The 9 Best AR-15 Flashlights [2024] – Hands-On Tested
Ready to find a high-quality flashlight that can enhance your AR’s low-light visibility?
There’s a reason every rig should include a great flashlight setup: it’s a simple way to illuminate targets in the dark. The light source can be used at night to search out or identify a target, or during the day for inspecting interiors from the outside or looking underneath a vehicle.
Essentially, these lights are helpful whenever you encounter rogue areas of darkness that require investigation.
Additionally, a flashlight’s functional strobe feature can disorient intruders and even deter wild animals.
Choosing the right flashlight setup can be overwhelming, so we tested dozens of the best AR-15 flashlights on the market and curated a list of our top picks to help you make the best decision for your rig. We make suggestions on which ones we think are the best—including the components we would use to build one from scratch.
If you’re looking for something more budget friendly, lightweight, or with the most throw, we have recommendations for those too. Additionally, we’ve included some tips on mounting, positioning and maintenance.
Cue intro music…
BEST AR-15 FLASHLIGHT OVERALL
Cloud Defensive REIN 3.0
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 1250
Runtime on High: 65 minutes
Max Candela: 100,000
Battery Type: 18650 or x2 CR123A
Weight: 6.91oz
Colors Available: Black, FDE
Palmetto State Armory (See Price)
AR15 Discounts (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Bereli (See Price)
GrabAGun (See Price)
Cloud Defensive makes extremely powerful, extremely bomb proof lights. They’re very high output weapon lights, and tend towards more high candela beams. When it comes to superior power and usefulness, it’s hard to beat the REIN 3.0.
Their flagship product for a while was the OWL, which is a very powerful light with an integrated mount and switch that mounts to a top rail. It was kind of cool, kind of big, and kind of heavy. The big drawback with that model was that it did not play nicely with IR laser units.
What We Like: This thing packs a lot of punch at 1,250 lumens and 100,000 Candela with a 18650 battery. Seriously, that’s a whole lot of power.
When we tested the REIN 3.0, the throw was well over 100 yards. The hot spot was very bright with some spill, but it didn’t seem to really affect the effectiveness of the light.
The quality is there. It has precision cutting and an anodized finish. It just feels fantastic in your hands. It also has an IPX-8 waterproof rating. We haven’t tested submersing ours in water just yet, but Cloud Defensive says it is fully submersible to 100 feet for 24 hours.
The controls are simple and easy to use, offering both momentary and constant-on. The REIN switch also has a solid electronic configuration; the remote switch is isolated from the push-button switch, which is located on the tail cap.
As far as mounting goes, it has a low-profile and doesn’t stick out too far. It comes with a Torrent M-LOK Inline mount, but you can also use any of the Scout Light mounts on the market.
Spec-wise, the standard runtime is about 95 minutes. It weighs 6.91oz, and comes in at 6.17 inches, while the bezel is only 1.3 inches. It’s not the smallest, but that’s the trade off for this much power.
It’s designed for defensive applications, such as police work, but would be great for farmers or gamekeepers. It’ll cut through rain, fog, and inferior lighting.
There’s also a micro version that fits PCC’s.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: This may be a bit overkill for most users. It’s a hefty price tag, but it’ll be hard to find this much power on the market. If you need something less expensive, and you don’t really want the high output, the Streamlight HLX would be my second favorite.
They require rechargeable batteries. Some may be turned off by that because of the potential fire hazard presented by overcharging lithium ion batteries. If that’s the case, we recommend you take a look at the Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount 2L (88059).
Cloud Defensive uses a proprietary system for tailcaps and switches. Some operators will be okay with that, but just know they’re not compatible with Surefire tail caps and switches, which I know a lot of folks prefer.
BEST VALUE AR-15 FLASHLIGHT
Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount 2L (88059)
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 625
Runtime on High: 1.5 hrs
Max Candela: 22,000
Battery Type: CR123A Lithium
Weight: 5oz
Colors Available: Black
Primary Arms (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
AT3 Tactical (See Price)
AR-15 Discounts (See Price)
GunMag Warehouse (See Price)
GrabAGun (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Smoky Mountain Knife Works (See Price)
You get a tremendous amount of value for the lower price point for this light. Out of the box, it comes with a Picatinny rail mount, a remote pressure pad, double-sided tape and rail-mounted inserts (depending on your preference), the regular tailcap, and zip ties for cable management.
That’s a pretty hard to beat package.
Streamlight has a proven track record, and you should have at least one AR-15 with this light on it. For a few more dollars you can opt for the HLX model with a higher Candela (27,000). It’ll add some weight, but it’s less prone to turning off from recoil and it can take rechargeable 18650 batteries.
What We Like: This is a great entry-level pick. For most operators, their needs are going to be simple. They want a good flashlight that has multiple functions, that they can mount to their rig straight out-of-the-box, and they want it all for a low price.
This is that AR flashlight.
You get a very powerful beam, it comes with Picatinny rails, and it’s very affordable.
The remote pressure pad features momentary and constant-on operation, but you can activate Streamlight’s TEN-TAP program, which basically reprograms the light to use one of three different programs (High-Strobe, High Only, or Low-High).
Bonus—they’re compatible with the after-market Surefire mounts as well.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: If the remote switch encounters an issue or damage, such as a severed cord, the entire tailcap unit requires replacement. If you’re using a Streamlight rifle light with a pressure pad, it’d be wise to keep the clicky tailcap somewhere in your kit for in-field repairs.
It occasionally has issues turning off from recoil. The HLX model is less prone to that issue.
MOST AFFORDABLE AR-15 FLASHLIGHT
Ozark Armament TFL-1-R
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 600
Runtime on High: 1.5 hrs
Max Candela: 22,000
Battery Type: CR123A Lithium
Weight: 4oz
Colors Available: Black
As the saying goes, “live by the sword, die by the sword.” If you’re going to go with an inexpensive weapon light, you’re going to get what you pay for. It won’t be a high-quality product, but with that said, with the Ozark TFL-1-R, it’s hard to find this much power at this price on the market.
There’s a plethora of low-cost options out there, but as far as what you can get for $50, this is the best one.
What We Like: Mainly the price point, but there were two things that really stood out to me when using this light.
The first is that you still get a very bright light. The center beam isn’t super hot, it had quite a bit of spill relative to the other options on this list, but was still very bright. I was able to see well into my neighbor’s property from my 5-acre parcel. Not bad for $50.
The second is that it was considerably low-profile compared to my expectations. It’s a bit bulkier than the stuff made by Streamlight and Surefire for sure, but I still didn’t feel like it stuck out too far from my gun.
They have great customer service. If a component fails during the one year warranty period, like the pressure pad likely will do at the 6 month mark, you can get them to replace it for free. They’re very quick to respond.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: With these lower price flashlights, there’s certainly some drawbacks.
The remote switch has the constant-on and momentary features that are standard with weapon lights, but there’s actually three buttons inside of the momentary section, and I couldn’t figure out what the difference was.
Some flaws are just personal preferences. It doesn’t take rechargeable batteries. The Velcro on the remote switch isn’t very good and didn’t last after prolonged use. You’ll probably want to have some more durable Velcro strips on hand just in case.
It isn’t fully waterproof. You can drop it in water for a few seconds, but it probably won’t work if completely submerged.
Additionally, there’s some issues with the mounting. It doesn’t have the cross-bar on the picatinny mount, so it isn’t actually secured to the rail. The mount fits on the pic rail okay, but it’s basically held down by tension.
You may need to add a section of picatinny on your handguard since it doesn’t come with other mounts.
Altogether, it worked okay for my 5.56 NATO, but I would keep an eye on it whenever you use it, and probably wouldn’t trust it with higher caliber long guns. The recoil will force it to work itself off your gun eventually.
Overall, this light is the best affordable option on the market. It’s bright, easy to install, and simple to use. I just wouldn’t expect it to last very long in the field. It’s great for someone who needs an AR-15 flashlight but doesn’t plan to use it very often.
BEST LONG THROW AR-15 FLASHLIGHT
SureFire M640DFT-PRO Scout Light Pro Turbo
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 700
Runtime on High: 2.75 hrs
Max Candela: 100,000
Battery Type: Dual Fuel (SF18650B rechargeable battery or two CR123A)
Weight: 5.5oz
Colors Available: Black, Tan
Primary Arms (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
Euro Optic (See Price)
AT3 Tactical (See Price)
GrabAGun (See Price)
BattleHawk Armory (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
Sportsman’s Guide (See Price)
SureFire rifle lights have long been held as the industry standard for a reason—they have a proven track record of being reliable, they have a robust after-market of mounts, tail caps, and switches, and they also make the only viable Vampire illuminator head, which can switch between white and infrared light.
But in recent years they fell behind companies like Cloud Defensive, Modlite, and even Aisaka/Malkoff in terms of output and focus. It seemed the golden era of SureFire was coming to an end.
Enter the Turbo series.
The M640DFT-PRO is a power-punch of near-blinding light and superior beam distance. At 100,000 Candela, there really isn’t much else on the market with that far of range. The Cloud REIN 3.0 also boasts 100,000 Candela, but it sits priced about $50 higher than the M640DFT-PRO.
It’s great for anybody needing the best throw available for long-range target identification, such as farmers or border patrol, while maintaining an ample amount of spill for situational awareness.
If you’re looking for the longest throw, this is definitely it.
What We Like: It is blindingly bright with a very hot center. There’s enough spill to still see surroundings, but it maintains that tight center to ensure it goes the distance.
And, it does so without using any proprietary batteries. You can still use your two CR123 series (which impacts performance slightly) or you can use 18650’s for full usage.
SureFire uses an all aluminum construction with a mil-spec hard-anodized finish, which makes it suitable for combat use. It felt very rugged and durable when we held it in our hands.
It’s incredibly low-profile, which should allow for tight fitment with almost any laser module you have without trying to figure out which of the high-priced after-market mounts you need to get to have a flush fit. It comes with the standard pic rails, but also includes the M-LOK rails.
Last thing, “Photonic barrier” is a buzz word a lot of people like to throw around nowadays. I’ll just say this, it cuts through smoke, fog, other lights, etc as good as anything else on the market.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: It’s a big light. It’s about twice the size of the CR123 head and 33% bigger than a OKW Dual Fuel head. This is about on par with the Streamlight HLX or Cloud REIN 3.0, but some operators may be turned off by the size. It’s certainly something to consider if you have a bunch of setups, like a suppressor clearance to meet.
The price to power ratio is much higher than with some of the more mid-tier options on the market. You get some diminishing returns with these premium lights. Yes, you get the longer throw, but you pay a very hefty price for it.
Some might argue that it falls short on usable spill and that it’s all about the Candela.
At the end of the day, remember that nobody ever got fired for buying a SureFire. If you’re looking for one with the longest throw, this is it.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT AR-15 FLASHLIGHT
InForce WMLx White (Gen 3)
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 1100
Runtime on High: 2 hrs
Max Candela: 25,000
Battery Type: Two CR123A
Weight: 4.9oz
Colors Available: Black, FDE
Brownells (See Price)
Natchez Shooting (See Price)
InForce (See Price)
The InForce WML Gen 3 is a uniquely designed AR-15 flashlight that’s intended to be lightweight while remaining ergonomical. It’s made from mostly polymer, very similar to what Glocks are made with, which makes it very durable. It doesn’t scratch easily or dent like some aluminum models on the market.
If you’re looking for a little more power than the Gen 3, the WMLx can hold two CR123A batteries and gets up to 800 lumens and 10,000 Candela, for just a little more weight and size. It’s bulkier, but will still save on weight compared to the other models we recommend.
If you already have a plethora of heavy gear on your rig, using this flashlight will help lessen the load.
What We Like: Their WMLx White/IR model offers both white light and an IR illumination. If you’re using night vision, it is going to be less expensive than a model with the Vampire head.
One of the big selling points is that the button is shaped like a thumb and more ergonomic than usual AR-15 weapon lights.
The lens is made from glass reinforced nylon. It’s really strong, and less likely to get scratched from things like brush and sand. It’s going to be a little easier to clean.
There’s a safety switch to prevent accidental discharge. The nice thing with the Gen 3 models is that there’s a detent, which prevents it from accidentally creeping up (usually from your sling catching on it). With the detent, you basically have to intentionally flip it up to prevent negligent discharge.
There’s a nicer texture than the old models. The older models had issued with the polymer they used, and it’s been documented that they would occasionally crack up by the head. That problem seems to have been fixed with the Gen 3 model, but there’s some questionability about recoil damage.
Additionally, the older model’s pic rail was not quite MIL-STD-1913. Some users had issues with it fitting onto their mount. That also seems to have been fixed with the newer model.
For all of their WML models, a simple ¼ turn twist of the head engages lockout mode for travel, transport, and storage. That’s a cool feature to prevent battery waste.
Lastly, it’s very easy to switch from white light to IR. To really get use out of the IR you have to be using night vision goggles, so it may be a lost feature for some. The lever also utilizes a detent, which is a nice bonus.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
The safety switch will take some training. It presents one more hurdle to overcome if you do need to use the light. Training will be important to make sure that you’re really quick on actuating that light turning on.
The built-in clamp only works on pic rails. You can’t directly mount it onto KeyMod or M-LOK, which means you will likely either need to buy a mount or attach to a section of rail.
The polymer frame yields a lighter design, but it also means that the limited metal components, like the bezel, can heat up quickly when in use. Fortunately, the heat is diminished thanks to the cutouts around the head.
The run time says 1.5 hrs, but when we tested the “constant on,” it was more like one hour. The single battery only gives so much run-time, which again, is the trade-off for the lighter weight.
If you are looking for the best lightweight AR-15 flashlight on the market, we highly recommend the InForce WML Gen 3. The user controls are highly intuitive and it’s very affordable.
SMALLEST AR-15 FLASHLIGHT
Modlite OKW-18350 WML
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 680
Runtime on High: 1.25 hrs
Max Candela: 69,000
Battery Type: Dual Fuel 18350 or x2 CR123
Weight: 4.2oz
Colors Available: Black, FDE
If you are looking for a small weapon light that’s ideal for a carbine rifle, that allows you to swap heads for different scenarios, then the OKW-18350 WML is our recommended choice.
The name Modlite is an abbreviation of the phrase Modular Light, which means that the company makes modular products, i.e. customizable. This is important if you want a small body, but still want some flexibility to swap out a head or tailcap for different situations.
The parts are made so you can change the tailcap, body, and head as you wish, creating your perfect setup.
The output of the 18350 and 18650 is the same, the only difference is runtimes. If you want a longer runtime, then we’d recommend you take a look at the 18650.
18350 – 35 minutes
18650 – 75 minutes
What We Like:
Modlite makes two different heads for this body. The OKW (hotter spot, farther throw) and the PLHv2 (more spill).
Depending on your needs, like for home defense, you’ll want more spill and we’d recommend the PLHv2. We like that you can switch these out if you know ahead of time that you’d prefer one over the other.
The tailcap is compatible with any SureFire Scout tail caps. You can use pressure switches, mount it in conjunction with night vision, it’s interchangeable.
Something unique about how the head is manufactured. It’s all epoxy sealed together so there’s no way anything can come loose. It’ll survive falls, bumps and bruises.
Another thing we like, it has a step-down feature for thermal regulation. If you’re going to use the “constant-on” feature, after about 3 or 4 minutes, the Modlite starts to get too warm and steps down the output. It does this so your light won’t catch on fire. It might be inconvenient in some situations, but it’ll protect your investment from damaging itself.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Basically, you’ll need to buy some add-ons, because it doesn’t include everything in the package. The two big drawbacks we found were that it requires a mount sold separately, and the clicky tailcap is not compatible with other remote switches, you have to use their Modutton.
Furthermore, the OKW’s cannot use CR123 batteries. The light is so powerful that it would cause the CR123’s to overheat and catch fire. So, the downside is you have to use Modlite’s batteries.
Overall, they are expensive, but if you hate the flood of the old Surefire scout heads, it’s probably a nice upgrade.
BEST FOR PAIRING WITH NIGHT VISION
SureFire M600 with KM2-C Vampire Head
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 350
Runtime on High: 2.5 hrs
Max Candela: 12,750
Battery Type: x2 CR123
Weight: 4.8oz
Colors Available: Black, Tan
AT3 Tactical (See Price)
BattleHawk Armory (See Price)
*Please note the links above are for just the head. You will need a SureFire M600 series weapon light to go with it.
The Vampire is a unique head on the market because it can go back and forth between white light and infrared light. It’s invisible to the naked eye, but when paired with night vision, it can illuminate everything.
This light is good for someone who needs to operate in both spectrums. If you don’t own night vision, you probably have zero use for a Vampire, but if you do, then this is the best on the market.
The KM2-C will have a much brighter hot spot than the Scout models, which offer more flood.
What We Like: The Vampire light is really cool when you’re using IR.
By rotating the bevel clockwise, you can completely turn off the light to prevent accidental discharge. This is a really nice feature if you’re in a situation where accidental discharge could be lethal.
It’s virtually indestructible. The hard-anodized aluminum body makes it very rugged and durable. It also has a IPX7 waterproof rating, so it won’t get destroyed if you drop it in water.
Bonus—it’s made in the USA.
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Because of the Vampire Scout Light, it’s going to have a higher price point than regular weapon lights. But if you’re using night vision, pretty much everything once you start getting into night vision is expensive.
On the illumination side of things, I’d say the output is low compared to many of the other options on the market. At 350 lumens and 12,750 Candela, you’re not going to get as far of a reach or bright hot spot. The tradeoff here is that the runtime is nearly 2.5 hrs on two CR123A batteries. The IR runtime is 16.75 hours.
As we’ve covered before, SureFire has long been the industry standard when it comes to weapon lights. They make very durable, very high quality products, and if you need IR to pair with night vision we’d recommend you pickup this weapon light.
BEST FOR HOME DEFENSE
SureFire X300U-B
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS
Lumens: 1,000
Runtime on High: 1.25hrs
Max Candela: 11,300
Battery Type: x2 CR123A
Weight: 4.1oz
Colors Available: Black, Tan
Palmetto State Armory (See Price)
Brownells (See Price)
Sportsman’s Warehouse (See Price)
The X300U-B is one of my favorite weapon lights on this list. Not only will it fit on the picatinny rails found on rifles, but it will also fit on most handguns.
Add to that, it has a larger center spot beam that’s good for close-medium range engagements.
Match those two together and it makes for an ideal home defense firearm flashlight.
What We Like: Firstly, you can use it on handguns and rifles, which cannot be said for most weapon lights.
When we tested it, it fit on a wide variety of handgun models. I had no problems fitting it on my Sig Saeur P226, Glock 22, or ZEV OZ9.
Basically, what I really like about this is that I can keep the light on my handgun at home, but I can throw it on my rifle for some night shooting if I need to. None of the other lights on this list can do that.
It has an ambidextrous toggle feature for both momentary and constant-on activation. Southpaws, rejoice!
Flaws but not dealbreakers: Some people may be turned off by the T-slot thumbscrew on the side. Personally, I don’t mind it, but some people may find it tacky. You can opt for the X300U-A model, but the different mounts it comes with aren’t exactly intuitive. You have to make sure you’re using the right plate, otherwise the light will wiggle.
Speaking of the T-slot thumbscrew, if you turn it too tightly, it can cause some damage to polymer based handguns. SureFire recommends purchasing the model A light, which lacks a thumbscrew and comes with various mounts, as a workaround. Just don’t turn it too tight and it won’t be an issue.
BUILDER’S CHOICE – ARISAKA & MALKOFF
If you want to Frankenstein together the best AR-15 flashlight you possibly can, Arisaka and Malkoff make some of the best weapon light products on the market.
Arisaka makes a slightly improved SureFire light body design, which they sell with Malkoff heads that provide better performance at a distance than most SureFire heads. These are excellent AR-15 flashlights at a better price than SureFire out of the box.
The scout mount interface on the Arisaka light bodies is reprofiled to work better with aftermarket mounts, including the ones that Arisaka sells. Arisaka makes every imaginable type of mount, so you can mount a light anywhere you want on any rail you have.
The Malkoff hyper throw series of heads are excellent. You can get them for normal SureFire style bodies or for the dual fuels or the rechargeable only bodies. It’s a lot of throw for a very small package.
Arisaka and Malkoff lights are fairly cost effective. It ends up being cheaper to build out exactly the light you want from Arisaka than it is to buy a SureFire, upgrade the head, and buy a new mount.
First, let’s start with the body.
Arisaka Defense 600
Can be used to replace SureFire M600 or build a new light from scratch.
Primary Arms (See Price)
This Arisaka 600 body increases the clearance on your sight and weapon platform. You can use this with an existing Scout Light mounts with a square lug interface. It’s compatible with many SureFire and after-market tailcaps and heads.
Next, here’s the tailcap we’d recommend.
SureFire Z68 TailCap
An inexpensive, durable tailcap. You can opt for something more complete, like a DS07 remote switch (they have a tape switch and picatinny rail option available), but if you’d like to keep it simple, this clicky tailcap will do the trick.
Primary Arms (See Price)
Amazon (See Price)
GunMag Warehouse (See Price)
Next, let’s focus on the light head. There’s a few different routes you could take here, depending on your needs.
We’d opt for a low-cost, high-power head with lots of throw and decent battery life.
Malkoff E2HT Head
A good head can make a world of difference. This one boasts 500 lumens and 35,000 Candela, runs on 2X CR123 (30 minute runtime) or 16650 batteries (60 minute runtime). It’s a good value output for the price.
If you choose one of the other Malkoff heads, just do your research and make sure the head is compatible with the Arisaka 600 body.
Beyond that, you’ll just need to pick the mount of your choosing. Put it all together, mount it, and voila! You’ve assembled an AR-15 weapon light.
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Final Thoughts on the Best AR-15 Flashlights
The best AR-15 flashlight is going to come down to personal preference, budget, and ultimate use.
If you want a solid, durable, far-throwing weapon light, the Cloud Defensive REIN 3.0 or SureFire M640DFT-PRO are great options. They are widely used and considered the best on the market.
If you’re looking for a more affordable starter light, the Streamlight HLX or Ozark TFL-1-R are great options. If you’re planning to do some night missions and need something compatible with night vision, the SureFire M600 with KM2-C Vampire Head is going to be your best bet.
What setup are you rolling with? What flashlights did we miss? Mad we didn’t include Olight or Nightstick? Let us know in the comments.
Justin Trump is the managing editor and owner of CAT Outdoors. The son of a Vietnam veteran, he’s an avid gun enthusiast and 2A advocate. He holds two firearm patents for the CAT M4 and Talon tools. When not managing CAT Outdoors, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, rooting for Michigan sports teams, and serving his church.
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