The EXPS3 EOTECH is part of a line of holographic sights that set the standard for other red dot sights in its class. The EXPS3 is a top choice among professionals that require lightning-fast target acquisition in close-quarter situations.
In this review of the EXPS3-0 Holographic Weapons Sight (HWS), we will get down into the weeds to bring you all of the details of this standard-setting optic. We will cover the features, specifications, and shooter insights for a comprehensive look at what has become an industry standard for holographic sights.
Don’t have time to read the full review? Are you in a hurry to get your hands on an EXPS3? Then go straight to Amazon.com and get a low price along with access to information on variations of this EOTECH holographic sight model.
Click here to purchase the EOTECH EXPS3-0 Holographic Weapon Sight at Amazon.com.
EXPS3 HWS – Bottom Line Up Front
When it comes to holographic sights, EOTech’s EXPS3 cannot be ignored. The United States Special Operations Command once again awarded a contract in 2018 to EOTECH for close-quarters combat holographic sight, a pretty good endorsement of the quality and reliability provided by EOTECH Inc. With the EXPS3-0, you will get a holographic sight with proven technology that deliveries in the most austere environments. This sight performs exceptionally for close to intermediate engagements under conditions you would expect in combat, law enforcement, competition shooting, and even hunting. The use of a holographic reticle system enables the fastest target acquisition. Holographic sights provided a perceived superimposed reticle on the target, encouraging both eyes open target focused sight picture. The EXPS3 EOTECH HWS reticle performs without bloom under night vision intensifier tubes and maintains a 1 MOA dot even under magnification. This holographic sight is a top-performing optic suitable for a rifle, carbine, or shotgun application.
EOTECH EXPS3 Review
EOTech Inc. is a subsidiary of well-known defense contractor L3Harris. The EOTech product line sets the bar for holographic sights. The EXPS3 Holographic Weapon Sight is part of that heritage and carries the same innovation and quality demanded by military and law enforcement and sought by hunting and shooting enthusiasts. The EXPS3 EOTECH HWS excels in providing a reliable feature-rich optic suitable for professionals, self-defense, and sport shooting applications.
The E in EXPS stands for extreme and includes some design upgrades from the standard XPS models. The most notable change is the moving of the operating buttons to the left side of the optic housing. Additionally, EOTECH has added a quick release mounting lever.
Top Features of the EOTECH EXPS3
Design
The EXPS3-0 is manufactured from aircraft-grade hardened aluminum alloy. The sight features an outer hood design that provides an air gap between the hood and the sight. This design feature protects the sight and sight lense from impacts often encountered during tactical situations.
The sight is the smallest holographic sight available in its class. The EXPS3 has a footprint with an overall length of 3.8 inches, leaving plenty of room on your mounting rail for other accessories such as a magnifier. The overall dimensions of this holographic sight are 3.8 inches in length 2.3 inches in width, and 2.9 inches in height.
The EXPS3 is also the lightest optic in its class, weighing only 11.2 oz. Not everyone is going to place a lot of emphasis on an optics weight. But if you plan on piling on some additional accessories and or are in a situation that requires prolonged carry, you will appreciate keeping your rig as light as possible.
Filled with inert gas and then sealed, the EXPS3 is rated for immersion into water up to a depth of 33 feet (10 meters). This specification is comparable to the IPX8 rating which is optimal for use in high moisture environments. You can expect water-resistant and fog-resistant operation under a vast array of environmental conditions.
The internal electronics are encased in resin to guard against recoil and shock encountered under the most demanding conditions that any shooter or hunter may find themselves in.
Reticle
With the EXPS3 EOTECH HWS, the reticle is illuminated via a class 2 direct laser emitter, not a light-emitting diode (LED) common to typical red dot sights. The use of a laser is part of the holographic sight design that provides some advantages over an LED-powered red dot sight.
We feel the biggest advantage is that a holographic sight provides the perception that the reticle is out in front of the sight. This ensures that the reticle is in focus at the target, allowing for faster target acquisition than experienced with a typical red dot sight.
An additional advantage of a holographic sight is that you can have a 1 Minute of angle (MOA) dot that, when magnified, will remain a 1 MOA dot. With an LED illuminated sight, the smallest reticle dot achievable is 2 MOA, and when magnification is added, the dot is also magnified along with everything else in the sight picture.
The EOTech EXPS3-0 comes with a 68 MOA red ring with vertical and horizontal stadia that includes a single 1 MOA red dot center. The 68 MOA ring is great for close-quarters engagement situations. Shooter can use the single 1 MOA red dot for precision sighting out to intermediate-range targets.
Operation
Powering the EXPS3 is a single CR123A 3v lithium battery. The battery is located to the front of the sight mounted transversely. The position and orientation of the battery help reduce the length of the sight but, more importantly, lessen recoil forces against the battery contacts reducing opportunities for power failure. The sight has approximately 600 operating hours under normal conditions when using reticle setting 12 and room temperature.
One of the changes with the Extreme line of EOTech EXPS sights is the re-positioning of the operation buttons to the left side of the sight. The buttons operate the on/off, Night Vision (NV), and the reticle brightness.
The EXPS3-0 has 30 reticle brightness settings, 10 of which are for NV viewing. The placement of the reticle brightness buttons on the side of the optic makes it easy to adjust the settings for the current light conditions.
Holographic sights are far better suited for operation in conjunction with NV sights. There is no bloom or washed out reticle often encountered with a typical red dot sight. The EXPS3 EOTech HWS is suitable for use with Generation 1-3+ night vision intensifier optics.
Mounting
Another feature of the Extreme series is the ambidextrous quick-release mount. The EXPS3 HWS is ready to mount on a 1” Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail. Gone is the large mounting knob protruding from the side of the sight reducing snagging on tactical gear during operation.
The EOTech EXPS3 has a 7mm raised base allowing for a lower 1/3 co-witness. Of course, we always like optics that provide use of the iron sights.
Click here to purchase the EOTECH EXPS3-0 Holographic Sight at Amazon.com
Details
Included with your purchase:
- EXPS3-0 holographic sight
- 1 x Type 123 Lithium battery
- Quick Reference Card
- Product Registration/Warranty Card
If you need the Operator’s Manual for the EXPS3-0 click here.
Other great Features:
The EXPS3 EOTech HWS has an automatic shutdown feature that can be set to turn off the sight after 8 hours or after 4 hours from the last time a push button occurred. This feature can be advantageous in home defense situations to conserve battery life.
The holographic sight performs an auto battery check when turned on. If the battery has between 2.5 hours to 5 hours of operational life left, the reticle will blink. Given the 600-hour battery life for the sight having this feature helps mitigate the loss of reticle power when you need it.
The EXPS3 allows for toggling directly to Night Vision mode with the press of a dedicated NV button just above the brightness adjustment buttons. Using this button starts the NV brightness setting a level 4. 
When adjusting the sight for elevation or windage, you have +- 40 MOA increments of adjustment. This ensures that there is plenty of room to sight the optic in on any platform. Your mounting rail installation must be parallel with the barrel for the best result when using any optic.
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Pros vs. Cons of the EXPS3
The Pros
The holographic design of the EXPS3-0 allows for the fastest target acquisition, eliminated the time it takes to focus the reticle and then the target. With this sight, it happens simultaneously.
The sight is extremely rugged in part due to the protective hood that bears the brunt of impacts encountered in hostile environments or a hard day at the range.
With a holographic sight, you can incorporate a magnifier without changing the size of the reticle dot. Keeping the 1 MOA dot at 1 MOA even under magnification increases the ability for precision and intermediate distances.
The EOTECH EXPS-3 is easy to use, providing an intuitive shooting experience even for newer shooters.
The Cons
The use of a laser in the holographic design requires substantially more power to operate, reducing battery life to 600 hours.
Best place to buy the EXPS3 EOTECH
We recommend purchasing the EOTECH EXPS3-0 holographic sight from Amazon.com. You get a great price and fast shipping! You will also find additional information and customer reviews.
Click here to purchase the EOTECH EXPS3-0 Holographic Sight at Amazon.com
Customer Feedback for this EOTECH HWS
The EOTECH EXPS3-0 Holographic Sight has a 4.1/5 stars with over two hundred reviews. Over 70% of the reviews for this sight are five stars.
What other shooters have to say about the sight:
Durability: An extremely durable sight that has been battle-tested with enough brightness setting for any light situation.
Reticle: The large ring is exactly what you need for close-quarters shooting situations, plus the reticle seems like it is superimposed right on the target.
Field of View: The EXPS3 EOTech has a large viewing area with clear lenses that enables both eyes open shooting making target acquisition fast and situational awareness easy.
Price: Quality makes it worth the price.
Variations of the EXPS3-0:
The EXPS3 is offered with two other reticle options
Click here to purchase the EOTECH EXPS3-2 Holographic Sight at Amazon.com for a great price and fast shipping.
Click here to purchase the EOTECH EXPS3-4 Holographic Sight at Amazon.com for a great price and fast shipping.
Alternate holographic sight options:
Click here to purchase the Vortex Razor AMG UH-1 Tactical Red Dot Scope at Amazon.com for a great price and fast shipping.
If you don’t have a rigid requirement for a holographic sight then the Holosun HS510C is a good alternative. You can check out our full review of the HS510C here.
