Tested: Echelon 4.0C Comp 9mm

In today’s article, Jeremy Tremp gets his hands on the new Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C Comp pistol chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge. The gun was provided to the author by the company for this review.

Today, we are shooting flatter, faster and more controlled, all while maintaining a compact form ideal for concealed carry. I am, of course, speaking of the new Echelon 4.0C Comp 9mm.

The Echelon 4.0C Comp follows in the footsteps of its big brother, the Echelon 4.5F Comp, and is based on the 4”-barreled 4.0C compact Echelon. Engineered with precision for reliability, accuracy and control at the forefront, the Echelon 4.0C Comp carries over all the R&D and perfection from the full-size Echelon Comp, and brings it to you in a more compact form factor.

Sized Right

I’ve been a big fan of the Echelon 4.0C since its release in late 2024. The Echelon 4.5F, being my go-to sidearm for training, has proven itself to be a reliable, and accurate platform that I trust my life with. The Echelon 4.0C brings the same level of performance and trust, but in a more concealable package. With the Echelon 4.0C Comp, now you can own the ultimate version of the Echelon platform with an integral compensator in a concealable size.

We are certainly spoiled with options these days when it comes to firearms. For every carry position, hand size or situation, we have a great solution from which to choose. In the past, if you wanted a compensator on your carry pistol you needed an aftermarket threaded barrel as well as a compensator to attach. You then had to hope your ammunition would still cycle, or you needed to mess with your springs to regain some reliability. In the past, I eventually gave up on most aftermarket compensators because reliability went out the window.

With Springfield offering factory compensated pistols, it’s a huge win for those of us looking for every advantage on the range or in a defensive situation. And rather than an attachment hanging off of an extended threaded barrel, you have an integral compensator cut directly into the slide and barrel, and made up of a single port located behind the front tritium/luminescent dot sight.

The Sweet Spot

At the heart of all Echelon pistols is the Central Operating Group, a self-contained stainless steel serialized chassis. This system allows you to easily swap the chassis, which is the “firearm” due to being the serialized part, in out of available grip modules with ease.

The Echelon 4.0C Comp comes in a “small” grip module and three interchangeable backstraps, but medium and large modules are offered on the Springfield Armory Store.

[Learn more about the Springfield Echelon grip modules here.]

The slide is billet-machined, comes with a black Melonite finish and is topped off with the integral compensator cleanly cut into the nose. The Melonite hammer-forged 4” barrel mirrors the slide cut with a single port cut to precisely vent gasses up and out of the top of the pistol, enabling faster follow up shots with less muzzle rise.

The 4.0C Comp ships with two magazines right out of the box: a 15-round flush fit for discreet carry, and an 18-round extended mag for when concealment takes a back seat to capacity. The 4”hammer-forged barrel is built for accuracy and durability, and the tritium/luminescent front sight pairs with a U-Dot rear to make target acquisition intuitive in all light conditions.

With an overall length of 7.25”, a height of 5.125” and weighing in at 24 oz., the Echelon 4.0C Comp hits a sweet spot. This isn’t just a compact version of a bigger gun; it’s a fully capable, red-dot ready, compensated workhorse built to carry every day.

When you look at the compensator built into the Echelon pistols, you can immediately see the precision and thought that went into this design. The machining of the slide and barrel match up perfectly, ensuring the compensator works as efficiently and reliably as possible. The opening in the slide is not just on the top, but also extends to the left and right down the sides of the slide. You will also notice that the front of the vent is shaped like a ramp going forward towards the muzzle.

These subtle design choices ensure the high-pressure gases are pushed up and out, counteracting the inherent muzzle rise when a pistol recoils after being fired. As the slide moves rearward, the pistol wants to flip up and back in your hands, but by venting the gas out of the top of the slide it helps push the pistol back down. As you can imagine this makes shooting multiple shots in succession much easier, while also offering exceptional accuracy in the process.

Hands-On with the Echelon 4.0C Comp

On the range shooting the Echelon 4.0C Comp, I was immediately impressed. The smaller the pistol gets the more difficult it is to control, and while the Echelon 4.0C isn’t really considered a “small” pistol, it is smaller than its full-size counterpart. Adding the compensator to the Echelon 4.0C helped bring the shooting experience closer to what I get from my full-size Echelon 4.5F. Don’t expect it to totally delete recoil but rather to take some of the edge off, enabling you to feel more confident on placing those accurate follow-up shots.

The beautiful thing about a factory compensator is that Springfield already did all the work figuring out how to make this pistol as reliable as possible. I’ve run 115-gr., 124-gr. and 147-gr. loads through it with no issues in reliability. In fact, a compensated pistol generally feels best with the lighter, faster ammunition as it increases the effectiveness of the compensator. On the other hand, a non-compensated pistol shooting heavier, slower ammunition generally feels like a softer shooting experience.

I think Springfield hit a sweet spot with the size of the Echelon 4.0C. I have average-sized hands, and I think the pistol fits perfectly in my hands for a compact. For those with larger hands, the Echelon ships with an extended 18-round magazine that carries over the adaptive grip texture, giving you extra grip surface. Also, there are the aforementioned larger grip modules as well.

The Echelon 4.0C is only slightly larger than my Hellcat Pro, making it a fantastic option for an everyday concealed carry pistol that is based on the Echelon platform. I find the Echelon 4.0C Comp a bit more controllable than the Hellcat, which is designed to be as compact as possible. They both have specific purposes in my rotation depending on my wardrobe, but I really appreciate what the Echelon 4.0C Comp brings to the table in terms of control.

Beyond control and handling, the Echelon pistols employ the Variable Interface System which enables you to mount just about any pistol red dot optic on the market, directly to the slide without any adapter plates. What’s more, the vast majority of optics will also co-witness with the factory tritium U-dot sights. This gives you the best of both worlds in terms of tech and redundancy.

My Echelon 4.0C Comp is set up with a Vortex Defender-CCW red dot, which matches the ethos of the Echelon — ready for anything. I’ve also tested the Echelon 4.0C Comp with a Surefire XC3, which fits and operates flawlessly. Surefire is a company I’ve grown to trust implicitly with their weaponlights, and the XC3 lives up to that name’s sake in every way.

My Echelon 4.0C Comp is generally carried with an appendix holster or an off-body Viktos Upscale 3 sling bag. When I carry in the waist band, I utilize the 15-round flush fit magazine to keep as low a profile as possible and avoid printing. Concealing the Echelon 4.0C is quite easy and fairly comfortable to carry all day. It’s that sweet spot between capability and concealability.

Drawing from concealment is intuitive. The Springfield Armory Adaptive Grip Texture provides excellent traction without tearing up your skin, and the natural angle makes acquiring a solid master grip easy under pressure or on a timer. The presentation is smooth and direct, with the red dot consistently landing in my line of sight. When I press the trigger, the recoil feels linear and controlled. Instead of a snappy jump, the slide tracks back with authority. The comp helps bring the muzzle back down. It’s the kind of performance that builds confidence over time, especially when you start pushing speed and accuracy at the range.

Conclusion

The Echelon 4.0C Comp strikes a rare balance. It’s not simply a compact version of a full-size. It’s a fully realized system built for real-world use. It’s configurable, durable, optics-ready and engineered with intention. From the modular core to the integrated compensator, it reflects Springfield Armory’s forward-thinking approach while staying rooted in reliability. Add in that integral compensator, and you have a serious EDC pistol.

In the ever-expanding sea of carry pistols, the Echelon 4.0C Comp has carved out its place. It’s a firearm that doesn’t ask you to compromise. Whether you’re looking for an everyday carry solution, a range performer or a defensive tool ready out of the box, this pistol delivers.

And if you ask me, it might just be Springfield’s most versatile pistol to date.

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