Besides guns, lots of cool guns, one of the most popular things you will find at SHOT show as you walk the isles are lights and optics. Today, we are taking a quick glance at some of the hottest weapon-mounted lights that were on display at SHOT 2026.
There are plenty of other cool lights not on this list, but these were some of my favorites. I’ll break them down between handgun and rifle-mounted lights.
Handgun Mounted Lights
Pistol lights at this year’s show appeared to be moving toward compact and rechargeable versions. There were still plenty of new full-size lights to be found as well.
Streamlight TLR-3 X Rechargeable Light
This light is a multi-fuel light and will run on a CR123A or one Streamlight SL-B9 rechargeable battery. According to Streamlight, the TLR-3 X is one of the narrowest TLR lights in the series.
On High, the light has 500 lumens and 6,500 candela with a beam distance of 161 meters. It will run for one hour when using the rechargeable battery and 1.5 hours when using a CR123A battery.
It also has a “snap-on-tighten” design so it can be installed on the light in seconds. This system also allows you to install and remove the light without putting your hands in front of the muzzle of the gun.
As you would expect on a weapon-mounted light, it has momentary and constant-on functions. There are switches on each side of the trigger guard for both right- and left-handed users. You can also select to use a strobe setting if desired.
According to Streamlight, this light will fit compact frames like the Glock 43/43X, FN Reflex, P365, and more. When selecting this light, you can choose two options. First is a standard TLR-3 X, which comes with a standard disposable battery. Second, is the TLR-3 X USB, which comes with a rechargeable battery and charging cable.
Surefire XC3 SUB
I was pretty excited to see this light from SureFire. The XC3 SUB was designed just for concealed carry while providing enough light for self-defense incidents. It has 1000 lumens and 13000 candela.
Following a growing trend with handgun lights, the XC3 uses a front-loading battery compartment. This lets you swap out the 123A battery quickly without removing the light from the gun. It will also be available with a SureFire rechargeable battery.
The aerospace aluminum body is Mil-Spec hard-anodized, so you will get the durability that comes with the SureFire name. It has both momentary and constant-on modes as well.
My favorite thing about this light is the locking feature on the end of the light. A ring that goes around the outside of the light, near the lens, rotates from “On” to “Lock.” This lets you lock the light in off mode so you don’t have to worry about accidentally activating it. I’ve found this feature handy when traveling, storing the light, etc.
Nightstick TWM-30-GL
The Nightstick TWM-30 is the flagship handgun light for Nightstick. I’ve used this light on duty, during training, and when carrying for self-defense.
This year, Nightstick is offering an upgrade to this light, called the TWM-30-GL. It integrates a 1,200-lumen white light with a daylight-visible green aiming laser for rapid target acquisition. This full-sized light provides a 194-meter beam distance, making it perfect for duty or home defense.
The green laser is tucked into the bezel so it doesn’t take up any more room. This is the most important aspect of the light for me. It will fit most existing holsters designed for the standard TWM-30. A good holster is not cheap, so it’s nice to see an upgraded light that doesn’t require a new holster to work with it.
It runs for nearly two hours on two CR123 batteries and uses single-motion switches for intuitive operation.
Best Rifle-Mounted Lights of SHOT 2026
In today’s world, mounting a light on a rifle is pretty much standard. Rifle lights this year focused on specialized spectrums and extreme distance “throw” to cut through photonic barriers.
Like the handgun-mounted lights, there were a lot of models to look at throughout SHOT show, but two stood out to me.
Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro
The ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro was maybe the coolest rifle-mounted light I saw at SHOT. It was designed for those who use night vision or thermal imaging equipment. It has a selector switch at the head of the light that toggles between 1,100 lumens of white light and a 2,300mW infrared illuminator.
To prevent accidental white light discharge when using IR equipment, the light includes an integrated safety cutoff in the IR mode. It is multi-fuel compatible, running on a single SL-B26 rechargeable battery or two standard CR123A lithium batteries. The “Jack-Cap” tail cap uses a switch redundancy, so you have both the standard push-button and a remote pressure switch at the same time.
The head of the light is wider than the body, giving it an “oblong” look, but I kind of like it. You can still use 10-tap programming with this light to change it from high, medium, and low modes. According to Streamlight, the ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro will be available this spring.
Surefire M640T PRO
The SureFire M640T PRO is part of the “Turbo” series, engineered specifically for high-candela output and extreme distance.
With a whopping 70,000 candela and 700 lumens, it was designed to identify targets at long ranges through smoke or fog. The Low-Profile Mount (LPM) allows the light to swivel and tuck close to the rifle’s rail system. This adjustment allows the light to clear other accessories like lasers, optics, or backup iron sights on the handguard. It was built with aerospace aluminum and uses O-ring seals.
SureFire has one of the best reputations for “battle gun” quality, and this new light builds off models tested in the field. M640T PRO remains the gold standard for ruggedness in professional rifle lighting.
The M640T Pro is powered by two CR123A batteries and has a run time of 1.5 hours (on high). This light is perfect for those needing to identify threats at longer distances.
All of the lights on this list should either be available to purchase by publication or are expected to be available within the first quarter of 2026.
Questions & Answers
What are the main power options for the new Streamlight TLR-3 X?
The TLR-3 X is a “multi-fuel” light, meaning it can run on either a standard disposable CR123A lithium battery or Streamlight’s SL-B9 rechargeable battery. Depending on the model purchased (Standard vs. USB), it will come with one of these two battery types.
What unique safety feature does the Surefire XC3 SUB offer for concealed carry?
The XC3 SUB features a physical locking ring located near the lens. By rotating this ring from “On” to “Lock,” users can completely disable the light to prevent accidental activation during travel or storage.
Will users need to buy new holsters if they upgrade to the Nightstick TWM-30-GL?
Most likely not. Nightstick designed the TWM-30-GL with the green laser tucked into the bezel, so it maintains the same footprint as the original TWM-30. It is compatible with most existing holsters designed for the standard TWM-30 model.
How does the Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro prevent accidental white light discharge?
This rifle light includes an integrated safety cutoff within its IR mode. When the selector switch is set to infrared for use with night vision or thermal equipment, the white light function is disabled to prevent accidental detection.
What is the primary purpose of the high-candela output on the Surefire M640T PRO?
With 70,000 candela, the M640T PRO is engineered specifically for “throw.” This high intensity allows users to identify targets at extreme distances and “punch through” photonic barriers like thick smoke, fog, or heavy rain.
