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The 553 uses ARMS mounts, and unless he plans to ONLY use them as "emergency off" levers then they WILL wear out eventually. Might be 50 cycles, might be 100, but they always do wear out, and if they do they cant be tightened without using shims and other mickey mouse fixes for a poor design.
The plan is to use the ARMS levers only if the EOTech fails (insert humor here) or some other servicing issue. I like to think they would last a long time in that use, but I don't really know. Shims to correct wear would be ok if we can install them ourselves, I wonder how they convinced the government that this is an acceptable system. Maybe it's been improved?
The big reason for the levers is so an officer could easily remove the EOTech in a hurry, if it takes a dump on him; to use the irons more easily. If we have the cross-bolt mount, then it needs LocTite and I don't want an officer looking for tools to loosen the bolt while someone is shooting at him.
This reminds me of what would happen if you left three bowling balls overnight in a police station:
By the next morning,
One would be broken
One would be missing
One would be pregnant.
The point of have a co-witness (lower 3rd or absolute) is so you can use Iron sights through the optic without having to remove it.
as for "shims", its a thing that you would have to make and engineer yourself. Some people have taken thin sheet metal and wedged it between the clamp bar and the lever cam to "thicken" it up a bit. This is what I meant by using shims, so if they ever open it the shim is going to fall out etc.... not a very good idea.
The 553 is pretty much a 552 with raised height. You can get pretty much the same thing but with much higher quality of the locking system, by getting a 552 or 512 with the LaRue mount.
You can get the 512 with LaRue mount from LaRue for $459, or if NVG is required, you can get the 552 with LaRue mount from LaRue for $574. They have package deals on their website.
From Bravo Company, the 553 is $639.00, so your saving about 60 bucks getting a much better mounting system, and more common batteries (AA instead of CR123. Although the CR123's may be what you use in weapon lights)
You can loc-tight the snot out of the cross bold onto the LaRue rail, then never worry about it again. The throw lever is adjustable with a wrench, so you don't have to worry about the officers bumbling with the locking system either. Just open it or close it.