operating Group is everything needed to provide an extremely clean and crisp trigger pull.
This ensures you maintain consistent and reliable point of aim/point of impact.
Accuracy performance is ensured by a hammer-forged 4.5 barrel.
The new color finish options for the Springfield Echelon are quite attractive. The author prefers the OD Green model as seen here.
This made sense as it is a fully functional color option for a duty-style pistol like this.
But, gun enthusiasts tend to like options.
As discussed, the Echelons chassis system makes swapping out grip modules quite easy.
The result was an eye-catching two-tone option for the pistol.
Now with these two new variants, you might have the Echelon entirely in the color of your choice.
The controls, sights, optics cover plate, magazine, etc.
are still in black, creating a nice contrast against the new color.
So, I was excited to check out these new color variants.
Frankly, I have always had a weakness for green guns.
So, I was immediately drawn to the OD Green model.
Obviously, this a color change, so there was nothing new ergonomically or mechanically with the pistols.
Since I liked the all-black Echelon, I liked these new variants.
Now, that being said, Ireallylike the OD Green.
Will I be adding this one to my personal collection?
I think I will.
Conclusion
So there you have it, two new additions to the Echelon line of pistols.
And with an MSRP of $719, either is a great deal of gun for the money.
Go to forum thread
EchelonTM4.5F
EchelonTMGrip Module
