The Best Flashlights with Lasers for AR-15’s

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Many consider having a light on a firearm as essential. With light, you have a tactical advantage in many ways, from better vision and accuracy to disorienting your target using high brightness or a strobe. 

For this purpose, we’ve scanned the market to find the best options. By combining this list with our buyer’s guide, you should find the right model for your needs.

Click here to read all about the Pros and Cons of a Weapon Mounted Light

Here are the best flashlight with laser for AR15 options to consider:

What Matters About Tactical Flashlights the Most

From our research, we’ve narrowed down the following factors as guidance on which you should focus:

Brightness

Brightness is measured in lumens and is the core feature for flashlights, and more lumens mean a brighter light.

Knowing what brightness level you need can be difficult, but use this as a guide for the different ranges:

  • Close-range engagement: Minimum of 200 lumens.
  • Long-range: At least 600 lumens.

The catch is that a high-lumens output drains your batteries faster, so you won’t be able to use the attachment for as long. High-quality models will have powerful batteries to counter this, but don’t be surprised if yours drains longer than expected.

Our Lumens, Lux, and Candela article is a great resource to learn more about Lumens and light output

Strobe

Flashlights with strobe modes are clearly more tactically advantageous than ones without. Even though the effects of a strobe are temporary, they provide you with those critical few seconds in a dangerous situation.

If you haven’t considered a flashlight with a strobe, strobing disorients your opponent, affecting their coordination and reducing their threat level.

Even if they don’t get blind directly by the strobe, it can reduce their peripheral vision, reducing their field of vision and impacting their ability to react.

Most top-end flashlights for an AR15 come with a strobe, and we highly recommend you go for one of these.

Laser

Lasers are amplified light, but it’s not just a case of getting any old flashlight with a laser, oh no.

You see, lasers come in different colors and power outputs. Usually, they’re designed for tactical use and have a power output of around 5 milliwatts, no matter the color. 

The color differences aren’t an aesthetic quality. Instead, they make for different properties altogether.

Red Lasers

Red lasers were the first to emerge and have the longest wavelength and lowest frequency. In general, the shorter the wavelength, the more concentrated the laser beam is, offering improved visibility.

They’re also the cheapest compared to their green and blue cousins, but they have the lowest beam distance due to their lower energy. The higher the frequency, the higher its energy.

The beam also has low visibility, especially in the daytime. Although, with dust or mist in the air, it becomes easier to see the beam since such particles scatter red light.

Green/Blue Lasers

Green and blue laser beams have a longer range than their red cousins because of their higher energy, with the blue laser being able to travel farther than a green one. Despite this similarity, blue light has the shortest wavelength and the highest frequency out of all three colors.

In terms of visibility, green and blue are almost on par. This is because, despite the blue laser beam being brighter by nature due to its higher energy, the human eye is most sensitive to green. 

Additionally, both green and blue light, unlike red, are scattered by the air molecules, known as Rayleigh scattering. So, even in clear air and daylight, you’d be able to see either of them clearly.

Size and Weight

In terms of adding a light, it’s best to use a flashlight that won’t add too much weight so that your rifle becomes unbalanced.

Bulky flashlights are also impractical and would prevent you from using other attachments. So, the smaller and more compact the flashlight is, the better it will be for the AR15. As such, we don’t recommend flashlights longer than 10 inches and heavier than 25 ounces

It’s important to note that the size of the flashlight does not determine how bright it is, so you don’t have to worry about compromising on it for the sake of size or vice versa.

Durability

While anything weapon-related is considered highly durable, flashlights can easily be knocked and damaged since they’re on the perimeter.

For this, go for flashlights that are shock-resistant. The optimal material choices here are usually a combination of aircraft-grade aluminum, which is light and provides strength, and a thermoplastic polymer, which can absorb mechanical energy from shock.

Water-Resistance

Water-resistance is achieved by the way the product is sealed. It’s measured using a special scale called IPX ratings, which indicate how good the product is at resisting water damage. 

It’s as “IPX” followed by a number from 0 to 8, where 0 means absolutely no water resistance, and 8 means the product can be submerged in more than 3 feet of water.

How durable is it? What does IPX6 mean? Read our Ultimate Guide to the ANSI/PLATO FL1 Standard symbols!

Windage and Elevation

All flashlights for weapons come with adjustment mechanisms for:

  • Windage: Horizontal deviation compensation.
  • Elevation: Vertical deviation compensation.

These can be adjusted by using tools or by hand, depending on how the product’s designed. Not having to use tools to make these adjustments is easier, makes you faster and more efficient.

Product Reviews

Best Overall Tactical Flashlight

Streamlight 69261 TLR-2 HL Rail Mounted Tactical Light

The Streamlight 69621 makes for a neat add-on to your AR15 owing to its compatibility, durability, and illumination. We’re also featuring it as the best flashlight with laser for AR15.

Of note is the bright 630-lumens output, which covers 309 yards. It also features a red or green laser and a strobe mode, with the wide beam pattern lighting up large areas for better search and cover.

It takes 1.25 hours for its two CR123A batteries, which are included, to run out of juice when using the laser and light. They’ll last for 45 hours with just the laser.

Measuring 3.39 inches with a weight of 4.88 ounces, the flashlight can be mounted on Picatinny rails. This happens via a clamp system, which allows for easy attachment or detachment from the rail without the use of tools or exposing your hand to the muzzle.

The flashlight is also quite durable, having an IPX4 water-resistance rating and an operating temperature between -40 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of this, windage and elevation screws ensure zero retention of the laser.

Pros

  • Strobe mode.
  • Easily attaches/detaches from the weapon.
  • High brightness and beam distance.
  • Two laser options.

Cons

  • Windage and elevation adjustments require tools.

Click here to see the Best AR-15 Flashlights reviewed!

Best Red Dot Sight Option

AT3 LEOS Red Dot Sight with Integrated Laser

A great choice for a red dot sight and laser combo, the AT3 LEOS has a lot going for it.

The sight itself has six different brightness settings, which you can use interchangeably, depending on your situation. This combines well with the simple push-button, which switches between the three different modes: red sight only, laser only or both. 

As with the Streamlight 69261, you can switch between a red or green laser, with green ideal for tactical use during the day.

Operating on one CR123 battery, the red laser will last for up to 40 hours, and the green will last for 8 hours.

We like how the windage and elevation adjusters don’t require external tools, but, instead, use a built-in screwdriver.

With a length of 4.3 inches and a weight of 8.3 ounces, it’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum, which adds to its durability, and it can easily mount on a Picatinny rail.

In terms of resistance, the sight is well-sealed, providing good water resistance, but we’re unsure of the IPX rating. In addition, it’s purged using nitrogen, making it fog proof.

Pros

  • Included red dot sight makes it stand out.
  • Comes with two different laser options.
  • Long runtime.

Cons

  • Laser can often require re-zeroing.

Best Compact Tactical Flashlight

Ade Advanced Optics Compact Rail Tactical Flashlight

If compactness is what you’re looking for in a tactical flashlight, look no further than this option.

The flashlight produces 200 lumens of brightness, which can be triggered alone or simultaneously with the red laser using a toggle switch. This is powered through two CR123A batteries that provide around 2.5 hours of runtime.

Weighing 3.5 ounces, the flashlight is pretty compact, and you can easily mount it on Weaver or Picatinny rails, and detaching is just as easy. On top of this, it’s adjustable for windage and elevation for better precision.

Pros

  • Compact.
  • Long run time.
  • Compatible with Weaver and Picatinny rails.

Cons

  • No strobe mode.

Best Flashlight with Blue Laser

Ade Advanced Optics Dual Strobe Flashlight with Blue Laser

This Ade Advanced Optics option doesn’t disappoint when it comes to having a powerful laser in your hands.

The main flashlight has two different brightness modes, a maximum output of 650 lumens and a lower output of 200 lumens. For navigational purposes, there’s a secondary flashlight, which gives off a 10-lumen light beam. Additionally, there’s a strobe mode, and switching from this to the light is simple via a trigger switch with clock positions. 

The integrated blue laser can be activated on its own or simultaneously with the light and has a range that exceeds a thousand yards.

With three CR123A batteries as a power source, which are included, the flashlight runs for 3 hours and the navigational light for up to 60 hours.

Measuring 7 inches in length with a weight of 8.4 ounces, you can mount this on Picatinny or Weaver rails. On top of this, it’s durable owing to its aluminum alloy construction, with good shock, recoil, and water resistance, although the IPX rating isn’t advised. On top of this, the product features an ergonomic foregrip, enhancing stability.

Pros

  • Strobe mode.
  • Bright laser with excellent range.
  • The secondary flashlight has a long runtime.
  • Comes with a foregrip.

Cons

  • Trigger switch can be confusing to use.

Best Flashlight-Scope Combo

Sniper ST1-4X28L Rifle Scope Combo Flashlight

If you like combos, especially ones that have everything you’d need for a rifle, Sniper’s ST1-4X28L is a fantastic choice.

Of particular note is the mil-dot reticle etched in the glass, which can be illuminated in red or green with different brightnesses.

Attached to one side is a 200-lumen flashlight that has a range of over 20 yards. On the other side is the red laser, with a beam distance ranging up to 328 yards. 

The two knobs—one on the side, one on the top—adjust for windage and elevation, with clicks of one-half MOA (minute of angle). These are easily operated by finger, after which they can be locked by pressing them down.

Being 9.9 inches long and weighing 24.48 ounces, this combo is durable since it’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum. It’s also water-resistant—although the IPX rating isn’t advised— and shock-resistant. Additionally, it’s compatible with Picatinny rails.

Pros

  • Part of a rifle-scope combo.
  • Windage and elevation knobs don’t need tools.
  • Flashlight and laser are detachable.

Cons

  • Can’t be mounted on a Weaver rail.

Click here to see all of our Weapon Light Reviews!

Conclusion 

Many seem to ignore the significance of the laser color when grabbing their AR15 flashlight. This is easily understood, though, and our research clearly shows a winner as a result.

For us, the Streamlight 69261 TLR-2 HL Rail Mounted Tactical Light is the best flashlight with laser for AR15. In particular, it has excellent visibility with a high lumens output and versatility in the red or green laser options. Combine this with its high durability and strobe mode, and you have an awesome product.