Preface

Sometimes you can’t get enough of some things, good weapon lights are definitely one of those. And today I am bringing you another weapon light option, this one also incorporates a green aiming laser. The Nightstick TCM-10-GL is a pistol mounted 650 lumen weapon light that runs on a single CR123 battery. This compact unit is optimal for mounting to your CCW pistol due to its small size and narrow footprint. Let’s get into the beam of this product and see if its worth the price.

Nightstick Lighting

I’ve gotten other Nightstick Lighting products before, and you can read about them here. The Texas based company bring a wide variety of lighting products, often at a great price when compared to other brands.

Part of the reason Nightstick products are more affordable I expect, is because of the old made in China sticker on the box. But despite some folks disliking that, there are definitely some advantages to the brand worth looking at. Nightstick seems to incorporate more modern controls on their products, with digital control buttons and advanced features. They also seem to fit into the places of more popular brands, with compatibility into holsters and such.

A limited lifetime warranty is included with this product, which covers defects on things like the housing, lenses and LED’s. Other parts like batteries, control buttons and other electrical components are covered for a period of two years by the warranty.

Unboxing the Nightstick TCM-10-GL

Specifications

• High Lumens: 650
• High Beam Distance (m): 136
• High Candela: 4,612
• Drop Rating: 2 m
• Water Rating: IP-X7 Waterproof
• High Runtime (h): 2.0
• Strobe: Yes
• Laser Color: Green
• Switch Function: Momentary or constant-on
• Light Source: LED
• Serialized: Y
• Case Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
• Body Color: Black
• Quantity of Batteries: 1
• Power Source: CR123
• Package Contents: Light, five modular rail inserts, 2 spare Allen screws, 1.5mm Allen wrench, (1) CR123 battery
• US Patent(s) : 9713217
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

Dimensions

• Length: 2.5 in (63.5 mm)
• Width: 1.1 in (30 mm)
• Depth: 1.6 in (42 mm)
• Weight: 2.5 oz (70 g)

Mounting and Shooting with the TCM-10-GL

Like other Nightstick weapon lights, the TCM-10 comes with a selection of indexable recoil lugs to engage a variety of host weapons. These recoil lugs engage the picatinny rail under the muzzle of your handgun, and the ability to interchange them for proper alignment is great. Not only is it nice to be able to change them, but the manner in which they are affixed by screws is also very nice. The process allows you to align the weapon light to best fit your taste and holster selection.

The thumbwheel allows you to use fingers to attach the light, but you will likely need a small coin or screwdriver to tighten the clamp that holds the light to the pistol. Once attached, you can adjust the laser aim to co-witness with other sights or in my case with the Vortex Defender red dot. The laser aim point is adjusted using windage and elevation screws on the housing.

With the light mounted and laser zeroed, it was time to head to the range. The added weight of a weapon light up front does help with keeping muzzle’s down, but the added light and laser aiming aid would be be even more valuable.

Controls

Using just the two control button on the TCM-10, you can change up the operation. You can select one of three options, light only, laser only, and light and laser together. Users can also lockout the light, by holding both buttons down for three seconds. This will put the unit in battery lockout mode until you undo it.

I really like the controls on these Nightstick weapon lights. The momentary buttons give better control than even some of the more popular units from more well known manufacturers. If momentary operation is desired, you simply push and hold one of the buttons, and when you release it the unit shuts off. But if you are anticipating a longer need for light, you can tap the button and it will stay on until shut off by the user.

Quality

Like other Nightstick weapon lights I’ve used, the TCM-10-GL is well made. Almost all construction is of metal, save for the rubberized buttons. Quality fasteners with Allen screws are far superior to older designs. And the clamp is far better than many of the camming style clamps typically used by lower cost weapon light units.

Bright white light from the LED makes for a very nice view, and the high intensity laser is very sharp. The two beams together make a fantastic combination for engaging shots in low light.

Value

Nightstick’s TCM-10-GL is more affordable than some of the more popular branded items like the TLR-8. I have both and like them both, but if money was dictating my purchase, the Nightstick would win at roughly 50$ less. There are even cheaper units available from other brands, but their reputation is far from stellar.

Final Thoughts

Once again, I feel that the Nightstick TCM-10-GL is a fantastic option for a more affordable light laser combo for your CCW. Its compact size will fit into most CCW holster options, and is less likely to snag with its soft edges. It gives great lighting and targeting with its beams, and the quality controls give you customization. All this with common battery usage, and deliverable next day with your Amazon account. All this sounds like a win to me, and I look forward to piercing the dark with this light into the future. I will update this in the future as more experience with the product develops.

-CBM