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Counterfeit TLR-1 HL

13731 Views 20 Replies 14 Participants Last post by  72-C10, 
GeorgiaRedfish
Well I wanted to get a TLR-1 HL to replace my APLC for my carry gun. I bought one on eBay(mistake 1) for 80.99(mistake 2), but I don’t have a store that sells one locally. It showed that it shipped from Tucker, GA and the seller had a 100% rating. Well...when I went to pay the money went to an acccount with a name in Chinese characters....this is when I got nervous. Well too late now, I already paid. Well I got the light and this is how it was packaged and the contents:
View attachment 147221
Lens Text Red Camera accessory Font

It came with all the keys and a manual. The screw was even loctited.
So then I started to feel better, so I inspected the crap out of it and was feeling even better about it:
Finger Product Lens Camera accessory Photograph
Finger Lens Photograph Cameras & optics Camera lens
Finger Lens Cameras & optics Camera accessory Photograph
View attachment 147231

Well it came to the final test and that was the function test. I took it and my X300U-A outside to compare the beams. From the reviews that I saw the TLR-1 HL should have a wider hotspot and be slightly brighter overall. Also the strobe function...well lo and behold. The beam had a bigger hot spot and was brighter overall and it strobed!! Well alright I was sold and happy as a clam. This thing had a beautiful bright beam, lit up my house and looked great.
Night Darkness Midnight Yard Shadow

Fake on left and X300U-A on the right

Well as I sit on the couch with my wife watching some stupid show I decided to play with my new purchase. I don’t care about strobe and I decided to turn it off. No problems I had a TLR-1 and TLR-1s, and I remember ( and checked in the manual) all you have to do it the 10 tap program feature. Basically tap the light switch 10x quickly to turn off the strobe. So I do that, doesn’t work, no problem I messed up, do it again, no go, etc etc etc. Okay i start to worry.

So I begin to search the internet for fake/counterfeit TLR-1 and find very little, actually I only find one post on reddit from 2 days prior.

Well the poster stated that he believes he got a fake TLR-1 HL from eBay so he compares it to his two he has on hand and he noticed some small difference. First of all the screw that holds the switch on had no writing on it but his two real ones do. Next, the back or the switch on the fake was smooth and his real ones were textured. Lastly he broke out calipers and the gaudy Gucci silver ring was slightly forward by a hair. Well note below mine has the same screw with no writing and the non textured switch. See below( I can show you a comparison when I get my new light from Amazon):
Finger Thumb


Well now I’m sure. So I messaged the seller and asked if he sold me a counterfeit light and that I would be sending to Streamlight to check. First he asked if I was sure, and I told him I was. Thankfully he refunded my money and told me to just keep the light(ya nail in the coffin). Well I report him to eBay and will be contacting streamlight tomorrow. Either way if you have bought a TLR-1 lately online you may want to check.
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Bender
Wow........great to hear you got your funds back.

Thanks for the time letting us know
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GeorgiaRedfish
I’m actually surprised at how well done it is. I may try to take it to the range and beat up on it.
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Bender
I’m rather surprised you got your money back, those deals usually don’t end well.
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GeorgiaRedfish
Ya I was worried at first, but I had the same thing happen before with eBay and have always been made whole. Plus I’m pretty sure PayPal has a guarantee as well.
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GeorgiaRedfish
Also here is a link to the person whose post I saw. It goes it to much greater detail. Reddit was down earlier so I couldn’t find it.
https://m.imgur.com/a/hLvp2Tq
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SLAM37
Glad it worked out. Sounds like you now have a good "training light." Use it at the range, rough it up all you need to in training and then swap it out for an authentic one (after it has proven itself) for duty use. Might want to mark the fake conspicuously so it isn't confused with the real deal!
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FWoo45
This is why I am leery of Ebay. I've got 4 streamlights now, all of them came from streamlight via Amazon. Didn't save much but I didn't have to leave the house so that's a plus.
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Y
And when it dies, give it to a holster maker or kydex bender to use for molding...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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ZoidMeister
I was about to offer to knock on the door. I work in Tucker GA.

The Chinese sellers would rather refund than draw attention. I know there is a large NCStar distributor in Tucker. I've seen them at a few gun shows, never been to their warehouse. That light is probably an NCStar knockoff in semi-cloned packaging.

Their cost on it was probably less than $10. Some knockoffs can be decent in original performance, but won't be nearly as rugged or have all the features working.
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SLAM37
After examining my TLR-1 HL and looking at the Streamlight website, it seems that the authentic version says "www.STREAMLIGHT.com" on both sides, like this:
Product Camera Lens Camera accessory Photograph

The counterfeit ones look like they just say "STREAMLIGHT". Also, the counterfeit's font size looks larger than the real deal and slightly different.
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38
Is it for sale?
:p
I could use a light with strobe.
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Cousin Vinny
SLAM37 said:
After examining my TLR-1 HL and looking at the Streamlight website, it seems that the authentic version says "www.STREAMLIGHT.com" on both sides, like this:
View attachment 147275
The counterfeit ones look like they just say "STREAMLIGHT". Also, the counterfeit's font size looks larger than the real deal and slightly different.
Click to expand...
Slam37 is spot on. Look at the picture of the firearm with the light on the packaging in your first photo.
Doesn’t match what’s in the package.
Cousin Vinny
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Babboonbobo
You think those are tough to figure out if it’s real or Chinese fake? Try knives!! The Spyderco especially, very small differences in boxes, color of the print or just chamfering on a hole is the only thing that tells you wether it’s real or not!! I’ve never been there but I’ve worked with many people that traveled to China in the 90s and they would be building an injection mold for a customer and right next to it was the same mold for themselves!! I know they did this a lot in the home industry. Bastards don’t care about property/intellectual rights.
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Jollyroger1
To turn off strobe mode, you should have to hold down on the the 10th tap until the light goes to constant on, and then powers off - then you’ve successfully deactivated strobe mode.

I have a work issued light that does not have www.streamlight.com, but does have a back plate screw with writing, textured switch, and the seal is rigid.

I also have a personal one with the www.streamlight.com. I’m torn here, but I wouldn’t base the authenticity just on whether the website is written on the side. Could just be a year model difference?

I’m not sure what is real now? If it is fake, I’m glad that you got your money back.
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TheCustom1911
Uhh, yeah...all those lights are built in China anyway. Most “clones” nowadays are darn near as good (sometimes better) than the “genuine” article that you have to pay MSRP for.

I’ve bought some aliexpress knives and watches. Watches to see if I like them enough to buy a genuine. Knives to use and abuse because I destroy them at work. I’ll tell ya what, the replicas with the used or refurbished ETA movements last longer and have much cheaper service intervals than the genuines. The knives are junk (tool steel mostly), but they help me to determine if I like a knife well enough to EDC.

I’m glad you got your money back. Enjoy the knock off product, maybe it’ll surprise you.
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GeorgiaRedfish
Ya I’ll either keep it and use it on a gun that I don’t trust my life to or sell it as a knock off and use the money towards a new beater watch
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Bender
Great points Mark..... :thumbs:
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T
I believe I am another victim of the fake light. Contacted Streamlight twice over the last two weeks to verify it is a fake, and they are not responding at all. I would have thought they would be interested in making sure their good name and product are the quality they make. I hate to accuse without any verification from the mfg.
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Busa Dave
Bummer--I have only one Streamlight. Just got it 2 weeks ago and I know without any doubt it is not a fake. Good Lord is it brutal…… This guy makes/modifies most of the lights I buy now.

https://skylumen.com/collections/v54-lights/products/streamlight-tlr-1vn-compact-rifle-thrower
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