The Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C is a compact striker-fired 9mm built for concealed carry and plainclothes duty. It has an MSRP of $710. The serialized part is the Central Operating Group, a self-contained chassis that lifts out of the frame, so the grip module around it can be changed later without a second purchase or a second transfer.

The slide takes a dot without an adapter. The Variable Interface System in it uses movable pins, so leading red dots bolt to the metal and sit as low as the cut allows. Tritium and luminescent U-Dot irons are fitted over a Tactical Rack rear that is square enough to rack the slide one-handed against a belt. Two magazines come in the box, a 15-round flush one and an 18-round extended one, so carry and nightstand use are both covered. The grip module on this build is the small one, which keeps the butt short enough to hide under a shirt and also leaves a large hand short of the flush magazine's floorplate. No manual safety is listed for this version.

If you are cross-shopping, the Springfield Armory Echelon Alpha 4.0C has the same frame, barrel and slide for an MSRP of $599, giving up the tritium front sight and the second magazine. The Glock G19 Gen5 MOS sits in the same size class at 23.81 oz with a 4.02-inch barrel, and it mounts optics through plates, but its holster and parts market is decades deeper.