The new Pulsar Talion thermal riflescope follows in the footsteps of the illustrious Pulsar Apex, Trail and Thermion models, all of which are proven for pest control and hunting worldwide. Therefore, the Talion has a strong pedigree with high expectations, but how and where does it fit into Pulsar’s current thermal riflescope line-up?
After this year’s discontinuation of the Pulsar Trail, Pulsar’s current flagship thermal riflescope range is the Thermion, which incorporates Lynred’s highest grade uncooled thermal sensors, top-ofthe-line optics, extruded and machined body, and dual battery system. It is a high-end scope and which is offered at a premium price point. While the Thermion is the first choice for professional pest controllers and those that won’t settle for second-best, a simpler, lower spec model would suit most recreational hunters. Enter the Talion.
The Pulsar Talion XQ38 is a new platform, that is compact and lighter, while retaining Pulsar’s signature performance and features. It is also very competitive priced, which is amazing for a high quality European made product. This raises the question, why the low price? The answer lies in its design and key components.
Firstly, the cast and machined magnesium alloy body is easy to manufacture whilst retaining high strength, waterproofness and excellent heat dissipation characteristics. It is sleek, attractive and very solid. One of the new innovations is a new battery compartment that is incorporated into the top of the tubular body, enabling rapid replacement of the high capacity APS5 battery. The Talion mounts on to a firearm with a low profile Weaver style mount with multiple positioning options for ensuring correct eye relief.
Secondly, it has the same optical system and Lynred sensor as its predecessor, the highly popular Pulsar Trail XQ38. These components have a proven reputation for performance and reliability, which further enhances the new Pulsar Talion’s value-formoney.
Although there are many component and performance similarities between the Pulsar Trail and the Pulsar Talion, the Talion is considerably smaller and lighter. The smaller size of the Talion is suitable for Lynred’s 384×288 / 17µ sensor and the similar sized Lynred 640×480 / 12µ sensor. These two sensors are designated as XQ and XG respectively, and are now incorporated into the Pulsar Axion 2 series of hand-held thermal imagers.
The Talion has a new user interface positioned on the ocular tube that is similar to the Thermion control, but with the addition of a rotating dial that is very easy and intuitive to use. The On/ Off/Calibration button is now fitted on the objective bell, which is easily reached due to the shortness of the scope. Another welcome feature is the quick-focus lever that is precise and when set to the up position, pre-focuses the scope to 100m. Kudos to Pulsar’s design team for creating the control layout ergonomics.
As expected, image quality is excellent. The Talion also has the all the features of its higher-end stablemates, such as 10 reticle choices including FFP, full image brightness and contrast control, 5 user profiles with 50 programmable zeroing distances, video recording and streaming, HD AMOLED display, 9 colour pallets and updatable firmware.
Demand is high, the Talion is available on a first-come-first-served basis. If you want the best scope in its class, it’s worth the wait. For more info, visit advancedoptics.nz
