When I first talked about the new Echelon 4.0C, I speculated that the “C” could interchangeably stand for “compact”, “carry”, “concealable”, etc. But now I realize that another adjective has to be put on the table for consideration — “colors”. What do I mean by that, exactly? The new Echelon 4.0C is now available in Desert Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Olive-Drab (OD) Green.
These two new offerings from Springfield Armory bring the Echelon 4.0C into the same spectrum with the full-size 4.5F Echelon. Both pistols have polymer grip frames with matching Cerakote-finished slides. We now have more choices when it comes to selecting the Echelon 4.0C — the more compact version of the award-winning handgun.
But if you’re not already familiar with the new Echelon 4.0C — let’s talk about it! The 4.0C is the newest configuration of the Echelon family of handguns. Built for concealed carry and personal protection, the smaller compact-sized Echelon packs all of the same features of the full-sized gun. There is no compromise of form or function with the smaller pistol. This includes not only the fully modular system with the Central Operating Group at its core, but the Variable Interface System for direct-mount optics compatibility, backed up by the trademark U-Dot iron sights.
Shortening the length of the pistol at the muzzle, and reducing its height (while still allowing 15-rounds in a flush-fitting magazine) makes sliding this Echelon inside the waistband a great option. The overall length is 7¼”, and the height is just 5 1/8” with a flush magazine. It weighs just 24 ounces with an empty mag, and that makes it quite comfortable to carry.
And of course, the compact Echelon still has the same exceptional trigger that breaks clean and crisp at right around 5 lbs., fully ambidextrous controls, and the ergonomic grip feels exactly the same. Still sporting a generous Picatinny rail out front with three full grooves and featuring a deeply serrated steel slide that is coated with tough Cerakote. All of this, and available in basic black, Desert FDE or OD Green. We are living in good times!
[Be sure to read Massad Ayoob’s Springfield Echelon 4.0C review for additional information.]
Fashion or Practicality?
Is choosing a gun in Desert FDE or OD Green a practical choice, or is it really a fashion statement? Let’s start with the OD Green, since it is the older of the two colors where firearms are concerned.
Being a boomer and having grown up in a military household, seeing OD Green is as familiar as seeing my dad come in the front door after his shift was over. Why the color was so popular with the Department of Defense doesn’t take much contemplation, though each branch of the armed forces had its own variation on the color. OD Green is a very nature-neutral color that blends well with most common surroundings, and is easily embellished with further camouflage. This made it very suitable in the temperate zones of the world where various shades of green can be found year-round.
The OD Green variants dominated the landscape of militaria for decades as we transitioned through WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The color is also well suited for military training and operations domestically. But then we started fighting in far-away deserts, and that changed things. There is not an absence of greens in the deserts of North America, but in the vast sands of the Middle East, anything even a little bit green can be seen for miles.
Enter Desert Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and similar tan and brown colors. Like OD Green before it, the FDE uniforms and accessories helped soldiers, vehicles and guns blend in better to their surroundings. And the same additional properties of the uniform carried forward, such as the low visibility of slight soiling or imperfections.
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So, clearly, there are practical reasons for these two colors. Also, they just simply look good. It could be argued that OD Green or Desert FDE might blend in better with street clothes — especially if the clothes are understated. This would help conceal a handgun better should a gust of wind momentarily open or lift a concealment garment. But really, I tend to think that it’s mostly a fashion choice when it comes to range use or competitions, and just personal preference for concealment.
There are some guns that to my eye, just plain look nicer in a color other than basic black. I love having choices, and the new Desert FDE and OD Green options of the Echelon 4.0C are welcome additions!
Shooting the Echelon 4.0C
Hitting the range with the Echelon 4.0C is a joy. When it came to reducing the size of the Echelon for carry, Springfield didn’t tamper with the ergonomics or reduce features and function. Despite the shorter stature of the grip and the reduced length of the slide, the recoil impulse has really not increased. The gun feels smooth and shoots flat, owing to the modular grip that can be sized to fit the shooter and has a deep scoop below the grip tang. This puts the pistol deep into the web of your hand for the best control. Of course, the recoil spring does its job quite well, too.
If you choose to use a red-dot optic on the compact Echelon, the process to install it is easy and fast. The brilliant Variable Interface System allows the optic to be installed without an adapter plate. The small cams and pins supplied by Springfield Armory make nearly every modern optic compatible just by following the simple instructions. The absence of an adapter plate also ensures that the optic is mounted as low as possible into the slide.
If you’re more inclined to like open sights, the Echelon 4.0C comes with one of the best set of sights in the industry — standard. The U-Dot sight configuration consists of a brightly colored luminescent front sight ring with a tritium insert, and an anti-glare rear sight with a U-shaped notch that is defined with a white “U” around it. This makes for a sight picture that is fast to acquire and easy to keep on target for one or two shots — or fifteen. And because it contains tritium it is effective in no-light situations. Also available are three-dot tritium variants of the 4.0C.
Summary
There is a certain feel to a compact-sized handgun. When properly designed, as in the case of the Echelon 4.0C, it has a balance and center of gravity that feels like a natural extension as you push out to the target. At the same time, it is a much-preferred size for personal protection and concealed carry that offers less bulk and weight with barely any compromise in capacity. Now that we can have all of these benefits in OD Green or Desert FDE in addition to basic black only sweetens the pot.
Springfield made a bold statement with the introduction of the Echelon and now the compact Echelon 4.0C. With the introduction of these new colors, I think Springfield is signaling its long-term commitment to the pistol and its users.
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