Would you or wouldn't you

[86K5]

I have decided to go all in on my AR, meaning it is going to be my only rifle platform and am getting rid of my AK. I had decided to offer it up for sale or trade on a local board and got a hit. I have a guy offering up either a Eotech XPS-2 or a complete DPMS 308 lower and stripped upper. I am honestly leaning torwards the Eotech. Says its 3 months old and has receipt to prove it. I would estimate the values to be about the same. In case you're wondering, the AK is a MAADI MISR S/A, 9 30 rnd mags and about 650 rounds of ammo.

What say y'all?

[SuicideHz]

Eotech. He doesn't want the .308 lower for the same reasons you won't want it.

[MTechnik]

Yes, I'd go with the eotech also.

[jsebens]

I'll disagree. The DPMS lower is a) worth more than the EOTech (MSRP to MSRP); b) less likely to be fake, and c) more likely to hold up to use (if that is your intent). A quick search on Google shows dozens of complaints about broken EOTechs, and none about failed/broken DPMS .308 lowers. Their record with .223 lowers is not quite so sterling, but that's not what you're concerned with.

On the flipside, it'll be easy enough to sell that EOTech to someone who doesn't know (or care) about the reliability, maintenance, and battery drain issues...selling a .308 lower might be harder.

[MTechnik]

The eotechs that had issues were the early 1st gen holosights. The battery terminals had issues with recoil. They fixed that for the later 1st gen sights. Anything else I've ever seen are stories about "what my buddy saw."

The newer XPS series has a transversely mounted battery, so that can't ever become an issue. I haven't seen any complaints about the XPS series at all.

If he had a hankering for a .308 AR, that would be a different story.

I still say go with the Eotech (if you don't have bad astigmatism.)

[JSantoro]

Take the lower.

My optimism about opposing the battery box on the EOTech series has been recently proven to be Pollyanna Syndrome. Back to my usual MO of "The glass isn't half-full or half-empty...it's half a glass."

My point of reference is 15 devices in my view, none of which surpassed 190hrs of use, all of different lots, 5 groups of 3 so that we had 3 devices using each of 5 brands of battery, plus a whole bunch of other specifics that included a control group, and in addition to tests at other venues that bring the total population of devices to 112. ALL but two of which haven't even made it 1/3 of the way to the advertised battery life by way of breakage, much less needing a battery swap. Two made it to 2/3 of advertised battery life...before ceasing to function. So, no proof on battery life.

That device still has problems, and as long as L-3 owns EOTech, they're unlikely to get solved. Unfortunate, because I know I'd really like to use that reticle WITHOUT the nagging knowledge that it's going to go down at some point. Whatever anybody's buddy is seeing is quite valid, if more anecdotal. I've got some of the same buddies, as well as some who continue to like those things, but THOSE guys are also the ones who can just swap a failed one for new, so there's no $$ coming out of them. They can afford to love them (or at least not complain about them) because they ain't paying a dime to get them fixed.

Bleep EOTech in it's bleeping blank. Take the lower.

[jsebens]

The eotechs that had issues were the early 1st gen holosights. The battery terminals had issues with recoil. They fixed that for the later 1st gen sights. Anything else I've ever seen are stories about "what my buddy saw."

Wrong. I had a 553 that exploded (literally) while mounted on a Remington 870; I had called EOTech only the day before and been assured that it would easily survive that recoil and more. 6 weeks later, I got a replacement after calling and emailing the CEO of L3 Industries.

EOTech can go to hell for all I care, but I'll never recommend one of their sights to anyone who a) depends on their equipment to work or b) wants to get value for their dollar.

[bkb0000]

i wouldn't take either.. DPMS isn't one of two options in the 308 realm anymore- nobody ever has to be stuck with 'em.

and the eotech is junk, in a nutshell. jsantoro's testament should be enough on that topic.

hold out for cash or something you actually need/want. try to trade for an LMT complete lower w/ sopmod, or a good quality upper or something.

[TehLlama]

I'd keep the Misri AK for now, see what else pans out. A DPMS lower might make sense down the road if you're going to have an outfit like GAP or IronBridge build you an upper, though for now the AK makes the most sense to have around right now, and trade for something else AR related down the road.

[MTechnik]

Wrong. I had a 553 that exploded (literally) while mounted on a Remington 870; I had called EOTech only the day before and been assured that it would easily survive that recoil and more. 6 weeks later, I got a replacement after calling and emailing the CEO of L3 Industries.

EOTech can go to hell for all I care, but I'll never recommend one of their sights to anyone who a) depends on their equipment to work or b) wants to get value for their dollar.

Gotcha. Hadn't seen such statements before. Just "I heard.." stories. Thanks for the heads up.