When it comes to holographic sights, EOTech has its share of fans. And with a recent announcement, the company is certain to a get a few of them to update the holiday gift wish list – in a hurry.

The subsidiary of Level 3 Communications, revealed it will release two new sights before the end of the year. And both the Model 558 and 518 should be on store shelves soon enough to make it under a Christmas Tree or a Festivus Pole.

The twist on the new sights by the Michigan manufacturer is how each is powered. Both the 558 and 518 get their juice from ubiquitous AA batteries, among the most commonly found in the world.

The rub is, however, the units get different lifespans depending on the grade of AA used. Lithium batteries last up to 1,000 hours of continual use at a nominal setting in each unit, while alkaline batteries yield 600 hours of continual use.

This is not the first product EOTech has aimed to make more user friendly with an easier-to-find power source. Recently, the company introduced its Laser Battery Cap, which retrofits its sights to run off AAs.

For the most part, the two new sights have many of the same features and are nearly identical in size and weight. Both the 558 and 518 boast side-button functionality, are compatible with magnifiers and tip the scales at a manageable 13.3 ounces.

The big difference between the units is the 558 is set up to run with Generation I-III night-vision optics. It is also waterproof to 33 feet, compared to 10 feet for the 518. And the unit has 30 brightness setting, opposed to the other sight’s 20.

Both sights are 5.5-inches long, 2.2-inches in width and 2.8-inches in height. Each is outfitted one dot, red reticles, designed for quick target acquisition. The red dot measures in at 1 MOA, while the surrounding ring is 65 MOA.

The sights are easily added and removed via a quick detach mount that is compatible with Weaver or Mil-Spec Picatinny rails. Like most other EOTech sights with the quick detach mount, the units have been designed to be within 1 MOA upon remounting after removal.

Like most high-end holographic sights, the new EOTech units cost a bit of coin. The Model 518 is listed with an MSRP of $539 on the company’s website, the Model 558 has a $629 price tag.

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