Hey Freedom Gorillas, today we are going to deep dive into the EOTech 512 and 552 Holographic Sights. In this review and overview we will tell you everything you need to know about the EOTech 512 and 552 in order to decide if it’s something you would like to purchase or not.

We’ll cover things like the difference between the 512 and 552, the specs of each, the pricing, what comes in the box, and more. We’ve combined this review to cover both the EOTech 512 and the 552, because they are essentially the same optic, except the 552 has additional night vision brightness settings and a stronger waterproof rating. Aside from that internal difference, both optics are essentially the same.

To learn more, keep reading.

Key Takeaways

The EOTech 512 and 552 are the most budget friendly EOTech Holographic sights. They are almost identical in every way, except the 552 has nightvision brightness settings and the 512 does not. The 552 also has a 33ft (10M) waterproof depth, and the 512 has a 10ft (3m) waterproof depth. Besides that both optics are exactly the same.

Both the EOTech 512 and 552 have buttons located on the rear of the optic, they take AA batteries which last an estimated 2,200 to 2,500 hours, they have a screw clamping mount that mounts to any picatinny rail, they weigh 11.5 oz, come in a red circle + dot reticle, are made in the USA, and have an absolute co-witness.

If you are looking for a durable, reliable, battle proven, made in the USA Holographic sight for an excellent price point, you can’t go wrong with the EOTech 512 or 552.

View all EOTech 512/552 Models

Quick Nav

• EOTech 512 vs 552 Specs & Differences
• EOTech 512/552 Reticles
• EOTech 512/552 Models & Pricing
• EOTech 512/552 Battery Type, Buttons, Mount, & Co-Witness
  
• EOTech 512/552 In the Box
• EOTech 512/552 Review & Highlights
• EOTech 512/552 Downsides
• EOTech 512/552 Warranty
• Conclusion

EOTech 512 vs 552 Specs & Differences

As mentioned above, both the EOTech 512 and 552 are almost identical, except the 552 has additional night vision brightness settings and a better waterproof rating. Aside from that both of these optics are exactly the same, that’s why we combined this review.

Here are the specs for both the EOTech 512 and 552 Holographic sights:

• Button Location: Rear
• Mount Type: Non-QD clamp
• Co-Witness: Absolute
• LxWxH: 5.6" x 2.0" x 2.5" (142.2 x 50.8 x 63.5 mm)
• Weight: 11.5oz
• Waterproof Rating: 512 10ft. (3 m) depth, 552 33ft. (10 m) depth
• Mount: 1" Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail
• Windage & Elevation Adjustment: 0.5 MOA per click
• Brightness Settings: 512/552 20 daylight settings, 552 only 10 night vision settings
• Battery Type: 2x AA Batteries, lithium, alkaline, or rechargeable
• Battery Life: Lithium 2,500hrs, Alkaline 2,200hrs both at setting 12 at room temp
• Operating Temp: -40°F to 140°F (-40°C to 60°C)
• Made in the USA

EOTech 512/552 Reticles

The EOTech 512 and 552 Holographic sights both come in red reticle versions only. As of writing this review, EOTech makes one model of the EOTech 512 and two versions of the EOTech 552.

The standard EOTech 512 and 552 come with the A65 reticle, a.k.a. the 0-Reticle, or as we like to call it, the circle dot reticle. This reticle features a 1 MOA Center dot with a 68 MOA outer ring. It’s the original EOTech reticle and it gets the job done. The 1 MOA center dot is excellent for precision, even under magnification, and the 68 MOA outer ring is great for quick target acquisition.

There is an EOTech 552 model that comes with a reticle designed for a 308 caliber. It’s called the XR 308 reticle. The XR 308 reticle was specifically designed for the M240 platform, but it's calibrated for 308 rounds at 150gr and 2800 FPS.

Here is a table showing the reticles and a bit about each.

How to decide which reticle style is best for you

In this guide we covered a few different reticle options. If you need some help deciding which is best for you here are some of our thoughts on each.

	0-Reticle/A65 - 1 MOA Dot & 68 MOA Outer Ring (View 0-Reticle EOTech Models): This is the most common EOTech Holographic Sight Reticle. This is an extremely flexible reticle. The 1 MOA Dot provides extreme precision, while the outer ring can be used for quick target acquisition, and also act very functionally on a shotgun.
	XR308 Reticle (View XR308 Reticle EOTech Models): This reticle is specifically designed for the M240 platform, but it's calibrated for 308 rounds at 150gr and 2800 FPS.

EOTech 512/552 Models & Pricing

The EOTech 512 and 552 are EOTech’s most budget friendly Holographic Sights. The nice thing about EOTech is they don’t skimp on build quality, paying more for the more higher end models won’t get you any more durability or ruggedness, it will just get you different features.

Here are all the models and ballpark pricing for the EOTech 512/552:

*Note: these prices are not intended to be exact, they are just rough estimates to give you an idea of what to expect.

• EOTech 512 ($480 ish) - This is the most affordable model. It has no nightvision, comes in the red circle dot reticle, and has a black housing
  
• EOTech 552.A65 ($600+) - This is the same exact model as the EOTech 512 just with the additional nightvision settings and stronger waterproof rating
• EOTech 552.XR308 - This is also an EOTech 552, but the only difference is it uses the XR308 reticle instead of the circle dot reticle.

EOTech 512/552 Battery Type, Buttons, Mount, & Co-Witness

The EOTech 512 and 552 models all use AA batteries. These can be either alkaline, lithium, or rechargeable. 

Both the 512 and 552 also have the buttons located on the rear of the optic.

The mount for the EOTech 512 and 552 is a non-qd mount. It is a standard clamping mount that will mount to a picatinny rail using a screw.

The co-witness for both the EOTech 512 and 552 is an absolute co-witness. This means the dot will line up directly with your iron sights.

Here is an example showing the difference between absolute and 1/3 co-witness.

EOTech 512/552 In the Box

When you get your EOTech 512 or 552 and open the box you will receive the optic, a quick start guide, a warranty card, and two AA Alkaline Batteries.

EOTech 512/552 Review & Highlights

Ok so what do we think about the EOTech 512 and 552 vs the other EOTech options out there? Well lets break it down.

One of the main reasons people are usually attracted to the 512 or 552 models is because it’s the lowest price point EOTech you can buy. There are other EOTech models out there that come in green dots, use CR123 batteries, have quick disconnect mounts, and come in colors like FDE, OD Green, and Grey, but if you don’t need any of that, then the EOTech 512 or 552 is a fine choice.

First you’d have to decide if you want the nightvision brightness settings or not, that will help you narrow down between the 512 or the 552.

From there you’d have to decide if you want an EOTech model with AA batteries or with a CR123 battery. The AA Batteries in the 512 and 552 will give you 1200-1500 hours more battery life than a model that uses one CR123 battery. The availability of AA batteries is also plentiful, and if you needed rechargables, they are also abundant.

The only downside to the AA batteries of the 512/552 is that the optic is longer than its CR123 counterpart, and it weighs about 2.5 oz more.

The next thing to be aware of is the rear mounted buttons. These are great most of the time, however if you plan on running a magnifier, be aware that sometimes if the magnifier is engaged or even disengaged it may obstruct the rear buttons. This may not be a big deal but it’s worth pointing out.

Aside from those few little details, the EOTech 512 and 552 are battle proven. They’ve been around for decades and are still used today. They’re super rugged, very pleasing to look through, and the reticle looks really cool compared to a regular red dot sight.

Our experience with the EOTech 512 and 552 has been very positive and we would totally recommend either.

EOTech 512/552 Downsides

The only real downsides of the EOTech 512 and 552 models compared to other (more expensive) EOTech models is that the AA battery compartment makes the optic longer so it gives you less rail space, and that the buttons are located on the rear of the optic, which at times can be obstructed by a magnifier, or even something else you would mount behind the optic.

For example, if you have a free float handguard, or even a Magpul MOE plastic handguard and you want to mount your EOTech 512/552 as far forward as possible on your receiver, there is a chance that the handguard will interfere with the battery compartment not allowing it to sit perfectly flush. I will not say this is common, but it’s something to consider.

As for the rear buttons, side buttons are usually going to be better than rear buttons. However all the EOTechs with side buttons are going to be significantly more expensive. If you don’t plan on running a magnifier then this will be a non issue. If you do plan on running a magnifier, just be aware that depending on your magnifier set up it may obstruct some of the EOTech buttons.

This can usually be remedied by placing the magnifier a little further back from the optic or many time, just by disengaging the magnifier.

The last downside is the weight. If you were to go with a more expensive XPS series model which has a CR123 battery you would save 2.5 oz. But if weight is not a concern, and you enjoy the extra 1200-1500 hours of battery life AA batteries will give you, then the EOTech 512/552 will be fine for you.

View all EOTech 512/552 Models

EOTech 512/552 Warranty

EOTech stands behind their products but they don’t offer a lifetime warranty. Here is a summary of how their warranty works 

The optic is covered for 10 years from the date or purchase or the manufacturers date, whichever is later. During the first 5 years of ownership if there is an issue, EOTech will repair or replace the optic free of charge if defects in materials or workmanship are found.

For years 6-10 EOTech will evaluate and repair any defects for a nominal fee upon the customers request.

The warranty is transferable between buyers and it doesn’t cover things like theft, loss, neglect, abuse, misuse, improper installation, cosmetic damage not affecting performance, or damage from unauthorized repairs or modifications.

Conclusion

As we’ve mentioned, the EOTech 512 and 552 really shine as the most affordable optics EOTech offers. They are reliable, rugged, and battle proven.

There are newer models with different features but they also come with a higher price tag.

If you are someone who is totally ok with a little higher weight and length for longer battery life and more readily available batteries, and ok with rear buttons and an absolute co-witness, and ok with the standard circle dot red reticle, then the EOTech 512 or 552 will be an absolute great choice for you.

If you have any further questions please reach out to us, we hope you found this review helpful and informative. You can also check out our EOTech Holographic Sight Cheat Sheet here to learn more.

Thanks for reading!