My Experience: EOTech 552 -vs- Aimpoint Comp-M

Archangel · 09-03-2005, 19:14

I very recently sold my Aimpoint Comp-M & jumped on the EOTech bandwagon. Though I am very satisfied with the EOTech for CQB (Indoor), I do miss my Aimpoint.

Maybe it's just me, but I was at the range today zeroing my EOTech sight & I had a pretty hard time seeing the reticle in the bright sunlight even with the brightness setting turned all the way up. I never had this problem with my Aimpoint. The place where I shoot had covered bencherests, but the targets downrange were in the sunlight. Perhaps it would have helped if I had some black Shoot-N-C stickers on my targets, but a white paper target washed out the reticle pretty bad. I had to use my BUIS & C0-host back & forth to make sure that I was on target.

Anyone else have this problem with the EOTech and what did you do to remedy it?

I'm considering giving the EOTech to the guy that I sold my Aimpoint to & getting my Aimpoint back. Am I making a mistake?

Pictures of my Comp-M & 552.:

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/2/sbr5.jpg

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/2/sbrm4.jpg

**The Reaper** · 09-03-2005, 19:33

I have experienced that washout as well.

That is one of the reasons I prefer the TA31F ACOG.

TR

one-zero · 09-04-2005, 08:32

Understand your dilemma, but you have to look at application to answer the question. Guys who were brought up on iron begrudgingly went to aimpoints- and got faster, and so on with Holosights. But this was within a narrow environmental set that deals mainly with close-in fast shooting. If you're on your own dime I recommend you parallel what you HAVE to use at work to be as good as you can with that system. Otherwise have multiple options is the way to go, especially if magnification(ACOG) is a factor or fast, close-in work with percentage tgts(aimpoint/eotech)...make sure your good w/iron first.
one-zero
BT AR

**Team Sergeant** · 09-04-2005, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I have experienced that washout as well.

That is one of the reasons I prefer the TA31F ACOG.

TR

I used the TA31F last weekend, damn fine piece of equipment!

(Will be selling the EOTEC soonest......)

TS

**Roguish Lawyer** · 09-04-2005, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

(Will be selling the EOTEC soonest......)

Do let me know . . .

Gene Econ · 09-05-2005, 19:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archangel

I'm considering giving the EOTech to the guy that I sold my Aimpoint to & getting my Aimpoint back. Am I making a mistake?

I think you are going to have the same problem with the COMP-M. I have used both in some pretty bright conditions -- snow in a desert with bright sun -- and yes, they wash out if the target is also white. Both are equally time consuming trying to crank up the power for the dot.

I have found guys to hate the M-68 and love the EOTEC. Have found guys to hate both and love the irons. Have found guys to hate optics and love one of the other three.

Have rarely seen a set of irons break unless they are the Back Up Irons being issued on the M-4 carbine. Have seen more M-68s shit the bed than EOTECs for reasons unknown to man. They just stopped working. Have seen more EOTECs simply not zero or hold zero than M-68s. Most troops love the ACOG and it is pretty damn tough.

I personally don't care for the ACOG although I recently recommended that a brigade obtain quite a number of them. Simple fact is that the Army is going to them and so Joe needs to get used to them. It isn't that I don't like the ACOG. My eyes don't like the ACOG. I think it may have something to do with my personal likes concerning eye relief, clarity, and field of view but I will attest to their toughness and compact design.

Perhaps you need to determine which sight is the most comfortable for your eye to use and stick with that one. You will know which one you like because you will see it. Once you see what you like, you will probably be more likely to push it to its limits in terms of performance than something you don't like but may obtain anyway.

Knowing what you want the sight for is also a real good idea when considering the money involved in ACOGs and electronic sights.

Gene

**Peregrino** · 09-05-2005, 20:35

AA - Everybody else has made some really good points. Like GE says - It really is a matter of personal preference. I have an EOTech and several Aimpoints. The EOTech is on my carbine and the Aimpoint is on the wife's. I stick with the EOTech because I like the reticle and it "passes" more light (sees better in low-light) than the Aimpoint IN MY OPINION. Because of it's design, the EOTech "feels" more open and my brain seems to integrate the visual information faster and more comfortably with it than with the Aimpoint. But - battery life is not as good as the Aimpoint and they do turn themselves off after 4-8 hours (which might not be convenient if you haven't been paying attention). The "washout" in bright light is going to happen with any of the illuminated sights. Fortunately I don't see myself hunting bad guys in the snow - though I have had problems with distinguishing tan targets against a dirt background (fortunately, I don't have to hunt tangos in the sandbox either). I will be getting an ACOG or two but it will probably not go on my short (CQB) range gun. The ACOGs with the fiber optic are the only ones I know of that compensate for varying light conditions without the operator having to fiddle with them - but shooters find themselves using tape over the FO to block it off when too much light is illuminating the reticle. Everything requires compromises, what to accept is up to you. Just some more grist for the mill. YMMV - Peregrino

Archangel · 09-06-2005, 09:04

Gentlemen, I appreciate all of the feedback. I have a better understanding of the limitations for each of the optics that I own & will use them accordingly. Time to save up for a TA31F.

Smokin Joe · 09-06-2005, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archangel

Gentlemen, I appreciate all of the feedback. I have a better understanding of the limitations for each of the optics that I own & will use them accordingly. Time to save up for a TA31F.

I love mine.

Viking · 09-09-2005, 02:41

Joining in the discussion, does anyone have experience using the J-point sights on top of the ACOG?

rudelsg2 · 09-10-2005, 10:26

Viking, the ACOG w/ piggy back JPOINT sight is the set up that 11 out of 12 on my ODA runs with for main sights. We run the 8 mil dot version of the JPOINT. The only real issue is the JPOINT "storage cover" and making sure it doesn't get lost.

I love the set up, best of both worlds, my EOTECH (I've used an EOTECH 550 since 99') is now on my ROCK RIVER M-4 at home. It takes a little training on the sight transition, but it's easier and faster than trying to shoot close urban targets looking thru an ACOG.

JPOINT has given us a pretty good deal on unit orders of the sights and the mounts or if your buying one for yourself, they give service members a discount also. The winged mount you need for the issue ACOG is the following:

[ JPA-TANSN adapter for piggy back secondary sight on Trijicon ACOG NSN scopes ]

It replaces the stock rear sight ring on top of the ACOG and bolts into the lower strap which is part of the ACOG body.

Quite a few ODAs in the Company have gone to this set up. Guys that used it in OIF loved it for giving a shooter the option of a long range optic and a close range one without having to change out optics, plus the JPOINTS survivied the rotation in the same working manner in which they deployed .

The same battery lasted the entire rotation, so long as one doesn't lose the "storage cover" which saves battery life when not in use.

Chris · 09-26-2005, 06:02

Realizing this is slightly OT I was recommended to tag this here, so I will. I am red/green colorblind, I'll start off with that. I've been looking over several optics for my AR15 over the last few months. The EOTech was good for pointing around inside an office (off an AR, of course). I also picked up a Trijicon Reflex, which had a blue tint to the lense and an amber dot, which always picked up well in my eyes, inside an office building again. Are there any issues that will arise with a red dot and different backgrounds vs a reflex sight? I like the EOTech, but if its going to do funny things to my eyes and I can't see it, doesn't do me any good does it? I've looked for reviews on the reflex and almost every where I turn its a case of "It washes out, its junk, etc". I want to find out if colorblindness is a consideration/issue in the dot-color and its effectivenss. If this is a question better posed elsewhere, please advise.

-Chris

jatx · 09-26-2005, 06:59

Chris,

Trijicon also makes the amber reticle available on the TA11-A and most versions of the Compact ACOG. Are you looking at the Reflex because of price?

For night work, you might try a blue filter for your light. It will preserve your night vision just like red (if that's what you want, versus a blinding effect), but you won't have a problem losing the amber reticle against it with your color blindness. I.e., it won't look like amber on brown...

Hope that helps.

Chris · 09-26-2005, 19:37

Thank you! Amber might be a go, but what of red dots, any colorblind horror stories?

The reason I'm going with a dot is because the range I shoot on doesn't go beyond 200m, and ACOGs are even more expensive up here than down south. Its a combination of practical use and economics. I'll be sure to do a range report and let you know once the decision is made.

longtab · 09-27-2005, 21:05

I fully agree with rudelsg2. Its hard to beat a J-Point and an ACOG. You can use it in the house and shoot squirters too!