My love for the fuzzy red halo first started with a ‘Bushnell Holosight’ around a decade ago…
As I have mentioned before in the blog, I bought myself the aforementioned Bushnell Holosight, used it practically every game and absolutely loved it. It was very intuitive to use and weighed very little. I sold it on when I wanted to raise the funds to buy a new Tokyo Marui Beretta M9A1 but have since regretted it. Not because the M9A1 is bad…far from it, it is superlative, but because it was a proper sight which worked almost exactly like an EOTech (which would cost double the amount).
Since then, well, a few mishaps on eBay have followed; including buying a clone EOTech sold as a genuine ‘Brownell’s version’ and then buying an EOTech 512 which was faulty (the fuzzy red halo disappeared in sunlight…not helpful), and had to be returned via an acrimonious eBay dispute, and thus I remained without a fuzzy red halo in my life; until I purchased a used EOTech 556 with a GG&G hood.
Now, this is a serious piece of kit. I think I paid around £280.00 for it and it was mainly funded by selling off various bits and pieces that were not being used. The GG&G hood alone is sold for about £80.00, however, the 556 model has been long discontinued and superseded with the EXPS-3 models, so it isn’t top-of-the-range, but it is a real steal item and was significantly cheaper than anything comparable on eBay at the time.
Upon arrival, I was impressed; it is weighty, the sight view was clear and it’s fuzzy red halo was not disappearing into the sunlight, which was a huge win after my last fraught foray into EOTech ownership…
With the aftermarket hood on, there annoyingly isn’t a gap to slip a lens protector into, so I have silicon-ed a tough plastic sheet over the sight window – but away from the lens glass – to protect it from strikes. I utilised the same technique to protect my Bushnell Holosight and the silicone just peels off when not required – it isn’t a permanent fixture. The controls to adjust the brightness of the sight and the NV capability are located on the left of the device; this allows a magnifier to be used behind it without compromising access to these buttons; which were traditionally found on the rear of the older EOTech sight models. On the right side of the device are the sight adjustment dials.
I debuted the sight at ‘Battle Lakes’ in Kent and was, er, distinctly underwhelmed. Having used my RS Trijicon ACOG TA01 sight for the last few games, I was used to the perfect magnification strength that this sight offered…giving me the ability to see the action from further away…and the faculty to score some hits that would be damn hard with just iron sights. And, of course, the EOTech 556, like it’s brethren, is un-magnified. I knew it had been a while since I had gamed with my faithful Bushnell, but I’d been spoilt by the RS optic and now this holographic sight actually felt like a backwards step.
On several occasions since I first used it, I contemplated selling it and sticking to the ACOG; but as I’ve always considered owning an EOTech as the pinnacle of sight-ownership…it was a quandary for me and one that did not have an obvious, affordable answer…
…As luck would have it, afterwards, during the Easter Break, I found myself in a caravan (near enough the whole family descended en masse on an Isle of Wight beach-side caravan park for a short break) chatting to the old man whilst we looked after the two sprogs safely tucked up in bed and allowing the good ladies to let their hair down at the bingo and dance floor. I was dipping in and out of (you’ve guessed it by now) eBay and up popped an ‘EOTech 3x Magnifier‘. And it was £220.00. ‘Hmm’ I thought, ‘could this be legit?’ The seller had good feedback and the pictures certainly looked kosher. It had the original box and paperwork. I offered £180.00 and we did the deal at £200.00. Lovely stuff.
Being in the possession of a replica EOTech 3x Magnifier I was relatively confident I could tell if it happened to be a fake when it arrived. It duly arrived in the post safely, in great time and to my (albeit) novice eyes, it certainly seems that it is the real deal. Considering the cheapest EOTech magnifier I have ever seen on eBay was just south of £500.00, it was not a bad deal at all. I promptly listed the clone magnifier I had bought but not yet used and a decent G&P Aimpoint clone with a replica LaRue mount, and sold them off for £70.00 shortly afterwards. I will say that I always try to pay off my large purchases by selling items they either replace or I just haven’t used. I am getting ruthless with my gear.
I debuted the EOTech combination at ‘Ace Combat’ in May. I think at least one member on my side was surprised to see that both items were actually the real thing. I was very happy to establish that the presence of the 3x magnifying device greatly enhanced the capabilities of the 556. Whilst the protective cover on the lens has reduced the crystal clear sharpness (I am sure I can upgrade on this when I find a better material to fashion a lens cover from…I say ‘me’, it is my old man who endeavours in his garage over a hot Dremel…), the ability to take longer shots and see threats from further away was exactly what I had missed without it. I was not displeased. However, with the two perched on top of the upper receiver like dark monolithic limpets, the weight of the MWS is significantly increased, whereas the same overall effectiveness can be achieved with the single ACOG – which makes it all significantly lighter. Hmm…
Would I recommend buying a RS optic? If you feel that you need the clarity, reliability and robustness a RS can offer and you can afford one and can keep it safe from potential damage, why not?! I have made my peace with the fact that I will never be able to afford nor justify buying a new (read: full price) RS sight, so finding a used one in good condition has always been my target, and I have been fortunate enough to own three very good examples, plus the RS magnifier. No, they are not indestructible and they can go wrong, but, like everything, try or check before you buy and do your research first.
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TGC - @CryeMeARiver 