I was issued one for 10 years. It performed admirably. I really like the circle dot and ours were all absolute co-witnessed, not 1/3 co-witness. I prefer absolute, as there is no change to head position or cheek weld when transitioning to irons. Our Colts had the fixed front sight, and yes it was visible in the Eotech, but who cares, its visible when using the iron sights. Lol

When using the Eotech and you're focused on the target, as you should be while using it, the front sight is just a slight fuz and not even noticeable when shooting at speed. We did use a folding rear sight.

 

I had an EOTech 512 for a few years. I loved the sight picture and the large field of view through it (helps when using back-up irons), and it was full co-witness as well. What I didn't like was the weight and the horrible battery life with AAs. I've never tried one of the smaller EOTech sights using specialty batteries so I don't know if they're better in that regard.

 

I currently have an EXPS3 mounted on an 8.5” 300BLK AR. I like it, but the extra height does make the co-witness in the lower 1/3, if that bothers you. The one thing about the XPS3 is that it is on the heavy side, and the EXPS3 is heavier still.

In regards to battery life, the CR123 battery seems to have a decent life. I’ve had the sight for a few years and am still on the original battery.

 

The E in EXPS means that it sits about 7mm higher than the XPS. Also it comes with a quick release lever mount. I have both the XPS and EXPS. Usually I go for the XPS for cheaper price.

I haven’t looked at EOTECH lately but if you want night vision capability then you have no choice but to go with the EXPS3. As far as I know there is no XPS3.

I have one EXPS3 not because I care about night vision compatibility but several years back, only the EXPS3 comes in tan and I wanted a tan one to match my FDE Colt LE6920.

I think I have two EXPS2 that I bought on Christmas sales and several XPS2.

On non-AR guns the elevated base of the EXPS line might come in handy such as the Tavor X95 or SAR. With the XPS, you have to crunch your neck down quite a bit. With the EXPS, it was a lot better with the cheek weld.

 

As far as battery life goes, there is a parasitic drain on these types of holographic sights. My sole Vortex UH1 is deader than a door knob after two years of sitting unused. Frankly I don’t know when it died but last week when I checked it out and that was about two years since I picked up that particular gun..,battery was kaput.

I think that my older EOTECH XPS2s (2014-15 purchase) last between 6-months to a year UNUSED. The newer EOTECH (purchased 2018-19) so far had gone year to
Year and a half without being drained parasitically.

I think that with my EOTECHs from now on I will unscrew then battery caps do that they don’t make contacts and drain the batteries. When I want to shoot, I’ll just screw the caps tight. And no, I’m not worried about fumbling for it during the night if SHTF. I have other ready guns, and if an EOTECH mounted gun were in my ready rotation then I’ll swap batteries out more often.

It’s nice to have an Aimpoint or MRO where you can just leave the red dot on for years...but then when you shoot the gun equipped with EOTECH sights and it’s like, “hallelujah, thank you Jesus, for the exceptionally clear lenses and the awesomely quick reticule!!!”

That said, I still have MROs and Aimpoint PROs/Micros.

 

I put a Kahles RDS on my REC-7 the other day.

Going to take it out and do a shakedown run on it today. Look for the range report. I am impressed with what I am seeing so far as to build quality. And it weighs about nothing.

 

Think I am going to pick up the XPS2.

Thanks for all the reply's everyone, great information, was very helpful in making my decision.

 

Eotech improved their holographic sights considerably the last few years. I think that the delamination issue is dealt with. Parasitic drain is still there but much less than before. The thermal drift issue was addressed too. It’s still there but much less than before. Even the vaunted Aimpoint and Trijicon red dots have thermal drifts up to 2-MOA. They just didn’t lie about it like EOTECH did.

Another thing is parallax. People think that red dots don’t have parallax but in fact they do. Some have quite a bit more than KNW would think like the older aimpoint T1/H1, PRO, M68. Leupold LCO and Trijicon MRO also have a good portion of parallax. About the only one that is practically parallax free is the EOTECH sights. The newer T2/H2 are also improved considerably over the T1/H1 but not quite matched EOTECH.

What this means is that at longer than contact ranges, one can miss due to parallax if one’s shooting eye isn’t very close to the middle of the red dot lenses.

 

Its a big, heavy sight with a 'checkered past'. Especially on a pistol I can't see using an Eotech. That concept is simply a thing of the past, and the company cheated our troops and everyone else so I don't consider them at all now.

 

Parallax is present in most every optic. If you have a front sight post just practice with the goal of shouldering the weapon so that your dot is in close proximity to the tip of the front sight post for longer shots.

As to weights, its interesting to hear some get wrapped up in the weight of an optic. The Eotech is not a micro dot optic like you would mount on a conventional handgun, but the XPS2 is not nearly as heavy as many other popular sights used on AR15's. Heres a few weights (in ounces) to digest from heaviest to lightest:

Vortex G1 1-6 = 28
Vortex G2 E 1-6 = 21
Leupold VX6 1-6 = 16
Vortex Spitfire AR = 15.4
Trijicon TR24 1-4 = 14.4
Trijicon TA31 ACOG = 12
Aimpoint PRO = 11.6
Eotech 512 = 11.5
Eotech XPS2 = 9
Aimpoint comp M5 = 8.4
Vortex SF II = 7.2
SIG Romeo 5 = 5.1
Trigicon MRO = 4.1
Aimpoint T1/H1 = 3.7

The weights of the traditional variable power optic does not include a mount, which can weigh as much as some of the Red dots.

 

The weight of the Eotech was not a big factor for me, sure I want the pistol reasonably light but as you have shown in your post, optic weights are all over the board.


I was amazed to see the prices spike up between 35 and 70 dollars in the last week or so with lead times from one to three months. Thank goodness I got one ordered before the spike, should have it in 10 days or so.

 

I’ve been shooting this XPS-1 since they came out without any problems. With cataracts developing in my 66 year old eyes my projected red dots have become blurry with multiple dots whereas the XPS-1 has held it’s image for me and you just can’t beat that window.

 

I’ve been shooting this XPS-1 since they came out without any problems. With cataracts developing in my 66 year old eyes my projected red dots have become blurry with multiple dots whereas the XPS-1 has held it’s image for me and you just can’t beat that window.

View attachment 589180

.22LR? What BCG is that?

 

If you want the absolute best in speed and accuracy, the EoTech is the hands down winner.
If you want always on, long term battery life, an Aimpoint or similar is the way to go. You do sacrifice a small amount of speed and accuracy.

The "parasitic" battery usage of the EoTech is pretty rudimentary electrical engineering. It uses laser emitters to create tbe holographic image. Its power intensive. No current technological way around that.
Aimpoint and similar red dots use a single LED diode, reflected off a mirror into the field of view. Minimal power requirements....

 

Eotech red dot sights....

I have and use red dot sights on several of my firearms....none of which had a retail cost over $250 dollars. I have a C-more railway, a Burris Fastfire 3, a Vortex Venom, and an older Tasco Pro Point red dot scope that is no longer being used.

I have always wondered why the Eotech was double the price or more...especially if the battery life is not that great...???

 

I have and use red dot sights on several of my firearms....none of which had a retail cost over $250 dollars. I have a C-more railway, a Burris Fastfire 3, a Vortex Venom, and an older Tasco Pro Point red dot scope that is no longer being used.

I have always wondered why the Eotech was double the price or more...especially if the battery life is not that great...???

The EoTech is a much more complex optic. Laser emitters are more expensive than a single LED. They're also more power intensive.

The advantage is the speed and accuracy the wide FOV circle-dot provides. Having trained several hundred in advanced CQB using optics over the years, the results are consistent- the same shooter, with the same rifle, will regularly produce more accurate, tighter groups with an EoTech than with an Aimpoint. The difference is enough to quantify - faster split times and smaller groups...
The question is does this difference justify the shorter battery life? Thats a very individual, situation dependent question. My go-to-war guns have always had EoTechs- and I own 2. My easy access, bump in the night AR sports an Aimpoint; its always on and at HD distances, the slightly larger groups don't matter.

 

I once read that the glass on the EOTECH is there only to protect the electronics from the elements. The article said that it will operate without the glass or with cracked glass.

 

True, from my experience.
In 2006, I caught a facefull of RPG fragments. One shattered the front lens of my EoTech. The largest intact segment was in the upper left corner, about 1 cm². The targeting reticle "moved" to this segment, and while smaller than normal, still spot on accurate. After the engagement, we took the rifle and optic to the range. Multiple shooters fired it from 25-100m. All shot par groups with it.

In addition to the optic still "working", when I called EoTech, they immediately offered a free replacement. They were not allowed to ship to an APO- its "restricted " technology per the State Department. What the DID do is FedEx, next day air, 8am delivery the replacement to a friend CONUS, who then used DHL to get it in theater as quickly as practical....
Whatever issu they may have had, they go above and beyond, bust butt to make is right....

 

NOT an AR, but same concept. And I run T-1's on everything.

If you like EOTech's, stick with 'em.

 

It’s all about the laser.

 

I do not shoot high speed games and I’m far too old to be in the sand box. We operate a Sig 516 Pistol with the shorter 7 inch barrel variant (5.56) which we stamped when the third round of “pistol/SBR” controversy occurred. We (we being family trust) have the 3x (fold over) magnifier installed with the optic. It works great for its intended purpose. My issue is I forget and try/expect to shoot true high power scope accuracy at 100 yards. You can’t shoot dimes that far if you can’t really see them. You can shoot reasonable size targets (the intended application) with an Eotech. Our gun is an inside the wire weapon, I have to remind myself of that. We have other/better long guns with true magnified optics for small targets down range! Our Eotech x3 lives exactly where it belongs.

 

Youre never to old to fight for your life. If that were true you would be dead already. We dont need olympic sprinters or John Wick wannabees. If you can keep your cool and hit the target thats good enough.

I pray it does not come to that.... I pray alot! Right now we just need people to show up, walk, hold signs etc. If it gets hot though I will be right there with you. Will that happen? Probably... at some point this keg is going to blow and there is a lot of work to do.

The Sand box? Lots of older overweight guys handled it just fine. People have this notion that everyone was some sort of super soldier over there. Thats was just not the reality in most cases. Good men but they were not anything you dont see everyday in terms of fitness. Your average air conditioner repairman or landscaper could probably hack it pretty easily. People who know how to work.

This aint the sandbox though. Anyone with Military, LE, Hunting experience will have a cake walk in terms of physicality and movement through terrain.

So dont sell yourself short. You can do it.

 

Update - received the XPS2 and it looks like it was a display or I am the second owner. Outer frame was dented and tool marks on the sight adjustment screws, box all beat up. Sending it back tomorrow for a refund.

Not to many XPS2 out there or are way up in price, so I ordered an EXPS2 for about $10 more and another week wait. Think I will like the side controls on the EXPS better and maybe a magnifier in the future anyhow.

Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

If it’s only $10 more then the EXPS definitely is worth it. The side buttons are easier to use plus the quick release mount is nice to have.

 

I like mine. I've had mine for five years now.