Dry fire, the practice of simulating the discharge of a firearm without any live ammunition, has become more relevant for me over the last year. It has been hard to find ammo, and if I did find ammo, it was insanely expensive. The price of ammo made me realize I don’t have the income to support this habit. That is where the Mantis X10 Elite comes in to play.
Mantis X10: a Review
by Sara Liberte
Not having money for ammo is no excuse not to work on my firearm accuracy training. Trying to figure out a way to keep working on my skills, I decided to use the Mantis X10 Elite to help me with my training. (the X10 Elite is the newest model in the Mantis line up.)
How will the X10 Elite help me? The Mantis website states that Mantis detects each shot you make and analyzes the firearm’s movement during the trigger pull. It even assigns a score to each shot that signifies deviation from the aiming position.
I’ve seen these types of products in use at SHOT over the years but never personally tried one, so obviously, I was looking forward to this experience. But, more specifically, I wanted to know if it would indeed help me in my training.
I’m not the best with computer-type stuff; I’m more of a hands-on mechanical person. I can understand if I see how it works, take it apart, and put it back together. I don’t know how to explain how the X10 Elite works because I can’t “see” what it is doing, but I improved by taking its feedback and working off what it told me. The best I can say is it’s like a highly focused motion sensor that can pick up the slightest movement, records that data, and compares it all.
I don’t have a pic rail on my SIGP365, so I used the included tape to attach it to the bottom of one of my magazines. Then it was straightforward from there. I downloaded the app on my iPhone and followed the instructions. Once you calibrate the app and firearm, it’s tons of fun, and if you are competitive like I am, you will find yourself quickly obsessed with beating your last score. I’m using the stock sights, lining up on my target, and the Mantis recognizes my center of aim and scores each of my shots based on how close I am when I pull the trigger. I chose the X10Elite because I can use it for both live fire and dry fire. (Someday, I’ll have a good ammo supply)
I like the soft compact case it came in and was happy to have everything included: a micro-USB charging cable, a barrel mounting kit with shims, hardware, and the option to mount it to the bottom of a magazine.
I’m not a tactical operator; my job has nothing to do with using a firearm daily. Instead, I am a responsibly armed female citizen who enjoys shooting, learning as much as I can when I can afford to take a class, and constantly striving to learn ways to improve my accuracy. I recently ordered a Holosun optic for my P365, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much I improve with the optic. I was taught to get good at using iron sights before jumping up to an optic. I compare that to how I learned to shoot a 35mm camera before digital was a thing, and I had to adjust all the settings myself.
Using the app is simple. It asks you what type of firearm you are using if you are shooting right or left-handed, where the Mantis X10 Elite is mounted on your gun, and shooting dry or live.
You can set it to different shooting scenarios and functions, analyzing basic shot detection, recoil, holster draw, and range of motion.
I like the holster draw analysis, which helps shooters develop a quicker draw and more accurate shot from the holster. The app includes a buzzer to signal the draw and fire; it resets the timer for your next shot when you re-holster.
I’m impressed with what the Mantis X10Elite has done for me and looking forward to using it over the coming winter months with my new optic. Stay tuned as I’ll report if I have any significant improvement from the sights to the optic. I realize this is nothing new and exciting for experienced shooters, but let’s not forget that many new shooters are entering this realm daily. Maybe sharing some essential experiences can help those on their shooting accuracy journey.
Here are more screenshots from the app for your viewing pleasure!
About the Author:
Sara Liberte is a 100% indisputable adventuress. She’s a graduate of the Montserrat College of Art and the Unofficial University of Offroad Literal Cross-Country Journeying (itself associated with the famous “School of Hard Knocks”).
A photographer/videographer of supreme talent and utter disregard for inclement weather, arduous conditions, or little things like the law of averages, Sara is an eleutheromaniac who loves firearms, motorsports, motorcycles and…well, all vehicles, really, as long as they’re the kind that gets dirty and generates adrenaline. She travels the US in a van called the Dodge Mahal, dog at her side (he also rides in her motorcycle sidecar). If you need to find her, you’ll have to look outside. Try moto-events, mountain ranges, or firearms classes.
She runs the website Garage Girls and is the author of “How to Repair and Maintain American V-Twin Motorcycles”, “1000 Biker Tattoos”, and other works. Her work has appeared in Easy Riders Magazine, In The Wind, Hot Bike, Street Chopper, IronWorks, Cycle Source, RECOIL Magazine, OFFGRID Magazine, and many other places.
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