The Springfield Echelon pistol was released today, and it’s a significant step forward for Croatian manufacturer HS Produkt. In an effort to appeal to new military and police tenders as well as introduce a forward-looking new design, the company has brought out a pistol based on a serialized chassis like that of the SIG P365 and P320. HS Produkt recognized that their previous design (the XD and XD-M in the US and the HS2000 and HS9 in Europe) was falling behind. Its grip safety was getting it rejected from a lot of major tenders, but rather than just made a new versions without that element, they chose to move to a whole new platform. Work began about 2 years ago, and it is now ready for market.
For now, the Echelon is available only in this basic configuration, although that does include a lot of premium features – light rail, ambi controls, tritium front sight, and an optics mounting plate. A threaded barrel is also available separately. In the future, I have no doubt we will see a wide variety of other configurations from subcompact to oversize competition models – that is one of the core strengths of the chassis system, after all.
“(…)Echelon(…)”
Whilst reason for having common name for European and U.S. markets was given, I wonder why they elected to name it echelon, according to https://archive.org/details/con00ciseoxforddicfowlrich meaning of word is Formation of troops in parallel divisions, each with its front clear of that in advance
Is there precedent of naming fire-arm after any formation?
3:05 “we don’t see one from Beretta”
In fact you do see one from Beretta in US, the APX A1, which is in fact now solely manufactured at Beretta USA in Greensboro, TN, and then EXPORTED to Europe. The first chassis pistol was the Chinese Type 92 in 5.8 mm and then its 9 mm export sisters by Norinco, then it was the Austrian Steyr pistol by Bubitz (1999 – two years after Chink patent was released), Beretta Nano/Pico – and only then the “practically pioneering this style SIG-Sauer” (BTW the first chassis SIG was the 250, then came the 320 and 365)
Correction: Beretta-USA pistols are made in Galantin, TN, not Greensboro. And the they offer Pico, Nano, APX full size and APX A1 Carry subcompacts. That makes four Beretta chassis pistols offered in USofA
What SIG-Sauer did, was popularizing the design method of a chassis pistol. But as you say, most certainly not the first of the type. That prize goes to Herr Bubits and Steyr. Who never really capitalized on the design and patent and really took marketshare. Not bad sales, but it could have been more IMHO. I guess a Glock was already there, when Steyr came.¯ \_(ツ)_/¯
Another Correction: The Beretta APX A1 is produced in Italy while the APX A1 Carry is produced in Gallatin, TN.
Don’t forget the little KelTecs – P32 & P3AT. Was really surprised Ian forgot about the Steyr.