Mantis ups the game with the all-new TitanX Laser Training Pistol. Dry-fire training will never be the same (or boring) again!
by Rob Reaser
Oh-so recently, I was evaluating the speed-vs-accuracy performance of traditional post-and-notch pistol sights compared to that of express-style sights (you can read the results here). As I often do with sight and trigger evaluations, I included a test protocol using the Mantis X10 Elite dry fire system because the MantisX’s detailed feedback provides a host of objective data that either supports or negates my “by feel” assessments.
During the pistol sight test, though, I was limited to one-shot-at-a-time data collection because of the need to manually reset my Glock trigger after every shot. I thought to myself, “I wish Mantis could come up with a trigger reset system so that I could run multi-shot drills like I do with the Mantis Blackbeard on AR rifles.”
The Blackbeard is a super-cool product that replaces the AR’s bolt carrier group and charging handle with an auto-reset trigger system. It is powered by a battery pack (shaped like a magazine) that fits into the rifle’s mag well. With its reset capabilities, I can run a variety of multi-shot training and marksmanship drills.
Well…it wasn’t a week later that I opened the box containing a new product from Mantis that the company had sent to me for evaluation. It had been sitting, unopened, on my workbench for some time because I’ve been so busy lately and I didn’t pay a lot of attention to what it was Mantis had sent until the launch date loomed large on my calendar. To my surprise, I opened the box and discovered that Mantis had delivered the solution I had been hoping for…sort of.
The new Mantis TitanX is not an auto-resetting system that you can add to a factory gun to run multi-shot dry-fire exercises (that would likely be impossible in a striker-fired pistol platform). It is, instead, a Glock-style replica laser training gun (think blue gun) that incorporates the MantisX system. As such, it allows for multiple shots to be logged via the MantisX app. The “HALLELUJA!!!” is that you can now run multi-shot training drills without having to manually reset the pistol’s trigger.
My favorite practice drill is Col. Jeff Cooper’s “Mozambique Drill” — more commonly known as the “Failure Drill.” This is a timed drill in which the goal is to place two shots into the torso and one into the head of a man-sized silhouette as quickly as you can do so accurately. Unfortunately, it is not a drill you can run in typical dry-fire pistol training because of the need to reset the trigger.
Granted, the Mantis TitanX isn’t like running dry-fire training exercises with your pistol (which you absolutely should do) unless you own a full-size Glock, but the TitanX certainly provides the foundation for honing your pistol skills like never before from the comfort of your home.
Let’s take a look…
The Mantis TitanX
Priced at a surprisingly modest $199, the Mantis TitanX firearms training system includes the inert “gun” with an integrated, trigger-activated laser, the MantisX sensor with analytics, two weighted magazines featuring detection sensors, a USB-C charging cable, and a molded foam zippered case.
Mantis supplies two magazines with the TitanX so that you can incorporate mag changes into your timed drills. These magazines have some heft to them — about eight ounces — that help bring the gun closer to realistic pistol weight. That is important for sight picture stability and overall handling.
The trigger is also about as real as it gets. It features a blade safety with the expected take-up before hitting the “wall.” The pull weight averages 3 lbs., 10.2 oz. on my Lyman scale. It even has a reset that mimics the real thing.
Also included is an ambidextrous magazine release button. A few simple steps and you can move it from right- to left-hand operation.
The sights are Glock-style, with a low square notch and a post front sight. These don’t offer as crisp a sight picture as iron sights, to my eyes, but they get the job done if you wish to train with open sights.
A laser emitter lens fronts the TitanX muzzle. Pull the trigger and a red laser fires. The laser is adjustable for windage and elevation, and mine was zeroed fairly close to the mark right out of the box.
To get an exact zero for my style of sight alignment, I secured the TitanX in Real Avid’s Master Gun Vise, which features an articulating ball and socket, and aligned the sights to the target. From there, I set the laser to “continuous on” and adjusted the windage and elevation to the center of the target. Simple.
The mock slide features an optic cut in case you want to train with a red dot. The footprint is compatible with RMR, RMS, and RMSc footprint optics. Just remove the cover plate and install the optic with the red dot’s supplied M3x0.5 thread hardware.
The laser turns on and off via a button located adjacent to the ejection port. Depress the button once to turn it on or depress it twice for continuous on. A long press turns the laser off. A green LED in front of the button indicates that the laser is active while a blue light lets you know the TitanX is successfully paired to the MantisX app.
Powering the TitanX is an integrated rechargeable battery. The supplied USB-C cable connects to the charging port at the ejection port.
With its forward Picatinny rail, the TitanX allows you to add a light or laser sight so you can practice with all your carry gear.
The MantisX App
Covering all the many drills, courses, and practice opportunities available with the MantisX app is much more than we’ll be able to tackle here. For a more detailed look at all that the TitanX and MantisX app can deliver for your training and marksmanship development, check out the How It Works and the comparison sections detailing the features of each MantisX system. Suffice to say, it’s a lot. What’s more, you can pair the laser output with the Mantis Laser Academy app, which lets you enjoy the full scope of the system’s shooter development programs.
Something that is unique to the TitanX is the Holster Draw Analysis with multi-shot capability. This feature is designed to develop an efficient holster draw stroke with follow-up shots whereas the standard Holster Draw Analysis is limited to one shot at a time. You can use either with the TitanX.
The app measures several key points along the draw-to-shot sequence, including:
- time to grip (from start of buzzer)
- time to pull (out of the holster)
- time to horizontal
- time to target (aim)
- shot (time from sight picture acquisition to shot break)
A time bar graph on the app shows the duration of each of these data points.
In addition to breaking down the shot sequence time, the app also provides a trace of the draw and shot sequences. It’s a really fascinating tool that, with practice, will help improve your draw and shot efficiency.
The big takeaway, though, is that the new TitanX laser pistol with MantisX app capability unleashes an entirely new dimension in dry-fire pistol training. The ability to take multiple shots without having to manipulate the slide after each round is huge. And with the laser providing a visual indicator of every shot placement, your practice doesn’t simply exist as a numbers game — you know when the shot is on…every time.
