Hello Guy’s, As I was discussing the overall virtues of the EO Tech versus the AimPoint (M68 CCO) with some co-workers recently, most of us agreed that the M68 CCO’s were by far the primary choice of US Special Operations personnel. ( I didn’t agree.) I recall reading something recently that stated the EO Tech tended to be the primary choice of the various SOCCOM units currently deployed overseas ? Does anyone have any firm data as to which system gets the most use by our elite units ? Personally, I prefer an EO Tech, but my Dept.'s primary issue is the Aim Point, so I “try” to learn to like them. Any info regarding this issue will be very much appreciated. THANK YOU
You’ll be hard pressed to find any such physical data because, to date, EOTechs are no longer openly issued. They were recalled due to numerous initial issues and then eventually dropped in favor of the Aimpoint. To my knowledge, the only active EOTech users would be 1) those whose units have allowances to purchase outside of existing contracts to suit their personal needs (which I’ve personally never seen or heard of), or those who’ve purchased the optics themselves and have been given the go-ahead to use them. In other words, they aren’t used unless that unit 1) asks for them and 2) has the go-ahead (and funding) to purchase them on their own, which is relatively very rare.
There will always be the aimpoint vs eotech people, who actually cares what Socom uses, it’s a personal preference IMO… I prefer the newer eotechs over the tractor trailers of the past…I enjoy the holographic circle with dots compared to the Single dot of a aimpoint …Aimpoints have less battey consumption then Eotechs but I’m not in battle so it’s not going to be a big deal of it dies when I’m shootin zombies, that’s what iron sights are for and bayonets
Yeah, goes to personal preference. I like the EOTech reticle the most, but the TR24 is too amazing, and when weight and reliability matters, I run a micro Aimpoint, so I’ve only ended up with one EOTech, and it’s on my .22lr rifle.
ask ten guys get twenty answers. most guys could give two shxtx as long as it works. I see eotechs, M3, micro, 3x acogs, vari-optics from a few makers… I have a broken M3, and two broken eotechs. I would guess the service life of the electrical optics to be around 60-80K rds, less on beltfeds.
what dano said is true. with that said, i have personally seen more failures with eotechs than others listed, this due to the problems they had/have with the coil in the battery compartments. i believe they are fixing that by putting the bc’s perpindicular to the weapon so that the recoil has less affect on the coils within the bc’s.
Has the EOTech 553 been withdrawn from service? I know there were reported problems with the battery casing, but I thought the 553 (SU231/PEQ) was still out there and in use by SOCOM. Here is a photo of 553s on the SCARs carried by the Rangers…
I also thought a large number of EOTechs entered Army service through unit purchases under the Rapid Fielding Initiative.
I’m fairly certain you’ll find plenty of EOTechs in service.
Not trying to twist your nipple but with all due respect this isn’t accurate. The EOtech 553’s are still the RDS that comes with the SOPMOD kit. Any unit running SOPMOD stuff is using that optic or Elcan SpecterDRs if they got those too. A 553 and Elcan come with each SCAR, for instance. The units I know of that are using SOPMOD right now in OEF-A are Army SF and special operations support (CA and PSYOPS), and Air Force TAC-P’s. Not sure what the SEAL’s and Rangers are running.
Overall guys like the 553’s. The reticle is considered superior and we get free batteries.
That said I have personally experienced two 553 battery terminal meltdowns. They were both in pretty hot weather; Thailand and Yakima. However the 120 degree heat in Afghanistan this summer hasn’t caused any problems so far. Not that I have anything against it, but the only guy at my fire base running an M68 is an air force generator mechanic nicknamed “fat kid”.
Not sure where you get your information, but its WRONG.
SOCOM still issues the EOTech (no clue what model). And every SOCOM guy here that doesnt have a Elcan on his rifle was rocking a EOtech. I havent seen a single aimpoint on any of their rifles.
boonega is right, don’t know where your info is coming from. there are also still some aimpoints floating around from original issue as well. the t-1 micro is a big hit with a few select guys with bottomless op $$$.
Some factual data from SOCOM on the 553 a few years ago.
> Warning sent to SOF ref EOtech 553 Reply with quote
> To all concerned:
>
> The SOPMOD Program Management Office (PMO) is issuing this notice to all
> potential users of the EOTech SU-231/PEQ Reflex Sight, NSN
> 1240-01-533-0941,
> also known as the holographic weapon sight.
>
> 1. It was recently brought to the attention of the SOPMOD PMO that there
> exists the possibility that the SU-231/PEQ Reflex Sight made by EOTech is
> susceptible to failure characterized by the sight shutting off in the
> middle
> of weapon fire.
>
> 2. The failure is caused by faulty battery contacts that were incorporated
> by EOTech without government concurrence. (See attached image). These
> faulty battery contacts are susceptible to wear due to shock while the
> weapon is firing. As a result, the batteries may lose contact, causing the
> sight to shut off.
>
> 3. EOTech has qualified a new supplier of these battery contacts and the
> SOPMOD PMO is currently validating this new configuration through testing.
> By mid April 2008, this process should be complete. At that time, SOPMOD
> will institute a 100 percent replacement of the SU-231/PEQs that have
> already been fielded. Maintenance Contact Teams will travel to field units
> to either swap out the sights with replacements or conduct on-site field
> repairs. As an interim solution, the SOPMOD PMO is currently testing a
> field replaceable grommet that will mitigate the risk of failure. Pending
> test results, these grommets will be shipped as part of a field
> replacement
> kits to units that have been issued the SU-231/PEQ.
>
> 4. The SOPMOD PMO has ordered a halt on any further fielding of this item
> until sufficient testing has been performed on sights with the
> incorporated
> part upgrade. For those field units that have already received the
> SU-231/PEQ, the SOPMOD PMO strongly recommends not using those sights
> until
> they can be replaced or repaired.
From what I know the units were repaired and SOCOM (right or wrong) is still using 553’s. I can also state there was an article on a survey conducted about a year ago with US Army personal about their preferred choice of optic. Their choice, the Aimpoint Micro T1. Mind you this optic is not standard issue at the moment. Hope this helps.
Before everybody starts taking up sides and wearing matching armbands…
This means exactly what it says, as typed. YOU haven’t seen any on their rifles, but consider that there’s more guys that fall under SOCOM than you’ve seen. So, while the guy you were talking to may be wrong, so are you (macro) while still probably being right (micro), if only because I have no clue what you’re seeing on the daily. Aimpoints’re out there, all right. I can conclusively say this because I just came away from an evolution where they were being used on both carbines and crew-serves, with a company rep there to conduct classes in their use and generally-not-thought-of capabilities. I also saw them being used in Afghanistan.
So are ACOGs, and all sorts of other stuff, because there’s plenty of SOCOM units that can Mommy/Daddy SOCOM and their parent organization, or they open-purchase stuff, or they buy their own, or Santa thought that they were good boys that fiscal year. Pick one.
Bottom line ends up being that there is absolutely no way to conclusively answer the OP’s question, from my above standpoint, and the standpoint of the fact that there’s plenty of these units in which the optic is swapped out according to differeing mission parameters, as they arise. Some guns have so many paint-pen markings on them that they look like Bozo the Clown blew a load on the things…
DERAIL: Am I reading the word “grommet” to describe a bumper of some sort, like what they did with the battery compartments on the PVS-17B/C retrofit kits?
After having the battery compartment issues with my USGI 553’s I bought my own XPS model and it’s been flawless on this deployment. I haven’t seen any 553’s go down on this trip, but the new XPS line has put Eotechs in the same ballpark as Aimpoint in terms of durability. Now if they could only get battery life up a little.
+1, the smaller models in the xps line is great the Battery compartment is now separated from the base to allow it to hover over the delta ring of the rifle
Average battery life at brightness level 12 is roughly 500-600 hours, 3X battery life of N cell sights..
aimpoint battery life is by far better, but eotech is working on it..
