7 Best Shotgun Flashlights [Reviewed & Updated in 2023]

Last Updated on March, 2023

Shotgun lights make great partners to any shotgun and are a must have for any shotgun enthusiast, exploring the night!

Regardless of how you plan on using a shotgun flashlight, a tactical flashlight mounted on a shotgun provides you with HANDS-FREE illumination when using your shotgun at night. 

After carefully hand-testing dozens of flashlights and researching so many others, I have for you the 7 BEST shotgun flashlights that have the BEST features and applicability. 

Everything that needed to be considered, such as DURABILITY and LIGHT OUTPUT, was considered in the selection of the BEST 7.

Not only will you find a selection of some AMAZING shotgun lights, but this list will also teach you exactly what to look for when buying that PERFECT shotgun flashlight. 

Hence, without further ado, let’s dive into our selection of the BEST 7 shotgun flashlights on the market. 

Editor’s Choice
Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie
Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie
Brightness
Beam distance
Runtime
Durability
Price

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

Overall Score

5.0

#2nd Best Choice
Streamlight TLR-1 HL
Streamlight TLR-1 HL
Brightness
Beam distance
Runtime
Durability
Price

4.9

5.0

4.9

4.9

4.9

Overall Score

4.9

#3rd Best Choice
SureFire X300 Ultra
SureFire X300 Ultra
Brightness
Beam distance
Runtime
Durability
Price

4.8

4.8

4.8

4.8

4.9

Overall Score

4.8

Top 7 Best Shotgun Flashlights

These flashlights have been chosen after careful hand-testing and consideration. I hand-tested each and every flashlight on this list, so you can also TRUST the information in this article to make an informed decision on the purchasing of YOUR shotgun flashlight. 

1. Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie (Editor’s Choice)

Olight is a world-renowned brand of flashlights that is known to produce some exceptionally AMAZING tactical flashlights.

This flashlight is only 1.26 inches long and only weighs 3.25 ounces. 

The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie is a tactical shotgun flashlight with a tactical rail mount built into the flashlight. You can easily attach this flashlight to a shotgun. 

Apart from hunting, shotgun flashlights are also used in law enforcement by the police. It also works as an addition to any self-defense arsenal. 

This flashlight is actually designed for MILITARY, which means you are getting a VERY strong and durable flashlight!

It is made of a strong aluminum alloy, making this a HARDY shotgun tactical light. 

The best shotgun flashlight will have a good beam profile. The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie has a maximum brightness of 1500 lumens. That is almost twice as bright as a 60-watt bulb!

With a light beam distance at a maximum reach of 280 meters, which is excellent for HUNTING and other gun-related uses. This flashlight is designed for military use; hence the range is optimally designed for greater applicability. The range is sufficient for use when combined with the range of a shotgun. 

When used in HIGH mode, the concentrated beam produced by this flashlight is a high intensity beam. The battery life on the high mode will last you about 45 minutes, while on low mode, this flashlight will work for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

It also has a strobe mode allowing for tactical use, such as in case of an emergency. 

This is a simple shotgun tactical light, a weapon light. The bright light produced by this flashlight is enough to spot anything in the distance. It works great in hunting when you need some light for that final kill. 

The fact that it has a rail mount inbuilt means this flashlight is specifically designed to be used with a SHOTGUN!

The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie is one of the best shotgun lights, with a side switch, capable of remote operation (when used with a gun.) 

This is a rechargeable flashlight that is powered by a lithium-ion battery. It is charged via a magnetic charging cable, which nicely fastens itself to the bottom of this flashlight. This flashlight will fully charge in only 1.5 HOURS! (That is really fast charging.)

Rated IPX6 waterproof, this flashlight is not only water resistant but also shock-proof at 1 meter. (I drop-tested this flashlight, and absolutely nothing happened to it.)

The Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie is a handy bright light, a great weapon light, and one of the best shotgun lights on the market. At the top of this list, this is a very DURABLE and tactically built tactical shotgun flashlight. Olight has a 5-YEAR warranty on all their products. 

Pros

  • Strong exterior and build quality
  • Durable and lightweight design
  • Rail mount allows for easy attachment to shotgun
  • Strobe feature
  • Rechargeable battery for extended use
  • Simple UI, easy to use
  • Activation switch are large which makes it easier to press

Cons

  • The switches are kinda loud when being pressed

2. Streamlight TLR-1 HL Weaponlight (#2nd Best Choice)

This is a beautifully designed flashlight that has a mount inbuilt allowing you to fasten this flashlight onto all MIL-STD-1913 picatinny rails. The ability to attach to a picatinny rail gives this flashlight excellent scope for use in tactical scenarios. 

The picatinny rail mount is part of the design of this flashlight, which has an exceptionally STRONG exterior!

With 1000 lumens of brightness at its disposal, this tactical flashlight works great as a shotgun light.

Mounting this to a shotgun, you would have an AMAZING shotgun light, capable of taking your night shooting (hunting) to the next level!

Streamlight TLR-1 HL Weaponlight

The Streamlight shotgun light has a beam range of 283 meters, which is a sufficient range to be used with a shotgun. Shotguns are intended for close-range shooting, and 283 meters of range is quite the distance. 

Any shotgun tactical flashlight needs a decent battery life to ensure you can use it for a good duration of time. This single mode lithium battery-driven monster will provide 1.5 HOURS of illumination (more than enough to search the backyard or even use in your next hunting trip.)

Tactical lights such as this flashlight are extensively used by the military and law enforcement authorities. (Strobe mode can be activated based on need.)

The STREAMLIGHT TLR-1 HL WEAPONLIGHT is a high quality light that offers a very bright light with a concentrated beam. When combined with a tactical shotgun, this tactical flashlight offers HANDS-FREE illumination for perfect use with a shotgun!

Made with high-grade aluminum, this flashlight is strong and durable. It is rated IPX7 waterproof and can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. 

In order to find the best flashlight, you have to consider all the features and the applicability. Further to this, you need a strong build, which the STREAMLIGHT TLR-1 HL WEAPONLIGHT most certainly HAS!

Pros

  • Durable and exceptionally strong build quality
  • Strobe feature for tactical use
  • Gun mountable
  • Good beam profile and beam distance

Cons

  • Toggle switch can be accidentally turned on

3. SureFire X300 Ultra (#3rd Best Choice)

The SureFire X300 Ultra is a fantastic gun-mountable flashlight brought to you by SureFire. SureFire makes some of the BEST gun mountable flashlights on the market, and the X300 Ultra is nothing short of BRILLIANT!

This is a powerful flashlight with a maximum output of 1000 lumens. When looking for a flashlight for a shotgun, you need something with a good degree of brightness; the X300 Ultra is brighter than a 60-watt bulb!

Other flashlights in the market will not offer you all that range when considering which guns this flashlight can be mounted on. This flashlight will fasten itself properly on both picatinny and universal rails. 

SureFire X300 Ultra

The X300 Ultra works amazingly well as a shotgun light. It has a good level of brightness for close-range shooting and has a beam distance of 200 meters. This shotgun light will illuminate the path with 11000 candelas worth of light! 

This is a handy tactical flashlight with some AMAZING features. With 1000 lumens of brightness, this flashlight will work for 1.5 HOURS. (Great battery life.)

This tactical flashlight is perfect for medium to close-range shooting. You don’t need kilometers of range on a shotgun light; 200 meters of range is more than sufficient for use with a shotgun. 

The best shotgun lights will allow for peripheral illumination, which this shotgun light provides. It works amazingly well with pump action shotguns and will provide you with reliable light in even life or death situations. 

This bad boy is powered by CR123A batteries. You can opt to use rechargeable batteries if you prefer. 

Rated IPX7 waterproof, this flashlight can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about getting this flashlight wet. 

Pros

  • Easy-to-use with a simple user interface
  • Picatinny and universal rail mountable
  • Good battery life and runtimes
  • Great beam profile and beam distance
  • Durable and waterproof rated IPX7

Cons

  • Expensive

4. Tacticon Armament Firefly V2

Using a gun in complete darkness can be DANGEROUS! The white light produced by the Tacticon Armament Firefly V2 is perfect for home defense. 

This isn’t your normal handheld light. The flashlight attachment (rail mount) is inbuilt into the design of this flashlight, making this an IDEAL pick to use with a shotgun!

Simply having a shotgun in the house will not suffice when it comes to home defense. You need a reliable light source that will help you operate the gun when used for home defense purposes. This peripheral light of this tactical shotgun light works with 400 lumens of brightness. (That is more than enough for close-range shooting, as with a shotgun.)

Tacticon Armament Firefly V2

The light modes on this tactical shotgun light allow you to switch between 6 combinations of lighting. On the highest mode, this tactical shotgun light will reach a distance of 100 meters (more than sufficient for use with a shotgun.)

The peripheral illumination provided by this tactical light offers sufficient illumination to light the area ahead of you with brilliant white light. Tactical LED shotgun lights such as the Tacticon Armament Firefly V2 are amazing light sources that work well alongside a home defense weapon in a dark environment. 

The flashlight is recoil proof and adaptable with a long gun such as a shotgun. This flashlight offers a great range in low light conditions with various operation modes, giving you complete control over the amount of light to project. 

This is a rechargeable tactical shotgun light that is charged using a magnetic charging cable. It takes about 2 hours to charge fully and will work for an HOUR! (more than sufficient for home defense.)

Pros

  • Strong and durable design and exterior
  • Easily mountable on a gun without a hassle
  • Simple to use and install
  • Great beam profile and beam distance

Cons

  • Adjustment capability is average

5. ATN IR850-Supernova

The ATN IR850 Supernova is an exceptionally strong built tactical shotgun flashlight. The best shotgun light is very durable.

Made with aircraft grade aluminum, this flashlight is not just strong; it is SUPER STRONG! (Aircraft grade aluminum, as in the cool stuff airplanes are made of.)

When picking a shotgun light, be it to assist with search and rescue missions or late-night hunts, you need the light source to be reliable for use in low-light conditions.

This tactical flashlight has a gun mount built into the design of the flashlight (shotgun light.)

ATN IR850-Supernova

This flashlight has a maximum lumen output of 2200 lumens and has a beam distance of 450 meters.

This incredibly bright light has 4 modes of operation, providing you with great control over the dispensing of light. The best shotgun light will give you control over the level of illumination, as with the ATN IR850 Supernova. 

LED lights that are mountable on guns allow you to illuminate the path before you without the need to hold a flashlight in your hands while you hold a gun. The ATN IR850 is easily mounted on a shotgun using the easy rail mounting system that this flashlight is designed with. 

The glass lens of this flashlight produces a brilliant white beam, making other shotgun accessories look weak in comparison. 

Even when dimly lit, this flashlight will provide a good source of illumination, which can be useful in tactical scenarios. 

Easily attachable to a shotgun’s barrel, the operation of this flashlight is simple that any shotgun owner can master. This is an excellent light that has been rated IPX8 waterproof (you won’t have to worry about getting this flashlight wet.)

The ATN IR850 Supernova is one of the best shotgun lights, with great applicability and noteworthy features. This flashlight comes with a 1 YEAR warranty!

Pros

  • Strong and durable design and build
  • Waterproof rated IPX8
  • Easily attachable to a gun
  • 1-year warranty on product

Cons

  • The brightness selector could be of better quality

6. Streamlight TLR-2 

Yet another great flashlight brought to you by Streamlight, the TLR-2 is a NEAT weapon’s light that offers excellent illumination and application. 

It has a rail grip clamp system which allows you to attach this flashlight to a long gun such as a shotgun. This flashlight is shock-proof, dustproof, and water-resistant, rated IPX7 (virtually indestructible!)

The durability of this flashlight is what makes this a great tactical flashlight to use with a shotgun. It offers 300 lumens of light and has a runtime of up to 2.5 HOURS! (This is the perfect battery life for a weapon’s light.)

Streamlight TLR-2

This flashlight works specifically well with 1913 (Picatinny-style) rails. This flashlight shoots a high-power laser light which is a brilliantly focused beam of light, perfect for a shotgun. 

It is powered by two CR123A lithium batteries, which can be opted to be rechargeable if you prefer. 

Though this isn’t a rechargeable flashlight, the fact that you can swap batteries means you can use this flashlight for extended hours. All you have to do is carry spare batteries, and this flashlight will keep delivering BRILLIANT white light!

The Streamlight TLR-2 allows for fast, adjustable, and secure mounting onto a shotgun, which can come with great tactical use. 

This tactical shotgun flashlight has AMAZING features that make it not only one of the BEST but also an UNRIVALED competitor in the shotgun flashlight industry. 

Pros

  • Exceptionally strong build with beautiful design
  • Great beam profile and beam distance
  • Replaceable batteries allow for extended use
  • Gun mountable

Cons

  • Doesn’t perform well in sub-freezing temperatures

7. SureFire DSF

Yet another on this list by SureFire, the SureFire DSF is a fantastic gun-mounted light brought to you by one of the BEST makers of gun flashlights, SureFire. 

Perfectly designed with mounts capable of fastening onto shotguns, the SureFire DSF offers 600 lumens of bright, blinding light. 

Made of hard-anodized aluminum, this flashlight has an EXTREMELY strong exterior, perfect for rough and rugged use with a shotgun. 

SureFire DSF

This is a slender, lightweight, and durable shotgun flashlight with a beam distance of up to 225 meters (perfect for close-range shooting as with a shotgun.)

This flashlight has two modes of lighting. On the higher mode, this flashlight has a maximum runtime of 1.5 HOURS! In low mode, this flashlight will provide continuous illumination for up to 3 HOURS!

The fact that it runs on 123A batteries means you can replace batteries when necessary. If you are a fan of rechargeables, you can opt to use rechargeable 123A batteries, which is also an option. 

The mount has an internal spacer, allowing for proper fastening and fitting. The light firmly grips the barrel of a shotgun and will not fall off, even if you run with the gun. 

It only weighs 1.4 pounds, meaning not only is this flashlight STRONG, but it is also a lightweight flashlight with an exceptionally great range. 

It has an IPX8 waterproof rating and can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. This just means you can play in the rain and not worry about the water messing with your light. 

Pros

  • Easy-to-use with a simple user interface
  • Easily mountable to gun
  • Replaceable batteries allow for extended use
  • Strong and durable exterior for outdoor use
  • Waterproof rated IPX8

Cons

  • Can get a little off balance when aiming

How to Find the Best Shotgun Flashlight?

a human holding a shotgun with flashlight

The best shotgun flashlight will make it easy for you to mount the flashlight onto the shotgun. In fact, the best of the best shotgun flashlights will allow you to mount the flashlight on various models and makes of shotguns. 

One thing you need to consider when buying the BEST shotgun flashlight is the durability. When using a shotgun, ideally, your flashlight has to be very strong to prevent it from being damaged easily. 

You also want to check to see how well the flashlight mounts onto a shotgun. These are things that are essential in understanding the difference between a good shotgun flashlight and a bad one. 

The beam profile is also important. You need something with sufficient range and brightness to make it useful when used with a shotgun. You don’t need an extremely bright light (100000 lumens); however, it will require something that has a range of more than 100m. 

Why You Need a Flashlight for Your Shotgun?

Now, if you are going to use a shotgun, you don’t want to have to use that with just one hand, do you? You also won’t have a buddy with you every time you need to use the gun and need a source of light (considering that your buddy holds the flashlight and you do the shooting.)

Hence, if you are planning to use a shotgun at night, you absolutely NEED a reliable and useful shotgun flashlight.

A good shotgun flashlight will simply mount itself to a shotgun, allowing you to see in the direction that you point in. Not only is it a valuable accessory to your shotgun, but it is also an ESSENTIAL accessory if you plan on using a shotgun in the dark.

Benefits of a Shotgun Flashlight

A shotgun flashlight will enable you to see in the dark in the direction in which you point your shotgun in. This allows for great tactical use, which has applications in hunting. 

You absolutely need a shotgun flashlight if you plan on using a shotgun flashlight at night. Whether it be for hunting or self-defense, a shotgun flashlight will make it possible for you to HANDS-FREE illuminate the space before you, allowing for prompt action with a shotgun.

Shooting in the blind is not recommended in ANY WAY. You need to know what you are shooting at without taking wild shots in the dark at night. A good shotgun flashlight will allow you to see your target by illuminating the space before you with a focused beam of white light BRILLIANCE!

Is a Shotgun Flashlight Important for Hunting?

a human using shotgun with flashlight for hunting

If you are a fan of hunting with a shotgun, then a shotgun flashlight is integral if you ever consider night hunting. 

In order to hunt at night, you need the right gear to make it possible. Sure, you could rely on the existing standard flashlight, but can you really use such a flashlight with a shotgun that requires both hands?

If you are planning on hunting in the dark using a shotgun, you need a shotgun flashlight to illuminate the target. It is an integral and essential component that you most certainly CAN NOT do without!

Final Thoughts

A shotgun flashlight will spot the target allowing you to HANDS-FREE illuminate the space at which you are pointing your shotgun at.

Some lights are better designed for use with shotguns, while others make great weapon lights but are incompatible with shotguns. 

The list of the best 7 in this article has been brought to you after careful testing of dozens of flashlights with various features and benefits. Not all the flashlights that were tested have the versatility, durability, and applicability of the 7 that made this list.

The military grade Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie takes our TOP pick for the best shotgun flashlight, it’s dimensions, weight, lumen output, beam distance and the runtime all make it a well-balanced flashlight and you won’t be disappointed. 

If you are on the hunt for a new shotgun flashlight, you can go with the recommendation made in this article. Take a pick from the BEST 7, and you will not be left disappointed with your pick of a shotgun flashlight. 

FAQs

To mount a flashlight onto a shotgun, use a rail mount specifically designed for the flashlight, or use gun mount accessories which may be compatible with the flashlight.

Yes, shotgun flashlights can be very useful in hunting as they provide visibility in low light conditions, allowing you to accurately aim and shoot your target.

The SureFire X300 is compatible with both universal rails and picatinny rails.

OUR #1 RECOMMENDATION
Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie
Olight PL-Pro Valkyrie
Brightness
Beam distance
Runtime
Durability
Price

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

5.0

Overall Score

5.0

visa, master, amex, paypal
Pros
Strong exterior and build quality
Durable and lightweight design
Rail mount allows for easy attachment to shotgun
Rechargeable battery for extended use
Simple UI, easy to use
Get the BEST PRICE until the end of March
Cons
The switches are kinda loud when being pressed

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Author
Dillon Morrison
I have been involved in the flashlight community since 2007. My brother has a flashlight shop from where I have tested and reviewed more than 600+ different types of flashlights. You can find more about me here.

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