Reflex Sight 101
BY Herschel Smith
4 years, 10 months ago
From Shooting Illustrated.
EOTech’s HWS offerings are extensive, but L3Harris (EOTech’s parent company) is no longer the only kid on this block. Vortex offers its own take on HWS in the form of its Razor AMG UH-1. Hampton told me that Vortex’s holographic system is different than EOTech’s, but I suspect that to the user, the differences will remain hidden inside the optics. Vortex’s HWS appears to be in the same size and weight category as EOTech’s EXPS family, but instead uses an enclosed-style housing.
Good review. I guess I’ve been a little out of the loop. I didn’t know that EOTech wasn’t the only Holographic sight maker now.
On January 13, 2020 at 7:59 am, Heywood said:
I have always bought Vortex because of their warranty and customer service. (There are tons of quality scopes out there) I have an HWS and love it. It fits my eye better than the EOtech.
On January 13, 2020 at 10:16 pm, Badger said:
The Vortex has over 2x the battery life over the miserable 600 hrs of the EOTech. It also has auto-shut off, as well as being able to use rechargeable 123’s and recharge them from a mini-USB port. And Vortex CS & Warranty remains top-tier, full-stop.
That said, I continue to be amazed at these industry players that can’t design in the use of a CR-2032 and get their battery life up to the 10’s of 1,000s of hours like a Holosun HS-510C or Aimpoints. No connection to the company but I have an HS-510C and my impressions are:
It’s been tested (abused in some cases) pretty good in a couple of web videos but it’s not one of the big bally-hoo’d US players in the holosight market. It is still a dandy optic (also only weighs ~ 7.2 oz with mount, riser & battery). You can also select reticles from the commonly-found Circle-Dot, to just a 2MOA dot, to just the circle. Battery life with full reticle is in the 14000 hr area, just the dot in the 50,000 hrs region like many Aimpoints. Note, this is a carbine sized optic, not a repurposed mini meant for the slide of a pistol.
If you leave it in auto-mode with its solar capability in tandem its kind of quirky in adjusting so I leave it in manual mode. The highest setting is full-on severe VFR daylight-bright capable, or it will turn way down if you’re running NODs. If you acquire one for an AR I strongly recommend doing yourself a favor & popping the extra $20 for their companion riser. Just my $.02 initially, n=1.
On January 13, 2020 at 10:24 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Badger,
I’ve got it. Same complaint.
But … the Holosun isn’t a holographic sight. The EOTech is. It requires additional power, apparently.
Remember, the holographic nature of the sight means that I don’t have to get a consistent cheek weld in high pressure situations. Where the dot it … that’s where the round is going, no co-witness necessary.
On January 14, 2020 at 7:55 am, Badger said:
Conceded sir, laser projection is going to require the additional power vs. modern LEDs. I’ve shot my HS-510C with some less than textbook posture and not noticing a wild disparity regardless of head position, but I shoot quite a bit both eyes open unless deliberate shots are to be taken. For me, the brain goes to the dot with no consideration of co-witnessing anything.
Perhaps the configuration of a holosight lends itself to that style more than many of the red dots where some may get lost in the tube, as well as the additional peripheral visual baggage of that tube. Just mentioning a possible alternative.