Who has had an EOTech problem?

[Wake27]

Didn't see any thread like this, so hopefully its not a repost.

Anyways, I see a lot of people here saying their EOTech has had some kind of problem, so I'm curious as to actual numbers.

Please note, this is for first-hand experience only - meaning that you were operating the optic when it failed. I'd also understand if it was a buddy of yours who suffered the issue, but please limit it to only if you were at the range shooting with him (or if it happened during OPS or something similar). No "I heard this..." please. If you'd like to include a story about someone you actually know and trust (let's try to avoid duplicates), feel free to post, just please refrain from using the poll.

Please refrain also from batteries being dead as the issue. I know Aimpoints last longer. But there is a difference between a malfunction and the batteries running out, obviously.

Finally, please post the actual model and any info on it (what happened, how long/hard you've been running it, etc.) as well as if you sent it in to EOTech and what their resolution was/how well it worked.

I started it off, all good so far with my 512. Its been about 4 years since I bought it and I just recently received my first low battery warning. Only about 600 rounds of 5.56 and maybe about 1000 of .22 so far, but it did have a few years of paintball useage, FWIW.

[William B.]

I had an EOTech 552 on an M249 and later transferred it to my AR15. I never had any malfunctions while using the optic, but I did have to order a new battery cap after some batteries corroded the original beyond repair. Maybe this was due to the design of the EOTech battery cap allowing the batteries to be jarred or maybe it was just the batteries. EOTech CS was prompt, helpful, and mailed me the new battery cap free of charge.

[B Cart]

I have a 512 model, as well as 3 other good friends who shoot alot, and none of us have ever had any issues (we're all civilian shooters). I've been running mine for about 2 years now, including during multiple carbine classes, and I've never personally had one go down or even seen one go down. I did have a buddy who's batteries died during a shoot, but I think they had been in there for a couple years. A quick battery change and he was back shooting.

[Failure2Stop]

I don't know why you have "no problem" listed as a vote choice.
There will always be more people that do not have issues with them than those that do have issues if only because only those that actually use the weapons will experience failures beyond dead batteries, and there is something like a 10:1 ratio of those the store weapons to those that use weapons.

Basically, you are going to drown out your information with white noise.
Probably a more useful metric would be a list of what issues the users had with each model.

[one]

I had an Eotech 552 model that I experienced two (potentially three) problems with.

#1 The windage mechanism went out on it and the sight would not hold zero. I sent the sight back to Eotech and they were very gracious about fixing it and getting it back to me in a timely manner.

#2 I ran a PVS14 behind the 552 and I noticed that it was leaving somewhat of a ghosting on the NV. Moreso than I was comfortable with during use. Before long it came out on the forums that the sights weren't quite dim enough for NV use and were leaving marks on the tubes of the NV. I contacted Eotech and explained what was going on. They again received it for repari/update and upgraded the internals to REV F configuration along with the waterproof pressure pad being upgraded.

#3 This could be arguable I suppose but...At one point I was running the 552 on an AK47 with Ultimak rail. I discovered that after about 200 rounds the sight would start shutting off from the heat. When it all cooled down again it would come back on and return to service. Either way on that particular gun it was a no go on any heavy use.

So overall at least two mechanical problems. However in both instances the company was more than gracious to make it right and do so as quickly as possible. However I us Aimpoints on all my first line actual work guns.

But at the end of the day. All the goodwill, quality service, and professional courtesy don't do you a bit of good in the heat of a gunfight when you need something to work, and work 100%.

Or as I've told my coworkers, usually to no avail, "Customer service doesn't mean anything at the center of a firefight."

[Wake27]

I don't know why you have "no problem" listed as a vote choice.
There will always be more people that do not have issues with them than those that do have issues if only because only those that actually use the weapons will experience failures beyond dead batteries, and there is something like a 10:1 ratio of those the store weapons to those that use weapons.

Basically, you are going to drown out your information with white noise.
Probably a more useful metric would be a list of what issues the users had with each model.

I realize that there will be more people who have not had any problems than those that have, at least there should be. But I wanted to see out of all the owners on here, what percentage did have problems. My interest is not as heavily in what type of problems, though it is nice to know which is why I asked they post details.

[Wake27]

I had an Eotech 552 model that I experienced two (potentially three) problems with.

#1 The windage mechanism went out on it and the sight would not hold zero. I sent the sight back to Eotech and they were very gracious about fixing it and getting it back to me in a timely manner.

#2 I ran a PVS14 behind the 552 and I noticed that it was leaving somewhat of a ghosting on the NV. Moreso than I was comfortable with during use. Before long it came out on the forums that the sights weren't quite dim enough for NV use and were leaving marks on the tubes of the NV. I contacted Eotech and explained what was going on. They again received it for repari/update and upgraded the internals to REV F configuration along with the waterproof pressure pad being upgraded.

#3 This could be arguable I suppose but...At one point I was running the 552 on an AK47 with Ultimak rail. I discovered that after about 200 rounds the sight would start shutting off from the heat. When it all cooled down again it would come back on and return to service. Either way on that particular gun it was a no go on any heavy use.

So overall at least two mechanical problems. However in both instances the company was more than gracious to make it right and do so as quickly as possible. However I us Aimpoints on all my first line actual work guns.

But at the end of the day. All the goodwill, quality service, and professional courtesy don't do you a bit of good in the heat of a gunfight when you need something to work, and work 100%.

Or as I've told my coworkers, usually to no avail, "Customer service doesn't mean anything at the center of a firefight."

Appreciate the detail, thanks. I'm assuming you had no heat-related malfunctions on anything other than the AK mentioned?

[one]

I ran that 552 pretty extensively over the years on a couple flat top AR15's, a Remington 870P, an M1A in SAGE stock, a Barrett 82A1, and the previously mentioned AK.

Of all that the only problem that ever surfaced host gun wise was the AK.

[Evil Colt 6920]

AA / 557 with no problems after 2+ years civilian use. Ive used it in rain, snow and 100+ degree heat while at the range or hunting.

[Ronin64]

516 with 2.5 years LE use. The optic has been fine up until recently, the center of the optic was noticeably dimmer than the edges of the optic (when viewing the reticule). This became annoying pretty quickly while I was covering an area and I would move the rifle from side to side. It was perhaps a 3/4 brightness clicks in difference, so when scanning an area, the optic brightness kept changing.

I have returned it to EOTech and I am waiting for news of its repair. I just shipped it last friday. It is out of warranty, but they are repairing it for free.

Aimpoint PRO purchase coming in the near future...