EOTech owners: Poll

[Silvanus]

Wow, from all the reading I did on the subject lately (Aimpoint vs Eotech threads) I expected a lot more problems with the Eotech sights. Mine has been perfectly reliable and I wouldn't trade it for any other sight. Nothing's faster for me and I like the smaller dot for shooting at longer ranges too.

I guess I'm just an idiot for believing what I read on the internet instead of going with the information I have from personal experience

 

[kwelz]

Silvanus, I would bet most people on here haven't run their Eotechs hard. As far as I know there are very few of us on here who run classes consistently and put a lot of hard rounds through our guns.

 

[SpeedAKL]

The polls results were more positive than I thought. I have shot through an EOTech and enjoyed it; my only reservation with them is that my AR is used in part for defensive purposes and I can't afford an optic to run out of battery at the wrong time.

Azziza, you shoot a lot through your AR, I noticed that you had problems in the poll. What happened?

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Wow, from all the reading I did on the subject lately (Aimpoint vs Eotech threads) I expected a lot more problems with the Eotech sights.

That's because a lot of the posts on those threads are just repeating what they heard a guy at a carbine class say about a buddy he knows, or something they read in a review or forum some time. Very little of those stories are firsthand or reliable. When you talk to people who actually own them and aren't just repeating myths, you get a thread like this where about 95% of EOTech owners have been totally satisfied.

 

[Z-Michigan]

What Ragnar said. This poll isn't scientific, but if we assume it's fairly random among THR users, and that THR users probably shoot at least as much as average, the sample size of 68 or so is probably into the realm of statistical significance.

I expect an Aimpoint poll would show even fewer problems, but I'm relieved at how few problems are indicated by this poll.

 

[Silvanus]

Silvanus, I would bet most people on here haven't run their Eotechs hard. As far as I know there are very few of us on here who run classes consistently and put a lot of hard rounds through our guns.

That's true too, but I do and I've never had a problem with my Eotech, and neither had my buddies. What I was trying to say is that I should care less what people on the internet say and more about what I experience myself. I still think the Eotech is an excellent sight system and apparently so do many LE/Military special forces around the globe. I think that if so many units use them still they can't be that bad and prone to failure, can they? Most of these guys could buy whatever they want, as can the thousands of civilians who choose to buy Eotechs instead of something else.

Bottom line for me is I love my Eotech and will get another one for my MP5 too

 

[possum]

i had an eotech on my previous ar, it went through several carbine courses and other training/ practice without issue.

i have an eotech on my current ar that i recently finished building and testing, and i have yet to have issues with that one as well.

In the military i have been able to use all the different optics that are most common and some that are not, and i prefer the eo tech over all the other optics.

 

[General Lee]

Myths and haters is what the internet is comprised of. You will also have the people who have nothing to do with what the thread says come on and have to say Aimpoint on the thread just because thats their choice and it has to be better.

 

[kwelz]

Azziza, you shoot a lot through your AR, I noticed that you had problems in the poll. What happened?

Battery compartment problems. The batteries would lose contact sometimes when shooting causing the optic to go out. L3 was very good about fixing it they replaced the entire optic with very fast turn around. It was a few years back and I honestly forgot about it till I was digging through my closet the other day and came across the replacement they sent me. I may throw it on my M&P22. But more than likely I will trade it off or sell it.

I also had problems with the mount on a 553 but that was due to the junky ARMS mount they use for that model. Not really the fault of the optic so I don't count that.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I've got an older 552 and it hasn't given me any issues. I bought it used. In it's previous life, it lived on a duty rifle for a LEO. It's seen much use on the range and training courses before I got it, and it looks well used from riding in a patrol car's rack. Still, it works like a champ even if it does look a little beat up. Good 'nuff for me...

 

[crazyivan]

My question is do the EOTechs still drain batterys while turned off?

 

[ForumSurfer]

No idea...never measured the batteries' power, put the weapon up and measured later. Might have to try for my own curiosity now! I have pulled it out a few time and found the batteries dead, at which point I realized the second I forgot to turn it off.

Edit:: I decided I may try this for two weeks. I'll leave a second set of batteries out in a plastic case for a control group.

 

[kwelz]

I think there is a slight drain while off. It is the nature of their design. Battery life is still pretty bad on all models though. And as far as I know yet still have the auto off "feature".

 

[briansmithwins]

I have pulled it out a few time and found the batteries dead, at which point I realized the second I forgot to turn it off.

I thought the Eothing was supposed to have a auto off?

BSW

 

[benEzra]

Kyle Defoor has been running an XPS hard for some time now in the classes he teaches, and seems to be a fan of the newer models. He was pretty hard on Eotech prior to the redesigns.

http://www.kyledefoor.com/2010/01/return-of-eotech.html

He also has a post on how to fix the battery issues on the older, pre-revision Eotechs:

http://www.kyledefoor.com/2009/12/mounting-tips-and-eotech-secret.html

It seems to me that those problems were primarily related to the 512 and 552. The newer models use redesigned compartments, and you can also go with a 516/557 that uses light, short CR123 batteries, or get an XPS that uses a sideways battery that does away with the contacts-stressed-by-recoil issue altogether.

My question is do the EOTechs still drain batterys while turned off?

Not significantly, in my experience at least. Mine (late 2009/early 2010 model 516) is on the same set of CR123's I installed in February or March, and it has not blinked the "low battery" signal at me yet. I turn it on 3 or 4 days a week, usually using the 8-hour mode, but I generally turn the brightness down to a comfortable indoor level unless I'm at the range.

 

[possum]

use lithium batteries in anything that you are betting your life on.

 

[benEzra]

use lithium batteries in anything that you are betting your life on.

^^^ Definitely.

Not only do lithiums have vastly more capacity, but they have a far longer shelf life and are much more tolerant of cold weather. Alkaline batteries have drastically shorter life if they get too far from room temperature. Lithiums are also much lighter, and seem (to me) to be less prone to electrolyte leakage than alkalines.

The lithium thing is one reason I went with a CR123 sight rather than an AA model; I figured that the AA lithiums aren't significantly cheaper than CR123 lithiums, the CR123 model is shorter, and CR123 is what my light uses, so I decided to go with the 123's.

 

[Trebor]

Older "N" battery model. The batteries go dead if left in the unit between range sessions. This happens even with the unit confirmed "OFF".

I keep meaning to contact Eotech on this.

 

[Zach S]

No issues with my 552, other than battery life.

New ones are installed when the time changes - and that reminder is the only thing I like about DST.

 

[Dulvarian]

I had a windage adjustment issue with mine when I first installed it... because I didn't read the installation manual about properly counter torquing it on the rail. I reset it to factory center, put it back on, and it lined up with my BUI's where were already sighted in at 100 yards.

I have decided to just go with the same policy for smoke detectors. Change them all out when I change the clocks. I use AA's in mine, and I have dozens and dozens of new and/or rechargeable ones around. (Wii with 4 remotes, 360 with two remotes, hand-held gaming systems for the 3 kids, and five or six RC cars still living.) Guns and smoke detectors every six months, and then I just use them in something else until they die.

If you do use a sight that has a battery rupture in it, please clean the acid out with a Qtip and some baking soda and water solution. Same thing with flashlights you forgot in a drawer somewhere.

 

[Tomac]

Numerous 512's & 517's (running 517's exclusively now) and no problems w/any of them.
Tomac

 

[theinvisibleheart]

bad batch

There was a limited run of EOTech with faulty battery contacts(bad batch from a supplier).

Most of reported EOTech problems come from the following:

1. forgetting to turn it off
2. battery going bad, esp. with alkalines(alkalines do go bad via heat, deep discharging, moisture, age, etc.), and not replacing it
3. not closing down the battery compartment properly in wet environmental condition.

EOTech type sight can keep on going with cracked/broken glass unlike Aimpoint(LED)/ACOG(tritium/FO) type sights.

AA version of EOTech with side armour lasts over 1,000 hours. That's more than 100 days if you use it 10 hours/day.

Common SOP for any battery operated device should be:

1. turn it off when not in use
2. make sure the battery is good to go
3. make sure the battery compartment is closed down properly

 

[theinvisibleheart]

What Ragnar said. This poll isn't scientific, but if we assume it's fairly random among THR users, and that THR users probably shoot at least as much as average, the sample size of 68 or so is probably into the realm of statistical significance.

I expect an Aimpoint poll would show even fewer problems, but I'm relieved at how few problems are indicated by this poll.

Minimum sample size that's required is 30-50 samples, albeit sample size of several hundred is preferred.

 

[col_tapiocca]

I used to have an eotech on my Rugre PC-9.
Brightness setting on max but I still can't see the rectle at day.
I can't sent it to US for repair, because I live in europe:banghead:
(US Export restiction)

 

[Fast Frank]

I have one. I believe it's a 512- it uses AA batteries.

It does drain the batteries somewhat in the off position. If stored with batteries in the unit, they are dead after about two months.

No biggie.

I open the battery cover, and put it and the batteries on the shelf in the safe. when I want to use the rifle, i just grab the cover with the batteries already in there and stick it on. Takes a whole second.

I consider that a training/handling issue. If used properly it's not an issue at all.

As far as reliability goes, it's been rock solid. It holds zero just fine, responds correctly to adjustments, comes on when I want it to, shuts off by it's self eight hours later, and generally puts my shots right where i want them.

I think it's the perfect sight for a "M4" style carbine. It's not a scope, and doesn't do anything for long range shots, but it's very fast up close.

If mine disappeared today, I would absolutely buy another.