Versatile light

With so many outwardly similar compact ‘torch’ lighting units for gun-mounting now on the market, at risk of stating the obvious, to make an impression any model has to offer something that the others don’t. The Fenix TK15 is one such torch with more than a ‘few something special’ and is available in 8-kit options, making it one of the most versatile, well featured and top-performers for its size.

Specifications

The TK15’s black anodised aircraft grade aluminium body measures 135mm long by 25.4mm in diameter, weighing 152g (excluding batteries) has a removable yet lockable belt clip, and is both waterproof and impact resistant.

As a handheld torch it’s impressive enough but when used as a gun mounted ‘hunting light,’ that’s when it comes into its own. It has four digitally regulated lighting levels including strobe, there’s also a very useful rear positioned side-dimmer button for quick convenient operation of the light level. The forward top positioned ‘matt chrome’ push button switch accesses the 4-brightness settings of 5 lumens, 47 lumens, 143 lumens and 337 lumens. Impressive in itself, but whichever level you’re using, switch the torch off and the internal memory remembers the last used lighting setting so switch on next time and you return to that setting.

The Kits

Kit 1 (tested here) includes a rear push/button tail switch, remote pressure switch, Black Anodised Aluminium figure of 8-clamp for 1” scope mounting and it can run on 2 X CR123A Lithium batteries (supplied) or 1 X 18650 Li-ion rechargeable battery (not included). Max run time on low beam is 142hrs. The Cree XP-G LED torch is capable of projecting a 215m ‘tight’ beam making it more than capable for airgun and rimfire use. Even for lower power rifle type use, it’s handy to have such a tight piercing white beam on higher settings should you want to scan far fields rather than trudge over to find nothing around. The rear position rubberised dimmer button is idea for quick light level changes and coupled with the power levels available, fingertip control due to the remote switch this is a hard one to better for ease of use and sheer performance.

Kit 1A includes the ‘Quick Detachable Mount’ for scopes with 30mm body tubes and is also configured to mount on bull barrels or such like. It consists of a rubberised block with two half recesses opposing each other. One to fit 30mm diameter ‘scopes,’ the other is formed similarly but as a 1” half section cradle for the torch. Velcro straps are positioned to hold torch and to secure to the scope body, rifle barrel or where suits.

Kit 2 includes Red push fit Filter, Kit 2A is the same but with the ‘Quick Detachable Mount’

Kit 3 has the figure 8-mount but comes with rechargeable batteries and mains charger. Kit 3A is the same but with ‘QDM’, while ‘3B’ and ‘3C’ offer the two other mounting systems (1” and 30mm respectively). These have been made especially for them by Sportsmatch for low mounting to scopes with low profile turrets and little room on the scope body tube for a mount as the part that holds the ‘torch’ replaces the top ring of a standard double screw Sportsmatch mount, so it sits directly above a base mount ring. It provides an ultra solid mounting solution, but if you have room, the torch mount can also be clamped around the body tube of a longer scope or one with lower profile turrets.