I'm a big fan of Streamlight's 7X/7A WMLs, have several, one of which is mounted on my primary carry, a Glock G19 RTF2.

The 7X has two battery options- a standard CR123 disposable, or Streamlight's SL-B9 rechargeable battery, which is their version of a 16340. I opt for the latter.

These lithium rechargeables will lose their charge when idle, at a very slow rate (though much faster than the disposable CR123, which has a stated shelf life of 10 years and which, in my experience, is actually usable for three to four years past that, if stored in moderate temperatures).

I top off the battery every 4 months.

I got to thinking that it might be a good idea to fully discharge the battery once a year, so that's what I did. I figured this would be a good, real-world test of runtime, since testing it right after the battery has received a full charge would not be a reflection of reality- that is to say, if you ever need to run this WML continuously for an extended time, it's much more likely that the battery will have something less than a full charge at that time.

Streamlight says you'll get 1 hour of runtime with the SL-B9 battery, and 1.5 hours with a disposable CR123.

So, with its last charge 4 months ago, I activated the light and left it on.

It ran at full output for 50 minutes, at which point it began a slow taper, lasting for 18 more minutes until the light finally cut off. The first 7 or 8 minutes minutes of the taper were at near-full output, and output then diminished over the last 10 or so minutes, gradually weakening to something like 25 lumens (just a guess, comparing it to a 5 lumen penlight I had handy.)

Recharging the battery: The SL-B9 has a built-in USB-C port and an LED charging indicator that goes from red while charging, to green when fully charged. Streamlight states that the battery takes 2.5 hours to fully charge, and this figure turned out to be remarkably accurate. Using a USB-A 3.1 port on my Dell laptop, which has an industry standard output of 5V DC, the battery took 2 hours and 27 minutes to fully charge.

It's no surprise at all that lots of manufacturers fudge numbers such as these. In the case of Streamlight, they seem to be telling the truth.

It's unlikely you would ever need to run a WML to depletion in one go, but there you have it. I imagine that intermittent activation of the light until depletion would net you a few more minutes of runtime.

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I imagine that intermittent activation of the light until depletion would net you a few more minutes of runtime.

There is a chance the opposite might be true. I don’t know how SL does the thermal management on this light but there is a chance that while your eye perceives full lumens there may actually be a drop off from max after a short bit of use which then stabilizes at a lower, but still high amount of lumens that may be largely imperceptible in real world use.

IF this is the case (and I am not saying it is as I don’t know) you may get less runtime with off and on bursts because you are resetting the thermal management “clock” each time and technically using more juice then if just left on.

I’m just making an academic point. Real world weapon light use is likely to be so short as to make runtime almost a moot point.

As an aside I love those TLR7’s as well. Great little lights.

Great info on the Streamlight. I bought a couple and they sure are nicer than the O Lights

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Glock G19 RTF2

Just came to say that that gun is on my list of wants, has been for a long time. I have two G22 RFT2's with the gills that I love

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Originally posted by cslinger:
Real world weapon light use is likely to be so short as to make runtime almost a moot point.

For the most part, I agree with you, but there are scenarios where you might be relying solely on your WML for light of any kind, unlikely though that may be.

Thanks for the real world test, para.

I have the same batteries in my TLR1 HLX, and have been impressed with them.

I have switched all my WMLs and compatible handhelds to the SL-B9 awhile back. They are the best most reliable rechargeable batteries out there. They hold up fine during the winter months too. I usually rotate them every 3 months if I haven't depleted them. Since I'm not on full night shift anymore and ordered not to leave the station unless called, I rarely use my lights anymore.

I used to buy bulk CR123A batteries and sell them to coworkers, but these days, I tell them to get two pairs of SL-B9s for their WMLs.

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Originally posted by cslinger:
I don’t know how SL does the thermal management on this light but there is a chance that while your eye perceives full lumens there may actually be a drop off from max after a short bit of use which then stabilizes at a lower, but still high amount of lumens that may be largely imperceptible in real world use.

If there was any drop off before 50 minutes, it was indeed imperceptible. Regarding heat, the light never became too hot to touch.

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Originally posted by Chowser:
I used to buy bulk CR123A batteries and sell them to coworkers, but these days, I tell them to get two pairs of SL-B9s for their WMLs.

Of course most lights which are designed for the CR123 will not function with the 16340 series batteries. This goes for the TLR-7X predecessor, the TLR-7A, which was designed for the CR123 only.

The newer generation of lights accepting 16340 batteries are backwards compatible.

CR123 is a nominal 3.0 volts

The 16340 series battery, including the SL-B9, is a nominal 3.6 to 3.7 volts.

Nice review, Para; thanks.

I’ve been thinking about getting one of these to replace a TLR-7A. Can you share anything about the dimensions being the same or different between the two? I’m wondering about holster compatibility.

Thanks.

7A and 7X are identical

The HL-X is the standard TLR-7 version that is slightly different dimensionally, with the same body but a longer lens/reflector assembly.

A TLR-7A and 7X share holsters, and either will fit in a longer 7HL-X holster, but the longer HL-X won't fit in a shorter A/X holster.

(Though somewhat confusingly, with the Sub variant of the TLR-7 specifically, the TLR-7X Sub and TLR-7 HL-X Sub are both the same dimensions and will share holsters.)

In the market for one now. Thanks for the info.

I was looking at these and wondering about the real-world performance of the rechargables. I like CR123s a lot.

The surefire version is a LOT more expensive, and does not seem to be 2x better.

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Originally posted by DoctorSolo:
The surefire version is a LOT more expensive, and does not seem to be 2x better.

Agreed. When it comes to pistol and even rifle WMLs, Streamlight is the best balance of quality and price. Surefire's stuff is nice, but not 2x-3x nicer than Streamlight.

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Originally posted by DoctorSolo:
I was looking at these and wondering about the real-world performance of the rechargeables. I like CR123s a lot.

CR123 batteries have become, like many things in this world, much more expensive recently.

Two years ago, I bought a couple of 12 packs of Surefire 123s for 25.00 each, which is just over two dollars per battery. Today on Amazon, those same 12 packs are going for 38.00 each, which is 3.16 per battery. This is one of the reasons I've replaced my beloved old Surefire 9P flashlight and Malkoff 1000 lumen lamp module, with a Fenix PD36R for front door duty in my house. The 9P takes three CR123s, so at today's prices, that's about nine and a half dollars worth of batteries, which, with the Malkoff head, get burned through in less than an hour.

Contrast that with the Fenix flashlight, which has variable power levels up to 2800 lumens and uses a 21700 rechargeable battery which was included in the price of the flashlight, lasts almost four hours at the same 1000 lumen output, and can take hundreds if not thousands of charges.

The forte of the CR123 disposable is long-term charge retention- a decade or more- and excellent tolerance of temperature extremes- something which cannot be said of the current generation of lithium rechargeables.

This is why I keep a Surefire flashlight loaded with CR123s in the glove compartment of my truck. I have confidence the light will work after sitting idle in the cold and the heat for long periods.

Surefire does offer rechargeable CR123 batteries and I looked into them a while back. I found some complaints about failing batteries and batteries which held their charge inadequately.

Streamlight's SL-B9 battery is their version of the 16340 lithium rechargeable, which is dimensionally very similar to the CR123, but not identical. They're close enough, though, for Streamlight's newest generation of WMLs to accept these batteries interchangeably.

I am a fan of Surefire's X- series WMLs. I bought the first generation X-200 the minute I could get my hands on one, and three of my G17s wear first and second generation X-300s, but all the pistol WMLs I've bought over the past few years have been Streamlight.

I'm heavily invested in Surefire M300 and M600 Scout lights for long guns- including switches and mounting options. I love the streamlined form factor of the Scout lights, and the quality is fantastic. The long-term idle storage ability of the CR123 makes a lot of sense for my rifles.

If I were to start over today, though, I'd be investing in rifle WMLs which accept 18650 or 18350 batteries.

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Originally posted by parabellum:

7A and 7X are identical

Almost identical. Dimensions are identical, light output with CR123A batteries identical. The difference is, the 7A requires CR123A; the 7X can use either CR123A or SL-B9.

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Originally posted by V-Tail:
Almost identical.

Please don't nitpick. I answered the question which was asked, without interjecting irrelevant details.

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Originally posted by Sir Guy:
I’ve been thinking about getting one of these to replace a TLR-7A. Can you share anything about the dimensions being the same or different between the two? I’m wondering about holster compatibility.