Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
It’s pretty neat to see the evolution of weapon lights. From Mag Lites attached to MP5s, to the fairly powerful pocket-sized lights we have today. Lights have gotten drastically better, and if you haven’t had the opportunity to play with the latest from Modlite or Cloud Defensive, then you are missing out. Today we are going to look at modern micro weapon lights available for little pistols. Specifically the subcompacts, the Micro Compacts, and the single stack 9mms.
Table of contents
These micro weapon lights as a genre have more or less exploded these days. It makes sense when the concealed carry market is dominated by micro-compacts. The genre of small pistols is changing. Holsters have gotten better, lights have gotten better, and small guns have become more and more capable in short order.
Why Micro Weapon Lights?
Weapon lights on small guns are completely optional. I wouldn’t say they are entirely necessary, but some form of light is necessary. If you can only pick one, then a handheld light is a more versatile option by far. However, there are benefits to small lights on small guns.
Mainly, most gun owners aren’t gun guys and gals. What I mean is that they own a gun for defensive purposes and likely don’t think about it much more than that. They own one gun, or maybe two, and the pistol they carry daily likely doubles as their nightstand gun. In that role, a light can be quite helpful.
Some form of light is necessary for low-light situations, and a micro weapon light simplifies things. This allows you to properly identify a threat in a dark home and ensures you aren’t firing blindly in the dark. Weapon lights also make one-handed use much easier, and one hand might be locking doors or calling the police.
SEE MORE: The What & the Why: Flashlights & Long Guns
Not a Best Micro Weapon Light List
This is not a best-of-list. Our article is a rundown designed to make you aware of the pros and cons of the various lights on the market. This is not meant to be an endorsement of all of these lights, although there are two lights I prefer and will note an endorsement. Keep that in mind, this is for educational purposes, and I’ve tried to find the most popular microlights out there to cover.
Streamlight TLR-7/8 SUB
The TLR 7 and TLR 8 SUB are the same micro weapon light, but the TLR 8 features a visible laser and a significantly higher price point. Streamlight created the original TLR-7 and 8 for compact handguns like the Glock 19. The TLR 7 and 8 SUB is shrunk a bit more to fit guns like the Glock 48/43X, the P365, the Hellcat, and similar-sized firearms. Of all the micro weapon lights out there, this is my favorite.
It’s by far the most powerful, with its 500 lumens and 5,000 candela. The power beats back darkness at typical CCW ranges, and it works exceptionally well in buildings. The controls are ambidextrous, and the light is remarkably compact and lightweight. The TLR-7 SUB is fairly affordable, but the laser addition of the TLR-8 raises the price quite a bit. These lights use a single CR123 battery and give you a 90-minute runtime at peak power.
Overall these are robust and powerful lights that are about as capable as it gets at this size.
Surefire XSC
My second favorite micro weapon light is the Surefire XSC. The XSC delivers a very compact design with a fair amount of power. It’s smaller than the TLR 7 and 8 SUB and isn’t as powerful. The light packs 350 lumens and is backed by 2,000 candelas. Even though that sounds a little underpowered, it does work well indoors and out at close ranges. Surefire does design its reflector and beams well, and it shows.
Surefire achieves its micro-sized weight and length by using a proprietary, removable, rechargeable battery. The light comes with a cradle that can charge two batteries at a time and uses a simple USB for easy recharging. At 1.7 ounces and only 1.94 inches long, it’s nearly flush on most small guns. This is another option that receives a ringing endorsement from me.
Olight Mini Valkyrie/Baldr
The Mini Valyrie and Mini Baldr are nearly identical micro weapon lights, and the main difference is the Mini Baldr has a laser, and the Valkyrie does not. Olight’s low prices have made them a popular choice as of late, and the Mini Valkyries sub 100 dollar price point is certainly tempting. The light promises 600 lumens, but it should be noted you only get 600 lumens for about a minute, and the light drops steadily to 100 lumens quickly.
The light does use an internal rechargeable battery that uses a magnetic charging attachment that’s quite convenient. One of the problems the Olight Minis have is their QD attachment system. It’s quite bulky and makes the light a lot wider than the gun it’s mounted on. It’s also fairly long at 2.24 inches and weighs 3.07 ounces.
Streamlight TLR-6
The TLR-6 was an early attempt to provide the P365 market with a micro weapon light. It’s since expanded into other firearms and does offer a few nice features. It’s lightweight, sits flush with very small guns, and does have an affordable price point, great controls, and, yes, a laser. While the TLR-6 is nice, it isn’t very powerful.
All you get is a mere 100 lumens which makes it about as powerful as my penlight. It’s okay in small rooms but is not great in any environment outside of a bedroom. Maybe that’s all you need, but I want a little more light for defensive shooting. The TLR-6 series is expansive and affordable but does come up short in the power department.
SEE MORE: SIG P365XL, ROMEOZero, and TLR-6 Combine to Optimize Concealed Carry
Crimson Trace Laserguard Pro
The TLR-6 inspired a number of other lights for the small guns out there. The Crimson Trace Laser Guard Pro is one of those inspired optics. It does attach to small guns and often fits flush with the end of the barrel and slide. It features an instant activation grip design that makes it spring to life as soon as the gun is gripped. This packs both a laser and a light and grants an impressive four-hour battery life.
Like the TLR-6, the Laserguard Pro does have a rather weak beam. At only 150 lumens, it’s not very powerful or super useful. It works fine in complete darkness, but photonic barriers will wash it out quickly, and your range is almost point-blank. Sure, it works, it’s durable, and it has great ergonomics, but it does lack the power necessary to be a versatile tool.
Nightstick TSM Series
The Nightstick TSM series consists of the numerically titled 11G to 16G, with each number corresponding to a specific firearm model. In terms of power, ergonomics, etc., they are all the same. The TSM series grants you both a light and laser, and they are very small micro weapon lights, much like the TLR-6.
The 150 lumens of light isn’t much to brag about, and like the Crimson Trace and Streamlight TLR-6, it’s not a lot of power. The TSM is quite small, lightweight, and offers ergonomic and easily accessible controls. The battery lasts less than an hour, though, but it is rechargeable. The sub-100-dollar price point certainly makes it attractive.
The Handheld Option
A handheld light might be the best option for many of us. It’s certainly a necessity for me for daily carry. Handheld lights aren’t restricted by gun size, can be easy to carry in your pocket, and can pack way more power than even the most powerful of these micro weapon lights. Lights like the Cloud Defensive MCH 2.0 blast out 1,200 lumens backed by 35,000 candela, which is a spotlight in the dark, and it’s still small and easy to carry.
While lights have gotten significantly better for their size, if you could only pick one source, I’d stick to a handheld. They are often more powerful, more versatile, and often more affordable. That being said, if you are like me, you might choose to have both. Hopefully, I’ve given you the tools to help make your selection easier.
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