This can be considered a bit of a ‘non-story’ since there’s not a lot of ‘new’ info, but it’s worth bringing up all the same.
For a bit of background, at last year’s SHOT, EOTech focused exclusively on their line of magnified Vudu scopes, and didn’t feature a single one of their HWS (Holographic Weapon Sights) at their booth. This was likely in response to the US Government’s lawsuit against L3 Communications regarding performance issues experienced by the EOTech HWS optics in temperature extremes and high moisture environments, and more importantly L3’s failure to disclose they had prior knowledge of these performance issues to the US Government.
As a result, L3 settled with the Government for about $26 million, and even went so far as to offer refunds to virtually any customers who purchased an EOTech sight. After that, the issue was more or less dealt with, although it did leave a bad taste in many people’s mouths.
This year, EOTech came out with new branding for the line of HWS optics, including a new logo, and has started reproducing their most popular HWS models: XPS2, 512, 552, etc., in both black and FDE. My immediate question to the rep who talked to me was if there were any changes to the internals of the optics. The answer was somewhat vague, but I was told that the engineers at the company spent the past year or so retooling the optics, with the thermal drift issue being corrected.
So, the TL;DR of the situation is this: EOTech claims they fixed the issues with their HWS that caused them to get sued by the Government, and now they’re reintroducing their products to the market with new branding.
We’ll have to wait and see if they hold up this time.
From an user friendliness standpoint I enjoy shooting Eotechs. First CCO style sight I ever used. I found it so much easier to acquire targets than with the Aimpoint T-1. But the quality control issues are unacceptable, though if they have managed to fixed the drift and battery issues I’d be willing to give them a chance.
“EOTech claims they fixed the issues”
Can’t wait for someone to buy one of their new & improved products & test it in what ever their temp. range is they say it will function reliably in … and see what happens.
Have the had it temperature shift tested by an independent lab?
Because IIRC in the lawsuit they claimed that they “tested” the sights at temperature. But in reality they just ran them in a test chamber and checked that they worked after they pulled them out.
Someone claiming to be a tester on M4carbine.net said that they managed to recreate the 4 MOA shift on an EO Tech from thermal drift.
An Aimpoint was run through the same test and had a 3.5 MOA shift
I take anything posted on M4C with a HUGE grain of salt.
For what it is worth a local PD in the twin cities area of MN tested their EOtechs against their competitors when news of the suit broke. It was -19 here a month ago and summer reaches 90 degrees so this is a very real issue for them. The short of the test was that the EOTech preformed nearly indistinguishably from its competitors and stayed on rifles.
Keep in mind I do not know what their methodology was.
Also when I spoke to an EOTech rep they very clearly and authoritatively stated that they had resolved any issues and that all units shipped since October of 2016 were the newest revision. He also stated that they increased the battery life.
Just passing on what I was told.
And you believe what you read on the Interwebz, do you?
It’s stupid beyond believe that you could not get a clear and precise answer to your question, which, of course, is the most important one to be asked of EOTECH at this point.
Wouldn’t the easiest and least B.S.’able question to ask the rep be “Ok, so do you still require the disclaimer form to be signed before selling to the Govt”
Simple.
I had the EXPS3-2. I used it in the CONUS SW, and then NW. I didn’t notice much of a drift issue down in the SW (Yuma, AZ..it gets to 120..). However, upon moving to the NW and using the same optic in minus degree weather, I noticed that it would NOT hold a zero.. I had to zero it each time I went to the range.. got it replaced.. just my tiny little experience. Gone back to the tried and true Trijicon’s. However, I will say this, the eotechs on our duty rifles took an insane amount of abuse, they are one tough CCO.