EOTech introduced its holographic red dot optics and gun sights and immediately became the one to beat when it came to low light and close quarter battle situations. The optics have since been used by defense and police outfits worldwide.
The sights offered by EOTech have proven to be ready for any tactical and combat situation (are there any differences between tactical and hunting sights?). They are built to withstand pretty much anything you can throw at them. However, this durability comes with a price – literally! They are anything but cheap.
EOTech Clones – Are Knock-Off Holographic Sights worth looking at?
That’s why we thought to have a look at alternatives or clones. How do they hold up considering you can get them much cheaper? Is the high price on an EOTech justified when you’re not using it in your occupation?
Over the years many holographic sights have hit the market and tried to come close to the gold standard offered by EOTech. As you would imagine, there are good ones and not so good ones. We have a look at some better ones that are affordable yet offer excellent performance that comes close to the EOTech optics.
Which are the best Clones for an EOTech Sight?
In the following section we’re having a closer look at the following best EOTech clones:
- Dagger Defense
- Burris Fastfire III Gunsight
- Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus
- Mueller Quick Shot
- Vector Optics Ratchet Multi-Reticle Red/Green Dot Sight
These EOTech clone sights overall have received great feedback from customers and are affordable or even cheap while offering exceptional performance for you the shooter.
But, before we go into details on these sights, let’s have a look at what makes a holographic reflex sight. What can you expect from one? What are they good for? Let’s find out.
A great overall red-dot is the Sig Romeo 5. Check out our evaluation!
What are holographic sights and what can you expect from an EOTech clone?
Holographic sites like the EOTech ones offer outstanding clarity and target acquisition. Instead of repeating in-depth information on what a holographic site is, please reference our article on “Red Dot vs. Scope vs. Holographic Sight“. Clicking the link will take you right to where you find a detailed explanation of how holo sights work. Then come back and check out the contenders to be a good or the best EOTech clone!
Simpler and cheaper clones of these systems offer fewer technical advancements compared to true holographic sites. For most uses, these EOTech clone sights are perfectly fine.
The primary technical differences are that those lower-cost clones either are simple red-dot sights or reflex sights. The low cost is prohibitive to using true holographic technology.
Reflex sights offer an experience that is closer to a holographic sight compared to simple red-dot optics. Both types of sights also usually use LEDs instead of lasers. The latest improvements on LEDs provide closer performance to lasers than the first models did.
Affordable EOTech Alternatives and Knock-Offs – Is the Cheapest the Best?
Let us have a closer look at the different EOTech alternatives in the following sections.
We compared the EOTech EXPS and XPS holographic weapon sights here!
Dagger Defense – Built Sturdy and Affordable
The Dagger Defense is an affordable red dot reflex sight. Even though it’s priced on the low end, it does not lack quality.
This red dot reflex gun sight is built to endure rough conditions in the field without falling apart. The main assembly is manufactured from aircraft-grade aluminum which makes the sight sturdy while still being lightweight.
The Dagger Defense red dot reflex sight is built around a square window. A red or green dot is used to illuminate the target itself. Besides the color settings, you can also switch between two reticle settings. You can also adjust the brightness of the reflex sight by various steps from very dim to brightly lit.
The reflex sight is overall small and lightweight and therefore could even be mounted on a large handgun that has space left on its Picatinny rail. Otherwise, it’s a great sight for a shotgun, rifle, or specifically an AR15. – Here are our reviews of the best red dots for shotguns!
The red dot sight offers several adjustments including elevation and windage. You can adjust both settings with an Allen wrench. All other modes are selected with the rotary knob on the side of the switch on the rear which lets you pick the reticle. The knob also has the compartment for the CR2032 battery required for this reflex sight.
Learn more about adjustments on sights and how elevation, windage, and parallax work!
If you are looking for an affordable optic that is built sturdy and holds zero even with heavy recoil, then the Dagger Defense reflex sight is a superb choice. In our opinion, it’s the overall best EOTech knockoff you can find for the money!
Pros
- Red or Green dot and multiple reticles
- Priced to buy
- Sturdy design that’s easy to use
Cons
- Not the clearest view
- Some people reported blurry view
Burris Fastfire III Gunsight – Good Clone with Great Glass
The Burris Fastfire III is a more sophisticated and more expensive sight compared to the DD sight listed above. You’ll get the highest quality and top-notch visuals with this Burris gun sight which is why it’s included in the list of best EOTech clone sights.
Pricing is somewhere between the cheaper EOTech clones and the EOTech holographic sight itself. You will get better glass, imagery and in some respects, better features compared to the lower-priced knockoffs.
Particularly the ease-of-use on the Burris Fastfire III is outstanding. You can adjust Windage and Elevation without tools while many of the more inexpensive sights (e.g., the Dagger above) require tools for the adjustments.
The Bushnell TRS-25 is one of the most commonly seen red dot sights. Check out our review!
The Burris 300234 offers a 3 MOA dot which is an excellent match for rifles. The Burris 30236 model has an 8 MOA dot that matches better with shotguns or handguns. The larger dot is better suited for quick target acquisition on short ranges.
You can easily adjust the brightness settings of the dot on the Burris sight. The gunsight provides three different settings. You can also use the automatic brightness adjustment where it automatically changes depending on the surrounding light conditions. The optic has an automatic shutoff after 8 hours, and the battery life is a decent 5 years with average use.
This is a sight that’s a step up from the cheap clones of an EOTech holographic sight. It comes with top-notch material and construction and won’t let you down in the field. Overall, a great sight if you want to invest some money.
Pros
- Various MOA dot reticles available for different uses
- Compact and sturdy design
- Adjustments can be performed without the use of tools
- Automatic and manual brightness settings
Cons
- Can have a hard time to mount if you require shorter screws, etc.
- Automatic switch off can happen at the wrong time even though it saves battery
Burris offers some of the best scopes with red dot sights mounted on top!
Mueller Quick Shot – Thin Frame for Aiming with Both Eyes Open
The Mueller Quick Shot is another excellent EOTech alternative that offers a lot of value. It’s built slightly different compared to the other reflex or red dot sights we showcase here as it has a very thin frame. This makes the Mueller gun sight a great optic if you are using the Bindon Aiming Concept. You’d be using both eyes open for aiming, and the thin frame helps to reduce distractions in your field of view.
Mueller advertises this particular optic to be for Turkey hunters and for archery. However, it is an excellent gun sight on pretty much any kind of rifle including shotguns. It’s built from top-quality material and designed with the shooter in mind.
Have a look at our reviews of the best red dots that are best suited for the AR-15!
An excellent feature in the Mueller sight for nearly all situations is the built-in sensors that detect the surrounding light conditions. They automatically adjust the brightness of the red dot reticle to provide the optimal target acquisition performance in any light.
This can be a great feature in tactical situations where the surrounding light can change in an instant. There is no manual change required when you use the Mueller tactical gun sight.
However, depending on your requirements you might prefer to adjust manually, so the brightness of the dot matches your desires. In that case, you have the option of 10 manual brightness settings on the Mueller Quick Shot sight.
You also can choose between four different reticle styles to adjust the Mueller sight to your needs. This versatility combined with the outstanding optics makes the Mueller Quick Shot a great alternative to an EOTech holographic sight. The sight is innovative, affordable, and very flexible in its use.
Pros
- Sophisticated light sensors for automatic brightness adjustments
- Affordable pricing
- Great image quality
Cons
- There are reports that the sight can’t withstand the heavy recoil of larger rifles
- People struggled to mount the sight easily
Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus – Outstanding Reflex Sight
The Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus is a reflex sight that is probably one of the overall best Eotech alternatives you can find. It’s more affordable than the EoTech yet is not a cheap knockoff.
It’s built sturdy with the highest quality materials. Sightmark constructs the tube of the reflex sight out of aircraft-grade aluminum which provides sturdiness while staying light. On top of it, the Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus sight is water-resistant and shockproof. It holds up to even the heaviest recoil without the risk of losing zero or stopping to function.
One significant advantage of the Ultra Shot Plus reflex sight is that it is super-easy to mount and unmount. It comes with a quick detach throw lever that makes it a breeze to put on and off a rifle.
All controls for brightness, elevation, and windage are easy to use and readily available. You can adjust both windage and elevation with an Allen screw which prevents any accidental change of the settings.
The brightness levels on the Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus are set through a digital switch on the side. There are overall five levels of brightness. There’s another lever at the rear that allows selecting between 4 different reticles for this gunsight. Being able to choose a reticle and brightness level for any shooting situation is a great feature. The Ultra Shot Plus reflex sight also can switch between a red and green reticle/dot.
The optics themselves are crisp and bright. The reticle is in the shape of a rectangular and provides a clear image of the target with the red dot sharp within the view.
Looking for the best red dots? Check out our reviews and recommendations here!
Based on quality and features this reflex sight is one of the strongest contenders for the best EOTech clone. It’s more affordable than an EOTech yet built to the highest standards with top-notch materials.
Pros
- Great quality and features
- Reasonably priced
- Quick Detach mounting mechanism
Cons
- Battery life could be longer when used at highest brightness setting (90 hours)
- Auto shut off after just 1 hour which can be on the short side for some uses and situation
Vector Optics Ratchet Multi-Reticle Red/Green Dot Sight – Cheapest Alternative
The Vector Optics sight is on the low end of the price spectrum. That’s not to say it isn’t a reasonably good optic for the money.
It offers quite a few features that make for a good sight for shooting. The sight is a framed square window in a tubeless setting. It’s built sturdy enough so you can mount it on a shotgun as it can resist that level of recoil.
A nice feature, similar to the Sightmark sight, is that it comes with a quick detach mount. This allows for easy and quick, yet reliable mounting on a rail with no tools.
The Vector sight is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum making it overall lightweight and sturdy. It’s waterproof, fog-proof, and shockproof. Because of its compact build, it requires only a little space on a rail to mount it.
It can switch between a red and green dot and has four different reticle options for the gunsight. You can additionally change the brightness in five levels to adjust the reticle and dot to the light surroundings. The controls are easy to use and allow for quick adjustments when necessary. Elevation and windage can be changed with a tool but are not that easy to use or effective.
This is a very affordable EOTech knock-off gun sight that is an excellent choice for shorter distances and close-range engagements. Don’t expect this to be true competition for an EOTech sight or any of the higher-priced optics shown above, but it is a reasonably good alternative.
Pros
- Small, lightweight and compact build
- Sturdy with good recoil resistance
Cons
- Elevation and windage adjustments could need some improvement in range and operation
What’s Best EOTech Clone?
Overall, there are many EOTech clones around. They range in price from cheap to somewhere around half price of an EOTech sight. But, at the end of the day, you’re wondering what the best EOTech clone sights are.
Good and Cheaper Alternatives to an EOTech Holo Sight
If you want a cheap or at least lower-priced sight, then the Dagger Defense is the way to go. For a little more money you get a better optic, and at that moment the best choices are the Burris Fastfire III, the Sightmark Ultra Shot Plus, or the Mueller Quick Shot. It will depend on your gun, shooting style, and needs which of the three is best for you.
The Vector Optics is an alternative to the Dagger Defense, but we overall would pick the Dagger first when looking at the best EOTech clones. In short, there’s no definitive answer to what the best EOTech clone sight is. There are a variety of suitable alternatives and EOTech clones you can choose from depending on your requirements and price range.
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