On Sale - December 10, 2024
Feb / March '25 Issue: On the Cover
THE ECHELON MARCHES ON
The folks at Springfield Armory are good at a lot of things. Resting on their laurels is not one of them. In the space of about two years, the company has introduced the double-stack Prodigy, refreshed the well-respected TRP, developed the AOS sight system for 1911s and, oh yeah, reimagined its polymer-frame striker-fired pistol with the Echelon. And that’s just on the handgun side of the business. Trying to keep up with them is enough to give a magazine editor fits.
One of the things Springfield is good at—aside from designing solid, dependable firearms—is building out a product line, and that’s what it has done with the new Echelon 4.0C. If you’re keeping score at home, the original Echelon was just called the Echelon. With the introduction of the Echelon 4.0C comes a new naming convention: a number corresponding to barrel length and a letter for size. So the Echelon 4.0C is a four-inch compact while the original model is now the Echelon 4.5FS, a 4.5-inch full size pistol.
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Want to read the rest of the story? Pick up a copy of "Handguns" at your local magazine stand, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, or major book retailer.
More Inside This Issue:
NIGHT MOVES
CZ upgrades its P-09 with the new Nocturne, an optic-ready pistol with key ergonomic improvements. By: Brad Fitzpatrick
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP
The new steel-frame P320-XFive SXG from SIG Sauer is ready to take on any competition—and win. By: Richard Nance
CUTTING-EDGE CARBON
Kimber turns to carbon fiber to build the Mako Carbon Compact, with a frame as light as polymer but strong as steel. By: Brad Fitzpatrick
BODYGUARD REDUX
Smith & Wesson addresses the original Bodyguard's shortcomings with the 2.0—a vastly improved .380 that's ideal for concealed carry. By: J. Scott Rupp