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Here we check out the Holosun EPS, one of the many pistol red dot options available at GunMag Warehouse.
Most likely you know GunMag Warehouse has a massive catalog of gun magazines for sale. If you need a spare mag, the site likely has it. But these days most shooters are after a lot more than magazines. Never fear, GunMag Warehouse has you covered. For instance, if you’re in the market for a pistol red dot the company has an impressive offering of those as well. Today we’ll look at one of those optics, the Holosun EPS.
In pistol optics, the latest design trend is the enclosed red dot. For years, the standard for pistol dots has been to have a single lens with the emitter sitting out in the open behind it. Mostly, these work fine, but are prone to one huge problem: debris obscuring the emitter.
It’s probably not something you’d notice at the range, but in any adverse environment an obstruction can happen easier than you realize. Rain, snow, dust or even lint from your shirt can all fall in front of the emitter and cause the red dot to stop functioning. On a concealed carry or personal defense handgun this is less than optimal.
As it turns out, the solution to this issue is simple enough—just make the red dot enclosed like high-powered scopes. Holosun’s take on the concept is the EPS (Enclosed Pistol Sight) series.
Holosun makes quite a few different variants of the EPS, but the two distinct models are the EPS and the EPS Carry. All of the other models differ only in their reticle style or color. As their names imply, the Carry model is slightly smaller and intended for CCW pistols while the standard EPS is for larger handguns. Both feature the Holosun K optics footprint and can be installed on any compatible slide. For increased compatibility, each one ships with an adaptor plate as well. The EPS Carry includes an RMSc-to-K plate while the EPS comes with an RMR-to-K plate.
The exact model we’ll focus on is called the EPS Red 6, so named because it features a 6-MOA red dot. Holosun also offers it with green dots, 2-MOA dots and Holosun’s Multi-Reticle System.
And, yes, GunMag Warehouse has every EPS model available.
Setting Up The EPS
Like all Holosun products, the EPS arrives in a slick box reminiscent of smartphone packaging. Inside, it includes everything you need to get the optic mounted and ready to go—a user manual, a lens cloth, an installation/adjustment tool, the aforementioned adaptor plate, a couple of different sizes of mounting screws and the EPS red dot itself.
Installation is easy. First, using one set of the included screws and the tool, the adaptor plate is installed on the pistol’s slide. Next, the other set of screws is used to install the EPS to the adaptor plate on the slide. A torque wrench helps to ensure these are installed to Holosun’s specifications. After allowing enough time for the thread locker to cure it’s ready to be zeroed.
Speaking of zeroing, you’ll only need to do it once. The optic is powered by a 1620 battery (one is included). This power source only needs to be changed after approximately 5 years (advertised battery life is 50,000 hours). Additionally, that job is easy too since the side-mounted compartment means the EPS can stay mounted on the gun. The Shake Awake feature also helps prolong when the battery needs replacing even further.
On The Range
At the end of the day, a red dot is a red dot, and the best feature one can have is reliability. If the dot stays securely attached, retains its zero and doesn’t have any electronic malfunctions, it’s already doing better than a lot of what’s on the market. The Holosun EPS passed these tests handily.
As for actually shooting with it, it performs great there as well. The glass is very clear and the dot is very bright and crisp, and the manual adjustment buttons allow you to easily cycle through the twelve brightness settings (4 for night vision, 8 for daylight) to find what suits the current environment best. The 6-MOA dot model is especially suited to a home defense pistol, a large reticle helping with quick target acquisitions at close ranges.
The fact that the EPS is an enclosed red dot had no negative consequences. Yes, there’s a second lens to look through, but it is incredibly clear and has excellent light transmission through the generously sized windows. All that second lens means is you don’t have to worry about keeping your emitter clean.
With an MSRP of $388.22, the EPS isn’t the most affordable pistol red dot in Holosun’s catalog, but it is significantly less expensive than comparable enclosed models from companies like Aimpoint. Better yet, you won’t have to pay the MSRP, because GunMag Warehouse has them listed for only $329.99.
If you need a seriously rugged and capable red dot for a pistol, browsing the EPS series on GunMag Warehouse is a good place to start.
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