FOG HORN
September 2019 Twobirds Flying Publications
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis Copyright 2019, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis By: Sal Palma
I was first introduced to Mantis at Shot Show 2018 where I was given an excellent overview of a technology with the potential to revolutionize the way gun owners train. That product was branded MantisX Shooting Performance System. It consisted of a rail attached sensor that tracks muzzle movement and communicates those data points, via Bluetooth, to a smart device running the MantisX App. I was completely impressed with the original Mantis Shooting Performance System. The
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approach, technology and innovation earned the company broad industry recognition1. Mantis didn’t stand still on their success and since the introduction of MantiX, the Oswego, IL. Company, developed three additional models: the Mantis X3; for beginner to advance handgun and rifle shooters, the Mantis X7; for competitive shotgun shooters and the Mantis X10 Elite; for beginners to combat elite handgun, rifle, and shotgun shooters. In this review, I introduce their top of the line Mantis X10 Elite.
The Mantis X10 comes package with the X10 Smart Sensor, BR7 shotgun barrel mounting accessory, a case, micro USB cable that you’ll use to charge the sensor and a quick start guide, all else such as detailed instructions and a product manual are accessed directly from
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Mantis X review here
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis
2019
the App. Mantis supports both Android and Apple’s iOS.
In order to appreciate the technical merit of what Mantis has achieved we need to take a brief look at an x,y,z, plot. An x,y,z, plot allows us the define a specific point in space by assigning it a unique x,y,z, coordinate
The Mantis Smart Sensor attaches to any rifle Picatinny rail or pistol accessory rail.
Using the BR7 shotgun barrel mounting accessory, the competitive shotgunner can securely attach the Mantis X10 Smart Sensor to their gun.
When you shoot, the muzzle moves in space; that movement is attributable to any number of parameters. The Mantis X10 Smart Sensor captures the muzzle position in space and assigns it an x,y,z coordinate. That information is sent to the Mantis App for analysis. The App records the data and uses it to perform a
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis variety of analytics; for example, plot your muzzle movement.
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The takeaway here is the abundance and comprehensive nature of the Mantis training scenarios. The company’s engineers also include a detailed explanation of how the selected training scenario is to be executed.
This is a simplification but the Mantis App looks at a dataset consisting of a few milliseconds before and after each shot fired. Processing data from that time slice, it is able to identify shooter deficiencies like using too much trigger finger, breaking the wrist downward and anticipating recoil to name just three of many possible issues. MatisX’s software offers the trainee, or instructor, an à la carte menu of training scenarios; I’ll name just a few below:
Open training Shot timer MantisX Benchmark Timed Benchmark Reload, in battery Primary hand only Support hand only Holster draw analysis Recoilmeter
For example, selecting the Timed Benchmark scenario opens the screen image above. It shows me that I am in dry fire mode, shooting right handed and the position of the sensor on the weapon. It also establishes my training goal; in this case, to maintain marksmanship while shooting as quickly as I can, and provides me with specific instructions: “When the buzzer sounds, shoot as fast as you can while still maintaining proper trigger control and sight picture for each shot. This drill is timed” The MantisX software scores your shooting and provides feedback to help you improve your shooting. For this shot, I scored an 86.7 and Mantis suggested that I may have been pushing. Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
MANTIS X10 Shooting Performance System – by Mantis
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nowhere, does Mantis compromise marksmanship skills for speed. The end result is improved shooter performance. It’s beyond the scope of this review to cover every nuance and detail of the MantisX App and the Mantis X10 sensor but I continued to be impressed by the level of technical expertise and shooting knowledge the Mantis developers bring to the table. The Mantis X10 is appropriately named as it is a 10 fold improvement over the award winning original. Mantis X10 may never replace a live instructor but instructors would be well served by incorporating Mantis X10 into their pedagogy. Other screens track trigger press movement and hold movement providing the trainee with a histogram of that movement. In short, every shot undergoes a granular analysis.
The Mantis X10 is a superb training aid with no fluff; its granular performance analysis along with trainee feedback will improve your shooting in short order. Regular usage at the range or at home delivers measurable and satisfying results. At a $249.99 MSRP, it is the best training investment value currently available. The Mantis X10 is another homerun for the Mantis Team! -SP
Throughout the Matis Performance Shooting System you’ll find one very important feature; Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved