Let There Be Light: The Family of ProTac Weapon Lights

Adding a light to your weapon just makes sense, especially if it’s for protection. If something happens, you need to see what you are shooting at. Because lights are so popular with firearms, there are a lot of choices out there. Some are made just for rifles, others for handguns, and some for both.

When you choose a weapon-mounted light there are several things to consider. One of the most important is the delicate balance of brightness (lumens), battery size, and run time. The control method and how the light attaches is the next thing to consider and finally, the battery type. Does it use standard batteries? Is it rechargeable?

When you take all these things into consideration, it makes choosing a light more difficult. But there is one way to simplify the process if you are mounting a light to an AR-15. Choose ProTac lights by Streamlight and be done with it. Streamlight is a leader in the weapon light industry, and they have been serving members of law enforcement and others for years.

They don’t really need an introduction, so I’ll skip that part. If you are mounting a light on a handgun, look at Streamlight’s TLR series. But today, we are looking at three ProTac rail mount lights and the differences between them. I have been using Streamlight products my entire law enforcement career and still use them for a reason. They work. I carry the TLR-HL daily and I have a ProTac light mounted on any rifle I use at work or for home defense.

ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Laser Long Gun Light

Okay, so maybe Streamlight isn’t the most creative when it comes to naming their products. I’m sure it’s because they put all that creativity into the light. It can be a little confusing figuring out which light is which because they all say ProTac on them. The HL-X Laser Long Gun light is the largest one I have used. It weighs about 10.8 ounces, but it’s big for a reason.

This light uses an SL-B26 Li-Ion rechargeable battery and powers a 1,000-lumen light. It also has a built-in laser making it perfect for multiple uses. One thing I like about this battery (besides it being rechargeable) is two CR 123A batteries work in its place. I like options and this is the best of both worlds. Keep it charged and keep two extra batteries for emergencies.

The back of the light has two buttons, one for the light and one for the red laser. The end of the light that holds the buttons can be removed for use with the remote pressure switch. This comes standard with the light for those wanting a pressure plate. The remote switch has grooves on each end for zip ties to set in for attaching to the rifle. The pressure pad is for temporary activation and the square button on the end of the pad keeps the light on after being pushed. Another great feature is the programable Ten-Tap settings which we will cover momentarily.

ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Long Gun Light

If this name sounds a lot like the last one, it’s because it’s the same name without the word “laser” in it. Again, not the most creative way of naming lights, but I can deal with that. While the name is almost the same, the light is not. This light is much smaller than the first one, so I guess leaving out “laser” is the difference between the two.

This light is 1,000 lumens just like its big brother and it also has a strobe and dim setting. This is the perfect size light for any type of rifle. It’s compact enough to work on AR pistols or SBRs but still has the high lumens. It works on the same rechargeable SL-B26 battery or two CR 123A batteries.

The mounting system is the same on all three of these lights. They use a rail grabber with a thumb screw so it can be installed and removed without any tools. If you want it even tighter, there is a slot in the thumb screw for a flathead screwdriver. This type of attachment system is ideal because you can remove a light quickly if needed. I went on a call one time regarding a missing child in the woods. My light went dead so I pulled my ProTac off my rifle and used it the rest of the night. This light also comes with a pressure pad that can be installed by swapping out the base of the light.

ProTac Rail Mount 2 Long Gun Light

This is the smallest of the three lights but still works great on just about any rifle. It’s not compatible with the SL-B26 battery so you must use 2 CR 123A batteries to power it. The lumen rating is 625 on high and 60 on low so you don’t get the brightness of the other two, but it’s also a smaller light. It weighs only five ounces, making it half the weight of the HL-X Laser.

When comparing the overall size of the lights, the Rail Mount 2 and the HX-L (not the larger laser model) are close to the same. This makes the HX-L a little better deal because of the brightness and rechargeable battery. But, if you want a cheaper, simple light, this is a good choice. I like to mount this one on the left side of the gun so my thumb can push the button on the back of the light without the use of a pressure pad. Like the other two, it has the thumb screw rail mount and is programable.

Ten-Tap Programming

The programming on the ProTac lights is a simple process. Basically, the programming function just cycles the light through any options available on that model of light. To enter this function, quickly tap the button on the back of the light nine times and then hold it down on the 10th push.

The light will come on and then turn back off. So, if your light is on the brightest setting when you turn it on, two taps may change it to the dim setting and three taps to the strobe (if available on that model). Performing a cycle change will make the light turn on with the dim setting first and the bright setting after two taps. Another programming cycle will change it to bright mode only.

Just keep going through the programming cycle to change the function of the light. Lights with High, Dim, and Strobe setting have the most programs to cycle through. I keep my weapon-mounted lights on a setting where the light turns on with the dim setting, moves to bright with two taps, and the strobe is turned off.

Need a Light?

These three lights are close to the same, but different enough to give you some options. If you want a bright light with a laser, the HL-X Laser model is an awesome light. There are adjustment screws on the sides to zero the laser at the desired distance. The HL-X Long model is compact and just as bright as the first one, and it has the same rechargeable battery.

You can also buy extra rechargeable SL-B26 batteries if you want to keep a spare. If you don’t want a laser built into the light, the HL-X is probably the best deal for the money. Either way, all the ProTac weapon-mounted lights are reliable, durable, and a great price overall.