How to Mount a Red Dot on the Echelon Variable Interface System (VIS)
Adam Scepaniak 07.13.23
With the announcement of the Springfield Armory Echelon pistol comes an equally exciting announcement in their Variable Interface System also known as VIS. This is Springfield’s newest optics ready system that does not require adapter plates. While adapter plates have been a necessary evil for decades, most all shooters would agree that foregoing plates makes for a much more stable optic platform, lower profile to the barrel, and a higher likelihood you can co-witness with your iron sights in the event your red dot fails. So, let’s take a look at Springfield’s Variable Interface System (VIS) to see how it actually works, and mount a few optics on the Echelon.
Springfield Armory Echelon Coverage on AllOutdoor
- Springfield Armory Echelon – 21st Century Handgun Inspired by Spartans
- AO Review: Springfield Armory Echelon 9mm – 500 Round Burn Down Test
- Springfield Armory Echelon – The 21st Century Pistol We Always Wanted
- A New Challenger: Springfield Echelon Pistol Review
For starters, if you have gotten a brand new Echelon and have already fudged or lost some of the pins from your Pin Set, don’t worry because Springfield already has additional sets for sale. The 3 basic optic footprint patterns that the Variable Interface System supports are for a Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint, and Shield patterned optics. The complete Pin Set contains all 3 pin sets at an affordable price of $19.99.
The Variable Interface System (VIS) allows users to mount over 30 optics directly to the slide without the use of adapter plates. Simply configure the self-locking pins for the footprint of your desired optic to achieve a low, direct mount for improved sight picture and intuitive alignment.
The Variable Interface System (VIS) employs patent-pending self-locking pins to complete the most advanced optics mounting system on the market. As the mounting screws are torqued to spec, the pins exert lateral pressure on the optic’s interior mounting surface to eliminate variance and left/right movement. The result is an unparalleled fit between the slide and a wide variety optics.
The Springfield Armory Echelon pistol, in its 4 factory configurations, all come with the Variable Interface System (VIS) standard. When you pop the top on your slide you will find multiple threaded holes for screws, shallow cylindrical holes for pins, and self-locking pin holes towards the muzzle. The self-locking pins underneath your cover plate are already positioned to perfectly accept RMR patterned optics.
The Trijicon RMR is my favorite duty optic so that is what is on many of my personal firearms as well as the new Echelon I have reviewed in recent days. With the 2 self-locking pins in front (closest to the muzzle) plus 2 threaded screws, that is all you need to properly secure down a Trijicon RMR or similar RMR patterned optic. This pin selection is deemed “Pin Set #1” by Springfield Armory and can fit these optics as well as many others:
- Trijicon® RMR®, SRO®
- Holosun 507C-X2, 508T
- Holosun 507K, EPS
- Swampfox Kingslayer, Liberty, Justice
- Viridian RFX35
- Riton 3 Tactix PRD, 3 Tactix PRD 2
- Advanced Optics Stingray, Raptor
- Ameriglo Haven
“Pin Set #2” for the Echelon utilizes 2 self-locking pins up front and 2 round pins in the rear receptacles. This 4 post pattern was developed for the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro and will fit many other DeltaPoint Pro patterned optics as well.
- Leupold DeltaPoint® Pro
- EOTECH® EFLX™
- Bushnell RXS-250, RXS-100
- SIG SAUER® ROMEO2
“Pin Set #3” for the Springfield Armory Echelon is a 4 post system as well using self-locking pins up front with a different geometry to them as well as 2 round pins in the rear receptacles. This pin set is deployed for the extremely common Shield pattern footprint (typically thought of being used for smaller handguns). This is a small sampling of all of the optics that fit this footprint:
- Shield RMSc, SMSc, SMS2, RMSX
- Vortex® Defender
- Viridian RFX15, RFX11
- Crimson Trace CTS-1550
- Advanced Optics Spike, Nuwa
- Vector Frenzy-S
Between your Pin Set #1 (RMR pattern), Pin Set #2 (DeltaPoint Pro), and Pin Set #3 (Shield pattern) you can mount 30+ of the most popular and trusted handgun optics on the market today. The list that Springfield Armory provides is not comprehensive by any means, but it is a good list for people to reference. Most importantly, you need to look at what the Variable Interface System (VIS) is accomplishing for modern handgun shooters – they are effectively eliminating the old way of mounting optics with adapter plates. This is definitely the future of handgun optics.
So, there you have it! If you already jumped on the party bus that is the Springfield Armory Echelon, you have no excuse to not mount an optic on your firearm. The Variable Interface System (VIS) is incredibly easy to use, intuitive, and it does away with adapter plates. More importantly, the self-locking pins that Springfield Armory has designed is more secure than ever. As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
