GENESEO, ILL. (03/26/24) – Springfield Armory® is proud to announce that the Echelon 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.

The Echelon sets a new standard for modern, striker-fired duty pistols. With a host of patent-pending features, this modular and highly adaptable handgun is designed around a robust stainless steel chassis and a revolutionary optics mounting system designed to direct mount more than 30 popular red dot optics.

Thoroughly vetted and rigorously tested by a team of hand-selected law enforcement officers, the Echelon 9mm scored an impressive 4.66 out of a possible 5.00 in NTOA’s testing. Simply achieving an MTR ranking alone is impressive, but the Echelon’s score placed it not only in ranking, but in the top “gold” scoring range. The Echelon is now part of a small and 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 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: “I really liked the Echelon and I believe that it is a contender in the duty pistol market. It is a comfortable shooter, and it is overbuilt in the areas a duty pistol needs to be overbuilt. During the time I spent behind it … I can confidently say that I had zero failures during my testing, which was around 1,000 rounds.”

Another officer had similarly positive feelings about the pistol. “I put over 1,000 rounds through this pistol. I have to say that I am really impressed. It performed flawlessly, with zero malfunctions. I saw little to no change in performance, even without cleaning. The firearm cycled the same from the first round to the 1,000th round. I was also impressed by the accuracy. I thought the Springfield Echelon was a solid all-around pistol that proved to be a reliable and versatile handgun.”

“We are extremely proud the Echelon 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 it faced, the top-tier ranking the Echelon received proves it truly is an unparalleled offering.”

Echelon 4.5” 9mm w/ U-Dot | EC9459B-U | MSRP: $679

Echelon 4.5” 9mm w/ U-Dot, 10-round | EC9459BLC-U | MSRP: $679

Echelon 4.5” 9mm w/ Tritium Three-Dot | EC9459B-3D | MSRP: $719

Echelon 4.5” 9mm Threaded w/ Tritium Three-Dot | ECT9459B-3D| MSRP: $739

For more information on the Echelon, please visit https://spr-ar.com/r/5608.

 

About Springfield Armory®

In 1794, the original Springfield Armory began manufacturing muskets for the defense of our young, free Republic. The Armory functioned as a firearms supplier for every major American conflict until 1968 when the government sadly closed its doors. In 1974, nearly two centuries after its inception, Springfield Armory Inc. in Geneseo, Ill. revived the iconic heritage of the Armory to carry on its legacy.

We strive to honor this responsibility as guardians of the original Springfield Armory legacy by manufacturing the highest quality firearms to enable responsible citizens to preserve their right to keep and bear arms in the defense of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

With an unmatched emphasis on craftsmanship, performance and exceptional customer service, our mission is to forge superior firearms and provide the tools necessary to defend individual freedoms and equality for those who embrace the rights and principles secured by our Founding Fathers. For more information, please visit us at: springfield-armory.com.

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For Media Inquiries:

Mike Humphries
Media Relations Manager
mike.humphries@springfield-armory.com
(309) 944-8706