Nowadays a lot of us like the red dot on the target and some of us are even converted to focus on the target through a red reticle, although I know that some of the purists prefer just a single dot – but let’s not argue. On this occasion, the boffins at EOTech have excelled themselves. This sight is something that even Bradley Cooper would be proud of because I’m sure that even he could not put shots into a target a hundred yards in such a way that they were all touching! I can!

This is EOTech’s shortest-ever sight but in spite of appearances, it still gives you amazing visibility in absolutely any light condition.

Let’s get the technical stuff out of the way now. The XPS 3-0 uses a laser to light up a holographic pattern which is refracted through what is effectively a head-up display. The principle is very similar to the HUD on your BMW i8, but without all the mirrors and other gizmos.

All this high-tech is powered by a single lithium 123 battery which gives you about 600 hours at the top brightness level. In addition you have foolproof internal optics and if you are clumsy enough to fall into deep water, holding your rifle, the XPS3 is water resistant to a depth of 33 feet, which should cover most circumstances.

I was taught to shoot with both eyes open and have to admit that there have been occasions when I’ve found this quite difficult but with this sight, keeping both eyes open feels quite normal and comfortable.

Not only is this sight constructed to a military standard, that is to say you won’t break it….. but the reticle rather than the dot is preferred by the military for one simple reason which is that target acquisition is much faster. With the reticle you’re hunting for your target with a single dot but you have what is effectively a circular field formed by a holographic circle which does make the job so much easier.

Elevation and windage adjustments are by means of large adjustable screws with the additional bonus of properly visible lettering telling you which way to adjust, making it easy for you to zero-in on your point of impact. The large adjustable screws mean that there is no fiddling with miniature screwdrivers or tiny Allen keys. You can adjust in a hurry! Incidentally speaking of screwdrivers and Allen keys, you won’t be needing an engineering degree to remove this sight from your rifle. Its quick detachable mount can be operated by a five-year-old!

So you have a compact and rugged high-tech sight which is built to last and reasonably priced with certainly the clearest and sharpest lens that I have in my sight-collection.

It’s a class act which EOTech will have to work very hard to better.