True, authentic holographic sighting technology is nearly impossible to replicate. There are numerous imitation EOTECH products attempting to pass as holographic sights. We can help you spot the difference.
Unscrupulous overseas manufacturers and criminal elements in the United States are selling counterfeit EOTECH holographic weapon sights to consumers, as well as Police Officers and Soldiers. Counterfeiters replicate the outside appearance of the EOTECH sights and may include EOTECH logos and labels to make them appear as genuine products. Unlike the counterfeits, all EOTECH holographic weapon sights are made in the U.S.A.
Often the differences in appearance between the Genuine EOTECH products and the counterfeits is nearly indiscernible, including replication of registered trademarks.
These counterfeit items will not:
- Withstand recoil or shock consistent with small to medium weaponry
- Consistently hold or maintain battle zero
- Withstand drop tests or excessive shock
- Offer any water resistance protection
- Offer the advantages provided by true holographic technology
- Offer dependable, reliable performance for any Military, Law Enforcement or competitive real-world firearm applications
To identify a counterfeit product, look for the following:
- Missing or incorrect EOTECH manufacturing sticker and/or serial number
- Uncommon batteries – The counterfeit products often, but not always, require several small hearing-aid-style batteries
- Interchangeable red and green reticle colors
- Highly reflective optics
- A visible LED light positioned inside the sight cavity
- NV push button that switches the LED to a different color instead of to a night-vision mode
- Offered for sale from a non-authorized EOTECH Dealer
EOTECH trademarks and patents, as well as many of the company’s product designs, are protected by United States trademark and patent laws. EOTECH is dedicated to protecting its customers and products. EOTECH supports the many departments and individuals involved in attempting to stop this illegal product from entering the country, and proudly stands behind its Made in USA products.
EOTECH will use all available appropriate legal means against any persons found to be dealing in counterfeits of EOTECH goods.
Genuine vs. Counterfeit
There are now multiple models of the EOTECH holographic weapon sight counterfeits that are in the market, primarily sold through web sites based overseas, eBay, Amazon, Facebook and at local gun shows. Comparisons between Genuine EOTECH product and fakes are demonstrated below. Although not a comprehensive list of all counterfeit product, this will help you identify a real vs. fake when making a purchasing decision. The sight on the left is a Genuine EOTECH holographic sight and the one on the right is a counterfeit. As one can see, the outside appearance is nearly identical.
The counterfeiters copied the outside appearance of the EOTECH sight but these are not clones. The counterfeiters do not yet have the technology to copy EOTECH's holographic technology perfectly. They simply mimic the operation of the holographic weapon sight using older red dot or reflex technology.
Regardless of the model, counterfeits can be recognized by their curved and reflective optics. The flat, anti-reflection coated optics of the Genuine EOTECH sight reflects very little light while the optics of the counterfeits reflects a bright and distorted image of the room light. Very little of the room light is reflected with a Genuine product. The optics in the counterfeit sight, on the other hand, are curved and reflective and it reflects a lot of the room light.
Another feature that distinguishes a Genuine EOTECH sight from a counterfeit is the presence of an optical component behind the top part of the front window of the sight. It rounds off the top edge of the sight window. The lack of the component indicates the sight is a counterfeit.
Another means to recognize a counterfeit is to look at the bottom of the sights. Of all the counterfeits identified, few actually have Genuine EOTECH manufacturer and serial number labels affixed to the bottom of the sight. However, some versions have been identified with compelling EOTECH labels for use on counterfeits. So while the absence of labels is a good indication that a sight is a counterfeit, one cannot be certain that a sight with the labels is a Genuine EOTECH sight. Some of the new counterfeit models are using copies of the serial number stickers.
Counterfeits do not have a Night Vision mode where the intensity of the reticle is lowered substantially so that it can be viewed with night vision goggles without blooming or saturating the image intensifier tube. When the button labeled NV is pushed, a Genuine EOTECH sight goes into the night vision mode and the intensity of the reticle is reduced substantially to a point that it is not visible by the naked eye. Pressing the NV button again toggles the sight between the normal and night vision modes. With a counterfeit sight, the color of the LED is changed from red to green when the NV button is pushed. Pressing the NV button again toggles the color of the reticle between red and green.
Lastly, a counterfeit sight can be identified if there is any light source visibly present when looking through the sight. A user cannot see the laser diode source anywhere in the housing of a genuine EOTECH sight. Most counterfeits are designed with the light source facing the user’s eye; fully exposing the light source.
GENUINE
COUNTERFEIT
Summary
The presence of counterfeit EOTECH sights will most certainly have a negative impact on our company, but more importantly, it can jeopardize the safety and lives of American Soldiers and Law Enforcement Officers as many of these counterfeits were sold as Genuine EOTECH holographic weapon sights. EOTECH has received many counterfeit sights for repair from victims of the fraud that include Soldiers who bought the counterfeits with the intention of bringing the sights with them on upcoming deployments. These counterfeit sights cannot hold zero and can easily break. Bringing a counterfeit to battle thinking that it is a Genuine EOTECH holographic weapon may cost lives. It is imperative that everyone understands these differences and communicates this information to all relevant parties.
In addition, one of our representatives was told by a seller of counterfeits at a gun show that what they are selling were “excess inventory from the Chinese factory manufacturing holographic sights for EOTECH”. The counterfeits are NOT holographic sights, they are red-dot sights dressed up to look like a holographic sight. ALL Genuine holographic weapon sights sold by EOTECH and the consumer model Holosight sold by Bushnell are and have always been made in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the industrial heartland of the U.S.A.
Key Points:
- EOTECH is the exclusive manufacturer of EOTECH Holographic Weapon Sights
- There are no other companies or manufacturers authorized to design or manufacture EOTECH branded products or components anywhere in the world
Genuine EOTECH Products:
- Use only red or green laser diodes and do not produce any products that offer switchable red to green colors
- Offer only the following battery types: CR123 (LITHIUM 3V), AA Alkaline or N-Cell Alkaline
- Do not reveal any light signature, glass reflection , or the diode source
How to Report a Counterfeit Product / Seller
EOTECH will pursue all valid counterfeit claims and take legal action where appropriate. If you are a victim of being sold an illegal counterfeit, please be sure to report these incidents to Law Enforcement. You may also follow the steps below to bring these bad actors to EOTECH's attention.
Contact Customer Service:
- Use the Contact Form to report a counterfeit product or seller
- Take photographs of the counterfeit product (left side, right side, back, front and bottom)
- Keep your receipts and collect as much information about the seller as possible
Disposal of Counterfeit Goods:
- EOTECH will dispose of counterfeit product free of charge
- Send counterfeit product to the following address:
EOTECH Customer Service
Counterfeit Destruction
46900 Port Street
Plymouth, MI 48170