I took the newest of the crossover style pistols I’ve gotten -- both just this year -- to the range to shoot them one-after-the-other on a standard law enforcement qual course.
I know that police qualification tests aren’t the most stringent demonstrations of skill. They are a ritual, something that a member of service must complete satisfactorily to be able to work. Call it a baseline, call it what you want, but it’s part of the world in which we live.
I selected the Kansas C-POST course, in use for many years, as the test this time. Soon, it’ll be time for the annual retirees’ qual and some warm-up is appropriate. I didn’t use the target called for, the older FBI Q, the huge bottle. I had a lightly pre-shot IDPA target and I’d taped the holes.
The first gun fired was the Generation 6 GLOCK 45. After the G19X and the earlier G45, this gun has the Gen6 treatment which makes it feel vastly different from the earlier GLOCK products. I followed up by covering the center of the IDPA target with the NRA D-1C repair center for the NRA D-1 target. It features an 8” 10-ring, with a smaller “X” ring therein. The second gun was the new Echelon 4.0FC, with the shorter slide-barrel of the 4.0C atop the grip module of the “F” – fullsize – module. The grip module differs from the 4.5F grip module with a shorter dust cover.
Both guns were drawn from OWB holsters, the GLOCK from the Comp-Tac Warrior Holster and the Echelon from the DeSantis #195 Veiled Partner, a Kydex “pancake” with outriding belt loops.
I used an older 100-round box of Winchester-USA “White Box” 115gr. FMJ ammo for the shooting.
The results were mixed; I’m not sure if the difference in shooting was an elderly shooter losing focus or something about my interface with the Echelon grip module.
Neither was a “fail” in the qualification sense. There’s a possibility of one down on an FBI target. I don’t look at it that way.
Above, the shooting calls for shooting while moving - shown with the G45 Gen6. Below, the Echelon 4.0FC being fired with the nondominant hand, as required. The course features drawing to shoot, shooting from low ready and shooting one-handed.
The Gen6 G45 had all hits in the “-0” of the IDPA target except a sinker, low left – that’s a shooter problem.
I made it a point to shoot a picture of the target in each attempt after the fifteen-yard stage; that’s the next to the last stage of the course. Both guns were inside the -0 (the “10” ring on the repair center for the Echelon) at the end of shooting at fifteen yards. That means any hits that are out of the 8” circle came out at 25 yards.
The GLOCK with plastic sights had them all in until the 25-yard line. The one out wasn’t out far, just far enough.
With the 4.0FC, I had five hits outside the 8” 10-ring, inside that next scoring ring. Three were up and right, one was out to the right at 3 o’clock, and one low right. I had one -3, off paper on the IDPA target just below the -3 on the right side.
That’s a grip thing, allowing the gun to move during the trigger press.
Above, the group from the new-issue G45 back to fifteen yards. A single, outside the -0 at 25 yards spoiled the effort. Below, the Echelon was more scattered - less familiarity with it than with essentially the same gun carried since 2001 was likely the culprit.
So, what’s the verdict?
Essentially, they’re the same. I’d imagine that shooting the same thing tomorrow, in the same place on a similar target, the Springfield could come out on top.
As to the “crossover” type of auto-pistol – since my introduction to the Colt Commander, it’s been a favorite of mine. I know about the different in sight radius between the shorter slide and the longer one (when using iron sights). I also know that a small percentage of shooters would ever be able to take advantage of the longer sight radius.
It makes no measurable difference to me – I’m not that good a shot.
It’s more about grip and both guns have that space covered.
I’m a fan of both of these guns. As to the Gen6 GLOCK, it’s the best in terms of handling. I’m getting none of the “GLOCK-left” hits that I do with earlier versions. With the Echelon, I’m tending high and a little right – for some reason related to the interface. It’s of nearly no importance until I get on a bullseye at some distance.
You’d be well-served by either.
– Rich Grassi