By Jaymz Cervantez

There are many novice shooters, first time gun owners, and Fudds who all have a misconception that a weapon mounted light will hurt you more than it will benefit you. They tend to think that the light will betray you and allow the menace of society to get the drop on you. They will also insist that the user will blind themselves because of the light or because the light reflects back at the mirror. All of the above assumptions are laughable at best due to the outdated thinking.

Seeing is Believing

One of the rules of handling a firearm is that you must be able to identify your target and what is beyond it before you shoot. How can one accomplish this when things go bump in the night and you are ill equipped? What if it was your spouse was stumbling in from a late night at work, or maybe your child is sleep walking, and what if it was your neighbor who had too much to drink last night and came home to the wrong house? Situations like these have occurred and a life was taken when it was not necessary. From my photos you are able to align the sights and identify the target at the same time.

Hands On

For me, the Streamlight TLR 1 HL was the answer to get positive identification of the target before an engagement. It is lightweight with an aluminum body and has the ability to do a solid light or a strobe effect and can do momentary or constant on. This light pumps out blinding 800 lumens that will allow the user to light up an entire room with ease and identify objects at distances greater than 25 meters. This light has served me well while mounted to the rail on my Glock 19 and even comes with keys to mount to other firearms. I purchased mine almost Two years ago for about $115 on Amazon (with shipping) and I also purchased a pack of CR123 batteries to keep me going.

The switch on the rear of the light feels very intuitive and natural, allowing a light touch from my off-hand thumb to actuate the light into use. It is powered by Two CR123 batteries, which have lasted me about Six to Eight months of use before needing to be replaced. One of the best features that I have found from this light is the availability of holsters that are made to accompany this light, from small kydex makers all the way to brands like Safariland. The weight on this light allows the user to better compensate for weight in the gun, reducing recoil and allowing faster follow up shots.

Contenders

Streamlight brings a strong game to the weapon mounted light market with price, versatility, and durability. The Surefire x300 is slightly larger and similar in design, even though it is combat proven and has excellent customer support, it will run the user roughly $269. There are other “budget” options on the market, such as the Olight Valkyrie which will run about $100, you will be left high and dry looking for a holster.

Add-ons

The TLR 1 HL can also be mounted on a rail for a long gun and can even have the endplate swapped out to allow the use of a tape switch. Something else can be beneficial to purchase is the CLENS Protector from Thyrm, they are clear lens protectors that will keep the lens of your light clean while putting your pistol to work. When the CLENS becomes too dirty from the carbon, you just simply remove the old cover and then apply a new one.

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend this light to anyone looking for a dependable weapon mounted light. This light is more than a budget light, it is strong competitor to the Surefire brand at half of the cost. There are always sales on Amazon.com and the light can be found new for about $100, and for about $80 on the used market. These lights even come in the very fashionable colors of Black and Flat Dark Earth.