[Review] Mantis BlackbeardX: Is It Worth It?

Dry fire training tools can be useful devices to enhance dry fire training, but they often come with one big downside…you have to manually reset your trigger after every shot.

One company looks to solve this issue with an innovative training tool that takes the hassle out of dry fire. Combining two of its own popular products (the Blackbeard and the MantisX), Mantis launched the BlackbeardX in 2022.

The BlackbeardX is a laser-based training solution specifically designed for the AR-15. It incorporates advanced sensors and a digital feedback app to get AR shooters on the right track.

Creating a combo of the MantisX and Blackbeard seems like a good idea, but does the Mantis BlackbeardX deliver the kind of seamless dry fire training AR shooters are looking for?

We put the Mantis BlackbeardX to the test through extensive hands-on evaluation to see if this dry fire trainer hits the mark. Keep reading to see how it performed in our dry fire training sessions and if it’s worth the price.

How We Tested the Mantis BlackbeardX

As this is a dry fire trainer, no ammunition was involved in the testing of the Mantis BlackbeardX, and I was able to conduct all evaluations indoors.

I installed the two-piece unit with a LaRue Tactical 12-inch AR-15 SBR sporting a new Vortex Crossfire green dot.

Using a few targets, I evaluated the product for safety, ease of use, and educational value.

This test also included reviewing the various drills and courses provided in the Mantis app.

Mantis BlackbeardX Specs & Features

Specs

• Weight: 15.4 oz. (combined)
• Battery: USB rechargeable
• Battery life: Approximately 50,000 trigger pulls
• Laser: Class 3R green
• Price: ≈$300

Features

• Dry fire trigger reset
• In-depth target analysis
• App-based courses

Mantis BlackbeardX Background

As I mentioned earlier, the BlackbeardX from Mantis is a combination of two products — the MantisX and the Blackbeard.

The MantisX popped on the scene around 2016 — offering a small device that would give users instant feedback during dry fire training. In fact, I reviewed the MantisX several years ago. The MantisX offered an innovative app that coincided with the tool to help shooters dial in their skills as well as diagnose areas of improvement.

The downside was that there was no way to reset the trigger; therefore you were stuck racking the slide every time you pulled the trigger.

Mantis’ Blackbeard appeared a few years later, in 2021. Where the MantisX just observed shots and reported them, the Blackbeard acted as an auto-resetting dry fire system for AR-15s. Basically, you install the bolt carrier group, charging handle, and magazine, and a piston resets the hammer so you don’t have to charge it every time. (We also reviewed the stand-alone Blackbeard.)

Downside here? It lacked the app component that could give you real-time feedback.

Enter the BlackbeardX — which took the Blackbeard’s dry fire capability and paired it with the MantisX laser and motion-sensor suite, giving users a moe complete training option.

Who Is the Mantis BlackbeardX For?

The Mantis BlackbeardX is designed primarily for the AR-15 platform. That said, Mantis also offers versions for the AR-10, Sig Sauer MCX, and FN SCAR.

Shooters who want to improve their AR-15 skills (or other aforementioned guns) through dryfire practice will benefit the most from the BlackbeardX system. This dryfire trainer lets you practice indoors when the weather is bad. Not to mention, it saves money in range fees and ammunition.

Mantis BlackbeardX Instructions: Installation

The BlackbeardX ships with a couple of components that you’ll use to set up the system — a Bolt carrier group (BCG) and an inert magazine.

Inside the box is a magazine portion that contains a battery. Your first step is to charge that thing! It charges via USB so that’s easy enough. LED lights on the unit signal when it’s charging and show the level of progress. That’s a nice touch you don’t always get!

Next up, we have to prepare the BCG. The BCG section contains the laser that fires down the barrel, indicating hits on the target. This component slides into the upper receiver of your AR-15 and replaces both the charging handle and bolt carrier group.

When placed properly, metal connectors on the BCG awaited two metal prongs at the top of the magazine. When the Mantis magazine is inserted, you’ll get a familiar click of the magazine locking into place, followed by a whirling sound that indicates the BlackbeardX is ready to use.

But wait….there’s more.

Before you start throwing lasers “downrange,” remember to download the MantisX app on your phone. I used an iPhone, but don’t worry Android users — there’s an app for you, too.

Once the app is downloaded, connecting the BlackbeardX to the phone is an easy process. Simply push a button on the side of the magazine. A blue light will activate, letting you know it’s good to pair. From there, just follow the on-screen instructions.

You’re up and running in no time!

Dry Fire Training with the BlackbeardX

Flipping through the app, I was impressed by the number of drills available for training. Drilling down, I also found YouTube-linked videos that explained the drills if the provided instructions still left me with questions.

There are so many drills in the app I couldn’t cover them all in an article! Instead, I’ll describe a couple I enjoyed.

First up, the Benchmark!

Benchmark Drill

I dove into the Benchmark drill first, hoping to set some type of baseline for myself. This drill is untimed and consists of 10 individual shots. The goal is to break them as cleanly and accurately as possible.

Considering how incredibly sensitive the X’s sensors are, I adopted my stance, took a breath, hit the start button, and began. By the end of the tenth shot, I knew I was getting tired, and this was reflected in my scores.

The amount of data captured in the app is impressive. Not only can you see the movement of your rifle, but the color coding gives you feedback about when you start your press and then actually break the shot.

It captures this data using an accelerometer and gyroscope. Although you may think you’re holding very still, the X is sensitive and will detect the slightest movement.

I was fairly happy with my score, but I wanted to try some other drills.

Triple Threat

Next, I used a target set up in the garage and tried out the Triple threat.

This is a drill in which the objective is to fire three shots to the chest, one shot to the pelvic girdle, and one shot to the head. It is timed, so you have to hit the start button and wait for the beep before you begin.

I did this drill a lot and really enjoyed the feedback. My scores were good, but I kept gaming, trying to improve.

While firing rapid secession, I finally noticed that that Blackbeard portion was actually resetting my trigger for me.

This was very cool because other products I’ve tried fell short of this feature and required the charging handle to reset.

With every shot, a brief flash of laser shot out the muzzle, and the trigger kicked back on my finger. I got visual confirmation of my hit from the laser on the target, but I also had physical feedback on my finger.

It wasn’t the loud bang I’m used to on the range, but it was close enough to provide value.

Again, this drill captured all my motions and gave me feedback through the app.

The Blackbeard X is ingenious for telling you how long you take to get to the target, if you wait too long to fire, and if you overtravel when transitioning to other targets.

Why is the Mantis BlackbeardX Unique?

The BlackbeardX gives you an absolute lesson by analyzing your shooting and making suggestions on how you can improve, while the Blackbeard simplifies the process of dry firing an AR-15.

The selling point of the BlackbeardX is the combo of those two Mantis products. The pairing creates a better learning experience for shooters training on the AR-15.

Why You Should Trust Pew Pew Tactical

At the helm of this review was Pew Pew Tactical Content Producer Sean Curtis. Sean spent over two decades in law enforcement, where he became a POST-certified handgun instructor and NLEFIA Red Dot Instructor and received CLEFIA Advanced Firearms Instructor Training and AR-15 armorer training. He has since attended a variety of training, including Tactical Performance Center Handgun Mastery & Carbine Mastery, and earned USCCA rifle instructor certification. Aside from training and prior to joining the Pew Pew Tactical team full-time, Sean wrote for several gun publications evaluating and testing guns and gear and has written hundreds of articles.

This review was edited by Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings, who runs Pew Pew Tactical’s experienced team of reviewers. Jacki is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association and has her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. She has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years, and has worked as an editor for five years. She uses her extensive professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards.

Is the Mantis BlackbeardX Worth It: Final Verdict

The AR-15 is one of my favorites to shoot, and the Mantis system provides some very cool technology to this beloved platform. Personally, I’m glad Mantis took the time to assemble such a complete package.

Not only do you get tons of courses and drills in the app, but the hardware is sturdy and easy to use.

Using the BlackbeardX consistently will make you a better shooter, and you’ll save money along the way. It’s a win-win!

Will you be trying out the Mantis BlackbeardX? Let us know in the comments below. If you’re into upping your skillset, check out our Guide to Safe & Effective Dry Fire at Home. We have a lot of other Mantis reviews, too, so check out our others below!

• MantisX Review
• Mantis Laser Academy Training System Review
• Mantis Blackbeard
• Steiner TOR-X Laser Trainer