Review - China EOTech 551 Replica

[Mr Jon]

China Made EOTech 551 Replica
July 16th, 2007

Introduction
Since EOTech’s have been increasingly popular over the years with airsofters it was only a matter of time before somebody released a replica. It was probably the most demanded replica because the average airsofter doesn’t want to dish out hundreds of dollars for the real thing. When HurricanE released their 551 months back there wasn’t much excitement, mainly due to the absurdly high price. As an added bonus they were also available in a set of flashy metallic anodized finishes. Laylax followed suit with a 552 replica that housed a mini battery and functioned and a cheesy red dot. There was such a cry for a replica, but when one arrived nobody wanted it. For those who had the money couldn’t justify spending it considering a real EoTech wasn’t that much more than the HurricanE. But just weeks ago G&P/UFC released their variant which I believe is made form the same unknown manufacturer as the one I am reviewing. However the debut price was substantially cheaper and fully worth every penny. About a week after the release of these Chinese made replicas, HurricanE got their knickers in a bunch and released a statement about their world wide patent of the replica. I highly doubt HurricanE even had the proper licensing to do this, never mind the fact they are angry another company released an exact copy for probably less than half of what they were offering it at.

As an aside the word on the street is 552/553 replicas will be available in upcoming months, so keep your eyes peeled for additional information on that front.

Quick Specs

Circle Dot Reticle (Selectable Red/Green)
Suitable for most standard 20mm rail systems
Windage adjustable
10 Brightness settings
Uses 4x LR44/AG13 batteries




Build Quality and Appearance

Just like most china made optics and other replicas, the quality is high. Metal parts include the protective hood which is anodized flat black, the mount, and the battery release lever. The main part appears to be made of a tough looking plastic and I honestly can’t tell if it IS metal but by feel I’m almost positive it’s just plastic. To sum it up, this replica does not feel cheap and is constructed with nice materials to produce a top notch finish.




Some people have questioned the accuracy of the replica. After digging around for pictures of real 551s, it appears that the windage adjustment cutouts in the hood seem possibly inaccurate. On all picture I have seen so far they are both circles, except on the replica the rear cutout is shaped like an upside down tear drop. No trademarks are currently present on these models. On certain batches the words “forlaw enforcement/military use” appear on the left side, the spelling mistake will be corrected in new batches. Replicas will full trademarks may also be released in the future from Dragon Red Airsoft for added realism.

Operation

To mount it, all you have to do twist the thumbscrew until it is loose enough where you can mount it on your chosen rail system. Screw it back on tight and make sure it’s secure. To operate the dot all you need to do is press either the up or down arrows. Once on you can adjust the brightness of the dot by pressing and holding the up/down arrows until your desired brightness setting. To select between red/green dot simply press the NV button. To turn the dot off, press and hold the up and down arrows together for approximately 2 seconds and release.



The enjoyable aspect of this dot site other than its great looks is the fact it has such a large viewing window. Aiming with both eyes open is extremely easy compared to other dot sites I’ve used which just seem to obstruct my view when I to do so. Aiming is instinctive and will give you a clear guaranteed site picture indoors or out.

Optics Round-up

Below is a comparison of the EOTech’s size to other existing airsoft replicas.




Conclusion

In conclusion I can honestly say that this is an affordable EOTech replica that doesn’t disappoint. Excellent build quality paired with an great price makes this a purchase you won’t soon regret. After seeing the amount of Aimpoints and ACOGs out in the field it’s nice to have more variety and that 1337 operator look. So go out and get one while they exist!

You can purchase the 551 replica at Dragon Red Airsoft for $99 USD + Shipping
http://www.dragonredairsoft.com

Additional Pictures

Below are pictures of the 551 mounted to a variety of different guns.

[Qlong]

HOW MUCH, AND GIVE IT TO ME!

[gamz]

Nice review. No photos of the reticle?

[Mr Jon]

Oddly enough I could not photograph the reticle, its just a circle with a dot in the middle... ill make a photoshop mockup later for those who want to know.

[wey ferro]

might be an ok build but it has the worst optics in the history of man kind. and doesnt go dim enough, waaay too bright. shittiest thing ever made!

[Mr Jon]

Weird I can make it go so dim its only visible in the dark, or so bright that even outdoors it's visible and everything inbetween. The reticle is clear and looks great. Maybe you got a lemon because mine certainly doesnt have that problem.

[huang]

Thank you for the detail review. Believe it or not, I don't even have one for myself. So I will definitely ask my partners in china to save one for myself in next batch!!

[maxx]

thanks for the informative review!!

[mcguyver]

Does the "down" arrow turn the unit on in an "auto-brightness" mode like the real one and even the HurricanE replica. That's the only mode I use.

[bruce]

Difference between pressing the Up or Down arrow on the real EOTech is the auto shutoff feature. Down will shut off in 4 hours and Up will do it in 8. Pressing either will still turn on the unit. It will set itself at the mid brightness level (12). There is no auto brightness feature in either one of my 552 or 553. mcguyver, what model do you have that carries this feature?

From what I have seen from the 1 Hurricane and 1 no name replica that was sent to me for a lense protector, they are somewhat similar in diamensions to the real units. A lense protector made for a real EOTech will not fit on the replicas. The replicas were slightly shorter and wider compared to the EOTech version.

It's fancy to choose between a red or green reticle on the replicas but I don't see myself using the green reticle outdoors.

Major drawback in the replicas is the glass used. It's not flat and no anti-glare coating like on the real EOTechs. The reticle can be distorted when seen near the corners of the window and having a refraction on the HUD window is distracting.

Still a decent buy for anyone on a budget but loves the look of the EOTech on their gun.

[bigbeef]

Is it just a red dot in an eotech housing or is it actual holographic technology?

[Skruface]

Nice job, bud. Is that the regular-length ACE stock, or the shorty on your 416?

[Mr Jon]

@bigbeef - It's just a red dot, no holography here

@Skru - That is a regular length Land Arms Bushmaster ACE replica. Very nice stock, houses a battery, and is dirt cheap from Dragon Red Airsoft

[Skruface]

Ah. I see. There are 2 different length models I've seen in the chinese clone ACE stocks - a regular length one, and a shorty that's about 2" shorter. I've been toying with the idea of picking up an ACE shorty (or a Magpul CTR, or a CAA CBS stock) for the ultra-lightweight exec-protection/zombie-killin' carbine I'm building for shits and giggles this summer.

[BBS]

thanks for such an informative review and excellent pictures. I hope they release they release the full trademark version for the same price.