If you’re having to use your pistol in self-defense, there’s a good chance it could be in the dark. Obviously to ensure you hit your target, you need to see it. So in this article we’re taking a look at the best tactical lights for the Glock 19.
In a previous article we reviewed night sights for the Glock 19, and these are great in low light conditions. But sometimes you need more light to ensure you’re on target.
Without further ado here are our top 5 picks for the best light for Glock 19 pistols. Like tactical flashlights these models are tough, durable, simple to operate, and most importantly, will offer you the light you need to properly defend yourself and your family.
Our Top 5 Glock 19 Tactical Light Reviews
| Name of Product | Durability | Number of LED Lumen | Size of Light | Power Source | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 HL | High | 800 | Small | Battery | $$ |
| Viridian X5L | High | 178 | Small | Battery | $$$ |
| Olight PL-Mini Valkyrie | High | 400 | Small | Rechargeable | $$ |
| InForce APLc | High | 200 | Small | Battery | $$$ |
| Aimkon HiLight P10S | High | 500 | Small | Battery | $ |
Streamlight 69260 Tactical Flashlight
The first product is the Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 HL Weapon Mount Tactical Flashlight Light that has 800 Lumens with Strobe. It is manufactured by Streamlight Inc and powered by batteries. That being said, the type of batteries used are lithium batteries.
Moreover, it is a really good quality torchlight. It can be easily mounted onto the Glock 19. Another great thing about this Streamlight 69260 TLR-1 light is it can be mounted on other guns too. It comes with multiple keys that can be used to fit models other than the Glock 19. It can be used on your other models too.
The body is made of aluminum. This proves that its durability is high. When it is being used in rough situations, it would get damaged that easily. This light has a durable aluminum body with MIL-SPEC anodized finish and shock-mounted glass lens.
As stated in the name above, it has 800 Lumens. Therefore, it is extremely bright. The 800 Lumens provide maximum illumination during situations that happen in the dark or at night. This makes it extremely easy to notice anyone or anything in the dark. Therefore, it is perfect to be used in a large and open area.
Not only that, this product has a strobe function too. This function can be easily turned on. All you have to do is double tap the momentary paddle to turn it on. This strobe can be disabled if needed. Another thing about it is that it has a momentary/steady On-Off switch which can be easily used for both left-handed and right-handed people.
The run time is around 1.75 hours. The beam can go up to a distance of 245 meters. Furthermore, the battery door of this light has a latch mechanism which prevents the battery door from going missing. This also makes it easy to replace the batteries.
Although it is slightly expensive, it is totally worth it! This light is suitable for self-defense, home defense and can be used for any law enforcement jobs too. Also, check out the popular blood tracking light available in the market.
Viridian X5L Green Laser Sight and Tac Light
This is the second product on the list of the best lights for Glock 19.
Let’s start off with the fact that this Viridian X5L not only provides illumination but it also has a laser sight. Why is a laser sight needed? A laser sight is needed as it can improve your accuracy during the time you’re in danger. Another good thing about laser sights is it can help improve your aiming skills which is really important. The laser sight for the Viridian X5L is green.
I’m sure a lot of you must be wondering, “Why should it be green?”. Well, let me help you with that. This is because the human eye can detect green laser sight much easily compared to other colours. By using a green laser sight during any emergency situations that happens at night, it’ll be easy to target your opponent in the dark and if they’re at a further distance. This green light can be seen up to two miles at night and around 100 yards during the day.
Moreover, it uses an LED with 178 Lumens. It will be bright enough to see anyone or anything in the dark at a wider range. This light also has a Strobe mode which is at 228 Lumens which can distract your opponent during an emergency.
This product has a universal rail mount. This means it can be used on almost any weapon. It can be easily mounted onto most weapons including a Glock 19. The light output setting, the laser sight mode, the tactical light modes or even a combination of the two modes can be customized.
The only slight disadvantage is the battery cap. It’s battery cap is not properly designed. Other than that, the Viridian X5L is a good source of light and laser sight combo which would be perfect for a Glock 19. It is suitable for self-defense uses and it is also suitable for those who would like to improve their aiming.
Olight PL-MINI Valkyrie Light
Introducing the third torchlight in this list.
Firstly, it is small, compact and rather lightweight. It can be easily carried around and it can easily be stored. It comes with an aluminum body. Aluminum is a great alloy so the durability of this light is high. It wont be able to get damaged in rough situations.
This product uses a Lithium Polymer battery. Did I mention that this battery is actually a built-in battery. This means that it is a rechargeable light and can be charged by using a Magnetic USB charge base.
Apart from that, this product features a really fast and simple attach and detach mounting system which can fit perfectly onto a Glock 19 and any other Glock series. It can also fit on Picatinny rails too.
Its brightness rating is 400 Lumens. Therefore it is really bright and can be used perfectly for any activities at night. It can also be used to light up a wide area as the beam distance for this light is 75 meters. This light is not only extremely bright, it can also be used to spot any opponents when you are facing an emergency in the dark.
A unique characteristic of it is that it has a switch that can be side pressed from up to down by both right-handed and left-handed people. This is good as everyone would be able to press the switch comfortably without any problems as the switch is ambidextrous-friendly.
Although it has a few special features such as it is rechargeable and it is ambidextrous-friendly, this light has a small difference than the other lights. This Olight PL-MINI Valkyrie does not have a laser sight or a strobe mode.
The price on the other hand is moderate yet the quality of this light is amazing. All in all, it is suitable for self-defense and home defense.
InForce APLc Glock 19 White Light
This is the fourth light in the list. This light can fit into all Glock rails.
It is made of glass reinforced polymer and it is extremely durable and it is also lightweight. It is able to withstand high impact resistance. This means it would not have any problems during a rough situation. It is Ultra-light and durable both inside and out as well as water-resistant.
Like the other products, the switch on this light is also ambidextrous-friendly which means it can be activated by both right-handed and left-handed people. This allows the individual to turn on the switch in a comfortable and easy way as it is ambidextrous-friendly.
Its brightness rating is 200 Lumens hence it is bright enough to be used during emergencies in the dark. This light can be mounted easily onto the rails of any of the Glock series. It also has a lock-up system which makes sure that the flashlight is not turned on until you are ready to use it.
This product is battery powered.It needs a Lithium CR 2 battery. This light only requires one battery to function. Moreover, it is extremely easy to change its batteries. All you have to do is remove the head part to replace the batteries. It will only take a few minutes to do that. The run time for this battery is around 1.5 hours. It has two functions which are the momentary function and constant functions. Both the functions are controlled by a non-slip switch.
The price is slightly high but it totally worth it because this light has extremely good quality and it is perfect for a Glock 19. This light it suitable for self-defense, home-defense and also for law enforcement.
Aimkon HiLight P10S Torchlight
In terms of construction, it is made from a lightweight aluminum. As mentioned before, aluminum is a really good alloy. Therefore, this light will be able to withstand any rough situations. Moreover, it is also lightweight. It wouldn’t be that difficult to carry this light around and it can be stored easily since it is small.
Another great thing is that the type of bulb used is LED and it has 500 Lumens. As you know, the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the illumination. The brightness of this bulb is can cause any individual to be blinded if they are standing in a near range. Therefore, it would be perfect to use it during any night situations such as walking through the forest or if you hear someone in the house at night.
This product has two modes. One is the Steady-On mode and the other mode is the Strobe mode. The Strobe mode can be disabled when it is being used on the Steady-On mode. The best part is that it is dust and water resistant. Isn’t that great?
This light can be easily attached and detached from guns that have rails. This light is designed in a way where you can easily mount it within seconds by using your hands. You don’t even have to use any tools. It can also be turned on easily by those who are right-handed. However,for those who are left-handed, it might be slightly difficult as this light is not ambidextrous-friendly.
It is powered by a battery. It only needs one CR123A battery. This Aimkon HiLight would be perfect for a Glock 19.
For a light with a price that is slightly low compared to the other products, it seems to have good quality. It is durable and extremely bright since it is 500 Lumens. Hence, it would be perfect for a Glock 19 and it would be helpful when someone is in an emergency situation in the dark.
This light is suitable for self-defense and house defense.
Considerations when purchasing a light for Glock 19
1) Durability
The torchlight should have high durability. This is because when it is being used, the condition of the situation could be rough. Rough situations could cause high impact pressure to be exerted which could cause damage to the light. When the durability is high, this prevents the flashlight from being damaged when the Glock 19 is being used in a rough situation. It should be an alloy or a composite material as they are extremely strong.
2) Number of LED Lumen
Lumens are basically the total amount of visible light from a source. When the number of LED lumens increases, the brightness of illumination increases. The number of LED lumen should not be too low yet it should not be too high. If it is too bright, it could expose your position. Meanwhile, if it is too dim, you might not be able to look around in the dark or find out the location of your opponent.
3) Size
In terms of size, it should be small so that it can be easily carried around everyday. Another reason of why it should be small is to allow the individual to use only one hand to turn the light on while the other hand can be used to do other necessary things during a situation. A smaller size makes it lighter in terms of weight. This wont cause the individual to feel like there’s something heavy that’s pulling the Glock 19 down.
4) Power Source
Usually the main power source of the flashlight would be batteries. Some lights that have built-in batteries. Those batteries don’t have to be taken out to replace. All you have to do is charge it by using a charge base. Some people find it easier to charge their lights rather than constantly buying batteries and replacing them. Therefore, the power source is another important thing to look at before buying a light for the Glock 19.