The optics market is booming right now, and there is so much innovation and development happening across the board.
One area that is seeing new products is enclosed pistol sights, and that has some of us excited.
Their new EPS Carry is a reflex sight that opens the door for people who carry micro-compact guns to experience the world of enclosed emitter sights.
So what are enclosed pistol sights? What makes them special, and why would want one? We are going to take a deeper look at the EPS Carry to answer those questions and see if it lives up to the hype.
Table of Contents
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Background
Until recently, the Aimpoint ACRO was the only true enclosed emitter pistol sight on the market. Holosun saw the opportunity to challenge that sector by introducing their Enclosed Pistol Sight, or EPS.
However, like the ACRO, the regular EPS was sized for standard-sized pistols like your Glock 19, Sig P320, Walther PDP, and other similar guns.
With micro-compact pistols like the Sig P365 and Springfield Hellcat becoming increasingly popular, many folks wrote off the idea of being able to use an enclosed sight on their everyday carry guns.
Holosun developed the EPS Carry to closely mimic their full-sized EPS while allowing it to fit relatively flush with micro-compact pistols. It utilizes Holosun’s “K” footprint, which it shares with the Shield RMSc and Sig Romeo Zero.
Being able to have a dot on your concealed carry gun that is extremely similar in size and function to the one on your duty gun is nice.
This means if you are running the EPS and EPS Carry on two different guns, the training time when switching between the two will be minimal.
Why Would You Want an Enclosed Red Dot?
You may be asking why a pistol sight needs to be enclosed, and that is a valid question.
The main upside to keeping the sight enclosed is that no debris, like mud, dust, or dirt, can get in front of the emitter and prevent the dot from being visible.
Is everyone going to be diving into the mud and the blood and needing a hardcore duty sight?
Absolutely not, and Holosun knows this, which is why they offer standard open-backed sights like the 507K with virtually identical specs for less money.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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However, even if you aren’t expecting a hostile environment for your firearm, it can still be nice.
My P365XL isn’t always my go-to carry gun, and it often finds itself sitting in a holster in a drawer or on a nightstand. It’s Texas; my fan is always on, and everything gets dusty.
Trying to get a cloth or t-shirt onto the back of the lens on a normal pistol dot can be an annoyance — you can’t get the corners, or you end up with fingerprints and smudges. Wiping off an exterior lens is definitely easier.
Aside from price, the typical downside would be losing clarity by having to look through two pieces of glass instead of one.
The good news is the EPS Carry has very clear and crisp glass, eliminating that issue.
Holosun EPS Specs & Features
Currently, there are six models:
- 2 MOA red dot – No solar failsafe
- 2 MOA green dot – No solar failsafe
- 6 MOA red dot – No solar failsafe
- 6 MOA green dot – No solar failsafe
- Multiple Reticle System red – Includes solar failsafe
- Multiple Reticle System green – Includes solar failsafe
Like most of Holosun’s offerings, the EPS Carry has a few different versions available. Prices typically range from around $330 to $430.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Buyers can choose between the smaller, more precise 2 MOA dot or the larger, faster 6 MOA dot.
Also available is the Multiple Reticle System (MRS), which has a 2 MOA dot surrounded by a 32 MOA ring. The MRS allows you to switch the reticle and choose the dot and the ring, the dot only, or the ring only.
As with many of Holosun’s products, the EPS boasts a whopping 50,000-hour battery life on a single CR1620 battery that is accessible from the side.
This battery life is backed up by my favorite feature, the shake-awake technology.
This automatically detects movement and instantly turns the sight on back to its last setting. It will also automatically turn off after a few minutes of no activity.
I love this feature because it lets you quickly have your gun ready without having to fish for a button in the middle of the night if it’s on a nightstand or in a drawer. It also saves me from having to buy my 7th battery because I forgot to turn my dot off after the range yet again.
MRS models also include a small solar panel on the top of the sight that acts as a failsafe in case the battery dies or malfunctions. Having both the MRS and the solar failsafe will add about $50-100 to the price of the base model.
There are 8 daylight brightness settings and 4 night vision settings. The housing is 7075 T6 aluminum, and the sight weighs a feathery 1 ounce. Adjustment per click is 1.5 MOA.
Large buttons on the left side make adjusting the brightness and other settings both easy and tactile.
Performance at the Range
I was able to get my mitts on the 6 MOA red dot version, so I slapped it on my Sig P365XL and took it out for a spin.
Holosun provides a quality aluminum mounting plate, three sets of screws with pre-applied Loctite, and a good-fitting wrench. Installation was a breeze and took less than five minutes.
Once at the range, adjustments with the included tool were easy. After about three minutes, I had the sight dialed in where I wanted it.
Acquiring the 6 MOA dot was fast and easy, and I found that the larger dot didn’t hinder my accuracy too much at lower brightness settings.
Below are my first two groups after sighting the EPS Carry in with Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics 115gr FMJ — one at 7 yards and one at 12 yards.
The glass was crisp, and the sight held zero after 250 rounds. It is a lower round count, but I fully expect the EPS Carry to hold up as well as its larger brethren, and I don’t foresee any durability issues here.
I had some initial worries about looking through two lenses on a sight this small, but my fears were quickly washed away by how clear and easy it was to shoot.
My P365XL was previously hosting a Sig Romeo Zero with the metal shroud, and I can say with the utmost confidence that the EPS Carry is worth the extra money over the Romeo Zero.
By the Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
So far, so good. I was dismounting the sight and accidentally dropped it onto the hardwood floor right on the corner, and it exhibited no damage. Everything was right where it was supposed to be after remounting it. It has held up well to daily carry use over the past month and a half.
Ergonomics: 5/5
The EPS is well thought out and easy to use. The left side buttons are tactile and easy to depress, and the right side battery compartment is easily accessible.
Looks: 4/5
I wish they would have left the Holosun logo off of the right side for a sleeker look. Boxier optics on a smaller gun do look a bit off to me, but that is a minor gripe, and I feel that the P365XL wears it well, despite my thoughts.
Value: 4/5
Value is the name of the game for Holosun. The EPS Carry comes in at around $330 to $430, depending on the model. While I think this is still a great value, it is really up to the user to decide if the enclosed emitter is worth the extra money over a Holosun 507K, which has all of the other same features.
Overall: 4.5/5
If you want an enclosed emitter sight for your micro-compact, the EPS Carry is the only game in town. Even if it weren’t, it would probably still be top dog.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Final Thoughts
Enclosed pistol sights are starting to catch on. The Aimpoint ACRO did it first for regular pistols, but Holosun did it first for micro-compacts.
Extreme battery life, shake-awake technology, clarity, and plenty of reticle options make the EPS Carry an absolute winner for those looking for a durable, low-maintenance pistol optic.
Do you have experience with the EPS Carry or other enclosed pistol dots? Let us know what you think in the comments below! Have a bigger gun and need a slightly bigger dot? Check out our hands-on review of the 11 Best Pistol Red Dot Sights!
17 Leave a Reply
Just read your site about small ccp's and dots. I see that the new, 2024 FN Reflex, dot ready
version, was not included on your recommended list. I have one, as well as 2 Sig 365's, one of which is the XL. Put the Wilson Combat, lower grip module on both. Worthwhile for comfort & style. Included is my Canik MC9, which is a terrific little pistol. The MC9 may actually be the
least snappy of this group. I absolutely LOVE my "Holosun SCS" green dot. I already have them
on my G19, G34, & G21. This dot made me a true believer in dots ! ! It's the fastest available.
Nice size. "NO BATTERIES TO WORRY ABOUT." The SCS is the best dot now available. I plan to
put the "SCS" on all of the aforementioned pistols. The new FN Reflex won new handgun of the
year at the SHOT SHOW for 2024. They sold almost 60,000 of them in the first 3 wks after it
was announced, FN told me. I chose black vs. the tan color. I also plan to put an "SCS Dot" on
my Wilson Combat FSX with 3" barrel. The latter is great fun to shoot. Not decided yet, which
of my mini compacts is my favorite. Not till all have SCS's. My ZEV HYPER, probably should not
have a dot. My G19's ( I have two ) have the GLOCK Performance Trigger. Nicer than the stock one. Should mention that both of my P365's are the ZEV-WC version. Improved triggers, & other features. Now that I have shared this, I am rapidly concluding that I may prefer to stick
with compact size vs. the sub compact or mini compact pistols. I prefer shooting the compact size, and am much more effective with that choice. Yes, that's just a personal thing
for everyone.
I just bought the eps carry and was sighting it in today and I was impressed with it. I have the green solar version on my Glock 43x. I also have the the holosun 507k on my sig p365xl, but so far I like the eps carry better even though it doesn’t look as good on the gun In my opinion.
I put it on on my new fave, FN REFLEX, green 6moa, love it.
Looks good, feels good, and hopefully, shoots good.
Will I mount it on the SIG 365, original version, my back up? Dunno.
The slide will have to be milled.
We'll see...
Is the mounting plate necessary if the p365xl is already cut for that footprint?
I had to order different mounting screws than what was included by Holosun; then I did not need to use the mounting plate (p356 XMacro).
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I would love an article on the MRS system and all the nuances of the 32 MOA reticle, with the measurement markings, how it can be used up close or at a distance.
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I guess this guy just completely forgot about the 509T.....talking like this is Holosun's first ever enclosed emitter. Busch League.
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Given how widely out of stock it is, do you think it is worth the wait and the extra money over just buying a Holosun 507k? I am a new gun owner. Thank you.
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When is it going to be available?
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I was shooting in a match with a red dot (reflex) sight when the sky opened up, and it began pouring rain. The red dot quickly flooded and became unusable. Since then I have been looking for an ACRO 2, just in case I ever have to shoot in the pouring rain again, but they seem to be made of unobtainium. Maybe I'll take a look at the Holosun.
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