A tactical flashlight provides target identification and can also be used as a force option. But shooting with a hand-held light can be cumbersome and difficult. The Kel-Tec CL-43 flashlight works to solve those problems.

The design of the Kel-Tec light puts the on/off button in front of your index finger. This configuration makes holding the light in a standard two-handed firing grip much more natural than holding a traditional “straight tube” tactical light. The innovative design allows gripping the light and the gun at the same time when you’re attempting to maintain a traditional two-handed shooting grip. As a result, you get more of your “off hand” — the hand holding the light — on the grip of the gun. This gives you a more stable shooting platform and allows you to easily operate the switch with your index finger.

Bright and Effective

The CL-43 runs on three CR123 batteries. This gives the light a run time of three hours and 35 minutes while it dumps 420 lumens on the target. The aluminum housing is super-tough and, best of all, the switch is a simple on-off operation. There is no secret code or sequence of touches required to move from dim to bright to strobe. The light is simply “on” or “off.” You have nothing else to think about during the stress of a self-defense incident. The light has an MSRP of $140 and, in testing, it appears to be worth every penny. Change the way you hold your flashlight by changing your flashlight. You’ll see more and shoot better.