Having a light on your pistol is never a bad idea. The ability to see what we're shooting at is obviously at the top of the priority list. Unfortunately, most weapon lights are made for full-framed pistols and the little guys often seem to be left out. With the increasing popularity of the subcompact market these days it was inevitable a purpose-built light wouldn't be far behind. I wasn't surprised to see Streamlight cross the finish line ahead of everyone else with its new TLR-6 pistol light.

Made exclusively for Glock model 42 and 43 pistols and weighing in at a mere 36 grams, the TLR-6 packs a lot of bang in a small package. Activated from either side by a rubberized button, the C4 LED bulb spits out an impressive 100 lumens with a runtime of about an hour on two small CR1/3N lithium batteries. This is more than enough light for close quarters work and certainly ample light to illuminate just about anything the little Glock pistols are capable of hitting. And if that isn't enough, the TLR-6 also features a 660nm red laser for those times when you're not able to get a look through the sights. In laser-only mode you'll get a whopping 11 hours of runtime out of the batteries.

Mounting was easy via three screws that hold the two halves of the body together. Simply back out these screws, sandwich the two halves of the light onto the Glock's trigger guard, and screw it back together. The battery door on the bottom is the final piece of retention and once it is all buttoned up the light is rock solid. With a good firing grip on the gun (mine is a Glock 43) both my trigger finger and support hand thumb naturally indexed on the activation buttons. I would consider myself to have average sized hands but I think the large buttons could be easily reached by almost anyone.

The TLR-6 features three modes: light only, laser only, and a light/laser combo. I played with all of them and found the light-only mode to be my favorite. I'm not a big fan of lasers as I just can't bring myself to trust them. I guess I have an old-school affinity for tried and true iron sights. I worked my way through the shoot house on the range and found the package to be very handy and provide excellent light. The large buttons even allowed me to maintain pressure while firing so I didn't lose my light source. Overall I was impressed.

The TLR-6 is made in the USA with a limited lifetime warranty and the quality Streamlight is known for. It is a great way to turn that already impressive Glock 42 or 43 into a well-rounded defensive package.

A.J. George is a patrol sergeant with the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Police Department who also serves as the SWAT team's crisis negotiation supervisor.

STREAMLIGHT TLR-6 WEAPON LIGHT SPECS:

• Fits trigger guard of the Glock 42 and Glock 43

• Features C4 LED illuminator and a 640–660nm red laser

• Output: 100 lumens; 2,000 candela; 89m beam distance

• Runtime: 1 hour, LED only or LED/laser combo; 11 hours, laser only

• Switching: Ambidextrous (push-button on both sides)

• Modes: Laser only, laser/LED combo, LED illumination only

• Batteries: two CR1/3N lithium batteries (included)

• Durability: Impact-resistant polymer construction; IPX4 water-resistant; 1m impact resistance tested

• Operating temperatures: -20°F to +120°F

• Dimensions: 2.30" long, 0.85" wide, 1.42" high

• Weight: 1.27 ounces

• Warranty: Limited lifetime

• Price: $175

http://www.streamlight.com/en-us