In the quest to find the best red dot for concealed carry, I’ve tried a lot from tons of companies and have become a huge fan of the Holosun series of red dots for small guns. Holosun is often known as a budget brand compared to other red dot companies, but their micro-sized optics are leading the charge. The old standard was the 507K series, but Holosun recently released the Holosun EPS.
In all my testing of optics, I kept going back to the 507K series. I really enjoyed that optic and found it to be the best optic for the money for concealed carry. It’s tough, well-made, clear, and comes with a ton of different features. A month ago or so, I got my hands on the EPS and have been blown away by it. The question is, will it replace the 507K that typically sits on the top of my P365XL?
What do the Holosun 507K and Holosun EPS have in common?
Both are micro-sized red dots aimed at the concealed carry market. They use the Shield RMSc footprint, which has become the standard for small guns everywhere. The micro-sized footprint has become common on Glock, Sig, Springfield, and many more companies’ small guns.
Both come in red and green reticle models, and both come with a few basic features that help them shine. Notable, they have the shake awake technology that puts them to sleep and wakes them up with the lack of or the introduction of motion. Both use 1620 batteries, and both come with a variety of brightness settings, and that includes night vision settings.
Overall they are fairly similar and would be easily compared to any other red dot. What makes the two stand apart is their durability. For tiny dots, they seem to outlast the rest in terms of recoil and durability. That makes them the number one choice for concealed carriers.
How are the 507K and EPS different?
The biggest difference is the fact the EPS is an enclosed emitter pistol red dot sight, and the 507K is an exposed emitter optic. Enclosed emitter optics are a contained system with two lenses. Nothing can get between the emitter and the lens. The 507K has an open emitter, which means the space between the emitter and lens is open.
This means rain, snow, dirt, dust, or whatever can get between the emitter and lens. The most common issue is rainfall. When something gets between the emitter and lens, there can be issues with the reticle being able to display itself clearly on the lens. The clear benefit of the enclosed emitter is enhanced reliability in all conditions. The downside to enclosed optics is the extra weight and bulk, as well as the occasional issues with clarity due to two lenses.
An open emitter is a lighter optic and often a clearer lens. This is especially true if you shoot with night vision. On mid-range and below night vision, the dual lenses of the enclosed emitter can cause some clarity and blooming issues.
That’s the biggest and most obvious difference, but there is another significant difference between the two. The 507K is one single optic. The EPS is now a series of optics with six different models with varying features and reticle sizes. That’s not counting the red and green reticles as separate models. The varying features and price points should be considered prior to purchasing.
The Little Differences
Beyond the big differences, there are numerous small differences worth noting.
Dimensions
The 507K weighs one ounce, and the EPS Carry models also weigh one ounce. The standard model of the EPS weighs 1.4 ounces. The 507K measures out to .95 inches tall, .98 inches wide, and 1.6 inches long. The EPS measures out to .99 inches tall, 1.18 inches wide, and 1.61 inches long. The EPS Carry model is slightly smaller and gives us an optic .95 inches tall, 1.05 inches wide, and 1.61 inches long.
Ergonomics
Trijicon sued Holosun, and one of the results of that suit was a reduction in the size of the buttons of the 507 and 407 series. These are known as the X2 models. The small buttons are, well, small, and the EPS and its enclosed design aren’t affected by that lawsuit. It’s got great big buttons that I really appreciate and enjoy. They are much easier to press and adjust the optic with.
These differences might be slight, but slight differences can be notable depending on how you carry your gun.
Holosun EPS vs 507K Reticle Options
The 507K has a multi-reticle system that allows you to use either a 2 MOA dot or a 32 MOA circle. The Holosun EPS and EPS Carry models come in a wider variety of options. I own the EPS Carry Red 6, which means it’s a red reticle that’s 6 MOA in size. There is a 2 MOA option and also a multi-reticle system option that consists of 2 MOA and 32 MOA circle selections. It’s fair to say they are tied in this department, and maybe the EPS gets a slight edge with a 6 MOA option.
That’s a call you’ll need to make. I used the 507K but never really found myself using the 32 MOA circle, so the dot was good enough. I did like the bigger dot with the EPS and preferred the 6 MOA to either the 2 or 32 MOA circle. However, that’s my opinion. Shooters with astigmatism may prefer the 32 MOA circle because it’s easier for their eyes to see, compared to a dot.
As a side note, both the EPS and 507K have 12 settings, but they are distributed differently. The 507K has ten daylight settings and two-night vision settings. The EPS comes with eight daylight settings and four-night vision settings.
At the Range
We do get pretty excellent results from both optics. Both the Holosun series optics deliver excellent results from the top down. Both hold zero and can withstand tons of recoil. They both would work on shotguns, rifles, and, of course, handguns. The EPS and 507K are concealed carry-worthy and very capable optics all around.
Both optics are quite clear, with a slight blue tint on both optics. Admittedly the single lens of the 507K is a little brighter and clearer. In action, both optics make shooting a pistol easier. I can shoot straight, faster, and further with a red dot on my P365.
Regardless of which optic you choose, you are getting a good solid optic. I’ve tried both in various lighting conditions, including sunlight and artificial light, at a variety of different angles. Both perform admirably. Neither optic will lag or stutter when rapidly changing targets either. You get a solid optic either way.
With that said…I have swapped to the Holosun EPS on my daily carry gun. However, the Holosun 507K has become my optic of choice on my Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical shotgun. I just like the extra reliability of an enclosed emitter optic and trust it a bit more. However, the 507K series are fantastic optics, and I’d still happily carry one. Which is for you?
