Streamlight announced the delivery of their new TL-Racker shotgun forend light for Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590 pump-action shotguns.

The new TL-Racker is a complete forend unit built from lightweight, impact-resistant nylon and with an integral white light. Designed to replace standard manufacturer pump-action forends, the TL-Racker offers shooters a powerful 1,000 lumens weapon-mounted light to help resolve a low-light confrontation.

The addition of the Streamlight TL-Racker for shotgun mounted light options is a significant announcement. Previously, the options for shotgun forend mounted lights were very limited due to a patent secured by SureFire. While good for the company, this stifled competition for affordable shotgun lights. That patent expired, and the market is now open to provide options to police officers and armed citizens.

With Streamlight product offering, the availability of this critical accessory offers shooters an additional choice. As we’ve seen in all capitalist-based economies, competition drives prices down. Streamlight does that with the TL-Racker coming in at about half the price of the SureFire option.

The TL-Racker Forend Light

The Streamlight TL-Racker is a compact, lightweight and ergonomic shotgun forend with an integrated and powerful Streamlight weapon-mounted light. The overall streamlined design keeps the TL-Racker tight-fitting to the shotgun’s frame to avoid unnecessary bulk or snag hazards. This design aligns modern manufacturing techniques and materials, with end-user functionality in mind. Made with impact-resistant nylon for the forend housing with an IPX4 rating for weather resistance, the TL-Racker is virtually indestructible and mission-ready to confront the harsh conditions routinely faced by today’s law enforcement officers.

Having a powerful weapon-mounted light, particularly on long guns, is a critical asset in low-light encounters. It is hard to imagine a modern law enforcement long gun not having the option of a weapon-mounted light when deployed for service.

Streamlight provided the TL-Racker with a powerful 1,000 lumens, 20,000 candelas light, with 1.5-hour constant on run time. The customized optic is designed to provide a concentrated light beam for maximum impact on illuminated targets. The TL-Racker is an on/off (high) light, so there are no complicated pressure combinations to worry about. Streamlight does offer a momentary and constant-on function, however. With a light this bright, officers should have more than enough illumination to properly identify targets and make sound shoot/no-shoot decisions.

Streamlight uses intuitive pressure pad activation bars located on the top portion of both sides of the forend. The pressure pads are enlarged rectangles providing ample room for the operator’s thumb or finger to make positive contact for light activation. Having the pressure pads on top of the forend also allows users to form a solid grip for manipulating the shotgun’s action, without accidentally illuminating the weapon light if not needed or desired. The shooter does not have to break master grip to activate the pressure pads, but simply moves their thumb or finger to the pad when needed. With ambidextrous access to illumination controls, both right and left-handed shooters will have easy illumination control when needed. Regardless of hand size, officers should have no problems manipulating the TL-Racker’s pressure pads.

Features

• Impact-resistant nylon construction
• Ribbed base for positive grip control
• 1,000 lumens and20,000 candelas
• Ambidextrous pressure pad light illumination controls
• Momentary and constant-on options.
• Powered by (2) CR123A lithium batteries.
• Length: 7.94 inches
• Weight: 10.68 ounces
• Streamlight Limited Lifetime Warranty
• MSRP: $225.00.

In addition to function-based features, the Streamlight TL-Racker will be powered by two CR123A lithium batteries, that have become almost ubiqutous with law enforcement flashlights. Having widely available, and relatively inexpensive battery requirements is a huge plus in favor of the TL-Racker.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Officers should be aware and cautious about flashback from powerful lights such as the TL-Racker. As the lumen rating goes higher, there is a potential for blinding flashback when officers illuminate reflective materials at close range. This flashback can even occur from walls or doors in close proximity. When searching buildings officers must be aware of this phenomenon to avoid ruining their night vision, and potentially temporarily blinding themselves.

Shockwave Additions

Streamlight announced it added a new TL-Racker variant to the line.

Designed for the Mossberg 590 Shockwave guns, the new TL-Racker comes with an adjustable hand strap. The strap ensures your hand will stay on the fore end for quick pumping action. It also prevents your hand from moving forward of the muzzle.

Final Thoughts

The use of weapon-mounted lights is critically important for today’s law enforcement officers. This is particularly true with long guns requiring both hands on the weapon for control and function, and more agencies are starting to recognize it.

Weapon light technology is astoundingly better today than at any point in history. Officers and the citizens they serve need to have the best tools available to ensure lethal force is appropriately used.

The TL-Racker appears to be an outstanding option for the most popular police shotguns in America – Remington and Mossberg. With one of the most powerful light options for integrated shotgun weapon-mounted lights, and a price tag nearly half of the Surefire option, I can see the TL-Racker gaining huge popularity in a very short time.

Though sadly often forgotten in modern police work that emphasizes the patrol rifle, the police shotgun maintains a valid place and purpose in providing officers increased firepower in deadly force encounters.