The Aimpoint vs EOTech Debate

If you have spent any time at all looking for a quality combat style optic without magnification two names will keep coming up again and again and inevitably you will find yourself  in the Aimpoint vs EOTech debate. Both brands have a lot of opinionated supporters convinced that their pick is the best. While not really trying to takes sides in this debate, Rifle Scope Spy felt it might be helpful for those of you who are searching for an answer to the EOTech vs Aimpoint debate to compare some key features of these brands. Some comparison charts of popular EOTech and Aimpoints have also been included to show how they stack up against each other in key specifications.

Reticles
Ring with Dot – EOTechs are available with a variety of reticle options with the most popular being a large 65 MOA ring with a 1MOA dot in the center. The idea is to use the larger ring to quickly acquire the target and use the small dot for more precision if time allows. The small 1MOA dot also allows for precise shots on distant targets. Other EOTech reticle options include a large ring with 2 dots, a large ring with 4 dots calibrated for the .223, a .308 calibrated reticle, a .50 BMG reticle, and a 1MOA dot.
 

Red Dot – Aimpoints come in one of two styles either a 4MOA or 2MOA red dot. Most series ship with a 4MOA red dot except the Comp M4 series and PRO series both of which feature a 2MOA dot. However, the Comp M3 series and 9000 series lines are available in either 2MOA or 4MOA models.
 

Consider – Reticles on both the EOTech and Aimpoint will not appear as clear as in the graphics and pictures of them, there will be some glare and fuzziness so don’t be surprised if the actual reticle isn’t as sharp and defined as when they are shown in advertisements.

Entry Level Models

Battery Life
Years –  Aimpoint's sights are pretty much the undisputed king of battery life in the optics world with models getting between 10,000 hours and 80,000 hours depending on the model, with the majority of models averaging 50,000 hours when measured on a medium high brightness setting. In case you were wondering there are 8,760 hours in a 365 day year. To check battery specifcations on individual models visit thier website.
 

Hours – With battery life ranging from 600 hours to 1,100 hours the EOTech holographic sights are no slouch and would look pretty impressive when compared to many red dot sights. Models that use one battery get about 600 hours of runtime on a medium high brightness setting while two battery models usually get about 1,000 – 1,100 hours of operation at the same intensity setting. To view specific models battery life please visit their website.
 

Consider – The Aimpoint sights are the clear winners in the battery life department; however, EOTech models provide at least 600 hours of use on a medium high setting. Even a 600 hour battery life would amount to 25 days of continuous use, which translates to a lot of range time for most people. Eotech optics are also equipped with an automatic shutdown feature that can be set to 4 or 8 hours depending on your preference. However, if you feel extreme battery life is a concern for you intended use, the Aimpoint red dot optics have the clear advantage.

Mounts
Integrated Mounts – EOTechs come with integrated mounts for mounting onto a Weaver or Picatinny style rail. They have a relatively low profile and the majority of the unit rides pretty close to the mounting rail with the display screen part sticking up for easy viewing.
 

Various Mounts - Some Aimpoints ship with mounts while others do not, and some models mount with integrated Weaver/Picatinny rails while other models are mounted by use of a 30mm ring.
 

Consider – If you are comparing these two brands be sure to factor in the cost of the Aimpoint mount if it is not included because premium mounts can quickly drive the price higher. Another thing to consider is that Aimpoint models that use a 30mm ring can be easier to mount on rifles like a Ruger Mini 14 Ranch rifle and other firearms that do not use Weaver or Picatinny style mounts.

Compact Models

Use with Magnifier
2nd Focal Plane – While most red dot style sights function similar to 1st focal plane scopes the EOTech's sights work like a 2nd focal plane. This means when a 3x magnifier is added to an these optics the target will get larger in the sight picture but the aiming point will not increase in size. Therefore the reticle will cover proportionally less of the target when a magnifier is added.
 

1st Focal Plane – Like a 1st focal plane scope the dot size Aimpoint's sights will grow proportionally to the size of the target when a magnifier is added. So a 4MOA dot will still cover up the same amount of target when a magnifier is used; the size of the target is enlarged and so is the size of the dot, but in a relative manner.
 

Consider – EOTech sights generally feature a 1MOA dot or dots and these will not increase in size with the use of a magnifier. Aimpoint sights offer larger 2MOA or 4MOA dots to start with and the dot size will increase in proportion to the target as magnification is increased; therefore, the EOTech should offer a more precision aiming point at both close and distant ranges.

Controls
Knob- Aimpoints are controlled with the use of a knob, these units use the knob to both power on the unit and to select the brightness setting. While these knob styles vary between models they are generally located on the battery housing compartment of the sight.
 

Buttons – EOTech sights uses buttons to control the brightness of its display, and to set the length of time before the unit will power down automatically. Depending on how you set the sight it will shut down after either four or eight hours so the batteries won’t drain if it is accidentally left on.
 

Consider – Some of the EOTech sights have their controls at the back of the unit facing toward the shooter, which can make adjusting the setting a bit of an issue when used with a magnifier. Also, many users find the knob controls of the Aimpoint to be easier to manipulate especially when wearing gloves. However, EOTech sights are generally equipped with more brightness setting than Aimpoint sights. EOTechs feature 20 daylight brightness settings compared to most Aimpoints which feature either 9 or 12 daylight settings.

High End Models

Finish
Options – There are a few color selections to choose from for the body style of EOTech sights. The EOTech 512 series offers the most choices with a Mossy Oak, Realtree, or Black finish, followed by the EOTech 553 which is available in black or tan.
 

No Options – Subscribing to the Henry Ford school of thought, Aimpoint sights can be had in any color you want as long as it is black. However, the Comp M3 series comes with a protective cover and that protective cover is available in a dark earth color and will cover a large part of the unit’s body.
 

Consider – EOTech does have an advantage when it comes to finish selection; however, the selection is pretty limited in most of their sight series. Those wanting their optic to match their firearm can always use DuraCoat or some other similar type of coating to achieve the desired color.

Field of View
Display Screen – The large square screen of the EOTech holographic sight and its non tube design give these sights a wide field of view. Many supporters of EOTech bring this point up when defending the brand against other optics.
 

Tube Style Scope – While not really looking like a traditional scope most Aimpoints do have a tube style design with both a front and back lens on each end of the tube. While the tube design permits advantages like the use of scope caps to protect the lenses when not in use, it does affect the field of view when compared to an EOTech.
 

Consider – The range at which the optic will be used will play an important factor in how important the field of view will be to the shooter. Generally speaking the closer the target the more important field of view becomes.

Conclusion
Tested & Proven -Both the Aimpoint and EOTech have been tested and proven by military and law enforcement personnel as well as hunters and recreational shooters. Both EOTech and Aimpoint offer the shooter a wide variety of optics in the $400 to $750 range with the EOTechs usually selling for slightly less than their counterpart Aimpoints. However, your particular preferences and intend use will determine which is better for you and the good news is if you are picking between an Aimpoint and EOTech it will be hard to make a mistake.
 

Take Two - Yep get one of each…. just kidding. If you are still having a hard time choosing between Aimpoint and EOTech decide on what you consider to be the top two or three most important aspects of an optic of this type and go with the one that best meets your criteria. For example, if battery life and control placement are your biggest concerns an Aimpoint sight would probably suit you best. However, if field of view and the circle dot style reticle are most important to you, then an EOTech would probably be a better choice.  Below is a quick overview of how we this debate.

Our Take on Aimpoint vs EOTech

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