Optics and handguns are like peanut butter and chocolate. They just go together. Small handguns, big handguns, competition guns, self-defense guns, every handgun is improved by a red dot. On small, concealable handguns, the Shield RMSc footprint rules, but until very recently, we were limited to open emitter optics. Open emitters are mostly fine, but an enclosed design delivers more reliability, and Holosun has finally checked that box with the EPS Carry.
The EPS Carry uses a creative design to allow an enclosed emitter optic to fit a Shield RMSc footprint. The design places the rear window directly in front of the points where the bolts secure the optic to the gun. It’s clever, and Holosun found a creative way to cram an enclosed red dot into a very small space. I mounted mine to my favorite automatic carry gun, a SIG P365XL.
The Holosun EPS – More Than One
Holosun, much like SIG, offers a range of options with the EPS Carry. The EPS Carry is slightly smaller than the larger EPS and comes in various models. There’s the MRS model with multiple reticles and a solar panel, models with 2 MOA reticles, and models with 6 MOA reticles. I opted for the EPS Carry Green 6, a green reticle with a 6 MOA dot. This model doesn’t have a solar panel, making it a simpler, more affordable option.
The Holosun EPS Carry comes with some of Holosun’s most desirable features. These include a side-loading battery and large adjustment buttons for easy use. The turrets are placed in a location identical to the 407K series. The system boasts an impressive battery life of 50K hours, and Holosun’s shake-awake design automatically shuts the optic off after ten minutes of no movement.
Once the optic detects movement, it springs back to life at the last setting used. The shake-awake design is programmable. It can be turned off, set up to 12 hours, and user-programmable. Ten minutes is fine. The EPS Carry series features the Holosun Super LED design, which makes the brights brighter and dimmer for NVG use.
Through the Looking Glass
The Holosun EPS Carry provides a clear set of glass. Holosun has redesigned its glass to provide an overall clearer design and uses aspherical glass lenses with zero distortion. That’s what they claim, and my eyes can’t detect any specific level of distortion. The dot is most certainly a step up from my old 407K.
It’s crisper and clearer. The dot is a perfectly round 6 MOA design. I was downright impressed by the dot. I typically use a smaller dot, but the 6 MOA design was eye-catching and easy to see in various lighting conditions. According to Holosun, the EPS Carry sits low enough to work with most stock iron sights. Being able to cowitness is valuable, but sadly, that doesn’t work with the P365. However, it does seem to work with the Hellcat series of pistols.
Throwing Lead With the Holosun EPS
With the optic mounted, secured, and ready to rock and roll, I hit the range. I use a 25-yard zero with my handguns. I start at 15 yards, zero, then back up to 25 yards and rezero. In my two zeroes, I got a feel for the turrets. They provide both tactile and audible feedback. I can feel those little clicks, and the feedback makes it easy to know what each click does.
I zeroed in quickly and got A-zone hits at 25 yards rapidly and easily. At 25 yards, the dot was like cheating. I could ring a ten-inch gong, and with the right timing, I could make the gong swing and stop. If I trotted my butt back to 50 yards, I could hit a steel IPSC target over and over. It’s addictive to hear the ding.
To get my steps in, I trotted back to close range and tried my hand at a Bill drill from concealment. The dot was easy and quick to find. The window is small, but if you can master your presentation, you won’t have a problem finding the dot. Tracking the dot between shots was also very easy; I could keep it moving easily.
I fired the weapon and optic in various positions and situations. I took it behind cover, in the prone position, with one hand, and more. There wasn’t a weak spot I could find with the EPS Carry. A 6 MOA dot is big, but it’s not big enough to obscure the target, especially at self-defense ranges. The Holosun EPS is a worthy successor to the 407K on my P365.
The New Standard
In the past, Holosun was considered an optics company that clones other designs. The EPS shows they are growing, changing, and adapting to new needs. The EPS Carry is the best micro-sized optic on the market.
