I Tested & Reviewed the Holosun EPS Carry
This is my Holosun EPS Carry review.
Pistol optics are here to stay and are becoming more popular. Companies are racing to make the best overall pistol red dot designed for compact concealed carry type pistols.
This is one of the fastest-growing trends in the firearms community.
The EPS and EPS Carry were two of the red dots I was excited to get my hands on to test and review.
I will share my experience along with my opinion on whether or not the EPS Carry is worth the price.
This post will review all aspects of the Holosun EPS Carry.
Holosun EPS Carry Review – Best Overall
The EPS Carry is a smaller version of the EPS. This carry model was designed for concealed carry pistols and really works best on slim-line guns and single stacks.
Holosun EPS Carry
- 2 MOA / 6 MOA dot / Multi Reticle System
- 50,000 hrs on a single battery (CR1620)
- Enclosed Housing
- Shake Awake
- 8 Brightness settings (4 night vision)
- Optimized for pistols
Price Check: Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, Brownells, Sportsman’s Guide, GunMag Warehouse, Amazon
MSRP $470
Holosun EPS Carry Pros And Cons
Background
The EPS Carry is among the newest lineup from Holosun. If you are unfamiliar with their brand, they have the reputation of offering great optics that cost half of some of their competitors.
Pistol red dots are here to stay and with people now adding optics on their concealed carry pistols, a more rugged and protected optic is needed.
This is where the closed emitter-style micro red dots come in.
Technology is always improving, and Holosun has shaken things up in the industry with constant innovation.
Why An Enclosed Red Dot?
First, let’s talk about the current trend of enclosed optics. Essentially they are more complicated and cost more.
If you have any amount of experience with the original RMRs or Delta Points with the exposed emitter, you know how much stuff gets inside the LED and glass section.
No matter how hard you try and keep this area clean, small particles of dirt and debris always seem to work their way inside.
Cleaning this area out can also be difficult.
So if you are using your weapon as a duty gun or serious self-defense setup, you want as close to 100 percent reliability as you can realistically get.
I don’t want anything getting in the way of my sight picture.
You need to decide if you want to make sure no debris gets in there, no fog can show on the glass, and you want the added protection.
The main concern for me is protecting my sight picture as best as I can, and enclosed pistol red dots are far more reliable at this.
What’s In the Box?
Here is everything you get in the box with the Holosun EPS Carry:
- EPS Carry Red Dot Sight
- Owners manual (download)
- Sticker
- Battery Installed
- Warranty registration card
- Holosun adjustment tool
- K-Series adaptor plate
- Lens cloth
Overall, it’s packaged well in a cardboard box with some foam cutouts.
First Impressions
I agree with Holosun’s innovation and bringing problems for the other manufacturers. I would love to see more budget-friendly options out there too
Reports of shake-awake malfunctions.
When I first held it in my hand I was amazed at just how small and compact it actually was. It still felt solid and well-made.
Holosun EPS Carry Overview
This optic is made in China and if that’s an issue for you then check out the American-made alternatives I mentioned in my Best Pistol Red Dot post.
Most of my testing and use with the EPS Carry was on my Sig P365 X Macro. I have the 6 MOA dot version without the solar panel.
All models should be built durable and work great. I personally like a bigger-sized dot on my pistols because my eyes are getting bad.
I do not worry about precision accuracy within 10 yards.
Full Disclosure: I was not sent this optic and purchased it with my own money. This is just my experience with it and yours might be different.
Quickly, I’ll say this comes in a 2 MOA, 6 MOA, and a Multi Reticle system. The MRS version is about $70 more expensive and gives you a 3-reticle system that you can change.
It’s similar to the EOTech’s reticle with a 32-circle MOA with a 2 MOA dot in the center. You can change the settings to view the dot along, the circle along, and with them both activated.
Everyone I talked to who had the MRS version loved it. I personally like a simple dot on my pistols most of the time.
It also has a green dot version which some people say the green is easier for their eyes to see.
In all of my years of shooting and using both red, green, and amber-colored dots, red is what always works best for me. I only notice the color when transitioning from a dark-lit area to a bright-lit area.
Specs
| Finish: | Anodize |
| Fabric/Material: | 7075-T6 Aluminum |
| Magnification: | 1 x |
| Objective Lens Diameter: | 0.58 – 0.77 in |
| Illumination Type: | LED |
| Brightness Settings: | 8 |
| Eye Relief: | Unlimited |
| Adjustment Type: | MOA |
| Adjustment Click Value: | 1.5 MOA |
| Emitter Type: | Enclosed |
| Lens Material: | Glass |
| Battery Type: | CR1620 |
| Battery Quantity: | 1 |
| Battery Life: | 50000 hours |
| Operating Temperature: | -40 – 70 Celsius |
| Water Resistance Level: | IPX-8 |
| Length: | 1.07 in |
| Width: | 0.95 in |
| Height: | 1.62 in |
| Weight: | 1.23 oz |
Notable Features
- Shake Awake
- Long Battery Life
- Lightweight and small
- Designed for slim-line CCW Pistols
- Side loading battery
- Integrated rear notch sight
- Durable enough for everyday use
Reticle
I can’t speak on all of the other reticle versions because I haven’t actually tested them, but with the standard 6 MOA dot it works perfectly.
The dot is clear and I can see it with no distortion on all the brightness settings.
This has had some reports of the shake awake feature malfunctioning. In my use, this feature worked flawlessly.
People have reported that Holosun replaced their optic if they had this issue. I will say anytime a new optic is brought to the market. The first batches released to consumers usually need tweaking.
I try to wait until an optic has been out for a bit to ensure they have all the bugs worked out.
These pictures don’t do the reticle justice, and it’s very hard to pick up on camera. In real life when looking through the optic the reticle is much clearer and crisp.
With a lot of red dots, you will get some washout of the reticle on the brightest setting.
I didn’t notice this was the case with the EPS Carry. Even when I looked through the MRS version at the shop, it was still defined on the max setting.
Size
It’s hard to beat the size of the EPS Carry. This is tiny but still usable. I would consider it the “sweet spot” when it comes to the overall size of a compact pistol.
The lines work great on the Sig P365 and do not protrude past the slide.
It is still large enough to see the dot through the viewing window without struggling. We live in the golden age of firearms innovation and the Holosun EPS Carry is the driving force behind it.
When carrying this on my pistol it didn’t affect my comfort and didn’t even notice it.
I always didn’t notice the weight of the optic on my slide. It only weighs 1.23 oz.
If you want one of the smallest micro red dots, this checks that box.
Construction
A primary reason people will choose this optic is because of the construction design and mainly the enclosed emitter.
Exposed LED red dots are being slowly phased out, and the new tech is trending towards this style.
Sweat, dirt, mud, dust, and anything can get on your red dot when it’s exposed to the elements.
Protecting this vital part of the red dot is so important for reliability.
Think about it, any time anything touches the interior glass, it can distort your red dot and completely block the view.
With an enclosed emitter red dot, you can drop it in the mud and simply wipe the lens with a cloth and the dot will work properly.
The aluminum hosing and standard for most red dots so it’s made with modern industry-standard materials. The glass is in multiple layers and coated to offer scratch resistance.
The only downside is how tinted the glass is. I didn’t mind it personally, but I know it would bother some people.
Battery
Holosun makes genius designs for their power delivery in their optics. The solar panel is a nice touch, but I am really more interested in long, reliable battery life.
50,000 hours is what is advertised on the EPS Carry. Keep in mind that is under perfect conditions.
If you live in a colder climate for most of the year or store the red dot in colder temperatures, the battery will drain quickly.
Also, it depends on what brightness setting it’s on and how often the optic is under motion.
I haven’t had the optic long enough to test the battery life and usually change out the batteries on all my optics yearly.
I have no doubt this will last long enough for a year or two but I would be able to help myself and change the battery before it died.
Ergonomics
A lot of thought went into the design of the EPS Carry. The button placement and function are user-friendly.
The side battery tray is great, so you don’t lose your zero.
The rear notched sight is a great failsafe backup feature.
It also looks good, which shouldn’t be a factor but definitely is. I’m guilty of caring about my gun’s aesthetics.
Holosun EPS Carry
- 2 MOA / 6 MOA dot / Multi Reticle System
- 50,000 hrs on a single battery (CR1620)
- Enclosed Housing
- Shake Awake
- 8 Brightness settings (4 night vision)
- Optimized for pistols
Price Check: Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, Brownells, Sportsman’s Guide, GunMag Warehouse, Amazon
MSRP $470
My Experience
I had this mounted on my Sig P365 for a while and was set up as my daily carry. I put over 1,000 rounds through it in this configuration and found not one single issue.
No hiccups or malfunction and the optic handle the recoil great without backing out or shifting zero.
I am now testing this on my Glock 43x MOS and it’s been working great.
Mounting
This red dot comes with two different sets of lugs for mounting and is RMSc and K-Series compatible with the mounting plate.
On micro pistols like the P365 X Macro and the Glock 43x MOS, this will directly mount to the slide.
It mounts similar to the 509 series of red dots if you are familiar with them.
I didn’t have any problems with mounting the EPS Carry and once tightened down the lockup was tight and felt rock solid.
Shooting
When zeroing this in I did have a minor problem at first. The windage and elevation adjustments are 1.5 MOA increments.
It took me a few mags more than normal to get it zeroed but this was because of my shooting and not the optic.
When shooting the EPS Carry I didn’t notice any issues with distortion or red dot shift. It works just like you would expect a red dot to.
Durability was great. I didn’t do any torture tests but I have had a lot of time with it on me.
Carrying it around at work and in the car, bumping it off the counter and in and out of the holster didn’t break or damage it at all.
I put over 1000 rounds through it of mostly target ammo and a couple of boxes of hotter self-defense rounds and it never let me down.
My lens is scratch-free and the body has no wear or scuffs even after doing malfunction drills and using it to rack the slide.
It has stayed on target and held zero the entire time.
What Guns Will the EPS Carry Work On?
Technically, this will work on any gun as long as it’s mounted properly. This is obviously designed for popular concealed-carry compact pistols.
These are the best-selling guns right now, with more and more people getting their CCW and finally realizing the importance of safety and self-defense.
Here are just a few of the most popular guns I see people mounting this optic on:
- Glock 43x MOS – (reviewed)
- Sig P365 X-Series
- Ruger Max-9 – (reviewed)
- Springfield Hellcat
- Taurus GX4
- M&P9 Shield Plus
- Walther PDP Compact
Alternatives
Some other options that are similar to the EPS Carry are the standard Holosun EPS if you have a larger pistol and the Holosun 507K.
If you are on a budget, check out the Sig Romeo Zero.
If you do not want to jump on the enclosed frame red dots, then you can always go with the tried and true Trijicon RMR.
I have made a list of the Best Pistol Red Dots if you want to learn about all your options and what I recommend.
Final Thoughts
If you can find an EPS Carry in stock, it’s well worth the price, and I suggest it over anything else in this category.
For the price, Holosun over-delivers.
The ease of dropping this on almost any optics-ready pistol and it just working is great. Most people will love how plug-and-play the EPS Carry is.
It eliminates a lot of the hassle of getting your slide specifically milled to accept your red dot of choice.
This is a very nice optic to use, and I highly recommend it.
The ESP Carry is a compact top-mounted enclosed emitter red dot that keeps all of the reliability and function of the larger micro red dot sights designed for concealed carry on slim-line pistols.
If you haven’t tried one yet, I suggest you do, and it is worth every penny.
What do you think about the Holosun EPS Carry? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Our Take
The Holosun EPS Carry is an excellent choice for a pistol optic. This micro red dot sight is well thought out and extremely easy to use with the Shake Awake technology. It is bright with a crisp red dot that is also easy to adjust. The enclosed emitter design adds strength and reliability and functions excellent.
MRSP $470
| Best For | Concealed Carry |
| Reticle System | 2 MOA, 6 MOA, Multi |
| Battery Life | 50,000 Hours |
| Key Feature | Shake Awake |
Price Check: Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, Brownells, Sportsman’s Guide, GunMag Warehouse, Amazon
Holosun EPS Carry Review FAQ
What is the difference between the Holosun EPS and the EPS carry?
The Holosun EPS Carry is a smaller replica of the EPS and is better suited to slim-line compact pistols.
What is better the EPS or the EPS Carry?
If you are looking for the best pistol red dot to carry every day, the EPS Carry is the best choice.
Does the Holosun EPS Carry have the same footprint as the 507K?
The EPS Carry uses an RMSc footprint but comes with a K series adaptor plate.
What does the Holosun EPS stand for?
Holosun makes the EPS and the EPS Carry (enclosed pistol sight). These are advanced optics designed for pistols.
Does law enforcement use Holosun optics?
In my experience, I have seen more LEOs use Holosun pistol sights on their duty weapons and more departments are adapting red dots.
What Others Are Saying
Here are some of the top comments of what other people are saying:
Giveaways
One of the coolest things we do here at First World Crusader is giveaway free gear to our readers.
It allows us to create better content, educate more readers, and share the love of firearms.
*Every $1 you spend at the store is 1 entry to win a piece of gear (excluding any special promotions).
Check out our Shop page to get some swag and enter the giveaway automatically.
*Every comment you leave on one of our articles is 1 entry to win.
Please help us build a strong community by participating.
We highly encourage you to read and review all official rules for the sweepstakes of your choice.
To view all of the information and which item is next to giveaway, learn more at our Giveaways page.
What do you think about the Holosun EPS Carry? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Every comment you leave on one of our articles is 1 entry to win in our giveaways.
