For more information, visit https://mantisx.com. Editor’s Note: You can use code GUNSAMERICA for free shipping for a limited time.
Deep down I’m envious of exceptionally talented shooters. I admire their marksmanship skills and get a real kick out of watching their videos on YouTube and Facebook. As a group, they inspire me to get out on the range more often and practice my own marksmanship skills. The MantisX Firearms Training System is a new add to my range bag that’s helping me improve my shooting results by giving me real-time feedback on my trigger pull technique.
Developed for one-handed bullseye pistol shooting, trigger pull assessment targets like this one are where many people start their quest to improve their marksmanship skills.
The MantisX sensor is a patent pending data logger that attaches to any handgun with a standard width rail. While shooting, or dry fire practicing, the MantisX device tracks the direction and magnitude of muzzle movement in the milliseconds before, during, and after the trigger breaks. MantisX transmits this data, via Bluetooth, to an application running on the user’s smartphone or tablet for later analysis and review.
With the actual performance data captured and stored, the MantisX application offers a series of review tools that display the data as very easy to understand summary graphs, charts, and percentages. The application is available free of charge and there are versions for both iOS and Android mobile devices. The software is downloaded through the App/Play Stores and updated with new versions like all other applications downloaded from the Stores.
The MantisX sensor and software work together and form the MantisX Firearm Training System. To use the system, you will need to bring your own Apple or Android device that supports Bluetooth. Be warned the system is no easy-grader. It will catch the smallest flaws in your trigger pull technique. To get the most benefit from the system, leave your ego at home and be ready to accept some serious coaching for improvement.
Let’s Get Started
Getting started with MantisX is really pretty easy. Remove the MantisX sensor from the Pelican storage case and charge it up with the included micro-USB cable. While it’s charging, take a few minutes to read the one-page single-sided illustrated instruction sheet and download the MantisX app on your mobile device. After MantisX is charged, it can be attached to the railed handgun of your choice. The MantisX sensor can be mounted forward or backward depending on the length of the rail you are attaching it to. Congratulations, you are all set up for your first MantisX training session.
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The MantisX arrives packaged in Pelican branded case with fitted foam insert. A micro-USB charging cable is provided for recharging the MantisX between practice sessions.
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The rail attachment clamp can be loosened to provide plenty of rail clearance for mounting. The author purchased a proper blade size “stubby” screwdriver to keep with the MantisX.
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To start a training session, you need to start up the MantisX application on your mobile device and make sure you have Bluetooth enabled. The application launches to a home screen with a large CONNECT button. Turn on the MantisX sensor mounted on your firearm and it will display a blinking green light to let you know it’s ready to communicate with your mobile device. Hit the CONNECT button on your mobile device and the MantisX sensor immediately pairs with the mobile device. The blinking light changes to constant-on to let you know it has successfully paired with your mobile device. Start your training session by telling the MantisX application if you are right or left-handed, is the sensor mounted forward or backward, and finally the type of training session you would like to start.
The MantisX device can be mounted on any firearm with a standard width rail.
MantisX supports Live Fire, Dry Fire, and CO2 training. I started out using the system with several dry fire training sessions using both iOS and Android devices. Prior to using MantisX, I didn’t do very much dry fire practice. Without a paper target to evaluate, I really couldn’t see the results of my dry firing practice. Adding a laser to dry fire practice helped me “see” muzzle movement as the trigger was pulled, but only for one shot at a time. With MantisX I could now evaluate my results after a string of 10 shots and see the consistent flaws in my technique that MantisX identified.
The MantisX application stores the results of every trigger pull recorded during a training session until you are ready to delete the history and start over. If you keep your training results over multiple training sessions, it’s possible to track your improvement over time. If you ever need to go back and drill into a specific training session, the application allows you to do that. If you would like to use MantisX with multiple firearms, or multiple students, the same sensor can be used but data must be logged to a different mobile device.
Live fire training works just like dry fire training. After setting the option for live fire training in the application, data for each trigger pull is logged. The MantisX application does keep live fire training and dry fire training separate so you can quickly compare results of the two different training types to see if they are similar or different.
Just capturing the information on your trigger pull technique is pretty great. The real magic of the MantisX Training System shows up while reviewing your training results. The MantisX application includes photo illustrated examples of each trigger pull technique issue it captures during your training. The application also includes some suggestions to eliminate the issue from your trigger pull technique. It gives you visibility of the issues AND the possible solutions.
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The software provides scoring and feedback on every shot with words and graphical representation.
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The MantisX software tracks your progress across multiple practice sessions. Allowing you to track your performance improvement over time.
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Final Verdict
The MantisX Firearm Training System is hands-down the most helpful shooting improvement tool that I’ve had the pleasure to work with. As it stands at the time of writing this review, I give it a grade of Very Good with a high probability of becoming Awesome as MantisX continues to tweak the application running on your mobile device. MantisX welcomes customer feedback. I personally reported a couple of things I discovered during my evaluation that were recently fixed in the latest update of the MantisX app for Android devices. They are responsive.
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The MantisX app has a great tutorial to get you up and running fast. It also provides detailed images and descriptions for all the technique flaws MantisX identifies in your trigger pull.
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The MantisX can be reversed for mounting on short rail sections found on compact and sub-compact handguns.
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The MantisX Firearms Training System can be purchased directly from MantisX. The $149.99 price tag may put off some potential customers, but the MantisX app is free and the MantisX sensor could be purchased by two or more shooting buddies and shared. If you are serious about improving your trigger pull technique, and don’t have access to a qualified instructor, the MantisX Firearms Training System is certainly worth consideration.
For more information, visit https://mantisx.com. Editor’s Note: You can use code GUNSAMERICA for free shipping for a limited time.
The shooting correction target is probably the cheapest yet most accurate tool i’ve used to help me with flinching. I freely admit that my shoot poorly was due to flinching. Not sure why I developed anticipation to recoil and flinching, but I did and I’ve used these tools to correct it and it helps. Still working on it to be a better shoot all the time.
Help improve your trigger pull? A little…maybe. Help in any way with flinching? NO. No one flinches when they’re dry firing. And if they do, that can be corrected with about 5 or less careful trigger pulls. Flinching comes from the anticipation of the BANG and recoil. Neither exist in dry fire. Gimmick product that will have nothing to do with live fire flinching. Go ahead and buy this…train hard with it for a month. Come to the range with me and let me put a live round in your gun. I’ll have you flinching on your very first trigger pull..guaranteed.
Or I can just print t the targets as shown – which I’ve used in the past 12 years- and save the gimmick’s cost.