Posted: 12/2/2025 10:39:04 PM EDT
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From those that own them… How do you like it? Any complaints? Any serious issues? How’s the reliability and accuracy? How’s the trigger consistency? What’s the aftermarket looking like and what upgrades do you consider necessary vs nice to have? Is it your carry gun? Why or why not? I always thought that on paper the Echelon looked to be the perfect pistol, and when I’ve handled them in stores I’ve really liked the feel. But between just upgrading my Glocks to the Gen 5 and not wanting to beta test a new firearm I never bothered to pick one up. Now it’s peaking my interest again as I’m considering moving on from Glock. Is it worth picking up? |
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Shot one for the first time weekend before last and was pretty underwhelmed. The optic mounting system is nice, but aside from that the rest of the gun just sort of ticks all the boxes you’d expect any of the quality plastic striker guns these days to tick. Just my .02. I’m at the point right now that if it’s a striker gun and it’s not a PDP it’s just wrong lol. |
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Originally Posted By GerryOwen: From those that own them… How do you like it? Any complaints? Any serious issues? How’s the reliability and accuracy? How’s the trigger consistency? What’s the aftermarket looking like and what upgrades do you consider necessary vs nice to have? Is it your carry gun? Why or why not? I always thought that on paper the Echelon looked to be the perfect pistol, and when I’ve handled them in stores I’ve really liked the feel. But between just upgrading my Glocks to the Gen 5 and not wanting to beta test a new firearm I never bothered to pick one up. Now it’s peaking my interest again as I’m considering moving on from Glock. Is it worth picking up? I've had the 4.5F manual safety version since this spring and I've put about 700 rounds through it; I've had no serious issues, the gun is reliable in my experience, I do not consider any upgrades to be necessary, and I only have a few minor things that I do not like. My gun is completely bone stock from the factory-- I haven't even tried shooting it with a red dot yet. I have used it as a carry gun, but it is not my primary carry gun because my go-to is often a micro 9 on warmer days. Honestly, if I had the 4.0C (compact version) I probably would just carry it almost all the time even if I had to dress around it a little bit. Here's a list of my take aways: The Good: -100% reliable in my experience-- I've never had a FTF or FTE. -Magazines are easy to load. -Gun is completely ambidextrous. -The gun is accurate. I consistently get good groups. -Excellent ergonomics (for me at least), trigger is very good and very consistent-- I would say it feels about the same as it did when it was brand new. -Excellent grip module and slide texturing/grip points. The grip texture works well and the factory module has small molded in "gas-pedal" like features. The slide has good serrations and deep pockets that make racking and press checks easy. -The VIS optics mounting system is really cool. I may not have tried running a red dot yet, but I played with VIS system and tried mounting one and that is better than using a plate. -The gun is smooth. The trigger, magazine release, and slide release all felt broken in out of the box, and everything just runs smoothly. The break in period is somewhat hard to define because it was so refined out of the box. -Finding a holster was easy. -There is a lot of factory parts support with slides (standard and compensated), threaded barrels, slide completion parts, and different grip modules* available on Springfield's store. *No factory replacement grip module available for the manual safety 4.5F version. -There seems to be a good amount of aftermarket parts and accessories. There are several great options for aftermarket grip modules* made out of aluminum. There are also multiple aftermarket trigger shoes and a Powder River Precision Trigger spring kit. *Unless you have the manual safety version, in which case there is really no choice. The only aftermarket module available with the cut-outs and spring plungers for the manual safety is a version of the Sharps Bros, which is reported to be a nice grip module. -Easy takedown with no trigger pull. -Tool-less removal of serialized "COG" (fire control unit) from the grip module. -Manual safety on mine is excellent. Requires intent to engage/disengage but is easy to disengage. It does not allow one to rest their thumb on it while firing though due to low profile, though this does not seem necessary. The Things I'm Not Big On: -The POI seems to be a bit higher than what I'm used to. It seems to be a standard combat hold and all shots are still in the -0 ring of an IDPA target for me, but I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin on the post. -The taken down lever was stiff when brand new. Like stiff. It is now acceptably less stiff, but it is still stiff. Not a big deal though. -The sights are not as tall as most "suppressor height" sights, but still on the tall side and it took me a little while to get used to them. This would be nice with a red dot however since they will likely co-witness with a lot of optics. -Disappointing lack of aftermarket and factory parts/upgrades for the manual safety version. -Compact manual safety version/factory grip module still not offered. As always, this is my experience with the one I have and your mileage may vary. TLDR: Great gun. Would highly recommend. Reliable in my experience and quickly becoming one of my favorites (there's just something about the 1911 that I really like). The lack of support for the manual safety version is my biggest complaint, but I brought that one on myself. |
| I picked up a 4.0c with the gear pack about a month ago. It came with five 15rd mags and a viridian green dot optic for around $600 which I think is a good deal. It has only made it to the range once but it shot real well for me. Waiting right now for the barrel and slide to come back from the DLC coater since I ported it. My hands are XL so a lot of pistols don't fit me well so being able to get a large frame was a big selling point for me. The direct mounting optic system is pretty awesome too. The gun has a lot of great features and to be honest I am surprised it is not more popular. |
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Besides my carry gun, I hadn’t owned a striker fired gun in a few years but I picked up an Echelon 4.5 a few weeks ago. Glocks don’t do it for me, I had a Zev OZ9 that I really liked but sold to a friend and kinda wanted to try something new. Sold my P320 and I dont miss it in the slightest. This pretty much left me with the PDP and M&P 2.0 (had a Gen 1 Pro series and the mechanical accuracy was horrivleas my options for popular and known striker guns. I tried a buddy’s PDP SF Match and it was nice, but the grips on PDP feel like it’s based off a piece of round tubing for me. Felt weird holding a circular object and it felt top heavy even with a steel frame. He had the long stoke recoil guide rod and it felt like the slide was slow and pushy whereas I’m used to a short and quicker slide speed. Maybe I would’ve liked the OE guide rod setup better. The trigger was ok, I’ve felt a couple and from my experience they’re kinda all over the places. Some feel great, while some were gritty and with multiple walls. Not sure why that is. And of course the price, I didnt want to really spend $1800 on a bedside gun. The M&P metal just didn’t feel right in my hands either. The mag release is one of the hardest ones for me to reach. I didn’t like how there’s no texture on the grip above the mag release where the drumstick of the thumb sits. I also hate the witness hole in the barrel hood for the LCI (also present on the PDP). Cocking serrations didn’t feel substantial enough either. Enter the Echelon. It looks like a great concept. I’ve seen them for like $550 with 5 mags and an optic, so they’re an excellent value. I particularly like the optics mounting, it is basically the same concept and execution of the mounting the Alien uses which I love. Ergonomically, everything feels great and controls are easy to reach. I know people dislike the small slide stop lever but I love them. They are small and out of the way to prevent accidental engagements, an issue I run into with Glocks. Serrations feel great. Trigger is decent 4.5 lbs out of the box and very smooth. Reset could be more positive but I’m slapping away at it to be honest. One thing I never see commented on is how tight the slide to frame fit is, it’s way tighter than the Glock, P320, P365, and my Prodigy. I forgot to check the PDP and M&P. My buddy was sighting in a brand new Glock 45 while I was sighting in my Echelon so naturally we swapped platforms. The Echelon feels like a superior firearm in all measurable physical aspects. IMO, the area where it loses out on is the aftermarket, buyers confidence to step out of the Glock ecosystem and perceived notion of reliability (that is until people start modding Glock’s which they inevitably do, just look st the aftermarket), and SA’s politics (to be fair Glock may have joined the club depending on your views of their V series). One huge plus for me is the Echelon is ergonomically very close to the Alien CELO that I mainly shoot. Grip angle, trigger reach, mag release, and the optic height above beaver are nearly identical. It was a very easy transition. |
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Originally Posted By bm3: I took mine out for the first time an it was meh , took it out again last Sunday an it grew on me. I'll put 1000 rounds down it before I make up my mind. Ran flawlessly but I just didn't get a connection with it and the trigger. |
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I bought mine a year ago? The 4.0C right when it came out. I think the ergo’s are fantastic and I like the optic mounting system. I’ve been carrying mine on and off for the past year with a delta point pro I had laying around. I originally put a vortex defender on it but had issues with it. I’ve had zero issues with mine after about 500+ rounds through it. I need to get to the range more as soon as I heal up from surgery. As much as I like Glock and my 19’s, I think it’s superior to the Glock just with the grip and optic system alone. I also think it’s proving to be just as reliable. |
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Originally Posted By GerryOwen: From those that own them… How do you like it? Any complaints? Any serious issues? How’s the reliability and accuracy? How’s the trigger consistency? What’s the aftermarket looking like and what upgrades do you consider necessary vs nice to have? Is it your carry gun? Why or why not? I always thought that on paper the Echelon looked to be the perfect pistol, and when I’ve handled them in stores I’ve really liked the feel. But between just upgrading my Glocks to the Gen 5 and not wanting to beta test a new firearm I never bothered to pick one up. Now it’s peaking my interest again as I’m considering moving on from Glock. Is it worth picking up? I have two a 4.0 and a 4.5. I love both of mine. With both of mine I've not had any reliability or accuracy issues. It has a decent trigger with available upgrades that are nice to have. Thanks to Black Friday sales, I just upgraded both of mine to the Tyrant CNC trigger. It doesn't change the pull weight but reduced the take up. It a nice to have upgrade. Aftermarket options are slowly trickling out. As it is, it's good. It can be made better with a trigger and grip upgrade. Both of mine are sporting the Sharps Bros grip with VZ Operator II Grip panels. The Sharps Bros grip by itself isn't grippy enough. The VZ Grips make it much better. I've also upgraded the recoil spring assembly that uses a metal rod instead of the plastic one. It didn't really change anything except add a little more weight to the front end. It was a cheap upgrade though and totally not necessary. The only real issue I know of is with magazines. If your running a compact you need to make sure to use compact magazines or one of the little magazine sleeves with a full size magazine. While a full size works, I've heard you can damage the extractor with over insertion. |
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I bought one a little while after they came out. Put probably 800 rds through it and really like it... so i sent it to Monsoon for a lucky 7s port. Bought a second one... and used it at classes with David Acosta and Achilles... Took my ported one to classes with Velox and Spec Train...... Thousands of rounds through both. Extremely reliable .. but cant compare to glock or M&P for aftermarket support. I would highly recommend one all day every day |
A question of etiquette... As i pass ..Do I give you the ass or the crotch..??
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Originally Posted By davidb1982: I bought mine a year ago? The 4.0C right when it came out. I think the ergo’s are fantastic and I like the optic mounting system. I’ve been carrying mine on and off for the past year with a delta point pro I had laying around. I originally put a vortex defender on it but had issues with it. I’ve had zero issues with mine after about 500+ rounds through it. I need to get to the range more as soon as I heal up from surgery. As much as I like Glock and my 19’s, I think it’s superior to the Glock just with the grip and optic system alone. I also think it’s proving to be just as reliable. I've talked to a few guys that have said they were thinking of making the switch from the Glock to the Echelon after they got some more rounds through their guns. I was impressed with the couple that I looked at. |
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| I forgot a minor issue I've had that I believe is user error-- the optics plate has come loose twice after removing the plate (not an issue from the factory). I think that I needed to use a slightly higher torque setting on my torque setting screwdriver and to use Loctite (applied sparingly per the manual). I will report back if this is an issue again. |
| I've got one and have grown to really like it. For me, it is a Glock 17 with better ergonomics, sights and optic mount. I have had Glocks for work for over 20 years. I've always shot the Glock well but never, ever cared for the way it felt in my hand. I hate Glock knuckle and we're not allowed to modify our guns at all to avoid it. Enter the Echelon. The Echelon does all the same things the Glock does, it is just much more comfortably for me to shoot. The factory trigger on the Echelon is comparable to the Glock but doesn't cause any irritation on my finger over a long day of shooting. Throw in the better sights and the much better (IMHO) optic mounting system and that is enough for me to like the Echelon over the Glock. |
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I’ve had the 4.5 for a while, maybe 500-600 rounds through it so far and it’s become my favorite pistol, I added a Patriot cnc comp and apex weighted guide rod, and Delta Point for optic. It’s accurate for me, I’m no marksman or anything but the bullets go in nice small groups for me. I do own a couple Glocks and have owned dozens over the years, I have a 19x with a Herrington comp and the GPT trigger, I enjoy shooting it almost as much as the Echelon, but the echelon grip is perfect for me so it gets the edge Attached File |
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I regard my Echelon as a Glock gen 10. I think the trigger is much better than glock even better than the perfomance trigger. The optic mounting system is the best out there. The slide serrations with the hip in the back is also the best out there. The ability to change frame sizes or run aftermarket frames is a huge plus also. I swapped in a large size frame which is so easy to do. Hammer forged barrel. I shoot matches with mine with a cheap Cyelee optic. Never any issues running all kinds of cheap ammo. It also shoots very flat. So many people ask at matches what I am shooting with remarks saying it shoots so flat, looks like there is barely any recoil etc. |
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I have the 4.5F with manual safety- which I believe is discontinued. I have a weapon light mounted and am training with it now. It will be my holster-carry sidearm but clothing covered when I don’t need as much compactness and at night. It hasn’t replaced my bedside gun which is a P250 in .40 because I prefer that caliber for home defense. Short version: Great trigger Great handling Love the aggressive and ergonomic slide design Reliable as all hell Soft shooting I prefer it vs Glock and its need for better sights and IMO inferior barrels. I have a number of XDm’s and this one is incrementally better in every area. |
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Originally Posted By Meet_Poll: I have the 4.5F with manual safety- which I believe is discontinued. I have a weapon light mounted and am training with it now. It will be my holster-carry sidearm but clothing covered when I don’t need as much compactness and at night. It hasn’t replaced my bedside gun which is a P250 in .40 because I prefer that caliber for home defense. Short version: Great trigger Great handling Love the aggressive and ergonomic slide design Reliable as all hell Soft shooting I prefer it vs Glock and its need for better sights and IMO inferior barrels. I have a number of XDm’s and this one is incrementally better in every area. Yes, the manual safety version is now a collectable. Agree on all points. |
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This is a response to a necro thread but ive had my 4.5 inch for about a month now and have had it out 3 times and honestly, I am a fan... After shooting glocks for 10 years, i could really just never get into enjoying polymer striker fired pistols/ I find mine to be very accurate just as reliable as any of my glocks. i have a mischief machine commander module coming and i may consider cleaning up the trigger. its not glock bad, but its not PDP pro good. its completely serviceable. |
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Originally Posted By NoWayOut: I regard my Echelon as a Glock gen 10. I think the trigger is much better than glock even better than the perfomance trigger. The optic mounting system is the best out there. The slide serrations with the hip in the back is also the best out there. The ability to change frame sizes or run aftermarket frames is a huge plus also. I swapped in a large size frame which is so easy to do. Hammer forged barrel. I shoot matches with mine with a cheap Cyelee optic. Never any issues running all kinds of cheap ammo. It also shoots very flat. So many people ask at matches what I am shooting with remarks saying it shoots so flat, looks like there is barely any recoil etc. I had planned to shitcan the varidian optic that came with it but surprisingly, its been ok for the first 500 rounds. i am just going to leave it on and see how long it last, and then replace it with something better. |
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Originally Posted By ShaggyNuckles: I had planned to shitcan the varidian optic that came with it but surprisingly, its been ok for the first 500 rounds. i am just going to leave it on and see how long it last, and then replace it with something better. I had to ditch my vridian due to the auto brightness not agreeing with my astigmatism very well. It seems like a fine optic otherwise, but it just won't ever work well with my eyes in lower lighting situations. |
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Originally Posted By 1iviper: i'm thinking about picking up an echelon myself and would be interested in hearing what others who have shot it have to say about it Its like you took a glock and made every bit of it about 10-15% better, which makes the whole thing considerably better. Better trigger, (much) better grip, better optic mount, better (grippier) serrations, more modular, aaaaand..same price. The midsize version is my minds eye of what the G19 should be. |
| I used to have one, gave it to my son so I still get to shoot it. I will grab another one at some point. It's reliable, accurate, and it feels good. If I could change one thing it would be making the mag release like HKs. |
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