The Best Glock 19 Lights: Improving Your Target Visibility in The Dark
A weapon light mounted to your firearm is an incredible upgrade in your capabilities and a relatively inexpensive investment. The Glock 19 is one of the most ubiquitous concealed carry handguns out there and it's only natural that people would want to eventually mount a light to their handgun to increase their capabilities in low-light situations.
Today I will share my top picks for the Best Glock 19 lights because I carried this handgun with lights from various brands & even different models. Thanks to this year's long experiences I can tell which ones I find best and help you make a better decision that fits both your budget and your specific concealed carry needs with your Glock 19.
Why Use a Light with Your Glock 19?
Weapon lights can be a huge benefit to have around for a lot of reasons. The first reason is that they extend the hours in the day at which you can safely shoot - if your shooting range allows it. What this does is give you access to someplace you can train, with live ammunition, realistically. A more pointed reason is that it allows you to have better target identification in low-light situations. Properly identifying unknown threats first before you make the decision to shoot is an important skill that you should be practicing every time you shoot, but is much more important in low-light life-threatening situations where more visual information can help you make the correct decision.
Finally, weapon-mounted lights allow you to more safely and effectively navigate your surroundings and any obstacles without tying up one of your hands with the light itself. A pistol-mounted light for a Glock 19 will keep both hands free to stay on the gun, or leave one of your hands free to open doors and or perform other administrative tasks while keeping your area lit and the gun ready.
Advantages of weapon-mounted lights:
- Possibility to train at shooting range at night
- Better target identification in low-light situations
- Better orientation in areas with poor visibility
So which lights are really the best out there? Let’s get through them.
Streamlight TLR-1 & TLR-1 HL
The Streamlight TLR-1 is at the top of this list because it was one of my first pistol weapon lights, and it also strikes a good balance between capability, durability, and affordability. A standard Streamlight TLR-1 weapon light typically puts out 300 lumens, has a 2.5-hour run time from two CR123A batteries, and features a peak beam intensity of 12,000 candela.
The light will typically set you back about $140 and comes in a couple of different finishes to help you match it to your pistol. The Streamlight TLR-1 is a great Glock 19 light as it’s durable enough to withstand a lot of use, and affordable enough to replace if you eventually do break it.
Specifications:
- 300 Lumens
- 12 000 Candela
- 2,5 hour run time
- Affordable
Surefire X300 Turbo
The Surefire X300 Turbo is probably the best weapon light you can currently purchase for a handgun on the market. The latest and greatest from Surefire features a tightly focused 66,000-candela beam pattern at 650 lumens for a light that can reach far, and breech obstructions like tinted glass, and foliage.
The light is PX7 waterproof rated and can run for about 1.5 hours from two C123A lithium batteries that are always included in the box. The Surefire X300 Trubo is a premium option that will probably last as long as your Glock 19 due to its durability and capabilities and is likely what is on a lot of Glock 19s being used by the police and military around the globe. The Surefire X300 Turbo for a Glock 19 is a “buy once, cry once” decision.
Specifications:
- 650 Lumens
- 66 000 Candela
- Waterproof PX7
- 1,5 hour run time
- High price range
Streamlight TLR-7 X
Once again Streamlight is up to bat with the more compact TLR-7 X. The TLR-7 X is a modern solution that can accept either Streamlight’s SL-B9 USB rechargeable batteries or CR123A lithium batteries.
The light also comes with a set of interchangeable rear paddle switches which can further customize the light and your Glock 19 to fit your exact firing grip when you’re shooting with a light. Finally, the TLR-7 X puts out 5,000 peak candela and 500 lumens making it more powerful and more compact than the TLR-1, but the TLR-7 X typically has an upfront asking price of about $175. If you’re planning on concealed carrying the Glock 19 this is a great option. It will keep the entire carry setup along with a Glock 19 light-bearing holster compact.
Specifications:
- 500 Lumens
- 5000 Candela
- Compact size
- 1-1,5 hour run time based on the battery type
- Medium price range
Nightstick TWM-30
Similar to the TLR-1 the Nightstick TWM-30 runs off of two CR123 batteries, and has about the same form factor. The big difference with the TWM-30 is that it runs for a much lower asking price of around $110 or sometimes even less during sale seasons. The light weighs in at 4.5 ounces and has a maximum run time of about 2 hours with lithium batteries.
With those same batteries, the TWM-30 puts out an impressive 1,200 lumens and has both constant and momentary modes for better control over your light output. If you’re on a budget but you’re still after something that is durable enough to keep up with a busy training schedule and lots of shooting, the Nightstick TWM-30 is the best budget Glock 19 light out there.
Specifications:
- 1 200 Lumens
- Controls over light output
- 2 hour run time
- Affordable
Inforce WILD2
With WILD2 is not a very well-known weapon light out there but it should be. With a sleek futuristic design and 1,000 lumens output, the WILD2 is a durable and modern option that keeps things looking good, while making your Glock 19 more capable at night. The WILD2 features a peak beam intensity of 25,000 candela and can project its light all the way out to 1036 feet or 316 meters.
With the two onboard C123A lithium batteries, the WILD2 from Inforce can last about 1.5 hours. In addition to momentary and constant on features, the WILD2’s paddles can also switch the light into strobe mode which can provide potential threats with a disorienting flash. The WILD2 comes at a premium at $249.99 retail and about $200 when on sale.
Specifications:
- 1 000 Lumens
- 25 000 Candela
- Strobe function
- 1,5 hour run time
- High price range
Final Thoughts
No matter what you select as your weapon light, you should always first make sure it fits properly on your Glock 19 and doesn’t induce any malfunctions when you’re shooting it, or causing issues when concealed carrying. If you plan to carry your Glock 19 in IWB holster proper compatibility is very important as holster retention is dependent on the shape of the specific light.
In case I helped you to pick the right light for your Glock 19 you should now move onto a search for a Glock 19 holster with light. Give Falco Holsters a try as they have a ton of custom holsters to choose from and wonderful compatibility with over 60 lights.
Author: Luke Cuenco
Luke Cuenco
8.7.2024
