MANTIS BLACKBEARD X

As an avid shooter, I always seek more efficient and enjoyable ways to train and practice.

If you’re the type of person who finds dry firing boring and not really that helpful, wait until you see what the BlackbeardX can do. 

I’ve used it for the past few months, and I just can't seem to put it down. 

What is the BlackbeardX?

The Mantis Blackbeard is a dry-fire training system that emits a laser and automatically resets your AR-15 trigger after each shot. 

It doesn't quite replace throwing lead down range, but it's about the closest you can get from the comfort of your living room. 

The automatic resetting trigger allows you to get the same feel as actual live fire, it makes practice sessions so much more fun and enjoyable. 

How to install the BlackbeardX 

Installing the Blackbeard system is really simple.

All you'll need to do is open your AR-15, and replace your bolt and charging handle with the Blackbeard bolt. 

Reattach the upper to the lower, then pop in the magazine/integrated battery pack. Flip the safety to Fire and your BlackbeardX is ready to roll. 

Zeroing the laser 

You'll want the laser to hit wherever you’re aiming with your AR’s zeroed red dot or iron sights.

The BlackbeardX’s bolt has several controls that can be accessed through your AR-15’s ejection port, once it is installed. The bolt also has elevation and windage controls that can be adjusted using Mantis’s provided Allen wrench.

There are a lot of benefits and things I like about the BlackbeardX system. You can practically work on everything you can at a live-fire range without some of the hassle. The Blackbeard can be removed and reinstalled so easily that you can switch it between any AR you own at a moments notice. 

Something that stood out to me was that the system did not change the feel of my drop in triggers. I tried it in a few different rifles, and to my surprise my triggers all felt the same as if it was a live fire pull. 

The BlackbeardX works with different kinds of laser targets 

Laser targets are useful for giving immediate feedback on shot placement. They can usually be set to make a sound and light up when you hit them. This makes practice super enjoyable. 

The Mantis BlackbeardX’s laser works with various laser targets sold in the market. You don’t need to buy anything proprietary from Mantis.

The BlackbeardX also has an IR laser option.  The IR laser allows users to see their hits even when using night vision. I haven't had the privilege of trying this out yet, but boy does it sound fun. 

Laser Academy App 

I am a huge fan of the Mantis app, it almost makes you feel as if you're in a video game. The BlackbeardX connects to the MantisX Pistol/Rifle app via Bluetooth, and gives you access to a multitude of courses and drills. 

Each of the dynamic shooting drills gives you a score (0-100) based on a combination of three factors

Analyzes On-Target Delay Score

Most shooters delay on target for longer than they need to. This metric tells you exactly how long you delay - and how much faster you could go with the same level of accuracy.

Assess Over Travel Score for Multiple Targets

Multi-target transitions are often accompanied by moving the gun past or through a target before coming back to take the shot. BlackbeardX quantifies the egregiousness of the over-travel movement.

Helps You Find Effective Transition Paths when Shooting

The most efficient path between two targets? A straight line. Deviate from that path, and your score decreases. The more efficient the path, the more effective the shooting.

Final Thoughts

The BlackbeardX adds loads of enjoyment to dry-fire pratice, resets the trigger automatically and gives the kind of visual feedback you need to improve your shooting. It’s products like the Blackbeard that make dry-fire more fun, safer and more beneficial.

Get the BlackbeardX here: mantisx.com