No Rail, No problem. Streamlight TLR-6 Handgun Flashlight

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.
Full Review: https://crackshot.tv/streamlight-tlr-6-review/
Get it From Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-69282-TLR-6-GLOCK-26/dp/B07NY3JRNY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1VOVVG1BRH4FC&keywords=tlr-6%252Bglock%252B26&qid=1689857045&sprefix=tlr-6%252Bglock%252B26%252Caps%252C113&sr=8-4&th=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=crackshot00-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=6ed622ce521310ffdd970c9f04455a03&camp=1789&creative=9325Show more

If you own a gun for home or self defense, you need a quality flashlight. However, many firearms, especially 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.

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. 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. I’ll discuss rail frame adapters in another video.

When we look at flashlights, we generally look at a few qualities:

– Price (5/5)
– Where it’s made (4.5/5)
– Brightness (3.5/5)
– Ease of Use (4.5/5)
– Holster Availability (4/5)
– Comfort / Concealability (5/5)
– Durability (4/5)

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. I try not to shop on amazon, but admittedly, the price was so much cheaper through them so I bought mine there. The link is in the description.

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.

Comfort and 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.

Durability (5/5)
This is a pretty durable flashlight, especially at the price point. 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”.