Mantis Blackbeard Review: AR-15 Dry Fire System
Whatever type of shooting you do, if you shoot without training regularly, you’re missing out. But ammo is hard to find (and expensive), and you can’t always find the time to make it to the range. This is where Mantis steps in with their training solutions for pistols and rifles. It is no secret that we are fans of the Mantis products. We have reviewed many of them over the years here, focusing primarily on pistol products. Now we are moving on to the AR-15: meet the Mantis Blackbeard.
The Mantis Blackbeard allows you to dry fire with your AR-15 while auto-resetting your trigger. This is a big deal since racking the bolt between each shot is not only a pain but can build in training scars you might not want. The Blackbeard is a drop-in kit that replaces your bolt carrier and charging handle and uses a unique magazine that doubles as the battery pack. Pull out your bolt carrier, charging handle, and mag, then replace with the Blackbeard. Now you are good to go.
The Mantis works with your existing firearm, including the trigger. No matter the caliber, the Blackbeard will work with it. Keep in mind; this is only for the AR-15 platform, not for AR-10s or 22LR rifles. The Blackbeard allows you to take up to 10 dry shots per second, so even if your last name is Miculek, it can keep up with you. It even works on full autos.
How the Mantis Blackbeard Works
Let’s start with safety features: Mantis thought this out very well. When the Blackbeard is installed, you cannot close the ejection port cover, nor can you put in a standard AR magazine. This lets everyone know that you are not shooting live rounds. However, you should still be sure your gun is clear before installing the system.
Now for how it functions: On the bottom of the replacement bolt carrier is an actuator that pushes the trigger back down after each shot. There is very little movement from the hammer to the actuator, so it can reset quickly. The battery is charged by a micro-USB and does not take long to charge fully from a near-dead state. If I had to guess, the average is around two hours for a full charge.
Now dryfire is nice for trigger control and practice, but Mantis took it one step further and added a laser to the Blackbeard. There are four different models available which include no laser, green laser, red laser, and IR laser. I went with the green laser because it is easier to see in various light conditions.
Last thing about the laser: there is a switch that allows you to change the laser control to “always-on” or “on with trigger pull.” The ability to see where the barrel is aimed at all times could be helpful for new and experienced shooters to practice muzzle discipline. Also, there is an elevation and windage screw on the unit that allows you to zero your laser to the rifle. You can access both the screws and the switch from the ejection port with the unit installed.
Laser Training App Info
The laser opens a world of training possibilities, and Mantis takes full advantage of this with their new Mantis Laser Academy app for Android or iPhone. This allows you to do so many things; we could cover it in 10 different articles. For now, we are just going to focus on training with the Mantis Blackbeard.
The app works by using your phone’s camera and unique targets from Mantis. The targets are for sale on the Mantis site; however, you can also download and print them here. You will want a tripod and phone adapter to align the camera with the targets. You can set the targets up anywhere you want, but the phone needs to read them. Some of the targets only work with specific drills, and if you want all the drills, you need to upgrade to the Pro version of the app. If you purchase one of the Mantis Laser Academy Training System kits (includes a tripod, phone adapter, targets, case, and a laser cartridge), then you get a code for the Pro version of the app for free. If you want to practice pistol and rifle transitions, the kit is a good way to go since you have lasers for two guns.
Pro tip: set up two phones and targets in different rooms to practice clearing a room. You can also have someone else set up the targets, so you don’t know where they are and must adapt on the fly. This can be a lot of fun and become very competitive.
Review of the Mantis Blackbeard
Out of the box, the Mantis Blackbeard worked in every AR that I own. At first, the trigger would not reset, and I had to eject the mag several times after a few shots. This resolved itself after shooting about 50 times or so. I would recommend using some lubricant to smooth out the actuator on the unit if you are having issues.
The unit comes in a durable carry case that holds everything in place for travel. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this, and it was a nice bonus. The case can hold the unit plus targets and a USB wall plug. So, if you are traveling, you just need something to hold your phone, and you can practice wherever you are.
I found that the Blackbeard was almost zeroed out of the box. It was just slightly lower than my zero on my scope, but for close distances, this would be about right. So, I didn’t bother to change it except to test how the unit worked. Personally, I would not zero the laser to your scope or red dot if you are shooting close distances because you want to train as close to real-life as possible.
I see no issues with the durability of this unit. The only wear part would be the actuator, and I’m sure that Mantis tested this extensively. There was a slight separation between the two halves of the bolt carrier, but this didn’t cause an issue, and several people have reported that it is normal. I expect it is just the shape of the polymer, so nothing to work about.  Both the bolt carrier and the mag are made of what seems like a very durable polymer. The magazine drops free, and if you were inclined, you could practice dropping the mag and changing it.
The Blackbeard doesn’t affect the feel of the trigger in my experience. I tried with and without the kit on multiple guns, and the trigger felt the same. It is important to me that the trigger feel the same; I have tried other trigger reset kits and it made the trigger feel weird. That was not the case with the Blackbeard.
The Mantis Laser Academy app really ties the whole experience together. Now it is not required to use the Blackbeard, but it does add a lot of training options. The app is a no-brainer and makes the unit totally worth the price. The app does have a Pro version, and it is $49.99 to unlock all the features. You can look at the options and see if it is worth it to you. Speaking of price, the no-laser unit is $199 while the red laser is $219, and green and IR lasers are $249. Personally, I see no reason to get the non-laser version with all the functionally that the laser version adds.
5.56 ammo is currently over .50 per round, so for the price of 400 rounds you can get a dryfire kit that will make you a better shooter and save you money for years to come. Also, it is fun to play with and annoy your spouse, or cat.
Key Features: Mantis Blackbeard
- Drop-in dry fire system with auto-resetting trigger feature for AR-15 platforms
- Up to 10 dry fire shots per second
- Available in four different models
- 650 nm, 60ms pulse duration, Continuous wave for the Red laser
- 520 nm, 60ms pulse duration, Continuous wave for the Green laser
- 780 nm, 60ms pulse duration, Continuous wave for the IR laser
- MSRP: $199-$249
PURCHASE HERE
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.