It’s crazy to see how powerful some lights have become.
Companies like Modlite and Cloud Defensive have pushed the boundaries of what weapon-mounted lights can do. Unsurprisingly, that technology comes at a steep price point.
What’s one to do when they need a weapon light but don’t have the $300 to spend on a SureFire X300?
That is a great question, which is why today’s topic is about good-quality, budget-friendly lights designed for your defensive firearms.
THE QUICK LIST
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Editor’s Pick
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Best for Concealed Carry
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Best for Home Defense
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Best for Long Guns
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Best Shotgun Light
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Handheld & Mounted Combo
Table of Contents
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Budget Weapon Lights Comparison Chart
| Lumens | Max Candela | Weight | Batteries | Runtime | Price | |
| Nightstick TWM 850XL | 850 | 15,000 | 5.4 oz. | 2x CR123 | 1 hour | $75 |
| Streamlight TLR-7X | 500 | 5,000 | 2.48 oz. | SL-B9 Rechargeable Battery Pack or CR123A | 1.5 hours (CR123A), 1 hour (SL-B9) | $129 |
| Holosun P.ID | 1000 (high), 500 (low) | 23,300 | 5 oz. | USB-C Rechargeable 18350 | 30 minutes (high), 1 hour (low) | $89 |
| Streamlight ProTac HL-X | 1000 (high), 60 (low) | 50,000 | 5 oz | 2x CR123A | 1.25 hours (high), 21 hours (low) | $131 |
| Streamlight TL Racker | 1000 | 20,000 | 12.1 oz. | 2x CR123A | 1.5 hours | $135 |
| SureFire G2X LE | 600 (high), 15 (low) | 8,700 | 4.4 oz. | 2x CR123A | 1.5 hours (high), 52 hours (low) | $73 ($103 with mount) |
Best Budget Weapon-Mounted Lights
1. Nightstick TWM 850XL – Editor’s Pick
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Good choice for concealed carry
- 850 lumens and 15,000 candela
- Good battery life
Cons
- Bit bulky
Specs
- Lumens: 850
- Max Candela: 15,000
- Weight: 5.4 oz.
- Batteries: 2x CR123
- Runtime: 1 hour
The Nightstick TWM 850XL is priced at around $75-100 and delivers 850 lumens, backed by a 15,000 candela rating. While it’s no Modlite, it’s more than capable enough for home defense or concealed carry.
A huge bonus for the TWN 850XL is that it will fit most Streamlight TLR-1 compatible holsters, making it suitable for use with many industry-standard holsters.
A set of ambidextrous toggle switches makes controlling the light easy. The light has both a momentary and a constant-on mode. They don’t waste time with a strobe in their design.
Its overall dimensions make this light more appropriate for a full-sized handgun or a Glock 19-sized compact.
The TWM 850XL throws a nice, bright beam perfect for handgun ranges. You’d have no problems establishing positive ID inside a building or a dark urban environment.
2. Streamlight TLR-7X – Best for Concealed Carry
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Compact design
- Lots of holster compatibility
- Multi-fuel capable
Cons
- Over $100
Specs
- Lumens: 500
- Max Candela: 5,000
- Weight: 2.48 oz.
- Batteries: SL-B9 Rechargeable Battery Pack or CR123A
- Runtime: 1.5 hours (CR123A), 1 hour (SL-B9)
For those in the know, it is probably no surprise to see Streamlight make an appearance on this list. Streamlight is known for making duty-quality weapon lights at reasonable prices.
When it comes to concealed carry, most people are (and should) be carrying their guns in a holster. And when you introduce holsters into the mix, finding one to fit your gun and its accessories can start to get tough.
That is why we picked the TLR-7X. It uses the same housing footprint as the TLR-7A, which enjoys the most holster compatibility of any small light on the market.
Aside from actually being able to find a holster, you get an incredibly capable weapon light. Despite being ultra-compact, you still get 500 lumens and 5,000 max candela.
The 7X model utilizes a dual-fuel system, enabling you to choose between an SL-B9 rechargeable battery (sold separately) and a standard CR123A battery.
It has dual rear paddle switches that are very easy to actuate and features both high and low output modes.
Everything about this light is solid, and while it isn’t the cheapest carry light out there, it is one of the cheapest ones you can find a holster for.
3. Holosun P.ID – Best for Home Defense
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Good, quality build
- High has 1,000 lumens and 23,000 candela. Low has 500 lumens with 11,000 candela.
Cons
- Battery life isn't as long as other models
Specs
- Lumens: 1000 (high), 500 (low)
- Max Candela: 23,300
- Weight: 5 oz.
- Batteries: USB-C Rechargeable 18350
- Runtime: 30 minutes (high), 1 hour (low)
Holosun started as a budget red dot company but has steadily grown and slowly branched out.
This year, they brought us night vision, but last year, they brought us a series of weapon lights, going by the clever title of P.ID.
It’s fairly easy to figure out that P.ID stands for positive identification.
The base-level Holosun P.ID costs around $100, and the light features both high and low modes.
Its high mode hits the target with 1,000 lumens and is propelled by 23,300 candela. In the low mode, the light has 500 lumens.
It’s a good bit of power for a budget-friendly light. On high mode, the battery lasts 30 minutes; on low, it lasts 60.
This light uses a single battery which gives a slimmer design profile but also cuts its runtime. Still, half an hour is a lot of time for home defense.
Holosun includes a rechargeable and removable 18350 battery. You can purchase a second and immediately change if you forget to plug your light in.
A set of ambidextrous paddles makes it easy to turn on, and a set of rail keys makes it easy to attach to various guns.
Holosun provides an IP68 waterproof rating. The light is more on the full size than small, with an overall length of 3.6 inches and a weight of 5.3 ounces.
What do you think of the Holosun P.ID? Rate it below!
4. Streamlight ProTac HL-X
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- 1,000 lumens backed by 27,600 candela
- Good build and durable design
Cons
- Mount may not be appealing to some
Specs
- Lumens: 1000 (high), 60 (low)
- Max Candela: 50,000
- Weight: 5 oz.
- Batteries: 2x CR123A
- Runtime: 1.25 hours (high), 21 hours (low)
The Streamlight ProTac HL-X provides rifles with 1,000 lumens of white light backed by a hearty 50,000 candela.
It’s fairly powerful for a light that costs around $120. That’s the base-level light, and there are costlier versions with rechargeable batteries. You can most certainly get away with the base-level HL-X rail mount design for home defense and even duty use on a budget.
You can always add a fancier pressure switch or rechargeable battery system if you choose.
The dual-fuel design of the HL-X allows you to use either two CR123 batteries or the Streamlight SL-B26 rechargeable options. Battery life tops out at 1.25 hours.
The low mode provides 60 lumens, which isn’t much, but enough for nontactical tasks.
On low, it extended battery life to 21 hours. In high mode, the light is focused and designed to maximize range with an intense hotspot.
Shooters can use a momentary or constant setting and swap between a pressure switch or a clicky rear button. The ProTac is surprisingly light for its size and output, weighing only 6.4 ounces.
It’s acceptable on a carbine, AR pistol, or short-barreled rifle. The beam can light up a target out to 100 yards easily, making it easy to establish PID while maintaining a good standoff distance.
5. Streamlight TL Racker – Best Shotgun Light
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- 1,000 lumens and 20,000 candela
- Lightweight
- Great for Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 models
Cons
- More aggressive texture may not work for everyone
Specs
- Lumens: 1000
- Max Candela: 20,000
- Weight: 12.1 oz.
- Batteries: 2x CR123A
- Runtime: 1.5 hours
Shotguns are still an extremely viable home defense tool. However, mounting lights on them can be a bit trickier than on a rifle or a handgun.
Enter the Streamlight Racker. This light usually costs around $130 and replaces the forend of your Remington 870, Mossberg 500 series, or Mossberg Shockwave. It provides an integrated light system that replaces your standard pump.
The TL Racker makes shotgun light placement very easy and prevents common issues from using pressure switches and mounted lights. That light throws 1,000 lumens of light backed by 20,000 candela.
It’s nice and bright, as well as wide. The beam goes fairly far but also has plenty of spill. This allows you to fill a small area with light and get light from edge to edge of your vision.
It’s a great design for a shotgun because shotguns are such close-range, rapid-reflex weapons.
The light doesn’t add much weight to your setup. At just over 12 ounces, this doesn’t create an off-balance feeling in your gun.
Its controls utilize two ambidextrous buttons that are absolutely massive and easy to use. They have nice tactile feedback that’s quite clicky.
This light is perfect for home defense and even some duty use. It’s fairly rugged, and I’ve been using one for a couple of years now on my go-to home defense shotgun. The aggressive grip texture makes it easy to hold onto and manipulate.
Dedicated shotgun forend lights are expensive. The Surefire DSF costs more than my entire Mossberg 500, but TL Racker keeps the integrated design while ditching the high price tag.
Not a fan of replacing the forend on your Shotgun? Check out some other options in our Best Shotgun Lights article!
6. SureFire G2X LE & Magpul Rail Light Mount – Handheld & Mounted Combo
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Under $100
- 600 lumens
- Lightweight
Cons
- Not a dedicated weaponlight
Specs
- Lumens: 600 (high), 15 (low)
- Max Candela: 8,700
- Weight: 4.4 oz.
- Batteries: 2x CR123A
- Runtime: 1.5 hours (high), 52 hours (low)
So, this isn’t a weapon light, but it’s my wildcard pick. Basically, it’s a handheld light mixed with an adapter from Magpul to turn it into a weapon-mounted light.
The Magpul Rail Light Mount makes it easy to adapt handhelds to weapon lights.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Copied! Visit Merchant
The Surefire G2X isn’t the most powerful light, but it’s duty-ready and tough as nails. Total price for the light and a mount sits at around $110.
Finding any SureFire long gun light for a hundred bucks isn’t common. This combination gives you an affordable weapon light with SureFire durability.
The G2X throws out 600 lumens backed by 8,700 candela. That’s enough light for most civilian applications, and if you need a budget-duty light, it’s tough to get cheaper than the G2X and Magpul mount combo.
The light is, well, for lack of a better term, light. It weighs 4.4 ounces with batteries and is only 5.2 inches long, and it’s nice and short.
Its beam is bright and well-focused to make the most out of the 600 lumens, but it has enough to spill to work well indoors and in tight quarters.
Sadly, since it’s a handheld, you don’t get a pressure switch…
Why Do I Need a Weapon Light?
A weapon light can be extremely important for home defense and duty use.
Before you ever take a shot, you must positively identify the threat.
Weapon lights and handheld lights are must-haves for encounters after dark. Without a light source, you are taking a shot in the dark.
Everyone needs one, which is why we explored some of the more affordable options.
Want to learn more about weapon lights in general? We cover more in our article, Can a Weapon Mounted Light Make You a Target?
How to Shop for Affordable Lights
Affordable weapon-mounted lights are typically well-suited for home defense. There is no rain, snow, or rugged environments inside your home.
Some can be used for duty use, but you do have to be very selective when it comes to budget-friendly duty lights.
You can’t get that Modlite power on a light that costs $100. You also may have to deal with issues involving finding aftermarket accessories. This ranges from holsters to pressure switches.
Keep that in mind as you shop and ensure the light you select fits the profile you need it to.
Maybe you can’t skimp on your light. If you’re parachuting into Syria, then you should splurge on the SureFire X300.
How We Chose the Best Budget Weapon Lights
In addition to the author’s experience, input was gathered for this article from other members of the Pew Pew Tactical team. Everyone on the team has hands-on time with numerous weapon lights across a variety of platforms.
We definitely have an understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and what will get you the most for your money.
Our hands-on experience combined with industry research has resulted in our picks below, which are based on price, lumen output, candela output, features, and overall build quality.
Meet the Experts
Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike authored this article. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. In the middle of his Marine Corps career, he began writing and never stopped. He has thousands of articles to his name with a variety of publications and has tested countless guns, weapon lights, and other firearm accessories.
Editing and adding to this article is Wyatt Sloan, Jr. Editor. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor with previous experience as a USPSA competitor, long-range shooting, and hunting. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales. He loves carrying a wide variety of handguns and, by necessity, has tried a wide variety of holsters.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Thoughts
Weapon lights used to be Maglites in special mounts on HKs. The times have changed from when 100 lumens was an amazing amount of light.
As times change, lights get better, but they also get cheaper.
These are my favorite budget-friendly weapon lights, but what are yours? Drop us a comment down below. Money no object? Then check out our AR-15 Light and Best Pistol Light recommendations.
Latest Updates
- April 2025: Removed the Crimson Trace RIG. Added Streamlight TLR-7X. Added comparison chart and additional specs for each product.
- February 2024: Added additional details to products after longer-term testing.
27 Leave a Reply
I've found a WML/Green laser that is stupidly inexpensive and seems to work really well.
Typical Amazon Chinese product, the "Toughsoul" 1200 lumen Light+Laser is less than $40. It seems durable enough, has a sealed rechargeable battery with magnetic charger and just works. Or has so far anyway.
The search text is "toughsoul laser light combo". There are other models I haven't tried, but the 1200 lumen unit suits my needs on 6 different guns so far.
For the $ it's hard to beat a Crimson Trace. I got a half a dozen of them, mostly with lasers.
Anyways, as I was saying. .... Do y'all think you could stop buying cheap chinese garbage? That would be great. Stop financing their wicked ways.
I hear what you're saying, but some people don't have the luxury of spending a lot of money. Sometimes, it comes down to feeding their kids or gear. We try to recognize that and give people from all walks of life options to protect themselves or gear that will help get that job done. Thanks for reading!
Stuff costs money.
I am surprised that you did not include any of Fenix lights which are very durable and reasonably priced and just focusing on the more known brands.
We try to include lights we've hands on tested -- so if a product isn't here, it usually means we haven't gotten our hands on it or we haven't concluded testing.
Appreciate your response. Limiting your reviews to what you have on hand is really limiting the benefit to readers. Reaching out to product manufactures to provide items for review or even buying those products particularly if they are not too expensive would be a better approach and would give your reviews better credibility.
Thanks
We do reach out to companies and get things in-hand from them. Sometimes, we do buy products as well. But that said, we can't buy everything and sometimes we're at the mercy of companies sending things. We do update articles as we receive products from companies -- this site is constantly evolving! I appreciate your feedback and will make sure to relay the concerns to our editorial staff.
Who’s budget??!!?? $150 is not anywhere near “budget” I think yall forgot the theme of your own article
Unfortunately "budget" is changing these days. We tried to find the lowest cost weapon lights that still provided features and good quality.
What are your thoughts on Olight weapon mounted lights? A little disappointed that they didn’t get a mention from you. I have 2 handgun lights, and one one my rifle complete with touch pad, and I am really happy with all of them. Hopefully you will include them in a future review.
Hi Mark, great question! We actually have a few hands-on reviews for some Olights, including the Baldr Mini, Odin, and a few of the Valkyries. Olight has quite a few solid products out there, but many of them are still rechargeable only with no easy provision for quick-changing batteries if the light is dead for whatever reason. On a shorter list like this one, we prioritized having easy-to-replace batteries. But trust me, we do love some of that high lumen output on some of their lights!
Hi Travis,
Good article ... thanks for all the info ... any recommendations for the best light to use on a S&W M&P 380 Shield EZ would be greatly appreciated ... thanks ... mm
I got a feyachi cheapo off Amazon for $39.99. Works just as good as the Surefire I was issued in the Army. A flashlight isn’t really that hard to engineer.
I'm glad you got lucky. The no-name eBay and Amazon specials have a poor reputation. I keep hearing people say "it stopped working after three shots" and/or "the mount broke and it fell off the gun after three shots."
Hi Travis,
Good article on budget lights.
Though you had one contender omission. It's the Olight Mini Odin. I bought one for my Colt 6940. Back when I bought mine, one had to buy a Picatinny mount separately, at around $25.00.
I see now one can buy one with a Picatinny rail mount, but the price has increased.
So far, the light has worked as advertised. It's bright and has held up extremely well. If I'd highly recommend it.
All I want to know is where y'all get your statistic for budget pricing? because believe it or not, even though $100 dollars does not seem like much to y'all. where I am from, it is still allot of money, and could mean whether or not my family eats or has utilities. I would probably end up in a divorce, if I were to spend that much money on a flashlight. especially with just an hour or so burn time. I have seen way better burn time for less than half that price. I don't want to bust any bodies bubble, but they are all foreign made or components, same as optics.. really the only thing you are paying for is a Branded name.. just saying
Best one out there is this: OLIGHT PL-MINI 2 Valkyrie Tactical Light. It's got 600 lumens, is rechargeable and small because not everybody carries a full size handgun.
Yeah Jimmie, I was going to mention Olight, but you beat me to it. I have and love my 3 Baldr Pros with green laser. I like the high/low light option and low light 300 lumens 4hr run time, 3.5 hr w/laser on, good out to 120m. But the 45 hr green laser run time beats them all. I just hate the need to keep pairs of CR123A batteries in stock, I still don't trust the built in rechargeable batteries life span and dislike the short run times.
Can you guys please do some articles on the Olight brand of lights. It seems like every year they are bringing new stuff to their site at some killer prices and what seems to be really good quality. Yes I know they are made in China. But for some of us starting out and/or with low budgets, it seems like a good brand. Thanks and keep up the great news and best of, review articles.
Everytime I've reviewed an Olight they've broken or failed. They simply aren't worth it for weapon lights
Sorry Travis, I didn't know you already did some. so I went into S&D mode ( search and digest, not destroy ) found and reviewed them from back in 2020, wish I would have found this site and those articles sooner.. You are correct, they did have some problems, even from the fair testing you did. I'm not a fan of Olights run time ratings or the lumen drop off either, they kinda play with the numbers in a not so honest way IMO. But I hope you give them some more time to update and refine their stuff a little. I'm going to reread your articles and check out the ones you suggested instead of the Olights, for my rifle/shotgun usage. My 3 Baldr Pros w/green laser and dual CR123A batteries, seem to be okay. But I haven't given them a good butt whooping like you do, Yet ! I like the 45 hr laser only run time rating, but haven't time tested it, like you. The 300 lumen, 4 hr runtime wo/laser, 3.5 hr w/laser, for pistol range 25/30 ft, around the home defense should do good, no hard drops, deep puddles or high recoil.. Specs I posted come from my 4 yr old owners manual, they may have changed. Thanks again, and for the reply.
Whatever you cover with your light will be covered by your muzzle.
I can buy a lot of 12 dollar lights for $300.
And for just under $18 you can get a AA powered Mag-lite. Pretty much obviates your $100 fancy hang on the barrel lights. Hold the Maglite in lefthand which also braces the shootin' hand. Or better yet, just let the gremlin(s) come to you. You don't gain anything by stalking the gremlins with your light a blazin' in the night. I greatly prefer ambushing gremlins as opposed to letting them come on in.
Brighter is not always better...especially if you are clearing rooms with white walls.
The splash-back can be blinding.