EOTech decided to step into the riflescopes market in 2016 after proving its merit in the electro-optics market.
The company has introduced its Vudu line of scopes that includes a total of 11 scopes from low magnification hunting scopes to ultra long-range extreme precision scopes. Here we’ll review the best scopes Vudu has to offer.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Eotech Scope
- OUR TOP PICK: EOTech Vudu 1-6x24
- RUNNER-UP: EOTech Vudu 5-25x50
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50
Comparison of the Best EOTech Scopes
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Who is EOTech?
EOTech is an American manufacturer of electro-optics and a renowned supplier of holographic sights to the U.S military and their special forces. The company was established in 1972 as a non-profit organization of the University of Michigan. EOTech developed the first holographic sight design in 1996 and soon the first contract from the US military in 2001.
EOTech was acquired by L3Harris in 2005 and became an independent company under Koucan Management in 2020 after separating from them.
All their optics are manufactured at their headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. The company offers a 10 year warranty on almost all of their products. Which also covers the electronics.
Why Are EOTech Scopes so Popular?
The main reason behind the popularity of EOTech optics is they get used by the military. EOTech optics like the 553 (used by the U.S Military), and SU231A (used by Navy Seals) are battle-tested optics with a proven track record and reliability.
It’s a complete no-brainer that if some equipment works for the military on the battlefield - It will certainly work for civilian use. EOTech’s 18 year old relationship with the USSOCOM has earned them their reputation. Plus, the company offers holographic sights with complex technology that works even when partially damaged.
Review of the Best EOTech Scopes
EOTech is not a new player in the electro-optics industry. But it has recently stepped into the riflescope market. Their product line is short but includes some high precision riflescopes.
We’ve compiled a list of the best scopes they have to offer and cover different applications.
Best Overall:
EOTech Vudu 1-6x24
Pros
Cons
EOTech Vudu 1-6x24 Specs
Type of Optic: Short/Medium range riflescope
Reticle Style: SR 1, 2 or 3
Magnification Level: 1-6x
Weight: 19.75 ounces
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Field of View: 105.8 ft at 100 yds
Best Uses For the EOTech Vudu 1-6x24
The Vudu 1-6x scope is great for short to medium range engagement of targets. The reticle can offer quick acquisition with the 65 MOA ring and shows holdovers when zoomed. So it can be fast at one moment, and basically tactical at the other.
Use it for hunting in day or low light, short-range encounters, and practice. The scope is also slightly viable for competitions up to 600 yards if you prefer.
Is the EOTech Vudu 1-6x24 Compatible With Any Rifle?
The 1-6x scope works best with modern sporting rifles like the AR-15. It will be a great scope for .223 and .308 caliber rifles with the respective SR2 or SR3 reticle variant. You may also mount it on bolt action rifles and also on 3gun rifles.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the EOTech Vudu 1-6x24?
Mounting this scope is very easy and straightforward. The objective bell isn’t very big but the eyepiece is slightly bigger than that. A pair of medium height scope rings will suffice for mounting it on most rifles.
The eye relief offered is between 3.1 to 3.9 inches, so proper placement on the receiver is of prime importance. The reticles are calibrated to .223 or .308 calibers so keep that in mind.
Runner-up:
EOTech Vudu 5-25x50
Pros
Cons
EOTech Vudu 5-25x50 Specs
Type of Optic: Long-range riflescope
Reticle Style: MD3/H59
Magnification Level: 5-25 x
Weight: 29.5 ounces
Objective Lens Diameter: 50 mm
Field of View: 23.3 - 4.7 ft at 100 yds
Best Uses For the EOTech Vudu 5-25x50
That’s certainly not a difficult question to answer. Given the 5-25x magnification of this scope, you can use it to shoot targets at distances greater than 200 yards and all the way up to 1500 yards. Which makes it suitable for long/short-range hunting, practice, long-distance competitions, and also tactical sniping uses.
Is the EOTech Vudu 5-25x50 Compatible With Any Rifle?
The Vudu 5-25x will work best with long-range hunting or competition rifles. Since it has a very detailed and busy reticle that will only come in handy to precision applications. Where the shooter has ample time to steady and take the shot. Use it with medium to heavy-caliber rifles for best output.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the EOTech Vudu 5-25x50?
Mounting the scope will require high rise mounts since it has a large 50 mm objective lens and a big bell. Use scope rings rather than mounts since it weighs about 30 ounces and will require a steady mounting platform for optimal performance.
The eye relief of this scope is about 3.5 inches which is fairly good when compared with other scopes in a similar magnification range. The battery life is approximately 500 hours at room temperature and the scope uses one CR2032 battery.
Best for the Money:
EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50
Pros
Cons
EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50 Specs
Type of Optic: Medium range riflescope
Reticle Style: MD1/MD2/H59
Magnification Level: 3.5-18 x
Weight: 33.23 ounces
Objective Lens Diameter: 50 mm
Field of View: 30.2 - 5.9 feet at 100 yards
Best Uses For the EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50
The best uses for the 3.5-18x vudu are 1000 yards plinking, benchrest shooting, short to medium range hunting, and some limited tactical applications. The scope is available in milrad or MOA reticle options to suit military veterans and civilian shooters. The reticle is illuminated and FFP to help with shifting zoom.
The 18x magnification is enough to take long-range shots as far as 1000 yards. You may carry it as your hunting riflescope and for short/medium range competitions
Is the EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50 Compatible With Any Rifle?
This model will suit most short to long-range rifles due to its 3.5-18x magnification. The 3.5x setting is slightly more than the common 3x scopes and offers a tad more clarity at short ranges. The 50 mm objective delivers exceptional clarity and also suits low light usage.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50?
With its 3.5-18x magnification range, this Vudu scope also comes with a big 50 mm objective lens. Which calls for a medium or high rise mount depending upon the design of your rifle. The scope comes with a sunshade and also a polymer hard case for transportation. Saving you some money.
The eye relief offered is between 3.4 to 4 inches and can be called generous for such magnification.
4. EOTech Vudu 1-8x24 SFP
Pros
Cons
EOTech Vudu 1-8x24 SFP Specs
Type of Optic: Medium range riflescope
Reticle Style: HC3
Magnification Level: 1-8 x
Weight: 21.3 ounces
Objective Lens Diameter: 24 mm
Field of View: 105.8 - 13.2 feet at 100 yards
Best Uses For the EOTech Vudu 1-8x24 SFP
The Vudu 1-8x will find the best use with hunters, competitive shooters, and some tactical users. The 1-8x magnification allows you to hunt critters of all sizes, ranging from small rabbits to elk and moose. The scope will work accurately with human-sized targets as far as 700 yards. It may also be used for precision applications like competitions or tactical shooting for closer distances.
Is the EOTech Vudu 1-8x24 SFP Compatible With Any Rifle?
This scope will work best with modern sporting rifles like the AR-15. Or you can also use it with rifles like the Mini-14, Ruger AR-223, 10/22, and also bolt action hunting rifles. It is an SFP scope so remember that before mounting it on an extreme precision rifle for such applications.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the EOTech Vudu 1-8x24 SFP?
The scope is not accompanied by any accessories or extras in the box. The objective is just 24 mm and the scope isn’t very long or heavy. So a low or medium mount suffices depending upon your rifle. The reticle is illuminated and uses a CR2032 battery. It has a two-hour auto-shutoff feature and runs for about 500 hours which is ample for most users.
However, always keep a backup battery if you’ve been using the scope for quite some time without changing the batteries.
5. EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP
Pros
Cons
EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP Specs
Type of Optic: Long-range riflescope
Reticle Style: HC2 MOA
Magnification Level: 8-32 x
Weight: 32.66 ounces
Objective Lens Diameter: 50 mm
Field of View: 13.2 - 3.3 ft at 100 yds
Best Uses For the EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP
It is a scope designed for extreme precision and long and extra-long range. It is an SFP scope and has fine turret adjustments and a very fine dot. The high magnifying power makes it suitable for precision shooting competitions. Especially where tight groups matter. You can also use it for hunting and this will also make up for an amazing practice scope in benchrest shooting to hone your skills.
Is the EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP Compatible With Any Rifle?
The Vudu 8-32x is fit to be used with long-range precision rifles like Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, Bergara B-14, or other rifles in the category. Chambered in calibers like 6.5, .308, 30-30, 7mm, .338 Lapua and .50 BMG. Practically not suited for low caliber and lightweight rifles.
What Do I Need to Know About Mounting the EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP?
The scope comes with a good lot of accessories which include a sunshade, battery, cleaning cloth, throw lever, an allen wrench for zero stop, and a detailed instruction manual. The scope is heavy and has a big bell. Plus, its intended application calls for a high quality and sturdy pair of scope rings that hold the scope firmly in place under recoil.
The field of view is good for an 8-32x scope and the eye relief lies between 3.4 to 3.86 inches. Also, remember that the tube measures 34 mm.
Types of Scopes From EOTech
EOTech was basically renowned for its holographic red dot sights. But the company expanded to medium and long-range rifle scopes in 2016. Plus, they also have a good line of NV optics. Apart from that, the company also sells basic optic accessories.
Holographic Sights
The most popular offering from EOTech is their holographic weapon sights. The company invented this technology and was the first to introduce it to the market. Many of their holographic sights are widely used by the U.S Military and Special Forces. Some popular models from their line are 512, 552, 553, XPS2, XPS3, and EXPS.
EOTech Vudu 3.5-18x50
Rifle Scopes
EOTech introduced their VUDU brand of precision rifle scopes in 2016. It was their entry into the riflescope market. The VUDU series consists of 8 different scopes that offer variable magnification ranging from 1-6x to 5-25x. These are high precision scopes suited for meticulous applications.
Night Vision Scopes
EOTech offers a small but formidable range of night vision optics that includes thermal scopes, NV optics (binoculars, monoculars, goggles), and tactical lasers. These are all battle-proven optics.
Comparison Overview
This review will be incomplete without comparing the EOTech optics with other renowned and widely used brands of optics on the market. So as to provide you with a better idea for choosing one relevant to your tastes.
EOTech vs Aimpoint
Aimpoint is the master in reflex collimator sights, whereas EOTech is the unchallenged master in holographic sights. Both command significant respect for producing quality optics and producing widely used military optics. Aimpoint however, always wins by miles where battery life and simplicity of optics are concerned. But EOTech buyers have their own good reasons.
Read our full EOTech vs. Airmpoint write up here.
Acog vs EOTech
Acog’s are a winner on simplicity, battery life (acog’s don’t use batteries), and ruggedness. Whereas EOTechs are technologically superior, can work even when damaged and costs way less than Acog’s. One slight advantage of Acog’s is their lifetime warranty cover compared to only 10 years by EOTech. However, both are military-grade optics and suit different preferences.
EOTech vs Vortex
The EOTech and Vortex holographic sights are a very close comparison to evaluate. While Vortex is a clear winner on price, the EOTech has a crispier reticle and is a battle-proven optic. The EOTech after recent upgrades surpassed the Vortex in battery life.
However, the latter has an auto-shutoff disable feature to suit bedside storage for home defense. Additionally, Vortex has a lifetime warranty and EOTech only offers 10 years.
Holosun vs EOTech
The Holosun is technically not a holographic sight. But it does use a reticle found in such sights. It is a less expensive alternative to EOTech and some models even feature solar power compatibility. But it stands nowhere close to EOTech in its class.
EOTech Vudu 1-6x24
How to Sight in EOTech Vudu Scopes
Sighting a scope is very easy if you are aware of the basic technical terms. For example, 1 MOA stands for 1 Minute of Angle and is about 1 inch in size at 100 yards. So if your scope offers ¼ MOA clicks for windage and elevation. It means you’ll have to dial 4 clicks to move the reticle 1 inch. Left or right movement is done by the windage knob on the side, and upward or downward movement of the reticle is done by the elevation knob on the top.
Now there are actually 3 methods to do this. Before that, take a paper target and place it at a distance you want to sight your scope with. 50, 75, 100, or whatever you like.
The Poor Man’s Method
Remove the bolt and use the barrel as a peep sight to point the bullseye on your paper target. Once you’re there, dial your turrets to match the bullseye. This is a quick method and good for situations where you don’t have a boresight or cannot fire shots.
The Boresight Method
Buy a laser boresight, and mount it on your rifle. Turn on the laser and position it on the bullseye of the target. Take the laser as reference and dial your scopes’ turrets to match it.
The Shooting Method
This is the most accurate method. Go out on the range, aim at the paper target, and fire one shot. Keeping the rifle stationary, dial the turrets so the reticle matches the point of impact of the bullet. Now position the reticle again on the bullseye and shoot. Your scope will be sighted.
For more precision, fire multiple shot groups.
Check out this video below for more insights.
EOTech Issues
EOTech sights were under direct fire from critics after the USSOCOM filed a $25.6 million lawsuit against them in 2015. The case was regarding a flaw in their holographic sights which is known as thermal drift. EOTech lost the suit and had to recall all their military and civilian optics.
Thermal drift is a problem that comes into play under extreme temperatures and causes the zero to shift as far as 12 inches at 100 yards. EOTech has however resolved these problems to a significant extent, as of now.
The next small issue with their sights is battery life. While it is still around 2200 to 2500 hours on continuous usage along with an auto-shutoff feature, it's not industry leading. Hard to blame that though.
Conclusion
The EOTech Vudu is an amazing, high-quality line of rifle scopes that covers everything from short-range 1-6x to ultra long-range 8-32x scopes. The scopes feature the best quality, rugged glass, and are very premium in design. Suited for pro shooters, these scopes are also pricey for low budget buyers.
EOTech Vudu 8-32x50 SFP
People Also Ask
We’ve compiled a detailed and comprehensive FAQ section to answer some trending and some important questions about EOTech. The company is a renowned manufacturer and supplier to the U.S military. Which makes it prone to fake news which requires proper clarification.
How to Spot a Fake EOTech
A fake EOTech won’t have proper branding or a serial number, will have highly reflective lenses (check under normal room light), a visible LED source near the base of the lens inside the housing, and an NV button that switches the color of the dot. Apart from that, it won’t weigh the same as a legit model.
What EOTech Does the Military Use?
The military uses the EOTech 553 holo sights and different branches use different models. For example, the Navy seals used EOTech SU231A holographic sights. Following the fraud suit against the company by the USSOCOM in 2015. All the existing sights were recalled and are being replaced with new versions.
Is EOTech Worth the Money?
An EOTech is definitely worth the money if you want a reliable, battle-proven holographic sight. These sights offer unmatched target acquisition, a generous eye box, and also continue to work even when damaged partially.
Does EOTech Hold Zero?
Absolutely. In fact, it is one of the most revered features of EOTech optics. Their sights/scopes hold zero even when dropped, submerged, tossed in the back of your truck, and also under heavy recoil. However, the zero had thermal drift problems in extreme temperature shifts which was the reason for EOTechs being recalled.
Does EOTech Still Have Thermal Drift?
Thermal drift is a phenomenon common with sights under extreme temperature shifts. But after the 2016 lawsuit, EOTech has definitely improved the design and curbed the problem to a significant extent.
What EOTech Models Are Being Recalled?
EOTech HWS Models 400, 502, 511, 512, 512 CAMO, 512.XBOW, 512.LBC1, 516, 517, 518, 551, 552, 552.XR, 552.LBC1, 552.LBC2, 553, 555, 555.USMC, 556, 557, 557.4XFTS, 557.4XFXD, 557.3X.FTS, 557.G23.FTS, 558, EXPS2, EXPS3, HHS I, HHS II, MPO II, MPO III, XPS2, XPS2-RF, XPS2-Z, XPS2-Z2, XPS2-300, and XPS3 are being recalled.
How Long Will an EOTech Last?
EOTechs are tough optics, but then they are overly reliant on complex electronics. The life of your EOTech depends upon how often you use it and what weapons you mount it on. Some last for 5 years and some for more than 10. Plus, EOTech optics are covered by a 10-year warranty to back you up.
Does EOTech Make a Green Reticle?
Yes. The EOTech XPS2 and EXPS2 holographic sights offer a green reticle option. Helping with fast and easy target acquisition under broad daylight. Since green color is better visible in bright lighting conditions.
Is EOTech Warranty Transferable?
Yes. The EOTech warranty is transferable and will be valid for subsequent owners of the optic for the remaining extent of the original warranty. The period of warranty is generally 5-10 years. Proof of purchase is also not needed.
How Much Does an EOTech Weigh?
It varies from optic to optic. But in general, an EOTech optic sight will always weigh more than 9 ounces. As the lightest and most compact optic from EOTech, the XPS2 weighs 9 ounces. The Vudu 5-25x50 is the biggest scope from the company and weighs 29.5 ounces.
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