Electronic weapon sights (EWS) continue to grow in popularity, as more and more hunters and sport shooters turn to these outstanding little gadgets to improve targeting speed and accuracy. Whether mounted on a handgun, shotgun or rifle, a high-quality EWS like an EOTech holographic sight offers a huge range of benefits over using open sights. However, the one drawback to these sights is that they're non-magnified, meaning they're only really useful as far as your eyes can see.
This is where a magnifier can come in handy, as it allows you to extend the range of your EWS. Of course, if you're spending top dollar on your EOTech holographic sight, you'll obviously want to make sure you get a magnifier that matches in terms of quality. For this reason, this guide is focused on how to choose the best magnifier for EOTech, providing you everything you need to know to make an informed decision and get the right product for your needs and your budget.
The 4 Best EOTech Magnifiers
Magnifier | Summary | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
#1 Best EOTech Magnifier | ||
Best eye relief in its price range | ||
Durable, sturdy, but darker image | ||
A decent affordable 6x magnifier |
Why Use a Magnifier on Your EOTech?
The purpose of using an EOTech or any other red dot sight is to provide increased target acquisition speed and improved accuracy. Instead of trying to line up your open eye with the gun's iron sights and your target, an electronic weapon sight provides an easy-to-see illuminated reticle for you to aim with. There's no doubting the increased benefits that an EOTech holographic sight provides, but unfortunately, those benefits only extend to the same range as you would shoot at with iron sights.
This is where an EOTech magnifier comes in, as these innovative optics allow you to extend the range of your weapon by several hundred yards or more. These magnifiers are designed to mount directly behind the holographic sight, allowing you to use its illuminated reticle with anything from 2x to 7x magnification—and the best part of it all is that you don't even need to choose between magnified and zero magnification, as most EOTech magnifiers are designed with a special mount that enables you to quickly flip the scope out of the way.
By mounting a magnifier behind your EOTech, you won't be limited to only using the magnifier for longer range shots, as you can simply flip the optics up or down as needed. In essence, these units allow you to smoothly transition between the standard 1x EWS and a low-powered rifle scope in an instant. Hunters and shooters who use an EOTech or any of the many clones for small game, birds, plinking, targets or any other type of shooting are sure to enjoy the huge advantages offered by a red dot magnifier, enabling you to accurately nail both short and long range shots with ease.
Tips for Finding the Best Magnifier for EOTech Holographic Sights
The increased popularity of red dot sights means that the market is absolutely flooded with EWS magnifiers, many of which aren't worth the materials they're made from. That being said, there are also some truly excellent magnifiers out there, including some designed by EOTech itself. What these top-end optics have in common is that they feature high-quality, multi-coated optics and rugged, durable construction, and many of them are designed specifically for competition shooters, law enforcement, military and other individuals that frequently encounter both close-quarters and distance shooting situations.
You'll definitely find that these magnifiers work equally as well for hunting purposes. Unfortunately, many of the truly top models like those made by EOTech cost equally as much as the EOTech sight itself. However, you can also find a number of more reasonably priced models, many of which feature their own version of the flip-up mount.
The mount itself is actually a key component of the magnifier. You'll want to ensure that you choose a flip-up mount instead of a fixed one. While the original EOTech magnifier mount flips out of the way with the push of your hand, most other magnifier mounting systems utilize a button that locks the magnifier in place to keep it from moving when you don't want it to. This means you'll need to decide whether you'd prefer the convenience of being able to move the magnifier instantly or the security provided by the locking button that helps to keep the magnifier in place.
Is an EOTech Magnifier Worth It?
The original flip-up magnifier was designed by EOTech, which pioneered the unique mounting system that ensures users get the benefits of both a magnified and non-magnified sight. As EOTech designed these magnifiers specifically to match its own holographic sights, EOTech magnifiers are undeniably the best. Whether you're looking for the best magnifier for EOTech 512 or best magnifier for EOTech XPS2, the EOTech magnifiers are the obvious choice.
However, the high price of the original EOTech magnifier leads many hunters to search out alternatives. If you have the money to spend, there's no doubt that these top-of-the-line scopes are well worth it. Nonetheless, you can also find a number of decent options that are much more affordable. So it's all about trying to find a balance between quality and a price that fits within your budget.
EOTech Magnifier Reviews
To assist you, below you can find EOTech magnifier reviews to help narrow down your choices.
EOTech G33 STS
If you're looking for the absolute best magnifier for your EOTech, there's no doubt that this is it. Designed and built to the same exacting standards and using the same quality materials as your EOTech holographic sight, the EOTech G33 STS provides fixed 3x magnification and allows you to transfer between close quarters and medium range situations in an instant.
This magnifier features a decent 2.2 inches of eye relief and easy-to-use elevation and windage adjustment knobs that can be turned by hand, making it simple to zero in. The EOTech G33 provides a 7.3-degree angle of view to allow for quick targeting. As well, the mount features a quick-release lever, meaning taking the magnifier on and off takes mere seconds.
Like all EOTech products, the G33 magnifier is built to military specifications, ensuring long-lasting strength and durability. As well, it features fully multi-coated optics that provide increased light transmission and eliminate glare to ensure a bright, crystal clear picture in virtually any light conditions. All in all, the EOTech G33 is without-a-doubt the best red dot magnifier currently available.
Vortex VMX-3T
Lightweight, tough and built to last, the Vortex VMX-3T easily ranks among the top red dot magnifiers out there. Like most other Vortex optics, this 3x magnifier features fully multi-coated optics for improved brightness and light transmission, as well as a nitrogen-filled main body tube that resists internal fogging. Durability is never an issue with this model, as it is fully shock-proof and waterproof, featuring O-ring seals to prevent water, dust and debris from getting inside. The machined-aluminum construction and hard-anodized coating further add to its strength.
Although the optics on this Vortex are comparable to other top models like the Burris AR Tripler, the Vortex VMX-3T has one major advantage over many of its closest competitors. This is in terms of eye relief, as at 3.25 inches, the Vortex magnifier provides slightly increased eye relief compared to most other models. While this alone isn't quite enough to make it the equal of the EOTech GS33, the increased eye relief does make the Vortex rank slightly above the Burris AR-Tripler and most other models within its price range. Therefore, if you're looking for a quality 3x magnifier that won't break the bank, you could do a whole lot worse than the Vortex VMX-3T.
Burris AR-Tripler
Like the Vortex magnifier, the Burris AR-Tripler features a well-built, sturdy design and quality multi-coated optics. As well, it is everything you'd expect from a quality scope, including shockproof, waterproof and fogproof. At only 2.5 inches, the eye relief leaves a bit to be desired, but other than that, this Burris AR-Tripler is assured to perform more than adequately in all light conditions and is one of the best ways to extend the range of your EOTech. However, there have been many complaints about the reddish-colored coating on the front lens of the magnifier, which results in a slightly darker image compared to either the Vortex or EOTech magnifiers. For this reason, we've ranked it just slightly below these two.
Primary Arms 6x Red Dot Magnifier
Many hunters and shooters struggle when faced with the choice of 6x vs 3x magnifier. In truth, there is a reason that the majority of magnifiers on the market only feature 3x magnification. At higher levels of magnification, the red dot reticle can start to look blown out. For this reason, many people prefer to simply use a scope when shooting at these longer distances, instead of trying to rely on a red dot sight and magnifier combo. However, if you do have your heart set on a 6x magnifier, then this model from Primary Arms is definitely a decent choice.
The Primary Arms 6x Red Dot Magnifier is quite affordable and can be used with a range of flip-to-side mounts. It also features decent optics that ensure a clear picture despite the increased magnification. Although it doesn't compare to any of the above magnifiers in terms of overall quality and durability, the lack of decent 6x magnifiers currently on the market means this Primary Arms model is easily one of the best options for anyone set on 6x magnification.
So Which Magnifier Should You Buy?
At the end of the day, there is actually a wide range of decent red dot magnifiers out there, as this list is by no means complete. If you're truly searching for the best magnifier for EOTech, you can’t go wrong with any of the models listed above, both in terms of price and quality. However, considering how much you already spent on your EOTech, buying a cheap, inferior magnifier really doesn't make any sense.
