Mantis BlackbeardX Review
The Ultimate Tool for Dry Fire Training
When it comes to your tactical training, close quarters combat is a large part of it, next to things like long range training and medical training. That being said, close quarters combat training in your own home is something that you can really benefit from, as your own home is your castle, where you need to be prepared to defend at all costs. While you can use live rounds for CQC training at an actual facility, the chances are you can’t use live rounds in your house, which is where dry fire training comes into play, and we have found that the best tool for dry fire training is the Mantis BlackbeardX.
But what is the Mantis BlackbeardX and what makes it the best for dry fire training? Is adding this piece of equipment to your checklist of gear really worth the investment? We are going to give you our honest opinion of the Mantis BlackbeardX and let you know it all, the pros the cons, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
What is the Mantis BlackbeardX?
When you dry fire your firearms, whether that be a rifle, pistol, or whatever, the trigger does not reset to the firing position. That being said you cannot pull it more than once, so training to shoot may be a bit difficult. This is where Mantis has stepped up to the plate, to provide shooters with a training tool that allows your trigger to reset, and you to dry fire. The BlackbeardX caters specifically to the AR-15 platforms, and is designed to really help a shooter improve. Let’s break it down.
Key Features of the BlackbeardX
The BlackbeardX contains the MantisX technology, and this tech has changed the way shooters improve, without using live rounds. You do not have to spend the money on ammo, range time, or anything like that with the BlackbeardX, as you can use it right in the comfort of your own home, which also provides you with the tactical skills to maneuver in the place you are responsible for defending at all times.
The Mantis BlackbeardX provides real-time feedback on shooting technique, with smart coaching and actionable analytics via the MantisX Pistol/Rifle app, you are able to improve faster than ever before.
How Does it Work?
The Mantis BlackbeardX is easy to install, as the bolt/charging handle component simply takes the place of your AR’s regular bolt carrier group (BCG) and charging handle.
When you pull the trigger of your AR-15, even though there is no ammo the trigger will reset. This is because the BlackbeardX bolt/charging handle catches your rifle’s hammer and automatically resets your trigger, and you can now take semi-automatic shots during dry-fire practice.
With each shot that you take, the BlackbeardX bolt/charging handle will project a laser, tracking your shots and giving you immediate feedback about your accuracy. The BlackbeardX’s magazine acts as the system’s power source, i.e., battery pack. It powers the provided bolt that resets your trigger and emits the laser.
How to Install the BlackbeardX
We found that the BlackbeardX is extremely easy to install. It can be broken down into just a few simple steps:
Open up your AR-15 rifle
Remove the charging handle and bolt carrier group
Insert the BlackbeardX bolt/charging handle and ensure that it is pushed in all the way
Close the upper and lower receivers of your AR-15
Insert the magazine (battery pack)
Why We Love the BlackbeardX
There are many reasons why we love the Mantis BlackbeardX, and we have broken them down into a few categories.
Improves Your Speed and Accuracy
The Mantis BlackbeardX has the auto reset trigger, which means that you can work on proper trigger control for speed and accuracy. One thing that many people forget is that the secret to shooting fast isn’t about how fast you can pull the trigger, but it is actually more about how fast you come off your trigger, and then pull it again for another shot.
The Mantis BlackbeardX is perfect for learning to pull the trigger fast and accurately, as it lets you take rapid, multiple-shot engagements to practice squeezing your trigger. More importantly, it teaches you to let the trigger reset and come back on it.
Helps With Holdovers
Zeroing an optic may be one of the most tedious tasks a gun enthusiast has to go through, and those who have been around rifles long enough certainly understand the barrel-to-optic relationship and how intricate it can be. The reticle on a rifle optic is positioned a couple of inches above a rifle’s actual bore, meaning the red dot and and the bore are not in the same place.
That being said, at close distances, your point of aim with your red dot will not be where your actual bullet hits so if you shoot a target near you, your shot will be lower than where your red dot was because your barrel is physically lower than your optic. So to hit your shots exactly where you want, it’s important to place your red dot higher than what you want to hit, which is called a holdover.
So let’s say you want to shoot a 1-inch circle from 5 yards away and you place your reticle on the circle, dead center. Then when you shoot, your shot ends up hitting 3 or 4 inches lower than where you placed the reticle. This is due to the optic/barrel relationship that was discussed earlier in the article. In order to compensate and hit your shot, you would have to place your reticle 3 or 4 inches above the circle.
The height of your holdover should be at close distances depending on different factors, such as how far above your optic is than the barrel. The easiest way to know is to conduct tests at different distances with your rifle, and this is where Mantis saves the day again. The Mantis Blackbeard is great for working on holdovers because you can physically see how much lower the laser hits compared to where you’re placing your reticle, so you can zero the optic, or at least get it pretty close, in without firing a single live round.
Using Your Own Gear
Another major benefit to the Mantis BlackbeardX is that it goes right in your own rifle. This allows you to get used to your rifle, how it feels and how you move with it while practicing your shots, this can transfer over to survival scenarios. You can throw on your plate carrier and your helmet and really practice some serious close quarters dry fire. It is also worth noting that the BlackbeardX does not change the feel of your trigger, which is great for trigger control.
Downsides of the BlackbeardX
There are not many things to put in this section, aside from the fact that the rifle recoil is not replicated.
How Much is the Mantis BlackbeardX?
This awesome training tool will cost you $299! While you may think that is expensive for a system that turns your gun into a laser rifle, but the feedback it provides and the money you will save on ammo is too good to ignore.
Who Should Buy the Mantis BlackbeardX?
Law enforcement agencies
Military personnel
Civilians looking for some great tactical training and shooting improvement
Where to Find Good Tactical Training
When it comes to finding good tactical training, Core Vision Training offers a wide variety of tactical courses that will help you get used to your gear and maneuvering through different situations.
The best part is, they offer training in many different areas of the country. Core Vision offers some awesome LPVO training, as well as medical training to get you used to utilizing a first aid kit if you were to ever need one. Core Vision Training also offers some great close quarters courses. This can be extremely beneficial when it comes to defending your home, which hopefully you never have to do.
There also are multiple states that Core Vision Training is in, offering tactical training courses in:
Las Vegas
Missouri
Pennsylvania
Washington
Texas
California
Aside from Core Vision offering tactical training near you, it is also a team made up of great guys with various backgrounds, many in special forces. The team makes you feel comfortable with what you are doing, because they know that for many people it is their first time being exposed to this type of training. The guys take their time to explain everything and make sure that you are the best that you can be by the time you leave their courses.
Wrap Up
Overall, the Mantis BlackbeardX is a product that we firmly recommend to anyone looking to improve their overall shooting skills. You can visit the Mantis site, or check out the Core Vision Training products page to pick one up for yourself!
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