Streamlight is a big player in the light world, in and out of the weapon light industry. Although today, it’s all about weapon lights. Specifically the Streamlight TLR series of handgun weapon lights.

Guns, like women, are appreciated in all shapes and sizes. With that in mind, you have to have lights in all shapes and sizes too. The  series most certainly comes in all shapes and sizes, and in today’s Threesome Thursday, we are looking at the classic TLR 1, the compact TLR 7, and the teeny tiny TLR 6. 

The Might Makes Right – TLR 1 

The TLR 1 is the standard-bearer for Streamlight’s weapon light series. This big boy is designed for full-sized guns, and it comes in various power levels. There is the odd 300-lumen variant, which is way too little light for such a big WML. This is the HL model, which comes in either 800 or 1,000-lumen power levels. 

The TLR 1 is, hands down, one of the best WMLs for handguns out there. It’s outclassed by more expensive lights like the Surefire U-boat, but that’s about it. The 1 is a powerhouse of a light that’s incredibly durable and very well made. The TLR 1’s toughness is undeniable, and the light is duty worthy and quite capable. 

The 1,000-lumen beam is propelled by 20k candela, which delivers a bright light that goes rather far for a handgun light. It casts an impressive beam that makes finding and blinding a potential bad guy in various environments possible. The mix of lumens and candela with the beam’s warmer nature allows it to defeat most photogenic barriers. The TLR 1 HL is a big boy that packs as much power as it does ass. 

The TLR 7 – The Glock 19 of WMLs

Sometimes you need something a little smaller, and in that situation, it’s hard to beat the TLR 7. It’s a compact weapon light that sits flush with the frames of most compact handguns. The  7 allows you to retain the compact design of your pistol without a big ass light sticking beyond the barrel and frame. 

The TLR 7 keeps things light and short, like a Russian gymnast. The TLR 7 packs 500 lumens and is backed by 4,300 candela as you can expect with numbers like that, this isn’t a searchlight. Outdoors the light is limited and wouldn’t be one I turned to for duty. In the typical urban environment, it would allow you to achieve positive identification at self-defense range. As far as concealed carry WMLs go, the TLR 7 balances size and power accordingly. 

The Cute Little TLR 6 

The little TLR 6 is a tough light to love. It packs a mere 100 lumens and acts almost as a pin light equipped to your gun. It serves a dual purpose with an integrated laser for suboptimal aiming conditions. The beam distance is minimal, and the light is all spill. It will light up a dark room, but don’t expect to use it in most outdoor environments. That all being said, the TLR 6 is super small, and it’s likely the smallest weapon light on the market. 

The little 6 attaches to guns like the Glock 43, the P365, and the like. This pocket pistol sized weapon light is one of the few that tries to address the problems that small guns have. The TLR 6 is far from perfect and provides a small amount of light for tiny guns. It works best indoors and in tight environments, and outside of that, it really starts to fall apart. 

Swinging The Torch

When it comes to handgun mounted weapon lights, I only trust two companies, Surefire and Streamlight. Streamlight seems more willing to innovate and release new products. Streamlight produces rock-solid weapon lights that can take a beating and keep on kicking regardless of their size. All these lights requires me to keep a range backpack full of batteries, but that’s okay. The Streamlight TLR series is rather vast and while we are showcasing three here today, check out Streamlight to see the whole family.