The Streamlight TLR-3 is a little light with Big value. (http://amzn.to/2uq1cRD) If you are looking for the best pistol light available that is easy on your pocketbook, this is it. I have owned one for two years for my Glock 19 and could not be more impressed. It will do everything you need in a defensive pistol light, and without all the extra features that can make handling a light difficult for novice. No laser, no strobe, no dance music, just bright, white light.
Simple and Powerful
This light is relatively small compared many other options available from other brands and is much more compact than its bigger brother from Streamlight, the TLR-1. Being shorter and lighter makes the Streamlight TLR-3 light a more comfortable addition for a concealed carry handgun. Operating the light is also as easy as flipping a switch, providing light as soon as you need it. It has a switch on either side that can be pressed and held for ‘momentary on’, or the switch on the right when pushed slightly harder clicks into ‘constant on’ mode. I am a right-hand shooter and after practicing with it, I preferred momentary on using my left thumb. I could quickly maintain pressure on the switch while finding the target and sending follow-up rounds down range.
It uses dependable lithium batteries and ships with a new CR2 battery which is a deviation from the CR123 batteries found in competing options. Its output is 125 lumens but what makes the light so bright is the 5,300 candela. This strong output comes from the C4 LED, and a textured ‘orange peel’ reflector produces a concentrated beam with peripheral illumination.
The TLR-3 clamps right onto the rails of a pistol frame. It will fit most guns with Glock or Picatinny-style rails. It ships with extra mounting parts called ‘keys’ that allow it to also be mounted to a variety of other handgun rails including those on Baretta, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Kel-Tec, Kimber, Taurus, Ruger, Walther, and Sig Sauer. The mount easily hand-tightens with a coin, screwdriver, or your fingers.
Similar quality lights to this brand can be expected to be in the range of $100-$200. And that is what you should normally expect to pay for a good pistol mounted light. However, the price of the TLR-3 is almost half that! Coming in at under a hundred dollars (less than $90) is rare for a decent pistol light, especially from a name brand like Streamlight.
My Streamlight TLR-3 has been on and off of my Glock 19 for the past couple years, and I have never had any problem with remounting it. I carry it in my Bravo Concealment holster at the range and in the winter under a coat. I have gotten it dirty, wet, and covered with carbon build-up, and this little light keeps going. I really wish I had another.
