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EOTech XPS2-0 Holographic Weapon Sight

In December 2002, EOTech was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army for the delivery of some 6,000 holographic weapon sight (HWS) to troops that were rotating to Iraq.  The sight was an off the shelf model that was night vision compatible and was powered by a pair of AA batteries.  EOTech hardware has been increasingly finding its way into the military, various federal and LEO agencies, and the civilian market ever since.  DEA granted EOTech a contract in 2003 to equip their .223 carbines with the 550 Series HWS.  Before that, BATFE purchased more than a thousand units for their agents.  The Texas DPS and Rangers also use EOTech sights on their weapons.  Did I mention that the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Air Force also use EOTech sights?  In late 2007, they hit the 400,000 units produced milestone. 

My point?  With the EOTech HWS having seen a significant amount of military, agency, LEO, and civilian use during the past decade, I'm thinking one will easily survive use on my FNH SLP Mark 1 12 gauge shotgun.   So, with a NRA 10% discount coupon in hand, I stopped by Cabela's and picked up the EOTech XPS2-0 HWS.
 

EOTech, now owned by L-3 Communications, delivers their holographic weapon sight in a foam lined hard plastic case.  I guess when you are spending this kind of $$, you should get more than just a cardboard box.   <grin>
 

The XPS2-0 is delivered with the battery installed.  It is ready to be dropped onto your favorite firearm, turned on, and sighted in.  The mount will fit onto any 1" Weaver or Picatinny (MIL-STD-1913) rail.  I can vouch for it fitting the Weaver rail as my SLP Mark 1 shotgun uses one.  The XPS2-0 locks up tight on the rail with no hint of possible movement.   Compared to a recently purchased low end scope mount, the difference is night and day.
 

Included in the case is a spare tether for the battery cap along with a hex wrench for the rail mounting screw.  If you prefer, you can also use the supplied thumbscrew in lieu of the hex screw.   The owner's manual is quite complete and covers most anything one might think of.  At just 8.8 ounces, the sight is fairly lightweight but yet extremely rugged.  Before my purchase, I spent some on-line time reading comments and reviews regarding the EOTech line-up.  Guns falling onto their HWS wasn't that uncommon but yet no one reported any issues. 
 

The windage and elevation adjustments each provide +/- 40 MOA of adjustment.  Each click is 1/2 MOA or 1/2" @ 100 yards.  Given that this is a 1X optic, the need for 1/4 MOA adjustments would be overkill, in my opinion.  Earlier version sights didn't include the adjustment markings on the protective hood.  With only the recessed controls bearing the markings, it was easy enough to accidentally adjust the wrong control if you weren't paying attention.  I've used an earlier model and like this simple change. 
 

The XPS2/3 series sight is smaller than the former N-cell battery sight (511/551).  It is powered by one CR-123 lithium battery.  Unlike earlier models, the battery is transverse mounted and so the possibility of battery contacts compressing/weakening over time (from heavy recoil) is eliminated.  The battery cap is tethered to the sight to ensure it goes nowhere when unscrewed.  An o-ring on the cap seals the battery compartment and prevents water intrusion down to 10 feet.   The CR-123 battery is rated for 500~600 hours of run time and the non-night vision model (which is what I am using) provides 20 brightness settings.  I've found them to be dim enough to work well in a near dark room while providing ample brightness for outside shooting on a sunny day. 

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