AR-15 compact optic help, EOTech XPS-3 or an Aimpoint H-1?

smitty

smitty

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Looking for a small red dot type scoep for my 16' LW AR rifle. My upper is a Rock River Arms UTE-2 so it has both front ant rear sights, but still has the rail. It has to be able to "Co Witness" both the front & rear irons. The compact contenders are the EOTech XPS-3 VRS. the Aimpoint H-1 with the American Defense mount. Should I go with a 1 MOA dot with a 65 MOA circle or just the simple 4 MOA red dot? The EOTech shouldn't need a mount or riser. Battery life is not a real issue as the EOTech has 600 hours and the Aimpoint will last 50,000 hours. I could leave the Aimpoint on all the time.
What do you all think?
Thanks,
smitty
 
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Honestly... it's really personal preference. As for the reticle... you'll have to just try out the different optics. Obviously Aimpoint has the advantage with battery life... but if you like the Eotech reticle better, then you should go with that one.

I have 2 AR's... one with an Eotech 65MOA circle and 1MOA dot reticle... and one with an Aimpoint T-1 on a Larue tall mount. I personally like the Aimpoint reticle better... but don't mind the Eotech at all (I shot an appleseed with the AR and Eotech out to 400 yards and that 1MOA dot sure was useful... I got the Rifleman patch that weekend!) You're welcome to check both of mine out and see which you prefer. I think that's the only way to really decide [grin]
 
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I too have and use both. The Aimpoint H-1 on LaRue mount, and an EOTech 512. As far as the aiming goes, I love the EOTech's sight for CQB and close fast moving stuff, the single Red dot is good when shooting distances; for me, from 25 yards to 400. I have them zeroed at 50/200 yards, but the EO Tech is super fast with close quick moving stuff.

Also I want the XPS type bad, but I can't get over how WIDE it is.. The standard EOTech 512/552 and 511/551 are 1.8" wide, but the XPS are 2.4" wide. This may not matter to some people, but it has haunted my decision for a while. I would try to meet up with someone who has these sights to check them out if possible.
 
Interesting... I never realized the XPS was wider than the 512. I have the 512... and had the XPS for my other AR before replacing it with the Aimpoint... and never really noticed a difference between the 512 and XPS.

EDIT: upon looking at the Eotech website... I'm going to bet they made a typo with their specs on the XPS. I just measured my 512 and there's NO WAY the XPS was that much wider.
 
Hanwei said:
Interesting... I never realized the XPS was wider than the 512. I have the 512... and had the XPS for my other AR before replacing it with the Aimpoint... and never really noticed a difference between the 512 and XPS.

EDIT: upon looking at the Eotech website... I'm going to bet they made a typo with their specs on the XPS. I just measured my 512 and there's NO WAY the XPS was that much wider.
Click to expand...

Got a caliper laying around?? [smile]
 
Well... I no longer have the XPS... gave it to my brother... (I've actually been trying to get in touch with him to have him measure the XPS [smile])
 
The XPS is 2.0" wide at the back and front. However, the battery cover is slightly offset and sticks out to the right a bit - that may account for the 2.4" measure they have, but it doesn't stick out 0.4". My guess is total width would be 2.1" or 2.2" max overall.


Oh, and I'll agree with the above that the EOtech is great for up-close, cqb, fast paced, or moving targets, the aimpoint for longer and/or relatively static shots.
 
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Cuda444 said:
The XPS is 2.0" wide at the back and front. However, the battery cover is slightly offset and sticks out to the right a bit - that may account for the 2.4" measure they have, but it doesn't stick out 0.4". My guess is total width would be 2.1" or 2.2" max overall.
Click to expand...

I'm going to agree with this even though I can't measure one myself. sf3pox1... I wouldn't worry about the width of the XPS [smile] The difference wasn't enough for me to notice and I'm usually anal about things like that. Go buy one!

EDIT: My brother just measured his XPS and said it was a tad under 2" wide in the rear. I repeat: Go buy one [wink]
 
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RECIEVED!

Reps to both you guys for taking the time to help me out. Thanks "Hanwei" and "Cuda444"! [smile]


Edit: Reps to "smitty" too because I feel bad we just took over his thread. LOL
 
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the xps2 is definitely shorter longitudinally on the rail.... I've fit one to my fs2000 as well as the 512 and went with the xps2 just in case I get a BUIS itch [grin]

The aluminum body of the unit itself is 2" wide.... 2 1/8" with battery cap... and just over 2 1/4" if you have the thumbable rail screw knob that sits on the opposite side of the side with the battery cap.

Be sure to know with XPS2/3 variant you get: XPS2 is non night vision, XPS3 is night vision cabable (the sight has a super dim setting), and the -0, -1, -2 variations are different reticles:

opplanet-eotech-transverse-red-dot-site-non-nv-compatible-xps2-2.jpg


I have the xps2-2 and I haven't even taken it to a range where I can figure out what range a 5.56 round lands at around the lower dot. Shame on me!
 
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Well guys I had a 512 EOTech on my AR-15, but it was just too long. It just ate up too much space on my rifle's flat top rail (NOTE: my upper has a fixed rear sight then drops down to a flat top rail). Besides a guy at work wanted it real bad for his AR so I sold it to him. So I'm thinking that I'm kind of over the EOTech thing.
Right now the odds on favorite is the Aimpoint H-1(Mat / Flat Black Finish like the T-1) in an American Defense "absolute Co Witness" mount. I have found a source that sells the optic for $542, but sells thesame thing as a package deal (Aimpoint & the above mount) for the exact same price. Gents that is a screaming great deal at $542. Yes, I know that this has a 4 MOA red dot so it's not for longer ranges. Besides the rifle is the shortest possible legal length in the barrel (getting fairly close in over all length). For kind of an optics comparison I've looked at a friends Aimpoint M-4S with a 2 MOA red dot and it's kind of a small dot to find / pick up in the big 30mm scope tube. Besides with the 50,000 hours of battery life I can "just leave the optic on". Let me know what you all think.
Thanks again.
smitty
 
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Guys
I'll be getting this optic placed on order real soon.
One more question about this set up. It is about the American defense Aimpoint T-1 / H-1 mount. What height do I go with? The "Absolute Co Witness" mount the shorter of the two and lines the optic straight up with the sights. Or the taller mount "SOCOM" provides a sight picture with the irons in the lower 1/3 or the optic.
I keep thinking the Absolute Co Witness mount as it's shorter and lower profile. If the optic goes down (despite 50,000 hours of battery life) just use the irons and look right through the glass window of the optic.
Thanks,
smitty
 
I have the taller mount, which is what 99% of people go with. You can use the BUIS in the bottom 1/3 of the optic in the event it goes down. I zeroed my rifle with the H-1 on the taller LaRue mount no problem using iron sights with it on the rifle.
 
I also have the Larue Tall mount for my T-1 (gives 1/3 co-witness) and I think it's just fine. I don't think it matters much and is just personal preference. If you want absolute co-witness... go for it [grin]
 
sf3pox1 and Hanwei how do you guys like you optic? I'm real interested in hearing you thoughts, opinions, and observations on the Aimpoint H-1 / T-1.
I think it will be Absolute Co Witness for me. Like I said before: lower profile and the reticle / sight picture will not be as busy. If it ever goes down (despite 50,00 hours of bettery life) I'll just shoot right through it.
Thanks,
smitty
 
I like my T-1 a lot. I mean... I'm not military or LEO... so my AR's are just range rifles [smile] And honestly... I don't mind the Eotech reticle at all... but I do prefer the 50,000hr battery life and light weight of the T-1. My LWRC piston upper is a bit heavier than comparable DI uppers so the light weight of the T-1 makes a difference.
 
Hanwei said:
I like my T-1 a lot. I mean... I'm not military or LEO... so my AR's are just range rifles [smile] And honestly... I don't mind the Eotech reticle at all... but I do prefer the 50,000hr battery life and light weight of the T-1. My LWRC piston upper is a bit heavier than comparable DI uppers so the light weight of the T-1 makes a difference.
Click to expand...
Do you have any photos of the operator's perspective of the lower 1/3 co witness?
 
I stole this from someone on Calguns.net [smile]

Rear sight down with A2 fixed front sight
P8310226.jpg


Rear sight up - lower 1/3 cowitness
P8310236.jpg


From Larue's website:
T-1SightPicture.jpg


Here's an absolute co-witness
t1cowitness03.jpg
 
I don't know when I'll be at my brother's next... but next time I am... I'll snag a photo of his AR + XPS2 for you [wink] (I understand all too well... I also get anal about the weirdest things... [laugh])
 

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