What dry fire tools/apps do you recommend?

W

Wilmingtonppb

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
260
Location
Wilmington NC
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
I don’t get to the range as often as I’d like and with a new baby on the way in a few weeks that won’t change for a while. I was looking at the Mantis X2 dry fire system but would love feedback on whatever systems you all use/would recommend.

Thanks and happy new year.
 
Wilmingtonppb said:
I don’t get to the range as often as I’d like and with a new baby on the way in a few weeks that won’t change for a while. I was looking at the Mantis X2 dry fire system but would love feedback on whatever systems you all use/would recommend.

Thanks and happy new year.
Click to expand...
We have the mantis x and the laser academy from mantis and both @hp468 and myself like the laser academy much better. It’s very interactive and keeps it fun. There are tons of drills you can do with it. Has a built in shot timer on some of the drills as well.
 
Ok I just checked out the Mantis and it will be my next dry fire/live fire set up. I like the many different analysis tools and the ability for use with multiple firearms at home and the range.
Good luck with what you choose. Let us know what you chose and your review.
Thanks
Stubby
 
Last edited:
I was looking on Amazon at the Glock dry fire magazine. It looks interesting but at $105, I wasn’t sure how well they work.
 
I have a Mantis X too and it has been a big help. Like lots of right handers, I have a trigger control issue that sends shots left unless I am concentrating very hard. Mantis has almost broken me of that habit by showing me when I tend to do slap the trigger or vary my trigger pul. Ive used it a lot with dry fire and some with live fire. It is a pretty amazing tool and has been especially helpful as I've prepared to move from mostly striker fired pistols to a DA/SA CZ carry pistol.
 
I have a Mantis and it is somewhat useful and possibly even worth the cost. What I actually use all the time is a free app called Dry Practice Drill. While the app is free, you have to pay I think it was $4 to upgrade it and make it really useful. The upgraded version allows you to set strings of fire with declining times, so you can set it to do something like: 4 draws at 1.2 seconds, then 4 draws at 1 second, then 4 draws at .8 seconds...or whatever. It's very nice, and way more helpful than a shot timer because you don't waste all that time waiting on the randomized beep. I also suggest getting ahold of Ben Stoeger's book Dry Fire Reloaded as a nice source for ideas to work on. There's some important stuff in there--main point maybe for me was, dry fire doesn't have to be one shot and done. You can keep pressing on the trigger even though it's dead, so, like, you can work a whole el pres, not just a draw and fire one. Just an example.

If you want to spend some money on a gadget, get a red dot mounted on your pistol. A red dot is probably just about as helpful as a Mantis for showing you what you are doing to the gun when pressing the trigger. And red dots are just better than iron sights, IMHO, full stop, no comparison.

My biggest caution about dry fire is the dreaded dry fire grip--that is, developing a wimpy grip. I did this to myself a couple of years ago, and I've had to do a lot of work, still not entirely finished, learning how to actually grip the gun right. (That is: really freaking hard.) In dry fire, especially without a dot to keep you honest on sight movement, it's extremely easy to get a weak grip trying to go "fast," and then you're teaching yourself bad habits instead of good habits. Try to focus every time on actually getting a very solid, strong grip.
 
Last edited:
Got the mantis laser academy in and have some time on it. Overall I think it’s going to be a useful tool, and certainly not the dumbest way I’ve blown $100.

Pros - very quick and easy to set up. My 3 year old could probably do it. It was about 5 minutes from unboxing to having the POI calibrated and taking my first shots. It also comes with a code that unlocks all the premium drills and targets. I haven’t had a chance to use many of them yet, but there are a decent number of options.

Cons - targets are very small. Not necessarily an issue except when it combines with issue # 2, the laser cartridge not fitting snugly. When you drop it in you have to calibrate your POI to match your POA and do this via a test shot. The problem is that occasionally the laser will be so far off that you can’t practically shoot more than 10 or so yards away because when your POA is on the tiny target, the laser hits on your wall and the app won’t record the hit. I suppose you could tinker with the cartridge until you get it hitting close enough to shoot at a decent distance, but this is a disappointing issue.

All in all, it makes a good way to get reps in at close range. For longer shots the juice may not be worth the squeeze.
 
Moylan said:
A red dot is probably just about as helpful as a Mantis for showing you what you are doing to the gun when pressing the trigger.
Click to expand...

That's the one thing I like about the built-in laser on my Shield. At distance all movement is exaggerated on a wall. Maybe setting up a camera to record the movement of the laser might be similar to the trace recorded by the Mantis. The X10 seems interesting though and I think I want it! haha
 
When I first started training with a purpose the Mantis X was extremely useful for improving my trigger pull. This was before dots were common on pistols. Now I my dot fills that gap.

A decent shot timer is also a dry fire tool that you must have. I use mine in almost every dry fire drill I run.

I got Ben Stoeger's book (Dry-Fire Training Reloaded) and scaled dry fire targets for Christmas and I am really digging it. I am digging the drills, philosophy and structure of his dry fire. Due to family 'stuff' I haven't been able to put as much time into my dry fire as I normally do, but I already see the benefit of Ben's system.

Dryfire Book Combo Pack! Dry-Fire Training Reloaded : For the Practical Pistol Shooter Paperback Book, and Scaled Targets

For AR dry fire the Mantis BlackBeard system is fantastic. It's expensive, and I had to send my BCG back as it was in the first batch that had QC issues. Their CS was on point, emailing me back with in half an hour and took care of me. You do have to grease the BlackBeard BCG to keep it from firing full auto, but that is a small price to pay. You can work your safety, updowns, high & low ready to target, plus transitions. I'd love to have another couple of batteries (they are the "magazine") so I could work in mag changes.

Mantis BlackBeard
 
BadWagon said:
I got Ben Stoeger's book (Dry-Fire Training Reloaded) and scaled dry fire targets for Christmas and I am really digging it. I am digging the drills, philosophy and structure of his dry fire. Due to family 'stuff' I haven't been able to put as much time into my dry fire as I normally do, but I already see the benefit of Ben's system.

Dryfire Book Combo Pack! Dry-Fire Training Reloaded : For the Practical Pistol Shooter Paperback Book, and Scaled Targets
Click to expand...
Nice kit. Oddly, the shipping is about half the price when buying the kit compared to just the scaled targets alone.
 
What holsters will fit with the Mantis attached to the rail ? As in, does the Mantis have a "common signature" like a TLR1,M3, so you could use a holster for your pistol with light and/or pistol with mounted Mantis ?
 
Have several tech tools here, including Mantis X10.

Our by-far favorite one is LaserHit, and specifically their 'Top Score' application.

www.laserhit.com

Home — LaserHIT - Modern Firearm Training at Home

Practice with your gun at home - no monthly fee, no profile, no clouds, no share, no tracking. See the target hits on your TV screen. Most realistic experience. BUY NOW: 99USD.
www.laserhit.com www.laserhit.com

Their web site is truly awful, but, the software works well on a decommissioned Samsung Galaxy 10.
The app by itself I recall being quite inexpensive on the app store.

And we printed the targets at 8.5" x 11" for free. They sell nicer / bigger ones, which I will eventually buy.

You hardly need any space at all to run this setup. An old camera tripod, with one of these:

g-sight.com

Phone/Tablet Holder

This heavy duty device holder has 2 clips - one on either side - and will hold smart phones and tablets. If you already have a tripod, use this holder for your device when you train. Holds smart phones in portrait or landscape modes. Holds tablets in landscape mode. Fits standard tripod camera...
g-sight.com g-sight.com

handles the target viewing. The voice commands and sound effects from the phone are fun, helpful, and intuitive.

Now, the pistol used for this setup was a 'trick' ... it's a Taurus G3C which is striker fired ... *BUT* it has restrike capability.
...
This means: no racking between shots. Just pull the trigger. It's like a sort-of DA feel.
(You can make it 'SA' feel by short-racking the slide if you prefer.)

And the G3C takes Glock sights if you don't like the factory ones.
This isn't an expensive pistol and isn't even an awful pistol, so there is some irony that it never gets to see powder ammo.

Laser cartridges are definitely not all the same.
The G-Sight 'Elms Plus' has been FAR and away a better choice than all the cheapies we tried.

​

 
Last edited:
xtp308 said:
What holsters will fit with the Mantis attached to the rail ? As in, does the Mantis have a "common signature" like a TLR1,M3, so you could use a holster for your pistol with light and/or pistol with mounted Mantis ?
Click to expand...
You can attach the Mantis to the bottom of a magazine instead of putting it on the rail. It comes with a piece of double sided tape and a bit of rail so you can tape the rail to the bottom of the mag. It works just fine and avoids the holstering problem.

I can't answer whether the Mantis matches a standard light for holstering purposes.
 
Airsoft pistol identical to the real one. I have a Shadow 2 which I can run in the real Shadow 2s holster. I shoot outdoors, basement and or garage. You can make simple targets out of carboard boxes for indoor shooting. I made steel plate type targets from thin sheet metal and shepards hooks. You can run all the same drills you would with a real pistol. The guns are the same weight. They actually recoil, not as much as the real thing but you at least have slide movement. They lock back when empty. You can reload at speed. To me it is as close as you can get. The decent guns give you solid shot placement feedback up to about 15 yards from my experience which is perfect for my practicing needs.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom