After Glock and CZ, the list of manufacturers offering pistols with factory-milled A-CUT interface and paired with the innovative Aimpoint COA fully enclosed red dot sight is growing: Springfield Armory has just dropped three new COA-equipped variants of its 9mm Echelon pistol, with 1911 & 1911 DS COA models already announced and coming soon.
To summarize: the Aimpoint COA mini red dot sight can be mounted directly without additional adapter plates. The A-CUT in fact integrates directly into the pistol slide via a full-length dovetail secured by a front hook and rear wedge. Thanks to this wedge-locking mechanism, lateral forces are transferred into the dovetail, reducing stress on screws and mounting interfaces while delivering high durability and reliable zero retention. The ultra-low mount also enables co-witnessing with iron sights. In a compact and lightweight package ideal for concealed carry and sport shooting, the Aimpoint COA features a crisp 3.5 MOA dot and over five years of battery life – in case, the quick-access battery compartment allow for battery changes without having to remove the sight.
Moving on to the Springfield Armory Echelon, the 9mm striker-fired, polymer-framed duty pistol is designed around a robust and precision built stainless steel chassis: the Central Operating Group (COG) is entirely self-contained and serialized, allowing it to be easily moved between grip modules in seconds. All critical components are machined from tool steel and highly polished for a clean take up, defined wall, crisp break and short, positive reset. The COG also features a unique second sear design to help prevent unintentional discharge should the firearm be dropped.
The three new COA-equipped variants of the Echelon introduced by Springfield Armory are the Echelon 4.5F with 4.5” barrel and 17-round capacity (20-round with extended magazine); the Echelon 4.0FC with 4” barrel and 17-round capacity (20-round with extended magazine); and the more compact Echelon 4.0C with 4” barrel and 15-round capacity (18-round with extended magazine). All models also come with black serrated front & rear sights and carry the same price, $1,119 (MSRP in the US), which includes the Aimpoint COA red dot.
