If you are looking for a high-powered weapon light for your long gun, take a look at the Streamlight TLR-1s HP. It is a durable, reasonably priced unit that throws a lot of blinding light.
Ed. Note: This review is on the original TLR-1s HP. After I wrote this article, Streamlight released the TLR-1 HPL. The HPL version is a much brighter version of the light. You can get more information on that model through our affiliate link here.
I obtained a TLR-1s HP weapon light for review several months back and have been giving it a good workout ever since. Although it will attach to the Picatinny rail on a number of my pistols, due to the size of the reflector this light has been used exclusively on a rifle.
Nuts and Bolts
The light easily attaches to an accessory rail in just a few moments and requires no more than a coin to lock it into place. The mount has a spring-loaded spring that, when pressed, allows you to slip the light onto a Picatinny rail.
Then the screw is hand tightened to lock the light into place. Using a coin you can then turn the screw another 1/4 to 1/2 turn to really lock it down.
On the Range
With the light attached to the forward rail of a Rock River AR-15, I shot hundreds of full power 5.56 NATO rounds through the gun. The Streamlight stayed locked into place and did not need any additional tightening or adjustment.
The impact of the gun’s recoil did not seem to have a negative effect on the TLR-1s HP. Every time I activated the switch, the light came on just as bright as before.
Part of the reason why this light is so good at dealing with recoil is that it uses a LED instead of a traditional incandescent bulb. It seems that most tactical lights have made the jump to LED technology today. It wasn’t that long ago that incandescent bulbs were the standard. The LED offers more light output, greater energy efficiency and durability in construction.
The finish on the light held up fairly well. As you might expect, as I used the gun (and banged the light into things,) the light’s surface did pick up a few dings. This is pretty normal and did not impair functioning in any way that I could discern.
Power Source
The battery compartment has a hinged lid with a rubber seal. The seal keeps out water. The light is IPX7 rated waterproof to 1 meter for 30 minutes. As it is hinged, the battery door cannot be dropped or easily lost when changing batteries in the field.
The TLR-1s HP uses a pair of CR123a 3-volt batteries. According to Streamlight, the batteries should run the light for 1.75 hours. For the average shooter, a single set of batteries will likely be good for an entire year. If you are training regularly, or are LE/military, you probably want to have a stash of spare batteries on hand.
Modes and Brightness
The “s” in TLR-1s indicates this model has a strobe mode. If you double-tap the rocker switch, the light will begin strobing at a very fast rate. Strobing flashlights are preferred by some, and not by others. I don’t have a strong preference either way, though I have effectively used a strobe as a police officer to disorient suspects during arrests. For general searching and movement, the constant and momentary light modes are definitely preferred.
The light has a very tight beam, which allows you to illuminate a subject at long distances. This light has 46,000 candelas, which is a measurement of the peak beam intensity. Combined with the overall light output of 200 lumens, one can objectively state that this is a bright light.
The reflector is deep and large, which I presume helps give it a focused, tight beam. The downside is the reflector also makes the light too large to reasonably attach to a handgun. You can hook it up to a pistol, but it is not going to fit in any holster. Plus the end of the light will be forward of the slide and muzzle, which may present a situation where the light is damaged from the hot gasses coming out of the barrel.
Suggested retail pricing is about where I would expect on a high-end weapon light. The standard switch, strobing model I tested has a MSRP of $208.08. The same light with a remote switch carries a $294.78 price.
Fortunately, street prices are almost always lower than suggested retail. Also, Streamlight seems to put overly high prices on its products knowing that retailers will actually offer them at 25-50% less. I’m not sure what the marketing angle is on that strategy.
Specifications
Here are the specs on the original TLR-1s HP:
| Total Light Output | 200 lumens |
| Peak Beam Intensity | 46,000 candelas |
| Run Time (to 10% Output) | 1.75 hours |
| Battery Power | 2x CR123A |
| Switch | ambidextrous, rocker style with momentary- and constant-on functions |
| Remote Switch | available |
| Water Resistance | IPX7 – 1 meter for 30 minutes |
| Weight | 5.3 oz with batteries and standard switch |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime |
| MSRP | $208.08 |
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this Streamlight TLR-1s HP review has been helpful. If you have any questions about the light post ask in the comments section below.
Streamlight has a lot of solid tactical flashlights in the stable. I’ve had a chance to use and review many of them. Across the board, I am impressed with the company. The TLR-1s HP is a solid light that has found a permanent place on my rifle, which is the highest praise I can give any piece of equipment.
Ed. Note (again): If you missed my earlier addendum, the HP was replaced by the HPL version of the weaponlight after I wrote this article. The newer Streamlight TLR-1 HPL is much brighter than the light I evaluated. You can get more information on the new light through this affiliate link.
Last Update: August 16, 2021
Disclosure
GunsHolstersAndGear.com is a for-profit website. I do not charge readers a dime to access the information I provide.
Some of the links on this page and site are affiliate links to companies like Amazon and Palmetto State Armory. These links take you to the products mentioned in the article. Should you decide to purchase something from one of those companies, I make a small commission.
The links do not change your purchase price. I do not get to see what any individual purchases.