Streamlight TLR-6 Pistol Weapon Mounted Light
Want to mount a flashlight on your pistol but your pistol has no rail? No problem.
Many concealed carry handguns don’t have a rail for mounting. The Streamlight TLR-6 allows you to mount a flashlight to your handgun or Pistol without a rail or any adapters.
Where to buy?
Streamlight TLR-6
This product is oftentimes most affordable on amazon, but you may want to shop around. It often goes on sale. I got mine on amazon for $65 a few years back, it was almost $80 everywhere else. Note that the link here is for the Glock 26 model, if you have a different handgun you’ll need to select your appropriate model.
Why a Weapon Mounted Light?
If you own a gun for home or self defense, you need a quality flashlight. Whether you mount a flashlight directly to your pistol, or if you keep a flashlight separate from your pistol, is largely a matter of preference. The biggest advantage of being able to mount a flashlight directly to your pistol is that it frees up two hands for controlling your handgun should you need to use it.
What if your pistol doesn’t have a rail?
However, many firearms, especially older, common low to mid end concealed carry handguns do not have an accessory rail for mounting.
The TLR-6 Bridges this gap. So let’s dive in.
The TLR-6 Solves the “no rail” problem
A quick overview, the TLR-6 is basically a line of flashlights that are specifically molded to popular handguns that don’t have a rail. The flashlight housing specifically molds around the frame and trigger guard of the firearm to hold the flashlight securely in place. In this sense the TLR-6 serves a niche market.
For example, its realistically the only flashlight option without a rail adapter for my Glock 26.
How good is the TLR-6?
When we look at flashlights, we generally look at a few qualities:
Price (5/5)
Let’s look at price, most retailers have the TLR-6 for under $100 for the flashlight only, and a little bit more for the model with a laser if that’s your thing. I like to keep the controls as simple as possible, so I bought the flashlight only option. I actually got mine for the Glock 26 for $68 on amazon.
Where it’s made (4.5/5)
Let’s look at where it’s made. The product fact sheets for a few different models say that its assembled in the USA. That means at least some of the components are likely sourced from other countries. However streamlight is a great American company based out of Pennsylvania.
Brightness (3.5/5)
Brightness leaves a little to be desired. The TLR-6 is is rated at 100 lumens. This is bright enough for most home defense scenarios. It is definitely bright enough to identify a target. It isn’t as disorienting being on the receiving end of the flashlight and this flashlight does not have a strobe feature. I’ve used this quite a bit and the battery is still going strong so that is a plus. 3.5 out of 5 on brightness.
Ease of Use (4.5/5)
The model we have for the Glock 26 is easy to use. I like the ambidexturous push button controls on both sides of the frame. I like to grip firearms with a more active grip, and this grip lends itself naturally to using the push button controls with your thumb, but if you have a more traditional passive style of grip.
If you use a more passive grip, the buttons may not be as convenient for you if you have smaller hands, as the button sits pretty far forward for shorter index fingers. However we’re really knitpicking here, it’s still very easy to use, just not as easy as say the TLR-1 or TLR-7 rotating style switch.
Holster Availability (4/5)
This model has a surprising number of holster options available for it, simply because of how popular streamlight is, but because the flashlight is firearm model specific, some combinations can be difficult to find. Other flashlights on rail mounted handguns, for example TLR-7, are supported by pretty much all of the mainstream holster manufacturers. The TLR-6 falls just a little bit short in that area.
Glock 26 + Streamlight TLR-6 Holster
The Holster I use is no longer available, but this is the brand of holster I have. I’d actually recommend spending a little more if you have the money, but this isn’t a bad basic holster for 6 O’clock Carry
Comfort / Concealability (5/5)
In terms of comfort and concealability, the TLR-6 is very streamlined, form fitting, sitting flush with the frame of the gun. In my opinion it doesn’t add any extra discomfort unlike larger flashlight options for other handguns, and it is very easily concealable on a micro 9mm handgun. 5 out of 5 on comfort and concealability.
Durability (4/5)
Finally durability. This is a pretty durable flashlight, especially at the price point. I’ve put tons of rounds downrange with this thing and its still going strong, especially considering its enduring the shock of a small framed 9mm pistol.
The flashlight just works and it feels like it’ll last. I’ve carried this thing daily for months, brought it to the range practically weekly, and its still going strong. However the flashlight is made out of polymer, which means it will probably be slightly less durable than its rail mounted metal counterparts. I have yet to drop the flashlight, but I don’t know how well it would stand up with the weight of a fully loaded handgun if it fell with a direct hit on say concrete.
Conclusion
Overall we rated the TLR-6 4.35 out of 5. The TLR-6 is a good flashlight with great design from an even better company. Oftentimes, it is the only available option for many different handguns, but despite it being a niche flashlight Streamlight clearly still cares about quality. The flashlight lives up to the streamlight brand in every way. Be very confident, this flashlight is “good to go”.
Streamlight TLR-6
This product is oftentimes most affordable on amazon, but you may want to shop around. It often goes on sale. I got mine on amazon for $65 a few years back, it was almost $80 everywhere else. Note that the link here is for the Glock 26 model, if you have a different handgun you’ll need to select your appropriate model.
