Single CR123 flashlight for $5.60, TIR optics and "Cree" led (although the emitter is specified as "proprietary"...).
Anyone have any thoughts on this one? Good deal?
Is TIR (total internal reflection) a system whereby the led illumination is aimed back towards the reflector and then projected out the front? More flood, or throw?
So many questions in one post, sorry.
Thank you for being a little less lazy than me. 
I think these are designed for pure throw.
That's a copy of MX Power ML-310 Cree WC-Q5 3-Mode 180-Lumen LED Flashlight (1*AA/1*CR123A).
As I've got 3 of these, I won't be buying this...
As for TIR optics, there is a pic in this post, that can somewhat show what a TIR does.
Nice visual explanation.
Do you like the ML-310?
He has three 
yea i bought the cheapo 5.60 one. waiting for it to arrive, will be on my "yep, i modded that too" list lol
since i gave up on the SST-90 project. too damn expensive right now.
the mags arent going newheres neways!!!
I ordered two P36s from DX the day they were listed (9/14) and the powers that be decided that my ordered did not need to be split. So, yeah, almost two months door-to-door. Considering the low price, the light appears to be really good value. It's a bit on the large side for a CR123A/16340 light. Feels solid, very light knurling, 2.54 oz including the battery (protected TF 16340). 1.89 oz empty (53.7 grams for the metrically inclined ;)). Appears to be direct drive.
It looks like a copy of the MX Power ML-310 but it's not. Well, at least not an exact copy. I own both and the ML-310 has a different, more aggressive knurling, a recessed regular (ie. non-GITD) clicky, a different clip (and different screws) and a different lens. It's also 0.6 inches longer. The ML-310 is noticably brighter while the P36 has a noticably whiter tint. One light is extremely white, with not even a hint of blue. Color theory isn't my strong suit so I won't even attempt to guesstimate the color temperature. The second light's beam has just a tiny hint of blue in it.
GITD reverse clicky which hardly glows, even when "charged" with UV light. Single mode. Does not tailstand. Comes with a clip that actually deserves the name and that seems to work well (the single DX review posted at this point in time calls it "flimsy"; I'd respectfully disagree) . No markings, except manufacturer and model. Plastic/acrylic lens. From the looks of it, probably not watertight although I didn't test it. Assault bezel looks like it's not removable. O rings are nowhere to be seen. Beam is a bit ringy. As you'd expect, there isn't a whole lot of spill. Again, very white. Throwy, but not to the point of being truly impressive.
Well, I guess I should say that I haven't really played with it all that much but in terms of throw, it actually surpassed my expectations on a fresh 16340 (haven't tried primaries). It's really not mindblowing by any stretch of the imagination but considering it's a $6 light, it's definitely good value. And I don't mean that in the "I paid more for my morning coffee on the way to work, whatever" kind of way. In fact, I have plenty of $5-6 flashlights that are gathering dust somewhere but I could actually see myself using this one as a EDC light if I wasn't a 14500+ kind of guy (and truth be told, this isn't much smaller or lighter than most of my 14500 lights, most of which are brighter).
And here are a couple of pictures (high-res, 4000x3000 pics are here: http://yfrog.com/2qsam0216sjx).
This reminds me of an old Led Lenser I picked up @ 3 years ago. Ran off of 3 aaa but had the same lens design, which was hard acrylic with the hole in the middle. At the time, it was a very impressive light. Well, to those of us who were used to AA incans...
-Match
I got this in the mail two days ago, and let me tell u, for 5.60 shipped. im happy!
dont bother with primary batteries, need to use 16340! but its decently bright, with a HOT center spot.
mine is quite blue, my guess 6500k or bluer.
comparing to the R5-a3 (the 4 in my possesion until i get payed) its not nearly as much light'
id say about 1/3rd the light. over 100 lumens for sure (of course it is all throw, very LITTLE spill)
like all TIR, its ringy, but who cares when u are using it outside
with a cr123a primary, its VERY dim, so my guess is as ur battery gets close to 3.0V, its gonna be "yep this is time to be recharged)
havent checked draw, difficult considering the battery is replaced by unscrewing the MIDDLE of the flashlight
the clip is sturdy, and im very happy with its size unlike most people. it is a GOOD size for someone with medium sized hands (yes i wear small or medium Mechanix wear gloves)
it clips right on my belt next to my cell phone and is so small most people dont notice it (dont wanna look like a geek)
normally my hands prefer 18650, but for a small replacement, this is better
its got GREAT distance for the light output. good for spotting things 50+ yards out
the led is generic, and NOT UPGRADEABLE!
if you upgrade it, it may not have proper heat sinking. the leds ONLY heat sinking is provided on the edges of the 14mm (or smaller) star. nothing behind the led
direct driven, but thats what makes it so bright!
ill be buying more for back up lights!
Don't expect more than that ..I bought 3 and am generally disappointed .. The tint on the best of the3 3 is awful unless you love purple ..Ok it's a light purple but this light is not anywhere near interesting ..one mode cr123 that like people said doesn't even get bright till you put a 4.2 fully charged 16340 in it and then it's a boring 100lumens ?? maybe ? ringy and a really hot hotspot only ..maybe it throws but who really cares ..it's another not very interesting copy of a nitecore infinity extreme .very average even at 5$.. wouldn't buy again :~
There is a glued seam forward of the knurling that takes a lot of carefully applied force to unscrew. Not quite worth attacking unless you have a reason. Tailcap ring can be unscrewed easily with snap-ring pliers applying pressure around button, or with some more effort, needlenose pliers being held open.
The "driver" is direct electrical connection... nothing on the surface of the board, which is about 17mm. 16mm heatsink stars/circles work for the LED end, with the already mentioned catch that such a heatsink would only have a ring of about 1.5mm thickness making contact beneath it. That does mean, however, that some room for odd driver electronics can be fit inside of the pill.
Question for other owners: Has anyone identified other flashlights with compatible threading with which you could swap the body and head? I think this is 20mm x 1mm thread pitch.
I would very much like to stack this head onto an 18650 body... Or, if someone knows of an 18650 host that has a front end with the same design aesthetic as this light, I'd love to hear about it.
I just saw this and would like to know from owners: Is this really a strong thrower and worth the money or not?
I'm only interested in the thing if it throws really tightly and concentrated.
If you spend an extra $5 bucks for a XPE Q5 and swap it out it's a pretty decent light and will throw with the best of them. In stock form it's not that great. It has a random emitter type I have never seen before that has a purple tint. The pill has a hole in it that needs to be filled with something. I filled the hole with Fujik when I upgraded the emitter. If you aren't going to upgrade it just spend the extra 2 or 3 bucks and get a sipik.
I have a Sipik already and am very happy with the little bugger. So this TIR thing here is not the right deal then, huh? If it doesn't outthrow the Sipik I don't need it.
Even modded it won't out throw the Sipik. It's a nice little light but a TIR can't compete with an aspherical.
Oh, I didn't know that. OK then. Topic solved for me (:
I'll send you mine for the cost of shipping, if you want it. 
FWIW, the threading in the head is compatible with p60 pills. You just have to file down the high spot below the threads on the pill to allow it to thread all the way in. An XM-L driven at around 1.5A really wakes these little lights up.
Post-mod it's become my EDC because it's much more comfortable clipped into a pants pocket (especially when sitting down) than the 18650 light I was carrying.