The Best Shotgun Grip Flashlights

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Are you searching for the best shotgun grip flashlight? Well, if you are, then it’s important to consider all options. If you need to use a shotgun at night or if you just prefer hunting in the dark, then a flashlight is a must.

No matter what your reason is behind buying the best shotgun grip flashlight, the last thing you want to do is shoot an innocent inadvertently, merely because you couldn’t see your target clearly in dim light. And if there’s an actual attacker, you wouldn’t want to make mistakes and give them a chance to gain an advantage.

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

Here’s a list of the best shotgun grip flashlights:

What to Consider when looking for a Shotgun Grip Flashlight

The primary purpose behind buying a shotgun grip flashlight is aiming and shooting at the right target when visibility is poor. 

It’s not that easy to pick the right one as there are so many of them on the market. Here’s what to look for while on the hunt for the best shotgun grip flashlight.

Lumens and Brightness

Lumen output is one of the essential features that you should look for while choosing a shotgun grip flashlight. In situations where you need to use a shotgun, it means lives are at risk, and you wouldn’t want anything to go wrong just because you couldn’t see the target.

To select the best shotgun grip flashlight with max brightness, look at its lumen output. A lumen is a unit to measure the brightness and intensity of light. For example, a flashlight with 800 lumens will be brighter with more beam distance than one with 300 lumens.

For a shotgun, a flashlight with 500+ lumens will be perfect.

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

Reliability

Since we can be talking about life and death here, reliability matters. A flashlight that stops working after a few first uses or has a loose grip won’t interest you; it may come off while using the shotgun, you can’t count on it.

Go for the one that has a firm grip. You can check the grip by doing a test shoot. If it comes off, gets a crack, or stops working all together from a few blasts of the shotgun, it’s not the one for you.

Runtime

We are referring to the amount of time your shotgun grip flashlight works from the initial activation to the time when its lumen output drains down to 10 percent.

The runtime depends on two factors: the battery life of your flashlight and the lumens it produces.

If you’re going to use the flashlight at the suggested lumen output, that is 500+; it’ll be better for you to keep extra batteries with you. The cells drain faster than they normally would when the lumen output is substantial.

Modes

Most people use shotguns these days for self-defense, and since your motto is to protect the life of your family members, your friends, and yourself, consider going for the best shotgun grip flashlight that offers various modes.

Strobe mode: You can use this mode for blinding your attacker. Once the bright light hits their eyes, it’ll take a few minutes for their eyes to adjust to the dark again. During this time, you can use their disorientation to either run away or get hold of the attacker without having the need to shoot.

Momentary mode: It’s perfect if you just want to know your surroundings. You can activate it with a single click. In most flashlights, it’s the most available mode.

Make sure your flashlight is aligned correctly with your sight to avoid messing up your aim.

Mount

Picatinny rains and Glock style rails are the best mounting equipment so far and come with most flashlights. Avoid choosing a flashlight that comes with a clip, the grip is not as secure, and you may notice your flashlight becoming loose. Not all flashlights with a clip provide a bad fixing; there are always exceptions. Yet, be aware when making the purchase.

Size and Weight

When you mount an accessory on your shotgun, it affects your aim if not chosen carefully. You need to make sure that its weight and size are acceptable before purchasing.

A reasonable weight should be less than 10 ounces (if it’s less than 5 ounces, then brilliant!) The size that you should go for should be less than 4 inches in length.

Click here to see the Best Shotgun Flashlights reviewed!

The Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight

Now that you have an idea of what to look for when buying a shotgun grip flashlight. I have listed six of the best shotgun grip flashlights available on the market. You can choose according to your needs.

The Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight Overall

SureFire X300 Ultra Series LED Weapon light

The X300 Ultra is the new version of the SureFire, and 600 lumens of white light output enhances its performance considerably. The flashlight also comes with a TIR lens that makes the beam smoother and more concentrated. It can provide enough light for even peripheral illumination, which makes the flashlight suitable for self-defense and hunting as it’ll keep you aware of your surroundings.

The flashlight also features a one-finger control with ambidextrous switching between momentary and constant-on use. It’s also waterproof for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

Mounting this flashlight is quick and easy, as it can attach to both the universal and Picatinny accessory rails. It comes with two mounting systems—T-slot mounting for railed guns and adapter mounting for non-railed handguns.

The flashlight also provides optional pressure-activated switches, so you don’t lose your grip on the weapon due to the constant need for activation and deactivation.

Pros

  • 600-lumen output providing better brightness.
  • Long-distance beam focused with a TIR lens.
  • Large center spotlight.
  • Provides one-finger control.
  • You can mount it on both shotguns and long guns.

Cons

  • You may need to use the flashlight with caution because of the excessive brightness. 

The Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight with High Lumen Output

Streamlight 69261 TLR-2 HL High Lumen Rail-Mounted Tactical Light

The flashlight delivers a 12,000-candela peak beam and 800 lumens output of brightness. It can be a great choice if you carry your shotgun with you every day for self-defense.

This flashlight is suitable to mount on an extensive range of weapons irrespective of their size. It provides a one-handed snap, so it’s safe to attach or detach because your hand won’t be in contact with the muzzle.

The flashlight is quite durable as it’s a 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with an anodized finish, which makes it high temperature and shock tolerant. So, after a few blasts, you can still count that it won’t come out of the barrel or get a crack.

The TIR lens present in the flashlight makes its beam more concentrated. It gives you peripheral illumination, making it easier for you to scan your surroundings. The Streamlight 69261 has a class 3R Laser with a wavelength of 650 – 660 and an output of fewer than 5 megawatts.

Pros

  • High lumen output.
  • Features concentrated long-distance beam focused with TIR lens.
  • Temperature and shock-resistant. 

Cons

  • Some of the customers preferred a green Laser, but it comes with a red one.

Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight Including Lithium Batteries

Streamlight 88850 PolyTac LED Flashlight

The flashlight is based on C4 LED tech and is shock-resistant, it has a lifetime of 50,000 hours, and the flashlight’s shock resistance feature makes it more reliable. According to the lifetime offered, it’s more durable than most shotgun flashlights.

The flashlight features a lens crafted from borofloat glass, meaning it’s resistant to scratches and abrasions. And since it’s O-ring sealed, it can also tolerate high pressure and temperature and prevents negligible torque when tightening, minimizing the possibility of structural damage to nill.

The runtime of the flashlight is 3 hours, with a 10 percent output level and provides one-hand control for momentary and constant-on activation.

Pros

  • Reliable due to the O-ring seal and borofloat glass lens.
  • Durable.
  • Good battery life.
  • Good runtime and output.
  • Water-resistant.

Cons

  • It comes with non-rechargeable batteries.

Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight with Quick Release

Elzetta ZSM-T Flashlight Mount for Tactical Shotgun

This flashlight best fits the Remington 870, Mossberg 500 and 590, Benelli M4, and many other shotguns. For mounting, it comes with an adapter that can accommodate a flashlight of between 0.70 inches to 1.05 inches in diameter. It can be instantly installed and removed from the shotgun with the help of a quick-release Thumbscrew.

Note that the flashlight requires 1.75 inches of free space on the magazine tube and barrel.

It’s one of the best shotgun grip flashlights on the list; it’s only 5.76 ounces in weight and 2.4 inches in length. It’s light in weight and small in size.

You can attach the flashlight on either side of the shotgun, making it great for right and left-handed people.

Pros

  • Durable.
  • Lightweight.
  • Easy to install and remove.

Cons

  • It needs 1.75 inches of free space in the magazine tube and barrel to work.

Click here to see the Best Shotgun Rail Mount Flashlights reviewed!

Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight with Pressure and Tactical Switches

WINDFIRE Tactical Flashlight

This flashlight features 1200 lumens of white light output and a beam distance of up to 100 meters (approximately 110 yards) and is made up of a high-quality aircraft-grade aluminum alloy.

If you carry your shotgun with you every day for safety purposes, then you can count on this flashlight. It has rubber O-ring seals making it waterproof so that you can use it even on rainy days.

Additionally, the flashlight offers two modes and has remote pressure switches for momentary and constant-on; you can choose according to your need at the time. 

The batteries used in the flashlight are 1x 3.7V 18650 battery/ 2x CR123a, and CR123; this will ensure that you get maximum brightness as CR123a and CR123 batteries emit more power than the usual ones. But you should always carry extra batteries with you, as they might discharge quickly due to the high lumen output.

Note that the package doesn’t include batteries with it. However, both the CR123a and the CR123 are rechargeable.

You can mount this flashlight on hand pistols, rifles, and shotguns with the help of the right equipment provided. 

Pros

  • High brightness with 1200-lumen output.
  • Great mounting system.
  • Waterproof.
  • Build with high quality.

Cons

  • Batteries not included in the package.

Best Shotgun Grip Flashlight for Mossberg 500 and 590

SureFire DSF-500/590 Two-Output-Mode Ultra-High LED Light

This flashlight comes with a two-output LED that can generate 600 lumens for blinding your potential attacker, or 200 lumens if you want to double the runtime.

To mount the flashlight on Mossberg 500 and 590 shotguns, you’ll need to check the diameter of the forend tube that should be either 6¾-inch or 7¾-inch and bezel diameter, which should be 1.37 inches.

The switch is ergonomic and ambidextrous, so the momentary and constant-on buttons are available on both sides. However, the output-mode-selector switch is present on the left side, and the system disable-switch on the forend bottom.

The flashlight is 22.5 ounces, and the reason for its firm grip is its texture. Additionally, for construction, the company has used a Mil-spec hard-anodized aluminum body sealed with an O-ring, which makes the gun durable and waterproof.

Pros

  • Two-output LED for blinding and longer runtime.
  • Durable.
  • High-quality construction.
  • Ambidextrous switching.

Cons

  • The flashlight is a little heavy, which may put additional weight on the front.

Click here to see all of our Weapon Light Reviews!

Final Note

Having a bright flashlight on your shotgun is quite necessary if you use it for safety purposes or hunting in the dark. Knowing your surroundings can make you feel extra secure and your aim more precise.

The best shotgun grip flashlight to go for on this list is the Elzetta ZSM-T Flashlight Mount for Tactical Shotgun because it’s the most durable and lightweight among all the flashlights listed. 

If you’re on a budget, then consider going for the Streamlight 88850 PolyTac LED Flashlight. It only narrowly missed the top spot; it’s reliable, has good runtime, and battery life yet costs less.