The EOTech HWS is a modern nonmagnified firearms sight.

A nonmagnified optical sight that is steadily growing in popularity is the Holographic Weapon's Sight (or simply HWS) from EOTech, Dept. ST, 2600 Green Court, Suite 400, Ann Arbor, MI 48105; 734-741-8868; www.eotech-inc.com. Designed to provide a bright, easy-to-see aiming point to facilitate rapid shot placement, the EOTech HWS is not simply a run-of-the-mill red-dot sight. Rather, it's totally different and generates its illuminated reticle through the use of holography.

For those of you not familiar with holography, it is in simplest terms the process of producing visual images through wavefront reconstruction. Invented in 1962 by Juris Upatnieks and Emmett Leith at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM), these projected images (called holograms or holographs) may be two- or three-dimensional. ERIM was conducting (and still conducts) research and development for the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, and members of the intelligence community, and they were soon working on a military application for this technology.

In the late 1970s it was used aboard helicopter gunships, and in the 1980s it came into its own in the heads-up display of jet fighter aircraft. Eventually the technology was reduced in size to the point where it can now be employed practically on small arms.

The HWS unit bears no resemblance to a conventional optic. There is no round tube to look through, no turrets to spin. Instead, it is a radical-looking optic that is rectangular in shape. Positioned at the top rear of the unit's body is a rectangular lens assembly that you aim through. It is constructed from three layers of laminated, shatterproof, scratch-resistant glass that's 3/16 inch thick and features antireflective coatings.

The body of the optic is made from a tough lightweight synthetic material. The display window portion of the housing is protected by a .10-inch-thick extruded aircraft-grade aluminum shroud. Rather than abutting directly against the housing, there's a 1/16-inch gap between the shroud and housing to absorb any extreme shocks.

The front of the HWS houses the batteries that power it and is opened via a lever. Rotating the lever up and forward allows the entire battery compartment to be removed to change batteries. Models are available that are powered by either the short 1.5V N alkaline batteries or by standard AA batteries. Battery life is listed as up to 1100 hours on the AA model, but it's quite a bit less from a practical standpoint. If battery life is less than 20 percent at start up, the reticle will blink for five seconds to alert the operator.

On the right side of the HWS's housing are the windage and elevation adjusting screws for zeroing the sight. These are uncapped and provide 1/2 MOA adjustments in fairly distinct clicks. No tool is required for zeroing; the slots in the adjusting screws are wide enough to accept either the rim of a cartridge or a coin. The bottom of the unit features an integral base that is designed to mount directly onto a standard Weaver or Picatinny rail. The optic is locked in place on the gun via one crossbolt.