Training with Mantis X10 Elite

Interested in becoming a better shooter without burning through thousands of rounds of ammo? Sure, you can do that with plain dry fire practice, but you can get even better results by adding a training tool like the Mantis X10 Elite. Mantis makes a full line of pistol-mounted systems that track your performance for the purpose of helping you improve your shooting skills; if you’ve never checked them out, you probably should. Curious? In this video review, Four Guys Guns runs the Mantis X10 Elite and shows you what it can do to make you a better shooter with every session.

Four Guys Guns demonstrates how the Mantis X10 Elite works. (Photo credit: Four Guys Guns)

What is the Mantis X10 Elite?

Here’s how Four Guys Guns explains the Mantis X10 Elite:

“Contained in this neat little package is your Mantis X10. Now, the Mantis does come in, I believe, four flavors. It starts with the original X, the X1, the X7, and this is the X10 Elite. All that really differs between these models is kind of the software package that comes with it. Now, by software package, I mean it works on your iPhone, or even poor-Droid as well —fight me in the comments.

“It has a full suite of everything from basic cadence drills to reload drills to detecting muzzle rise. All this stuff really kind of intrigued me, so I definitely…wanted to give it a try.”

So, can it only be used with live fire?

Mantis X10 Elite live fire

It does both:

“Generally, I only practice with… a SIRT Pistol from Next Level. This is a heavy-weighted gun, feels like a real gun, real mag, decent trigger, and it shoots a laser beam. …what does that do for you when you go to live-fire? We’ve seen it before and it does actually — with a lot of repetition — help you. However, guns still go ‘boom, boom, bang, bang’ and make loud noises and that tends to make you go high-speed, low-left faster than you can realize.”

running the Mantis X10 Elite at the range.
Four Guys Guns running the Mantis X10 Elite at the range. (Photo credit: Four Guys Guns)

He goes on to say that the Mantis works on not just that SIRT Pistol but it also works on a full-sized pistol with a rail.  “I want you guys to know, check your…mags before you go around your house rootin, tootin, and shootin, because next thing you know when you’re doing your reload practice, you’re putting a hole through the counter, and nobody wants that.”

Check out the video to see the Mantis X10 Elite in action along with screenshots of what the feedback from the software program looks like.

 

Should I use it live fire or dry fire?

Use your Mantis X10 Elite — or whichever Mantis system you have — both for dry fire and live fire practice. The great thing about dry fire is it doesn’t burn ammo and it really does work. The nice thing about live fire is you get the full effect of recoil, among other things. Each form of practice complements the other.

Four Guys Guns running the Mantis X10 Elite at the range. (Photo credit: Four Guys Guns)

As Four Guys Guns mentioned above, always follow safety rules when doing dry fire.

  • Double-check that your gun is empty both visually and by touch.
  • Store live ammo in a separate location.
  • Use an area with a safe backstop.
  • Your pets are not targets
  • Follow the four safety rules, even for dry fire:
    • All guns are always loaded
    • Keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target
    • Do not aim the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy
    • Know your target and what is beyond it

Do you use dry fire practice to improve your shooting skills? If so, do you use a Mantis X10 Elite? Tell us about it in the comments below.