Cheap, Portable, Efficient, And Simple Training

I tested the new Mantis Laser Academy Training Kit, an advanced, technology driven training system that uses the shooter’s gun and equipment without modification. The proof of this product’s efficacy is the improvement when training with real bullets afterward.

At the center of the Mantis Laser Academy is the Pink Rhino Laser Training Cartridge, a caliber- specific emitter that goes into the chamber of the firearm. It is actuated by the firing pin of your firearm, which puts a laser dot on the target when the trigger is pulled.

Makes "Serial Dry-Firing" Easier

The laser-training cartridge does not have an extractor groove, for obvious reasons. Each kit comes with a pistol-length dowel for pushing it out of the muzzle. If you’re reading this, you should know I am a serial dry-firer; I dry-fire almost every day. I don’t like my firing pin striking thin air, which used to be bad for old-school metallurgy. The Pink Rhino Laser Training Cartridge cushions the firing pin, which makes me feel better.

There's An App For That

The Mantis Laser Academy uses an app plus the input and output of your phone to read and score the target in real time. The targets supplied with the kit have codes on them that orient and calibrate the shots and identify the target style. When the shooter fires the laser on the target, the app scores it in real time, painting the group onto the image of the target.

There are two tiers of the Mantis Laser Academy. One is the non-portable tier with larger, 8″x11″ targets and a bigger tripod. The portable version fits 5″x6.5″ targets, plus all of the components — including a portable tripod and a padded zippered case no larger than my paperback copy of On Combat by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman.

I actually prefer the smaller kit, and have started to tote it around. Setup is simple: Clear your gun; check it and then re-check it. Insert the laser cartridge. Using the phone holder in the kit, clamp your phone and point the camera at the target or targets in a manner that allows you to see the screen. Targets can be placed on a table, using the holders that come with the kit or taped or propped against a wall.

Portability Is Key

I have found the app has taken fewer than 10 seconds to register the target, even when using multiple targets. The distance from the camera to the target, or the camera to the shooter really doesn’t make much difference. The software automatically scales the shooting range and is ready to operate. The app even has an offset feature for optics or variances in sight heights.

This system can be set up and used anywhere. In fact, some of my friends who are not associated with the firearms industry might be aghast over what I am doing in the next room while on my breaks.

A pull of the trigger registers a hit on the target. Shooters need to reset their guns to fire subsequent shots. The entire group is recorded and saved by the app, which can gauge the progress of the shooter. Since the Mantis X10 and the Mantis Laser Academy can be combined, users can get pretty good data on their shooting progress without ever expending precious cartridges.

The Mantis Laser Academy uses an app, and Mantis can add features as they design them. Most of the features come with the standard purchase, but premium features, including a timed holster draw, low-guard shooting and two-shooter dueling are worth the subscription.

Included Games Make Training Enjoyable

The latest installment is the Hunt game, which adds cognitive stress to marksmanship. In this game, shooters fire on a target similar in appearance to a Dot Torture target with shapes, numbers and shades. The app gives an audible command of which of the targets in the random pattern the shooter must engage. The Hunt game has a dueling feature where two shooters fire simultaneously and your phone audibly calls out the winner of each stage. If I ever shoot this against my son, I may turn the volume down, lest everyone hear the outcome of the contest.

The best training application of this product, besides pure marksmanship, is decision-making. The kit comes with the Hunt target and a hostage rescue target. I don’t just use these for cognitive load. I practice hostage rescue shots often to make the act instinctive. There is a lot to be said for the ability to use my trigger, my gun and my holster under time constraints.

There is also a sinus-cavity target. I think I’ll get a rifle laser cartridge and train with that, too.

I have used Mantis apps on both iOS and Android systems, and the user experience is the same. I have yet to experience even one software problem hiccup. Users report the laser-training cartridge lasts just about forever on a set of cells, but they are replaceable with LR626 button cells.

I have several other dry-fire products, but so far, Mantis is in the top 10%. The Mantis Laser Training Academy is cheap, portable, efficient and simple.

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