Counterfeit EOTech

[East_TN_Patriot]

Well, I bought an EOTech from a LEO friend of mine who works in Mississippi and as soon as I started to fool with it, I thought something didn't seem right.  Turns out, the thing is a fake.   :doh: 

It looks pretty darn convincing at first glance and the markings look correct; much better and more accurate than other fakes I've seen.  He bought two of them from a shop that told him they were factory refurbished. 

Other than the markings on the sides being accurate, this one has all the classic signs of a fake EOTech: 1) smoke tinted lens, 2) visible parallax at the edges of the lens, 3) light reflection on the lens, 4) visible light source inside the sight, 5) switches from green to red, 6) no manufacturer label on the bottom, 7) no automatic turn-off, 8) battery compartment not quite right, and 9) the biggest giveaway on this one: when I tried to adjust the windage, the markings on the screw are backwards (to move the dot left, I had to turn in the direction marked to the right).

I told my buddy and big surprise, upon trying to get a hold of the guy he bought them from, the email address is dead and the phone number is disconnected.  What's bad is that he had the other one installed on his duty shotgun and some of his co-workers have them installed on their patrol rifles.  I just thought I'd pass this info along as a reminder to all about being very certain about what you are buying, even from people you know.  I should have asked for a couple more pics before I bought it.  Live and learn.  I'll stick this fake on one of my play guns and see how long it takes to break.  Fortunately, I'm only out $125 and a couple of holsters I made for him.  I'd like to think he'll offer to get my money back, but I doubt he can afford it.  A cop in Mississippi doesn't make that much money, at least not as much as I do so I can eat the loss and chalk it up as a lesson learned.

 

Here is a PDF from EOTech with some info and pics.  I hope this helps some other folks out there.

EDIT: The more I think about it, I'd bet that EOTech doesn't sell factory refurbs either...

Edited September 15, 2013 by East_TN_Patriot

[Lowpower]

Actually EOT will update and/or fix your existing one. I had picked up one from a friend and found out the vertical wasn't working. It also had the 50 yd rubber bullet dot on it.

I called EOT and the first thing they asked for was my serial number which I provided. Once they had that they said while I was out of warranty but I can have the whole sight gone over and any and all components could be replaced including which ever red dot I wanted in it. They gave me an RMA(?). Cost (a few years ago) was $158. So two things;

 

Give them your serial number and they will tell you if its a fake.

They will rebuild your sight

 

Hope this helps

Lp

[rugerla1]

Wow, that sucks Patriot! I hate it for the other guys too. Hope those pieces of &#++@ that sold them get their a$$ handed to them soon. Thanks for the heads up though, I will buy new probably, but in case I get a used one, I will do research first. Sorry you ended up with a toy instead of what you'd hoped for.

[East_TN_Patriot]

There is no serial number. It's obvious it's a fake. All 9 points I made show it's a t-total fake. Just sharing to keep others from buying a counterfeit sight.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Wow, that sucks Patriot! I hate it for the other guys too. Hope those pieces of &#++@ that sold them get their a$$ handed to them soon. Thanks for the heads up though, I will buy new probably, but in case I get a used one, I will do research first. Sorry you ended up with a toy instead of what you'd hoped for.

I won't buy another used one unless I can lay my hands on it. I doubt the original seller will ever get caught. Like I said, live and learn.

[Dustbuster]

That sucks ya gotta be careful w eot and acogs
Eot will look at a genuine sight nothing else.eot doesn't sell refurbs seller shoulda checked. Any eot for 125 sounds sketchy unless nuts beat up or missing parts. I'm sure the turd will be selling again good luck catching em


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 of course it ate my spelling.

[TMF]

Yup, I bought a fake once but knew it was a fake at the time of purchase.  In Afghanistan Hadj will sell the knockoffs made in China.  I bought it for the purpose of putting it on my .22, since it seemed to still function properly in terms of zeroing the sight.  It cost $50 bucks and was so true to detail I would challenge most people's ability to tell the difference by just a cursory inspection of it mounted on a rifle.  Of course, I decided it was a good idea to try and shoot it off a 5.56 at some point.  Bad idea.  It killed the sight.  Seemed to work great on a .22. 

 

I'll most likely pick up another one at some point for my .22 S&W and not break it this time.  I think these things were originally made by the Chinese for Airsoft guns, and they are such good replicas that folks are selling them as the real deal.  It's fraud as far as I'm concerned and a crime.  I would suggest that anyone in the market for an EOTech buy from a reputable dealer or a person they know (if they're buying used).  Gun show EOTechs?  Negative Ghostrider... don't do it.

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

Yup, I bought a fake once but knew it was a fake at the time of purchase. In Afghanistan Hadj will sell the knockoffs made in China. I bought it for the purpose of putting it on my .22, since it seemed to still function properly in terms of zeroing the sight. It cost $50 bucks and was so true to detail I would challenge most people's ability to tell the difference by just a cursory inspection of it mounted on a rifle. Of course, I decided it was a good idea to try and shoot it off a 5.56 at some point. Bad idea. It killed the sight. Seemed to work great on a .22.

I'll most likely pick up another one at some point for my .22 S&W and not break it this time. I think these things were originally made by the Chinese for Airsoft guns, and they are such good replicas that folks are selling them as the real deal. It's fraud as far as I'm concerned and a crime. I would suggest that anyone in the market for an EOTech buy from a reputable dealer or a person they know (if they're buying used). Gun show EOTechs? Negative Ghostrider... don't do it.

Sorry about the ops luck. The reason the sight works on 22 and not 556 is because these cheap knock off sights were designed for air soft.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I have seen and actually bought some Chinese knock off scopes that worked really well. You can't expect the $20 Aimpoint knockoff to last but the last one I bought cost me $80 and lasted a very long time on some very hard kicking guns. Had another friend who bought a $125 ACOG knockoff. It had the stadia lines on the reticle and they actually worked for 5.56. It wasn't expected to live but it survived full auto 223 and 308's. It stayed on both for hundreds of rounds.

 

I got a fake Leupold Mark 4 in trade. I tossed it in the safe as a give away scope and it stayed there for a few years. Then I decided to try it on a 22, then on a 223, and it worked fine. It tracked well and was surprizingly clear. I decided to take it apart to actually check some things and it did have issues. First, it was not sealed inside and second, the clicks would have eventually went away because both parts were soft brass. But for a scope that now costs under $100 it was a deal. The parrallax needed adjustment but other than that it was a decent scope for $100.

 

I have zero issue buying a Chinese optic but I also realize I have to be willing to risk a little more. And it is a risk because the last bad optic I got would have cost me more to send back than I spent but that was my fault for expecting the $25 micro red dot to work as well as my $200+ Fast Fire.

 

Realize that most scopes are now made in the region. Heck, some of the Leupolds are made in the Phillipines now. You just have to forget about getting a decent scope CHEAP.

 

And finally, if it sounds to good to be true it is but also be aware that there are thieves out there willing to rip you off. I have found several dealers at shows selling knockoffs for the same price as real. Assume all optics are fakes unless the seller can PROVE they are real.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Just to clarify, I am out $125 and some holsters I made for him (it's a side business for me so he got free leather work in lieu of cash).  He and his other friends are out $300 each for them.  That price for a used EOTech seems within the realm of possibility.  

Heck, maybe I'll just toss it onto my Benelli and see what happens.  

[TMF]

Heck, maybe I'll just toss it onto my Benelli and see what happens.  

 

I'd advise against it.  It only took a few shots on one of my ARs to kill mine.  I suspect it would be the same with at shotty.  If you have a tactical .22 this would be a good candidate for it.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I have one, also. On an AR, with each shot, it would separate the batteries from the contact and kill the light. I fixed the

contacts and luckily it tends to work like the real deal. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying other than the real deal, though.

Too many things could go wrong.

 

I may get around to buying a real one, one of these days, but I have decided I needed to work on my shooting with the irons,

anyway. They tend to be more reliable.

[TMF]

I have one, also. On an AR, with each shot, it would separate the batteries from the contact and kill the light. I fixed the
contacts and luckily it tends to work like the real deal. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying other than the real deal, though.
Too many things could go wrong.

I may get around to buying a real one, one of these days, but I have decided I needed to work on my shooting with the irons,
anyway. They tend to be more reliable.

Even the real EOTechs had similar problems when they were first becoming popular. Those first ones we were issued a decade ago had battery pack problems.

[East_TN_Patriot]

I'd advise against it.  It only took a few shots on one of my ARs to kill mine.  I suspect it would be the same with at shotty.  If you have a tactical .22 this would be a good candidate for it.

I don't have a .22 like that and have no use for an optic that delicate.  If it breaks, it will become a target.  I'll just visualize the douchebag that ripped us off when I squeeze off the round.