We all know the scenario. The owner of a brand new rifle standing over the gun counter, pondering which sight to choose when eventually somebody mutters, “just put an EOTech on it.” Whenever we hear this, we likely think of the company’s signature 512 or XPS holographic optics. However, models like the Vudu 1-10×28 and EFLX might have you take a second look at the entire EOTech lineup.
The EOTech Vudu 1-10×28 and EFLX
To its detriment, the name “EOTech” has become sort of the Kleenex or Clorox of the shooting world. Specifically, because it is nearly exclusively known for its best-selling product. However, the Michigan-based company offers a plethora of other items that are built with the same level of quality as the one that made them a household name.
The Vudu line of magnified optics showed us that EOTech is capable of making more than just extraordinary holographic sights. It showed us that they were masters of all things optic-related.
About a year ago, I had the opportunity to take a number of these scopes on a hunt. It changed the way I thought about the brand. The image of a Tier 1 operator started to fade. It was slowly being replaced with one of a general gun owner who wants unrelenting gear for all their firearms.
Driving this notion home for 2022 was the introduction of not only a long-awaited 1-10x28mm Vudu, but the first product that may very well be the beginning of an entirely new line—the EFLX mini-reflex red-dot.
I had the opportunity to test both of these out at the 2021 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous. This was months before they were introduced at SHOT. EOTech brought the EFLX and Vudu to the event pre-mounted to weapons. So, my experience was limited to shooting them on the guns that they provided.
It wasn’t a worst-case scenario by any means. But I always like to get the full experience by being able to take part in the installation process. This also lets me see what makes new glass tick. With that being said, I requested some samples. When they showed up at my door, I immediately went to work.
EFLX
I initially turned my attention to the EFLX reflex sight because, well, it’s different. Not only does it mark a new optic class for the company, but it’s also EOTech’s first true red-dot optic.
Red-dots use an LED to produce a flat sight picture. However, holographics use a laser (or lasers) to produce a three-dimensional image. Note the difference. There are pros and cons to each system. Mainly weight and power consumption for dots and precision and refinement for holos.
When building something that must be light enough to ride a slide and stay lit long enough that you don’t have to think about turning it off, red-dot technology reigns supreme. Since most shooters won’t be attempting 500-yard shots with a pistol, it was an easy trade-off for the true 1-MOA technology that a Holographic sight brings to the table.
The EFLX is built on the Leupold Delta Point Pro footprint. As a result, it’s compatible with a wide range of pistols through direct mounting or with an adapter plate. To no surprise, my Canik Rival included a plate that supported this configuration. So, I chose it for my host pistol.
I’d like to tell you that during the elongated mounting process, I was able to give the EFLX a thorough once-over. But the truth is it only took about five minutes to strap this thing onto the slide.
I did, however, have enough time to appreciate the top-mounted battery compartment. It saves me the trouble of having to unmount and re-zero whenever the battery dies. Although with a 20,000-hour life on a single CR 2032 battery, it’s not a major concern in the first place.
Final Thoughts on the EFLX
Overall, the EFLX seemed entirely user-friendly, with clearly marked directions for adjustments. This includes the 1 MOA per click scale that is often a wildcard on many reflex sights. That in itself is terrific because it makes the math simple at 10 yards.
The brightness buttons were also instinctual, being both huge and tactile. This makes them easy to find and adjust in the dark if I feel the need to toggle through the eight brightness settings or drop it down to the one that is NV compatible.
Vudu 1-10x28mm
With the EFLX now mounted and packed away, it was time to turn my attention to the new Vudu 1-10x28mm rifle scope. Previously available in a 1-6x or 1-8x version, these optics answered the call of marksmen who wanted a low-power variable optic for platforms like the AR-15.
Well, I don’t know if it’s fair to call 10x low-power. After all, many military snipers served an entire career with this very same magnification.
My interest in the new 1-10x started with its reticle. In this case, the SR-5 is set into the second focal plane. This setup features the Speed Ring that is exceptionally large at the lower power settings. Likewise, it disappears from the field-of-view once you hit 6x.
At this point, the secondary circle dot reticle comes into view with a Christmas tree-style subtention set below it. In the glass, there is an astounding 12 milliradians of elevation with six mils on either side to hold for just about any wind displacement mother nature could throw at you.
For those that don’t have a DOPE chart memorized, it only takes about 9 mils to get most 6.5 Creedmoor rounds out to 1,000 yards and only about 12 to lob a .308 Winchester to the same distance.
In other words, once zeroed, dialing is optional. For those who prefer running a knob, the beefy 34mm tube allowed for 42 mils of internal adjustment. This is far more than you would ever need, even without canted mounting hardware.
Illuminating Details of the Vudu
The last feature that jumped out at me was the illumination. This is an important feature if you plan on any hunting. Especially since most shots are going to be at dawn or dusk.
The Vudu 1-10x features simple push-button controls with ten brightness settings and a two-hour automatic shut-off. Again, this is powered by a common 2032 button battery, which can be found at most check-out counters these days.
Being that I wasn’t going to need a canted base for this install, I chose a pair of Talley Modern Sporting Rings and slapped this scope onto an Anderson 7.62×39 upper that I have been saving for a special occasion.
I felt this was appropriate because, between the cartridge and the optic, this would make one helluva pig gun. And the rainbow trajectory of the 7.62×39 would make fine use of all of that adjustment.
Test Day
I decided to box-test each optic to ensure that the clicks were repeatable and were indeed true. With a box of Federal’s match-grade Syntech ammunition, I put the EFLX through this test at a distance of 10 yards.
After zeroing it out, I spun the dials 50 clicks in each direction, printing a perfectly square 10-inch box around the target. Using Freedom Munitions brass-cased 7.62x 39, I conducted the same test at 25 yards with the Anderson-mounted 1-10x EOTech Vudu.
The result of this test was an 18 x18-inch box around my central aim point. This is right on the money for ten mils of adjustment in each direction.
With tracking and repeatability checked off, it was time to run and gun with these two firearms a bit. I tested the EFLX on a course of steel targets that were designed to stress sight acquisition speed.
I was thoroughly impressed as the dot came right to my eye with little to no effort both during the presentation and target transitions. This is no doubt the byproduct of the enlarged, square window that shows the shooter a larger portion of the field than many other designs.
I tested my rifle setup at the next range over, which offered me a variety of targets at distances out to 500 yards. Here I made hits on all of these targets by way of hold-over as well as dialing. The scope’s subtentions were true to what my ballistic calculator called for. Each time I cranked the elevation knob back down, it returned to an absolute zero.
Breakdown
Walking away from the field, I pondered the next tasks that I would like to put these two new optics through. For one, I’d like to run the EFLX through a rigorous USPSA match. This would test how it holds up to some of the most sadistic match directors that I know.
I also wouldn’t mind putting it through a few stages of steel challenge to see how well that square window fares against other competitors’ optics.
As for the EOTech Vudu, I was a bit disappointed that I built a pig gun yet stepped off the field without a single scrap of bacon or sausage to speak of. Needless to say, I am going to have to fix that one day by taking the gun on a hunt down south.
As for right now, I’d say that these two optics illuminate more than just a reticle. They shine some light on the fact that EOTech is becoming quite the well-rounded manufacturer for all things that need a means of aiming.
For more information, please visit EOTechInc.com.
This article was originally published in the Personal Defense World June/July 2022 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email subscriptions@athlonmediagroup.com.
Source: www.personaldefenseworld.com