Testing the Streamlight TLR-3X

You know about the Apollo program and when it took place, right? Probably, but I’ll mention it anyway. In 1969, the Americans wanted to fly to the Moon and return safely to Earth. That undertaking became known as the Apollo program. Around that time, NASA commissioned a group of engineers from New Jersey to develop a sunlight simulator. The researchers used that work to create a handheld halogen spotlight capable of producing an impressive 1 million candela. The product quickly attracted interest from the military and police, which were looking for a powerful portable light source.

The project caught the attention of a man named Harry French. As a new investor, he moved the team to Pennsylvania. In 1973, he officially founded Streamlight, Inc. From then on, the company began designing specialized flashlights for different professional users, including firefighters and emergency medical personnel. And it has to be said, they were pretty successful at it. Over the years, Streamlight introduced a wide range of purpose-built lighting products.

Another major milestone came in 2006, when the TLR concept was introduced. TLR stands for Tactical Light, Rail-Mounted. The next major breakthrough was the introduction of high-output LED technology. Today, the company operates a large manufacturing facility covering more than 22,000 square meters. Its achievements include more than 525 patents, while Streamlight products are sold in more than 90 countries.

The flashlight comes in a box that already tells us quite a lot about the product.

Photos: Łukasz Kołodziejski, MILMAG

The light is made from impact- and chemical-resistant polymer. The lens protecting the LED is made of BOROFLOAT glass, which, according to the manufacturer, is resistant to scratches and impacts.

The light is rated IPX7, meaning it can withstand immersion in water to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes. So yes, taking a bath in the dark with your favorite handgun is absolutely an option. It measures 6.98 cm in length and weighs between 60.95 and 63.79 g, depending on the type of battery used.

What else do we get in the box? Quite a few things, actually.

A small box with plenty inside

A battery, interchangeable flashlight switches, interchangeable rail adapters for different firearms, a small tool, the manual, a sticker, and some promotional material.

Let’s go through it step by step. The battery is a CR123 branded with the Streamlight logo. The manufacturer states that the light can also be used with a rechargeable power source and recommends its own SL-B9 battery. A disposable battery provides 1.5 hours of runtime, while the rechargeable battery offers 1 hour. All other performance figures remain unchanged. Importantly, the power source can be replaced without removing the light from the firearm, which is a major practical advantage.

So how much light does this little unit put out? 500 lumens. The beam is very good, providing even illumination of the area in front of the user.

The Streamlight TLR-3X can be operated from either side. The set includes four pairs of switches, which is a very useful feature because it allows the controls to be configured to suit individual preferences.

Switches included with the Streamlight TLR-3X

All right, but how do you actually replace the switches? First, the manufacturer includes the small tool mentioned earlier, which serves as a miniature multitool for the light.

Mini tool for working with the light

Using this tool, you can swap the switch for a different one. It is rather difficult to explain in words, so I will use an illustration from the manual instead – worth about a thousand words.

Illustrated switch replacement procedure

All right, the switches can be changed, so what else can be done with the included tool? As it turns out, the Streamlight TLR-3X is compatible with a long list of firearms.

A list so long it takes two photos

You probably know that pistols can use different types of accessory rails. Streamlight came up with a simple solution: the package includes different mounting inserts to fit those various rail systems. Simple as that.

Polymer rail adapters for fitting the Streamlight TLR-3X to your firearm

How do you change them? Simple: grab the multitool and open the manual.

With the manual at hand, swapping components is nothing to worry about

As a Glock user, I did not have to change anything, because the configuration supplied in the box fits straight away. With other handguns, however, you need to check the compatibility list.

Is that everything the multitool is intended for? Not quite, because once the light is configured, you still have to mount it on the firearm, right? And how do you do that? As you would expect, the procedure is illustrated in the manual. You can also use another flat tool instead – the manufacturer gives a coin as an example.

Mounting the light on the handgun

Just so it does not look like I spent the whole review merely scanning pages from the instruction manual, here are a few shots showing the overall appearance of the light and its mounting system. Below, you can take a closer look at the insert that fits into the firearm’s accessory rail, along with the aluminum clamping jaws tightened by a screw on both sides.

Side views of the Streamlight TLR-3X

Top view

Here is a closer look at the rear of the unit. You can see how the switches are mounted. In this configuration, the light can be switched on and off either by pushing forward on the lower surface of the switch or by pressing down on the upper surface with your finger. It is a clever design.

Back view

Two ways to activate the Streamlight TLR-3X light beam

Shooting with the Streamlight TLR-3X

The light is surprisingly lightweight, so it does not noticeably change the balance or perceived weight of the firearm. Activating it after drawing the handgun is easy and quickly becomes intuitive. Interestingly, on a few occasions it switched on during the draw itself. There was no magic involved – it was simply a matter of using a universal holster in which the pistol did not fit especially tightly, allowing the switch to catch during a fast draw. You cannot have a dedicated holster for every possible weapon light, but in this case the fact that the TLR-3X can be activated this way is not necessarily a drawback. The central hot spot is clearly defined without dazzling the shooter, while the surrounding spill is also well balanced. After firing approximately 300 rounds, I found no play in the mounting system, and the light never switched off on its own.

The Streamlight TLR-3X is a very interesting option in the compact tactical lighting category. Its 500-lumen output and beam pattern strike a good balance of power and brightness. Thanks to the ability to adapt the controls to individual ergonomic preferences and configure the mounting system for different firearms, it should suit a wide range of shooters. Its durability and the ability to replace the power source without removing the light from the firearm are also major advantages.

I used the Streamlight TLR-3X on a Glock G45. The light did not protrude beyond the outline of the handgun either at the front or on the sides, which, at least to my eye, gives the setup a clean appearance. Suffice it to say, it has stayed on the pistol ever since. 🙂 I think it is currently one of the better weapon-light options available on the Polish market. Recommended.

We would like to thank Streamlight for providing the TLR-3X for testing. More information is available at Streamlight.pl, the website of Mactronic Group, the only authorized Streamlight distributor and service center in Poland.

Advertising collaboration. We conduct product tests independently, and all opinions expressed are solely those of the author. The advertiser has no influence over the content of the review.