Thrunite Scorpion LED tactical style torch review

[Steyr]

This is a review of a Thrunite Scorpion LED torch I recently acquired to be used as a gun mounted hunting light with a quick release attachment so it can be used as a hand held search light for dropped quarry, path-finding etc.

It uses an XM-L LED which is the newer generation of LED’s designed for high output. In addition to a floody light output, it also has a reasonable reach but what makes it interesting to me is the way the light output is controlled.

LED tactical style lights (and this falls into that sort of size/category) will oft have a simple on off switch but as time has progressed, more complex options have come to be in the form of digital user interface that offer multiple light output levels, features like SOS and strobe modes etc Including memory functions.

The downside of this is that the more functions that are put into the devices interface, the more complex and annoying/slow it can be to use in the field. E.G, you want low output to sweep with or find something you dropped and you are treated to a burst of strobe……

The Scorpion address’ this to some degree in that the tail cap has a rotary feature as well as a button.

By rotating it to the extreme anti clockwise position and applying a little twisting pressure, it snaps into a lockout position. This means that the light CANNOT be illuminated in pocket or in a bag, overheat and do it or something else damage. You can also undo the head which breaks the connection and a little twist turns it from safe/inert into ready to use.

The second position clockwise is Firefly. This is a very low level output that will allow you to see very close objects/hazards without damaging your night vision to any great degree. The torch will be able to run for a very long time on this level of output.

The next click clockwise will illuminate the torch and it will stay on until the button is depressed again. However, this position also allows you to ramp up and down the light output from max to a very low level – though much brighter than the fire fly mode. If you dab the button, it turns on. Dab again, it turns off. Press and hold, it will ramp the output up/down and you release pressure when the output is at the level you require. Each time you turn the light on and off, it will remember this level until you press and hold again to ramp to a new level. The light tells you when you have reached min and max positions by flashing twice though it is pretty obvious.

The 4th position clockwise is full output but the light only stays on whilst the button is pressed. You don’t have to press on and then press again to turn of.

The final position operates the same way, but this time it is a strobe on max output not that hunters will need this. It has no SOS but there's no reason why you can’t use strobe to attract attention.

A little bonus feature I realised was that if you say set the head to a level, by rotating the collar to another output, all you have to do is dab the switch to hop from one to the other. For example, if you want to sweep with a low level and snap to high, you can turn the light on low, rotate the ring to high and if you see a reflection, just dab it off and then back on to flood the area with max light.

The torch can run on standard CR123 batteries which is a useful if not an expensive battery choice here in the UK. These batteries have a 10 yr shelf life so in theory, if you returned to the place you left it 9 years later, the torch should still illuminate. If you want to use CR123’s then visit to the bay or specialist battery suppliers will yield bulk buy options that cost pence per battery – not pounds.

However, it will also run on a battery type called 18650 which is approx the same as 2 x CR123’s but a lot more grunt. These are not that expensive to buy and they pay for themselves very quickly indeed - even if you bulk buy lithium CR123’s so look at this route. It is also less polluting as I am sure many will dispose of dead cells in the general waste filling landfills with heavy metals of an unpleasant nature.

One final point on batteries if you elect to go for rechargeable, get protected cells. These have a small electronic circuit built in that prevents the torch from over charging and therefore potentially cooking your torch with too much voltage and current, but also it protects the battery from over-discharging which will at best kill the cell and at worst, could cause the cell to ignite or explode. One of the leading makers is AW.

The unit will also tell you when it is going to run out by flashing/flickering but this does have a very short window between flicker and the torch going out completely.

This little unit like many quality torches uses a driver (aka engine or pill) that acts pretty much the same way that we use an air reg in PCP rifles. Basically, ordinary battery torches get progressively dimmer the moment you turn them on. A driver maintains a constant output until it reaches a certain voltage after which it will have run out of juice BUT you don’t get the gradual dimming of output.

It means you need to carry a spare battery but as these are so light and small, this is no hassle whatsoever and in fact is a damned good idea. I don’t know how many 18650’s you would need to match the weight of a 12v&amp battery but it sure is going to be a lot.

Now I like the rotary tail-cap a lot but battery replacement introduces you to this torches major quirk. When you take the tail-cap off and replace the batteries, you have to align a notch in the cap with a notch in the body of the torch. That is easy. Where it gets interesting is when you have to tighten the cap, you have to hold the rotary section to keep the notches aligned. The tail-cap rotary section is plastic and it attaches onto a metal collar that spins and turns onto the battery tube.

You have to hold the plastic, twist the tail-cap AND ensure the main body of the torch does not move out of notch alignment.

The first few times I tried this resulted in some blue air I can tell you. The trick I found is to ram the head into your chest or stomach and use both hands to hold the plastic and rotate the tail-cap at the same time. With the head stuck in your chest, it is easier to keep the body notch in line with the caps notch. It gets easier with practice but it is still a hassle to do in the field. The benefits of the rotary operation outweighs this quirk in my view so I would just put the practice in. A single battery on full charge should easily cover most peoples hunting trips so save this little pleasure for a place where it is easier.

Incidentally, whilst the cap is off, there is another ring that can be released and which will allow the pocket clip to be added or removed. It cannot be reversed though. I do not think this is a useful add-on having lost a very pricey pocket knife to such a clip within an hour of buying it so this will end up coming off. Others might like it.

This light does put out a hell of a lot of light for such a small package. The light of this LED has an unusually yellow tint which is very good with greens and browns of foliage. Quite a natural effect. My other lights are whiter and arguably harsher which I prefer. This however is a very personal thing.

This torch can be easily mounted AND it does come with its own tape switch option. I have not tested this simply as I ran out of money (this wasn’t the only torch I bought) and decided I would visit this later.

The tape switch I am guessing does not require alignment like the rotary cap and it is probably a simple on/off option. It might also have an additional on/off button. Some do and some don’t. I am also guessing that it has one output level but I will have to revisit this.

Build quality is excellent. Surefire is often used as a benchmark and a very good benchmark it is too. However, these lights offer very stiff competition and usually outperform Surefires when it comes to output alone. Surefire are favoured by military due to there ruggedness in military action and recoil from semi and full auto equipment.

This light is similarly robust but won’t see this level of shock and it is more than up to the task. I would happily recommend this light to anyone who wants a quality piece of hardware (that wont let them down) and that has back up from the manufacturer on the rare occasions that it might (lets be realistic about this). I certainly expect to be relying on this light years after the cheapo bay stuff has given up the ghost but its horses for courses. Bic Biro or Mont Blanc………….your money – your choice.

I believe you can also get filters for this unit but like the tape switch, that can wait for another day.

So you are aware, Thrunite have recently launched a version 2 of the Scorpion which pushes an already heady performance a LOT further AND they have also introduced a Turbo-head option that is slightly wider and deeper than the original and turns this little beastie into a real thrower contender that will shove light out comparable to MUCH bigger units. If you don’t need that, then the STD scorpion (as reviewed here) -will be your friend and I would expect the price to drop as a result. The newer model also has a re-jigged rotary tail-cap which is even better apparently.

The Turbo-Head option may well be sold as an option rather than as a complete kit.

This light will easily deal with most air and rim-fire ranges and the beam will give you plenty of awareness when it comes to overshoot and backstop. The V2 will press this into Centre Fire particularly with the turbo head and the punched up performance.

The days of the Light force type light being king are now truly in the balance and this little unit packs a punch well above its weight and dimensions. The V2 seems to be a big leap again. Arguably too much light for just air.

Long run times, max performance, compact dimensions, really easy to carry a spare battery/s easy to gun mount and take off as a hand held search light, wire and hassle free…………..what more could you want.

The best mount I have found is from the Deben Tracer torch range. It is a 2 part device with a 30mm ring for the scope tube (you can also easily do 25mm too), and a detachable torch mount for a 25mm only body which most tactical lights will be.

Thanks to Anthony at www.flashaholics.com for supplying the kit. Good advice and next day delivery too.

Hope this was of interest

Steyr

Pics to follow

[Steyr]

Reserved for pics