EOTech XPS2-Z “Zombie Stopper” Optic – Review
This post contains affiliate links to the actual items I reviewed in this post. By purchasing through the links the price is the same but we will receive a small percentage of each sale to keep giving the best reviews.
Same great rugged optic, with a fun twist on a new fun reticle!

This is AGR’s review of the “Zombie Stopper” edition of the EOTech line of holographic weapons sights. I specifically ordered this site to test and review for all of my blog fans and followers as well as all of you firearm enthusiasts out there. As most of you know, I am a big fan of theEOTech sites and I especially like the XPS compact models. Not only do they deliver excellent performance, but they are sleek, compact, lightweight and user friendly. For those of you who have never seen or heard of it, the XPS2-Z or “Zombie Stopper” model features a red bio-hazard reticle that makes this optic stand out among all others. Although the whole zombie craze has seemed to have faded somewhat since it was first introduced, I still have a love for this particular model. I have reviewed several XPS models in the past, so I will not dive into the major details and simply focus on this particular model’s features. Surprisingly, the biohazard reticle is crisp, clear and is excellent for close range engagements. The biohazard reticle has your standard 1 MOA center dot, surrounded by a 65 MOA ring and then of course the biohazard portion of the reticle. The only true difference in the reticle compared to the standard XPS reticle, is that the 65 MOA ring is broken in three areas, which is where the biohazard arms span outward from within. I have done quite a bit of research and thus far I have been unable to figure out the total MOA size of the entire reticle, including the outer edges of the biohazard arms. With that said, I can tell you this; in addition to the larger 65 MOA ring, the biohazard arms do a great job of giving the shooter the ability to quickly and precisely acquire a man-sized target at medium to close range. Confused? In other words, the reticle is so large that it makes missing a large target almost impossible…all you have to do is keep the entire reticle on the target and your shots will hit somewhere. Obviously were not talking precision work here, but in a SHTF situation where rapid firing or multiple targets are involved, the reticle makes it easy. Even with the larger overall size of the reticle, the 1 MOA center dot still makes it easy to accurately place shots well beyond 100 yards or more. Now we obviously know that the “Zombie Stopper” was created to satisfy the recent zombie craze that has hit the market in every genre, however it is rather useful and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Not only is it something different, but it’s a conversation starter. Some of you are more serious about firearms in general and maybe this isn’t your thing…if so then stick with the standard reticle or whichever one suits your needs. Throughout my testing, I used the XPS2-Z on just about every rifle in my collection, or at least the rifles that had the capability of mounting an optic. I used it for quite some time on my VLTOR AR-15 SBR (7.4” barrel) and due to the short range capabilities of that rifle, the Zombie Stopper worked quite well. It also worked perfectly with my custom built VLTOR 300 Blackout AR-15. Due to the nature of the Blackout cartridge, the close range usefulness of the XPS2-Z was excellent. I also tried it out on my Springfield M1A Socom II, but I think the longer reach and capability of the .308 made the use of the Zombie Stopper impractical past 200+ yards. One thing I did to try to improve the usefulness of the XPS2-Z on my Socom was add the EOTech G-33 3X magnifier. While it did seem to stretch out the range a little more and make accurate shots a little easier, I just had to face the fact that the XPS2-Z performed best at closer ranges.

Zombie Stopper Mounted w/ G33 3X Magnifier         Zombie Stopper Compared Against CQB T-Dot

Reticle w/ G33 To The Side                    Reticle w/ G33 In Use

With this being the case, that’s when I decided that the XPS2-Z would be most beneficial on my Kel-Tec KSG 12 Gauge shotgun. Not only did it have the larger reticle for buck or birdshot, but the 1 MOA dot made use of slugs a pleasure…way better than a standard bead or set of irons in my opinion. Because of how compact and lightweight the XPS2-Z is, it worked wonderfully when mounted to the rail of the KSG. Not only did it give me room to use in conjunction with a pair of flippable irons, but it made it possible to move the optic away from or closer to my eye until I found the perfect position.

We immediately tested the KSG with rifled slugs, so the XPS2-Z 1 MOA dot made it easy. We were accurately hitting an 8” target at 100 yards while using this optic with rifled slugs. Not only did it make shooting slugs easy, but the larger 65 MOA ring and outstretching biohazard arms made it amazing when using buck and birdshot. I wanted to test the potential of the KSG in all areas and felt as though the XPS2-Z made it possible for me to do so. Go back 10 years ago and it was almost unheard of to have an optic on a shotgun, minus those that had rifled barrels and were made for longer distances. EOTechs have now become increasingly popular with migratory bird hunters, turkey hunters, big game hunters and even trap shooters.   The reason for this is the ease of use, weight, size and how quickly the shooter can acquire and engage a target when needed. It is also fantastic when shooting moving targets because what the dominant eye sees, the non-dominant eye is tricked into seeing as well. I only use my EOTechs with both eyes open and in my opinion that is the best way to use them, especially this particular model.

Like most all of the other XPS models, all the other features are the same give or take. The overall weight of the XPS2-Z is still only 8oz and it maintains the same size as the other XPS models. The battery compartment is located in the front and will run approximately 600 hours on a single CR123 battery (on level 12). The XPS2-Z still has the 8 hour automatic shut off, so no need to worry about dead battery when the flesh eaters starting breaking down your door. We all know that brain hungry walking corpses are tolerant to almost any clime and place, so the XPS2-Z will perform in temperatures ranging from -40F to 150 F just in case.  The XPS2-Z mounts on any MIL-STD-1913 picatinny rail and only requires 2.75” of rail space. The reticle has ½” MOA adjustments with a total travel range of 40 MOA +/- in either direction (elevation/windage). Do you have day or night walkers in your area? Either way the XPS2-Z has you covered with a total of 20 brightness settings, so no need to worry about reticle wash out when you need it most. The brightness settings can be adjusted by the two buttons located on the rear of the optic…although I like having access buttons on the side of the housing like found on the Brownell’s CQB “T-Dot” Eotech. It simply makes for easier access and you don’t have to worry about mating iron sights against the back of the optic…otherwise access to them could be difficult. If you happen to find yourself in the predicament of fighting off the undead in an area covered in water, fear not! The XPS2-Z can be completely submerged up to 10 feet with no issues. And one last great feature about the XPS2-Z is that the window gives enough field of view to co-witness with your iron sights in the event that your battery does die, or battery supplies have dried up.

How would I improve it? Well for one, I would change the location of the brightness buttons to the side of the housing. Access is easier and can be done while staying on target or at a minimum, while at low-ready. Although the bio-hazard symbol is traditionally black or red, I would like to see EOTech make use of other colors in their reticles as well. There is a reason why cheaper optics companies have multiple colors when using illuminated optics…consumers simply like the having option. I prefer green reticles and goes the same when using Trijicon products like the popular ACOGs…it is proven the human eye sees more shades of green than any other color, so I think it stands out the best and is easiest to acquire when coming on target. (***Optic Was Not Mounted To Weapon For This Photo***)

All in all, EOTech took a chance when they decided to have a little fun with one of their most popular models. Although the market for this optic may be smaller than other models offered by EOTech, I think that they hit a home run and paved the way for other interesting and new reticles. I am a creative person and love to see new things. I fell in love with the XPS2-Z as soon as I looked through the window at that one of a kind reticle. The XPS2-Z stands ready for living or undead threats and makes shooting a pleasure when having a fun day at the range. You can’t go wrong with the XPS models and if you like having fun or unique gear, pick yourself up one…you won’t regret it!

-Michael Sapp

American Gun Review’s Rating:
8.0 out of 10

The “Zombie Stopper” Can Be Found on Amazon and is no longer available on BrownellsPost sponsored by
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