EOTech or Aimpoint

[CPT.CRAZY]

I'm looking for a dot sight to be used with a swing mount magnifier. Would you guys go with EOTech or Aimpoint both have a great rep for durability. I hope I don't drop it out of a helo or off a mountain, but you never know.

[Rambozo]

Of the two, I would be inclined to go Eotech. I think you can get em that take AAs and a finer red dot/circle reticule.

I would ditch the magnifier idea though.

[LRRPF52]

I've used both fairly extensively in the military and the civilian side. I bought my own 551 before we deployed to OIF1, so I had my issued Aimpoint, the Eotech, and another 40mm Red Dot for my choice.

Eotech pros:

I like the Eotechs for the field of view and lack of tunneling effect.

I also like the small center dot of the Eotech, as well as the brightness range.

The Eotech has its own mounting interface in the unit.

There are at least 3 battery types to choose from with the Eotech, to include AA, N, and CR123 (Surefire or tac light batteries).

Cons with the Eotech: The ON/OFF interface on the earlier models kinda sucks, especially with gloves.

Aimpoint pros:

Easy to turn ON/OFF
Fairly durable, although I had plenty Comp M's that shut off on me right as I went to break the trigger on Army Qualification ranges for record (still got Expert using the BUIS and Aimpoint when it decided to stay on).

The dot brightness can be adjusted to any light conditions.

Cons:

Tunneling effect
Dot may be larger than some people like, though not a biggy with me.
You need to purchase a mount in addition to the optic, unless you get a package deal.

I would go with the Eotech XPS, with the drop compensator dot reticle. They are $400 and change.

[Variable]

I vote Aimpoint, but they're both good sights. I have owned both, but I prefered the Aimpoint when viewed through a PVS-14. The image just "looked" better, but I never use them that way so I guess it's a moot point. I definitely prefer the switch and battery life. I have three of them and no more Eotechs. My only complaint is the price but the new Aimpoint "PRO" looks like a heck of a deal. I might order one of them this year. I really want to buy some CompM4s's but their price is on crack....

[kamrr4437]

my personal pic is Eotech it has a 65 moa dot for cqc anything inside the big circle and your going to hit it. And i like the 1 moa dot out at greater distances. With my AR i have used the Eotech and hit a 5 inch circle of steel repeatedly at 210 yards. The aimpoint has a larger 4 moa dot so at greater distances it will cover a smaller target up. Its also true that the Aimpoint has a longer battery life. But ive had my Eotechs for about 3 years and the ones i have run on AA batteries. I usually just leave them on the whole time im at the range and im usually there about 2 to 3 hours. ive only changed batteries twice since ive had them. The other thing good about AA batteries you can find those at any store. You have to go to a specialty store to find the CR-123 or whatever is in the aimpoint. So if we did have a zombie apocalypse lol ill take AAs all day long

Keith

[Rambozo]

The other thing good about AA batteries you can find those at any store.
Keith

Not to mention rechargeable batteries.

[LRRPF52]

CR-123's are what you feed your high-intensity tac lights, so the CR-123 fed Red Dot scope allows you to keep a common battery system for all your weapon accessories.

True that AA's are common around the world, but I buy all my batteries in packs of usually well over 20+ batteries. The Eotech XPS only takes 1 battery, while the AA models take 2. They've done a lot in the way of extending battery life nowadays with digital circuitry-based power saving.

Either way, it makes sense to have extras in the battery compartment of your Magpul pistol grip, or Magpul/VLTOR/LMT/etc. telescoping stocks. CR-123's are common camera flash batteries, and are sold at most stores, but may not be at your local gas station. For those that use Tac Lights and weapons accessories that run on CR-123's, I suggest the Surefire spare battery carrier as well.

[VASCAR2]

I prefer the E O tech and I have a 512 and use AA Lithium batteries with excellent results. I use a E O Tech 511 on my AR 22 training rifle. I recently bought a Vortex strike fire that I put on another AR 22. The Votex is very similar to the Aimpoint but way cheaper. The Vortex I bought has a 4 MOA dot and a night vision setting. I tried the night vision with a PVS 13 IIRC and it worked really well. I still prefer the E O Tech and if I were buying now I'd probably buy the one with single 123 battery.

[QuadCam]

I looked at both and found the eotech to be much easier and faster to pick up the reticle. I also liked the small 1 moa center dot of the eotech, too. I ended up buying the xps 2-2 model eotech. Found it on sale for about $415, brand new!!! I wouldn't recommend that model though. It has 2 1 moa dots within the 65 moa circle. the second dot is a BDC set for 300 yards (iirc) firing a 5.56, I find that the second dot draws my eye away from the primary center dot. Also, when the brightness is turned up, that causes the 2 dots to bleed out and into eachother. With a magnifier, it probably is less of an isue though. Also, i have a pretty strong correction in my eyes and that makes seeing close up (clearly) more challenging.

Basically, go with a standard eotech with the single dot within the circle.

[txgunner00]

I have learned that in fast action moving engagements, such as a helo hog hunt, the EOTech is king. On the recent trip I took there were a variety of optics being used including EOTech, Aimpoints, Acogs, T-1 micros, 1-4x combat scopes and others as well as iron sights. At the end of the day, the consensus of the group was the EOTech was the best optic for that particular situation. This group I was with was not just a bunch of bubba hunters. There were combat veterans, firearm and defense instructors, law enforcement officers and a gun store/range owner amongst us so the knowledge and experience base was vast.

On a related note, I was watching a show on the Coast Guard the other day and noticed they had EOTechs on their M107s for taking out boat engines from a helicopter.

[CPT.CRAZY]

Looking at the replies and the I got a chance to use both and picking up the dot on the EOTech is much faster and easier plus not looking down a tube helps keep situation awareness.

[txgunner00]

I just picked up an xps2-0. I had previously settled on an xps2-2 until I read QuadCam's post. Looking forward to giving it a run at a carbine match at the end of this month.