Glock Tactical Light

zenheretic

zenheretic

Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
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I'm seeing the Glock Tactical Light (rail light for pistols etc) is on sale for $74.99 for the basic model.

Is it any good?

I realize the Xenon technology is practically obsolete vs. LED, but I'd only be using it in case of a night home invasion...so what I need is a long battery life and dependability. Will this work?
 
They will work.

I prefer the Streamlight offerings myself, my wife has the TLR-1 on her Glock 34 right now and loves it.

Andy
 
I have the Glock light on a Glock 22 and I think it is a good value for the money. I am sure there are better lights out there, but this never leaves my drawer except for occasional night practise and to check the batteries. It has never let me down.
 
Just my personal opinion, but the last thing I want on a "social" firearm is a xenon bulb that can blow out from age, impact, etc. There are definitely still places for incans out there in the world, but on a firearm isn't one that I would list. I've had xenon bulbs fail on me in the past unexpectedly, but I live a safe and simple life so it didn't bring me any trouble :)

The above mentioned Streamlight TLR-1 is what I have on my bedside Glock. It is fantastic, in my opinion. I'm a light geek of medium level (not full blood CPF levels willing to spend thousands).

I own many Crees and super bright LED's but the "old" luxeon of the TLR-1 is plenty bright for me. I know it will never blow and it gives me good battery life. I think they run around $100 online (give or take), so really not much more than the Glock xenon light.

SF makes the best, no doubt, but the SL TLR-1 is great. Not as bright as SF, but there's a certain brightness threshold over which I think you're doing yourself more harm than good (depending on location). Since mine would only ever be used indoors, I don't need anything brighter than the TLR-1.

If you've ever woken up in the middle of the night, eyes totally dark adapted, and used a bright flashlight, you will know what I mean. I have blinded myself with my own light, not even by bouncing it off of anything: just because my eyes were SO dark adapted that my illuminated apartment was too much for my eyes.

If you plan to use a weapon light outdoors: that's a different matter. Then the brightest is obviously desirable. For your listed use of preventing home invasion though, you just want enough light to ID targets and possibly navigate.

Not saying the TLR-1 is dim (it is definitely bright), I'm just saying I don't want anything brighter.
 
for just a little more money you can do much better than the glock light.

the older streamlights with the incandescent bulbs are available for about the same price, and the newer tlr led's aren't much more.

the glock light is oddly shaped and produces a significant halo effect when turned on.

the surefire and streamlights are similarly shaped and far more common so getting a holster is much easier. the surefire will fit in streamlight holsters, though might be a little wobbly (streamlights wont fit in surefire holsters).

there are some problems i have seen with the tlr. it isnt as secure on the rail as the sf, and ive seen several fly off the guns during firing. the surefire rail system is much better. also, the after hitting the ground a couple times, the tlr's stopped working (not all of them, iirc 2 went b/o).

the older sf's had issues with the battery contacts breaking, but that has since been resolved. be sure to get one with spring contacts and not the older metal tab contacts.
 
I have the Glock light with the laser on it, and I really like it. That's what lives on the Glock 19 I keep next to my bed. I've had no problems with it at all. I use it more for the laser than the flashlight, though. Even on the darkest nights my place is light enough that I can see well enough to put a red dot on someone's chest. If you have a Glock, the Glock light is nice, because it blends seamlessly with the rest of the gun and looks very cool. On any other gun, there are plenty of other options out there. I do wish the Glock light was an LED though, and used AA batteries. Xenon and 123 batteries suck.
 
MORIMOTOM said:
there are some problems i have seen with the tlr. it isnt as secure on the rail as the sf, and ive seen several fly off the guns during firing. the surefire rail system is much better. also, the after hitting the ground a couple times, the tlr's stopped working (not all of them, iirc 2 went b/o).
Click to expand...
That's interesting... were the TLR's set up 'loose' so that they could be taken on and off the gun quickly? Any chance they were using the wrong rail adapter since there are different pieces for different guns?

If I crank my TLR-1 all the way down (which is how it stays on my Glock) the things won't budge at all, and I've put a lot of rounds through it that way.

I could see it happening if someone had it set up with the screw loose for quick attach/detach, but I don't understand how it would happen fully tightened.

Not doubting your account, just shocked to hear it.
 
ThinkOfTheChildren said:
That's interesting... were the TLR's set up 'loose' so that they could be taken on and off the gun quickly? Any chance they were using the wrong rail adapter since there are different pieces for different guns?

If I crank my TLR-1 all the way down (which is how it stays on my Glock) the things won't budge at all, and I've put a lot of rounds through it that way.

I could see it happening if someone had it set up with the screw loose for quick attach/detach, but I don't understand how it would happen fully tightened.

Not doubting your account, just shocked to hear it.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen anything like that with my TLRs either. If they are locked down properly, they shouldn't go anywhere.

Andy
 
My TLR securely snaps into place also. I would have a hard time believing it could come off accidently. Maybe mine is a newer model or maybe the ones that had problems were not fully locked in place.
 
ThinkOfTheChildren said:
That's interesting... were the TLR's set up 'loose' so that they could be taken on and off the gun quickly? Any chance they were using the wrong rail adapter since there are different pieces for different guns?

If I crank my TLR-1 all the way down (which is how it stays on my Glock) the things won't budge at all, and I've put a lot of rounds through it that way.

I could see it happening if someone had it set up with the screw loose for quick attach/detach, but I don't understand how it would happen fully tightened.

Not doubting your account, just shocked to hear it.
Click to expand...

im guessing the screw backed out during firing, which i have found is a problem inherent to this type of mount. on one in particular, it was problematic regardless of how tightly it was mounted.

keep in mind when we shoot over the course of a 10 hour day, perhaps 300-500 rounds have been fired. lost of holstering/unholstering, rapid fire, etc.

just a word of caution, that's all.

on the original surefire x200's, we had a couple lights that had the mounts sheared off during live fire. the newer mounts have three screw attachments instead of two. but i find even these need periodic tightening to maintain a positive mount.
 
zenheretic said:
I'm seeing the Glock Tactical Light (rail light for pistols etc) is on sale for $74.99 for the basic model.

Is it any good?

I realize the Xenon technology is practically obsolete vs. LED, but I'd only be using it in case of a night home invasion...so what I need is a long battery life and dependability. Will this work?
Click to expand...

Yes, the Glock Tactical Light is a very good unit. It has the advantage of being lighter in weight than many other lights of this type - which can be important to the functioning of your pistol. If too much weight is put on the front of a Glock frame the pistol can exhibit short-stroke jams. This is the same effect as when someone "limp-wrists" the pistol.

I have one mounted on a G23 "truck gun" Even with all the bouncing around and changes in temperature a gun will get in a vehicle, mine has been very trouble free.

TR Graham
The Glocksmith
 
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TR Graham said:
Yes, the Glock Tactical Light is a very good unit. It has the advantage of being lighter in weight than many other lights of this type - which can be important to the functioning of your pistol. If too much weight is put on the front of a Glock frame the pistol can can exhibit short-stroke jams. This is the same effect as when someone "limp-wrists" the pistol.

I have one mounted on a G23 "truck gun" Even with all the bouncing around and changes in temperature a gun will get in a vehicle, mine has been very trouble free.

TR Graham
The Glocksmith
Click to expand...

The effect a light on a pistol has during recoil is very real. Any light/gun combo should be checked out thoroughly before trusting it.

I've noticed this on several combinations. Not to mention the fact that I've seen more than one rail light die at the very first shot! :eek: So test them out, bruthas.

Andy
 
The Glock light is fine, especially for that money.

One thing I discovered is that you can focus the beam tighter or looser, depending.

Once I figured that out, I was happier with the light it threw.

One other advantage, to me, is that the batteries are over/under as opposed to side by side. This makes it thinner than most other lights.

It would be wiser to buy this one NOW, than waiting for the "perfect" more expensive light you may....or may not......buy later

.
 
the glock lites are ok but imho the streamlites are better, & the streamlites w/the laser are really better, if ya like lasers anyway.

surefire makes one too which is (typically of SF) good.
 
My 9mm Glock 19 is equipped with a SureFire X300 and Crimson Trace laser grips. I couldn't ask for a better rig than this---it's perfect!

Get some HydraShoks for it too and you'll never be afraid of the dark again! :)
 
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