The red dot revolution shows no signs of slowing down and red dots and pistols are now the peanut butter and jelly of guns and optical systems. Modern red dots are springing up in a variety of configurations and sizes and packing a variety of features.
When it comes to concealed carry, the Holousn EPS Carry offers something no other micro red dot offers: an enclosed emitter.
Enclosed emitter pistol optics are nothing new. Aimpoint released the ACRO years ago, and it was a revolution. However, enclosed emitter optics have always been produced for larger guns like the Glock 19 and SIG P320. Micro compacts, single stack 9mms, and similar pistols don’t get the same treatment.
Until the Holosun EPS Carry.
What Is the EPS Carry?
The EPS Carry is a pistol red dot that blends the Shield RMSc optics cut with an enclosed emitter design, which I believe is the future of red dots for handguns.
Enclosed emitters offer numerous benefits. The main advantage is unbeatable reliability. In comparison, an open emitter dot opens you up to the chance of dirt, dust, snow, or water getting in between the emitter and the optic. If this happens, you’ll have to clean it out before you can shoot. That’s not something you want to deal with in a life-or-death emergency.
The EPS Carry prevents that. Typically, you must deal with an odd footprint and a bulky optic, but neither is at play here. The optic maintains its small size and keeps the RMSc footprint, which has become the option of choice for smaller guns.
Breaking Down the EPS Carry
The EPS Carry comes in several different configurations. Models like the MRS offer multiple reticles and a solar panel as a backup. I have a simpler, more affordable option. I don’t see the need for multiple reticles or a solar panel on a concealed carry optic. Mine has a green, 6 MOA reticle, and no solar panel.
Your controls are a set of + and – buttons. The most obvious use is to swap between brightness levels. It also allows you to swap between auto-adjust and lock-out modes. I keep it in a simple manual setting and choose my adjustments as I need them.
It has 12 brightness settings: the first four are night vision-compatible, with the last eight being daylight-bright.
The EPS Carry has a CR1620 battery and claims to last 50,000 hours. To aid in that claim, the optic does have Holosun’s aggressive shake-awake technology. This means the optic shuts off automatically when left motionless but springs back to life when it detects motion. It’s great when you’re like me and forget to shut off your optics.
The optic is made from 7075 T6 aluminum and has an IPX8 waterproof rating — not bad for a carry optic. It’s tough enough to sit in your waistband and survive all the elements you encounter. It’s likely not great for parachuting from a plane into water and infiltrating an enemy layer, but a trip to Aldi won’t be a problem.
Sighting In With the Holosun EPS Carry
The first thing you’ll notice is the slight purplish notch filter. It’s present but fairly subdued, and you’ll have to look for it to find it. The dot looks fantastic and is crisp and clear. Brightness adjustments make it blindingly bright or impossible to see. The buttons are big, easy to use, and provide good feedback when pressed.
The turrets are small, but the included Holosun tool does a great job of adjusting the turrets, and the turrets provide excellent feedback. They click when moved, so when you make adjustments, you know exactly how much you’re moving your dot. Getting zeroed in wasn’t much of a challenge.
From zeroing, I moved to some basic drills. One was a five-shot paper plate drill I learned at a class hosted by Rick Hogg. It’s simple: you draw and shoot five shots as fast as possible without landing any shots outside the paper plate. As I shot fast and furiously, I kept a little focus on the dot’s movement.
I wanted to see if it lagged or moved as a smooth blur. Luckily, I got the blur. There was no lag I could detect. This indicates an excellent refresh rate and allows you to keep shooting quickly and accurately. I could keep the dot moving as a blur and easily put all my shots inside that little circle.
Six MOA sounds huge in a world where two to three MOA dots are the norm. However, I didn’t feel like it was too big. It doesn’t obscure the target and even out to 50 yards. The big dot is plenty eye-catching, and within 25 yards, it’s a dominant reticle option.
Lights and Action
I’ve tested the optic with a variety of drills, including the famed Bill Drill, the Dickens Drill, various snap drills, reloads, and more. The optic always performed admirably. It never lost zero, and the dot never faltered, failed, or even blinked.
The Holosun EPS Carry can withstand the abuse of a high round count lifestyle.
I’ve strapped this optic to my gun for over half a year. I’ve shot and trained in various environments, including low-light situations and various natural and artificial light conditions.
At different times of the day, the sun has been on my back, front, and sides, and I have never lost track of my reticle. Under white light in dark environments, I can see, engage, and shoot the threat.
The Holosun EPS Carry handles these environments quite well.
Things I Would Change
The only thing I would change about the EPS Carry is the button placement. I’d swap the buttons to the opposite side of the optic.
If you are a right-hander carrying IWB, they sit against the body. If they are pushed against the body, there is the chance they could be pressed and randomly adjusted. It hasn’t happened to me, but the possibility remains.
Carry On
The Holosun EPS Carry is the best optic for a firearm equipped with an RMSc cut. The optic offers enclosed reliability, excellent clarity, a great reticle, and good reliability.
It’s extremely well made, doesn’t break the bank, and will make a big difference when push comes to trigger pull.
