FOG HORN

2015
Twobirds Flying Publication

Streamlights TLR-6

Copyright 2015, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Streamlight TLR-6 the laser-light accessory for your Glock 42 and Glock 43

2015

Streamlight TLR-6 the laser-light accessory for your Glock 42 and Glock 43
By: Sal Palma
the grip; weak hand cupped directly below the
strong hand. Although this may work well for
your S&W J frame it really is a poor grip for a
subcompact pistol. My advice to shooters of
these small frame pistols is to use a thumbs
forward grip, which provides superior muzzle
control; hence, shot placement. These pistols
also have a relatively short sight radius and
youll always want to be working with the front
sight post alone. The thumbs forward grip
works extremely well with that approach as
well.
Shooters face unique challenges when
accessorizing their subcompact pistols with
lights, lasers or laser / light combinations. The
principal obstacle facing owners is the vital
need to preserve ergonomics on a platform that
by design doesnt always allow for the best grip.
There are only three companies that are
successful achieving this goal with quality
professional grade accessories. With the
introduction of the TLR-6, Streamlight brings its
resources and experience to shooters who
select a subcompact pistol for conceal carry and
/ or home defense.
Streamlights latest addition to its TLR line of
weapon mounted lights or laser-light
accessories, the TLR-6, is specifically designed
for the Glock 42 and Glock 43 platforms. The
TLR-6 mounts solidly to the front of the trigger
guard but departs from its competition in how
the light or laser is activated.
Most shooters using subcompact pistols, even
in the lighter calibers like the 9mm Kurz, use
what I call the coffee mug grip strong hand on

The TLR6 was designed with that grip technique

in mind.
There are two pressure pads
(switches) located port and starboard, for full
ambidexterous operation. The pressure pads
perform two functions, on/off and mode
selection. The light features 3 modes of
operation laser only, light only and laser-light.
Each is selected by pinching both pressure pads
concurrently. The selected mode remains in
memory and becomes the default whenever
the shooter activates it by a single press of the
pressure pad. Pressing the switch a second time

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

Streamlight TLR-6 the laser-light accessory for your Glock 42 and Glock 43

2015

deactivates it. All modes are constant on, there

is no momentary activation.
The TLR-6 also features a 10 minute shutoff to
preserve battery life.

Streamlight had their thinking cap on when they

designed the TLR-6 so batteries can be replaced
without having to dismount the light.

Old habits die hard and Im still intrigued by

electronics so I was very impressed to see how
well laid out and how clean the TLR-6 circuit
board is. It may seem trivial to some but its key
to reliability and durability.
Streamlight uses a quality impact resistant
polymer that survived a couple of 4 foot drops
on concrete. Theyve also added threaded
metal inserts for the three capture screws so
theres not need to mess with minute nuts that
always seem to get lost.

The housing has a battery compartment door

that flips open to release the batteries for
replacement what a time saver that is folks.
Performance for this light is excellent, and let
me say that again EXCELLENT. The 100 lumen
LED light is very well collimated producing a
useable hot spot and more than adequate
peripheral lighting.

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

Streamlight TLR-6 the laser-light accessory for your Glock 42 and Glock 43

2015

Run time in laser only mode is 11 hours so the

TLR-6 is definitely not your average gas guzzler.
This light runs on 2 CR1/3N lithium batteries,
which is not as common of a power cell as Id
like to see, but a 4 pack will only run
approximately $9, depending on brand and
seller so be sure to shop around.

Run time is 1 hour of continuous use and the

100 lumen output is just right for room clearing
and personal defense.
The TLR-6 visible red
laser operates in the
640nm
to
650nm
spectrum tightly focused
and very bright.
The
laser
is
fully
adjustable for windage
and elevation. A further touch of class is
demonstrated by the inclusion of brass bushings
for wind and elevation adjustment screws. I
normally set my laser centered and directly
over the front sight post so out of the box it
needed a slight tweak; making that adjustment
was very precise with an excellent feel.

In addition to being impact resistant, the TLR-6

is IPX41 water resistant, which means heavy rain
or complete immersion will potentially damage
the light; however, IPX4 is certainly sufficient
for a conceal carry application or home use.
Streamlights TLR-6 is an excellent choice for
Glock 42 and Glock 43 owners who need or
want a laser-light accessory. This lights design
is consistent with what weve come to expect
from Streamlight: excellent illumination, a
bright well focused laser with precise wind and
elevation adjustment, threaded metal inserts
for the capture screws, brass bushings for the
laser adjustment screws and impact resistant
construction all at an M.S.R.P. of $119.99 with
street prices running at just over $100. Id call
that exceptional value. I can only hope
Streamlight will make the TLR-6 available for
other subcompact frames in the near future. I
give it a decisive thumb up. Check it out!
-SP

Manufacturer Specification

IPX-4 offers protection from a splash of water in

any direction for at least 5 minutes.
Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved