Springfield Armory® is proud to announce that the compact Echelon™ 4.0C 9mm pistol has received the highest “gold” ranking in the “Member Tested and Recommended” (MTR) program of the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA). The NTOA is a non-profit organization with tens of thousands of members dedicated to serving the law enforcement community by providing credible and proven training and information resources.
At its launch in mid-2023, the full-size Echelon 4.5F 9mm set a new standard for modern, striker-fired duty pistols. With a host of patent-pending features, this modular and highly adaptable handgun was designed around the serialized “Central Operating Group” chassis that allows for easily swapping out grip modules, and the revolutionary “Variable Interface System” designed for direct mounting more than 30 popular red dot optics.
Now, with the newly released compact Echelon 4.0C 9mm — with its shorter 4” barrel and compact grip module housing a flush-fitting 15-round magazine (and packed with an additional extended 18-round magazine) — users have a duty-grade pistol designed for deep-cover carry.
Thoroughly vetted and rigorously tested by a team of hand-selected law enforcement officers, the compact Echelon 4.0C 9mm scored an impressive 4.51 out of a possible 5.00 in NTOA’s testing. Simply achieving an MTR ranking alone is remarkable, but the compact Echelon’s score placed it in the very top “gold” scoring range. The Echelon is now part of an exclusive group of firearms deemed deserving of the NTOA’s law enforcement-oriented MTR program.
Tested products that receive the MTR ranking are given a “standard” rating from a score of 3.00 to 3.99, “silver” from 4.00 to 4.49, and a “gold” rating with a score from 4.50 to 5.00. The information and full review of the Echelon 4.0C are available for viewing by NTOA members in the group’s Member Tested and Recommended online database.
During testing, one law enforcement reviewer commented as follows: “The more time I spend with the Echelon 4.0C, the more I like it. I experienced consistent, accurate shot placement. Reloads were easy, and I experienced zero malfunctions after hundreds of rounds. I didn’t clean it between trips to the range and still had no problems. Definitely give the Echelon a try! I confidently recommend it and will add it as a consistent off-duty option.”
Another officer had similarly positive feelings about the pistol. “I think the most intriguing technology of this pistol is the optics mounting system. The gun comes with all the hardware needed to mount multiple optics directly to the slide. No need to buy any mounting plates. I threw on a Trijicon RMR and have had no issues with the optic loosening or coming off.”
“We’re extremely proud the Echelon 4.0C received the esteemed MTR gold ranking from NTOA,” said Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing for Springfield Armory. “Considering the rigorous and demanding testing standards of the MTR program, this award shows that this new variant of the Echelon truly delivers duty-grade performance in a compact and concealable package.”
Echelon 4.0C 9mm w/ U-Dot | EC9409B-U | 706397981860 | MSRP: $679
Echelon 4.0C 9mm w/Tritium 3-Dot | EC9409B-3D | 706397984328 | MSRP: $719
Echelon 4.0C 9mm w/ U-Dot, 10-round | EC9409BLC-U | 706397982515 | MSRP: $679
Echelon 4.0C 9mm w/ U-Dot, 15-round | EC9409B-U-15 | 706397982522 | MSRP: $679
Echelon 4.0C 9mm Threaded w/Tritium 3-Dot | ECT9409B-3D | 706397982546 | MSRP: $739
For more information on the Echelon, please visit https://spr-ar.com/r/6205
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