Check Out the Holosun SCS and EPS
Finally, it’s time for Range Day, arguably the most wonderful time of the year. It’s where primadonna media types like myself get to play with new guns, gear, and optics on the manufacturer dime. Among a great many new guns and calibers, we have the gear. Lots of nice optics, and Holosun showed out with two, sorta three, new optics aimed at the pistol market. Remember how Holosun dumped the number configuration with the AEMS? Well, they’ve done the same with their new optics, the Holosun SCS, and EPS.
The good news for you is I got the skinny on these new optics and what they bring to an already crowded market. The Holosun SCS and EPS both offer very capable handgun-sized red dots that do a lot more than most. They innovate, expand, and push forward what a handgun red dot should be.
The Holosun SCS
For many, the Holosun SCS is the star of the show. It’s a red dot aimed at the full-sized and compact red dot market. It outfits guns like the Glock 19, the Glock 45, Glock 17, IWI Masada, and many more. The first question you likely have is, what’s the footprint?
Well, good question and I don’t have the answer you want. The optics will be built around the various footprints currently on the market. For example, the Glock model will attach to MOS guns without the need for a plate. Holosun’s rep told us they have the IWI Masada and HK models ready and will be expanding to CZ, S&W, and more in time.
The SCS is Holsoun SCS stands for Solar Charging Sight. This little red dot uses nothing but solar power and an internal battery—no need to worry about 2032 or 1632 batteries. The internal battery lasts for 20,000 hours, so in low-light situations, you won’t be outgunned.
The Holosun SCS will charge entirely from the solar panel and only have auto-adjusting brightness. I typically don’t care for auto-adjusting optics because they tend to wash out with weapon lights. However, the Holosun SCS uses multiple sensors that talk to each other and adjust for the presence of a weapon light.
What About The Reticles?
Solid question. Holosun is known for its multi reticle system, and that’s present here. You get the 2 MOA dot and a 32 MOA circle with 2 MOA dot. A very small single button controls the dots and makes it easy to swap if you prefer one over the other. The Holosun SCS will come in either red or green as well.
One of the big benefits of mounting directly to a universal system like the MOS is how low the optic can sit. With the optic positioned super low, you can ditch the suppressor height sights. The Holosun SCS co-witnessed perfectly with stock Glock height sights. Hell, the optics are specifically designed to match the slide design, so the Holosun SCS features the serrations that blend it perfectly with the Glock slide.
As we’ve come to expect, the reticles are crisp, clear, and easy to see. I dialed into a number of tiny targets and rang their bell over and over with the 32 MOA dot and 2 MOA dot. Let’s not forget the titanium housing that gives you a rugged and strong optic with a low weight.
The system worked perfectly, and I think it could be the next push forward in red dots.
The Holosun EPS
The Holosun SCS wasn’t the only new dot on display. I won’t lie when I say I’m a little bit more excited for the next dot. The new Holosun EPS joins the ranks of red dots and aims to equip your little guns. You know those subcompact guns, like the P365, Glock 43X/48 MOS series, and similar footprints.
They fall into that Shield RMSc footprint and work perfectly on micro compacts. What they do differently than most other subcompact optics is utilize an enclosed emitter. An enclosed emitter means nothing gets between the emitter and the piece of glass, so the optic’s reliability ratchets up in the rain, snow, and hellish sandstorm you might find yourself in.
Honestly, carrying IWB every day over and overexposes your gun to dirt, lint, and debris. Any of that can slip between the emitter and lens and cause all sorts of chaos. The Holosun EPS provides an enclosed emitter option for your subcompact pistol.
The Holosun SCS might offer the lighter open emitter design, but the EPS is meant to go to hell and back. It’s like the 509T, but much smaller and more compact. Still, you get the solar panel, the dual buttons, and more.
In Use
The Holosun EPS and EPS Carry are technically two different optics. The EPS Carry integrates an additional rear sight for cowitnessing purposes. The dot is a generous 6 MOA dot that appeared crisp and clear at the range. It’s also super easy to see and pick up. That big dot makes it easy to fly on target and start putting lead down quickly and efficiently.
The big dual buttons allow for quick adjustment. The solar panel offers your battery a backup, and the shake awake keeps things ready for when you need it. Adding a second lens is potentially perilous to your sight picture, but the glass appears clear. Putting lead on target wasn’t a challenge, even out to the most distant targets.
The one weird downside will be the fact the optic slightly overhangs the slide. Not a major deal, but it triggered my own OCD. Still, the reliability an enclosed optic offers is way more valuable than the lie we tell about clean lines and perfect integration.
Shine On
Both the Holosun SCS and EPS offer something new in a crowded and ever-growing market. These handgun-sized red dots are granting shooters a higher level of durability, a new low profile format, and a rock-solid set of features that brings Holosun to the front line of carry optics.
We hope to see both of these optics on the market soon. Watch this space for a full review.
