Best Budget Weapon Lights [Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun]

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

Budget Weapon Lights Comparison Chart

Best Budget Weapon-Mounted Lights

1. Nightstick TWM 850XL – Editor’s Pick

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.