The Streamlight TLR-4 is a tactical mounted light that hunters, first responders, and gun enthusiasts will all enjoy. One of the greatest things about this lightweight weapon mounted light is that it can attach to a variety of rail systems. In looking through several other online reviews we found that some reviewers report that the laser has a bit of a problem holding at zero. While only a few users have reported this problem and have complained about having to re-sight the light after shooting a few hundred rounds, we still felt it was an important thing to mention. With that in mind, please enjoy our further review of the Streamlight TLR-4.
- Weight: 2.81 oz with batteries
- Dimensions: 2.73 inches long and 1.99 inch diameter
- Lowest Setting: 125 lumens
- Highest Setting: 125 lumens
Streamlight 69240 TLR-4
The Streamlight Brand
If you look on various flashlight review sites you are not going to find much about Streamlight, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t a decent company. Streamlight has been around for years and has always made high quality lights, whether they are weapon mounted lights or handheld flashlights. They literally make something for everybody. However, you don’t really hear too much about them because they tend to stick with what works. The company has several well-known lights and if the light works they tend to stick with the design and features in later models.
Flashlight Features
The Streamlight TLR-4 is a tactical mounted flashlight that can fit a variety of guns and rail systems. The TLR-4 is perfectly designed to fit on a sub-compact handgun, but will also work fine for full sized handguns. In fact, we liked the TLR-4 so much that we choose it as the winner for the best pistol light with a laser. Following is a quick look at the specs we used to make that decision:
- The TLR-4 has different models, so you need to choose the one that is right for you. The main model fits both compact, sub-compact, and full sized handguns and comes with a key kit to allow it to mount to different weapons. The other models are designed for H&K USP full size and compact frames, but these models do not contain key kits.
- Being that the light attaches to a gun you need it to be able to withstand hot and cold temperatures. The TLR-4 can handle operating temperatures ranging from negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- LED puts out a steady 125 lumens for 1.5 hours on a single CR2 lithium battery. Laser only can run for 11 hours on the same battery.
- Rail clamp allows the light to be taken off or put on the weapon with one hand. Plus the design of the rail clamp keeps hands away from the muzzle.
- On/Off switch can be used by either hand. Plus the mode selector switch allows you to choose from three different modes, so you can always use what works best for you.
- Very durable light, as the lens is a Borofloat high temperature glass lens and the body is a polymer construction with an anodized aluminum face cap to provide protection from unexpected impacts. Plus it has an IPX4 water-resistant rating, which makes it safe to use outside in various weather conditions.
When it comes to pistol lights we really like the design of the Streamlight TLR-4. Mounting a flashlight to a pistol is not always an easy feat; you usually have to make sure that you choose the right light for your pistol. Streamlight makes this process easier by offering different models for different pistols, plus they provide a compatibility list, so you can look to see if this specific light will fit your specific handgun.
So while we love the design and the ease of attaching the light to a handgun there are a few other features that really stand out for us. For us the best feature is the fact that the light can be operated with just one hand. If you are mounting the light to a handgun, chances are you are going to be holding your gun when you need the light. With the ambidextrous power switch, you can reach up with either hand to power it on. You can also activate the light, laser, or the laser and light with the mode selector switch with just one hand.
Another amazing feature is the compact design. Being that you are attaching this light to a pistol, you don’t want it to be too heavy, as that can cause sighting issues with the gun, as well as hand and arm fatigue when shooting for extended periods of time. To prevent this, the TLR-4 weighs in at just 2.81 ounces and that is with the battery installed. Other great features of the TLR-4 is the LED technology that supports a 640-660nm red laser to make aiming easier, as well as the rail clamp design that allows for the mounted light to be attached or detached I moments.
The Streamlight TLR-4 is one of several lights manufactured by one of the leading tactical mount light manufacturers. When it comes to tactical mount lights the only other company that makes better lights is SureFire. The price of the TLR-4 is a bit higher than other tactical mount flashlights, but as we said Streamlight is the second best manufacturer. Plus if you compare the cost of the Streamlight TLR-4 with all of its amazing features to something comparable by SureFire you will see you are paying a fraction of the cost for a high quality light.
How It Works
Before the light can work the battery has to be installed, which the Streamlight TLR-4 comes with one for you to install. The 125 lumen light is run off of a single CR2 lithium battery. With this single battery the light can run both the light and laser together for 45 minutes, after which is it will start to dim over the last 15 minutes. If you are only using the laser you should get about 11 hours of run time. Changing the battery is simple; you need to unload the weapon, unscrew the front head of the light, take out the old battery, put in the new one, and replace the front head.
Operating the light is also quite simple and can easily be done with just one hand. The momentary/steady on/off switch is located towards the back of the light, closer to the trigger portion of the gun. It can be turned on with either hand, as it is an easy to use toggle switch. The light also includes a mode selector switch that allows you to choose between LED only, laser only, or laser and LED. Part of operating the light also means adjusting the sights, which the sight can be adjusted for wind and elevation with a single adjustment screw.
Evaluation
EvaluationIn all honesty we really like the Streamlight TLR-4; it is one of the better pistol lights that you can find on the market. Although Streamlight doesn’t always update their lights, this one is an improvement over previous models.
In order to put together this review we read through several reviews on a variety of websites to see what people had to say about the light. Overall the reports were great. People like how easy the light is to mount of a pistol; it comes with different key kits to ensure you get a proper fit. Many users were also very impressed with the amount of light that it can put out, 125 lumens is the perfect amount of light if you are using it for defense purposes. The lightweight build makes it an ideal choice to mount to any gun, as the small amount of weight is not going to affect your aim at all.
While almost all users reported how accurate the sighting was on this light, there were a few complaints that we feel can be improved upon. One of the biggest complaints was the red laser. Many users feel that the red laser is harder to see than a green one. Users also reported that it was hard to sight in the light at first because they were looking for an adjustment screw rather than an allen bolt.
Final Thoughts
In general the Streamlight TLR-4 is one of the best pistol mount lights, which is why we ranked it so high in our best pistol light article. It is lightweight and comes in different models to fit a variety of handguns, including compact, sub-compact, and full sized ones. The light is bright enough to blind your opponent without giving away your position. Other pistol mount lights that offer brighter lumens do not work nearly as well in enclosed spaces.
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