Mantis Upgrades Training Tool with New X10 Elite Device
When we first heard of the Mantis training aid several years ago, it was easy to see its value for shooters wanting to improve their skills without spending a lot of time or money at the range. And we weren’t let down when we got our hands on it. In our review of the original Mantis X model, we were quite tickled with the immediate feedback with both live fire and dry fire. It was no wonder that the device was awarded Best Accessory of 2018 by NASGW and POMA. We were impressed with the user support and continued growth of the MantisX – from quick responses from the company to frequent updates with new features and any bug fixes.
This is why we were so excited to hear about the new models being released at SHOT Show 2020 earlier this year. The company has continued to pour tons of development effort into the product, which has grown from just the original model into a handful of new models including the $99 X2 dry-fire-only model, the X3 for live-fire of both pistols and rifles, the X7 shotgun trainer, X8 archery model, and the top of the line X10 Elite model, which covers all of the bases for live fire and dry fire for pistols, rifles, and shotguns as well as archery. Yeah, they’ve been keeping busy.
Austin was kind enough to arrange for a Mantis X10 Elite unit to be sent to us to review and we had the chance to put it through its paces. Once again, we were not disappointed in the slightest! Continue reading
NSSF Launches SHOT University Online for FFLs, Ranges
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry and producer of the annual SHOT Show, is pleased to announce the launch of its all-new SHOT University Online education resource.
Available at no charge to NSSF members, SHOT University’s easy-access curriculum allows members to take advantage of industry-leading educational content when it’s convenient to them, wherever they choose to use it. Provided by experts in retail strategies, marketing, security and technology, regulatory compliance and a host of other relevant topics, some of the numerous courses being offered include:
- Inventory Management and KPIs
- Range Training Equipment and Program Design
- Marketing Range Training Programs
- The Guide to New Range Start-Ups
- Membership Trends
- Social Media 101
“We have seen an increase in the demand for the specialized content we provide across the host of educational events NSSF holds throughout the year,” explained Mike Vrooman, NSSF Managing Director, Member Services. “We have a wealth of resources that help our retailers and range owners do business better, from regional ATF training sessions and live webinars to forums such as our Industry Summit, Import/Export Conference and our annual in-person SHOT University at SHOT Show®. But we wanted to create a one-stop resource that was both comprehensive and more readily available. SHOT University Online’s 24/7-365 presence accomplishes that while putting convenience and ease of access in sharp focus.”
SHOT University Online is available only to NSSF members. To learn more and view the courses, visit nssf.org/education. New courses will be added regularly.
Need to join NSSF to take advantage of this new resource, in addition to the many other benefits NSSF membership enjoys? Simply visit NSSF.org.
USCCA Sponsors “National Train A Teacher Day” This Saturday
50-State Training and Education Campaign Aims to Help Teachers Better Protect Schools and Students Ahead of the New School Year
This Saturday, July 20th is the second annual National Train a Teacher Day (NTATD) in which thousands of school teachers and administrators across the country will be offered free self-defense training by Certified Instructors and Training Counselors. The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), which provides education, training and self-defense protection to more than 300,000 responsible American gun owners across the country, is the official sponsor of this national event which aims to empower educators across the country with the training and tools they need to defend themselves in the case of a criminal attack.
To learn more about National Train a Teacher Day, please visit: http://nationaltrainateacherday.com
National Train a Teacher Day comes as more states and school districts are allowing teachers and administrators to go through training and carry firearms on school campuses to better protect the students in their charge. In Florida, for example, expansion of the armed teacher program was one of several recommendations made by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, which was commissioned after the tragic mass shooting in Parkland in February 2018. Continue reading
NSSF Praises U.S. House Bipartisan Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act
Legislation Frees Funds for State Range Construction
The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the firearms industry trade association, praised the introduction of H.R. 1222, the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act of 2019 in the U.S House of Representatives. The bipartisan bill was authored by Reps. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Rob Bishop (R-Utah).
“This is crucial legislation that would provide state fish and game agencies more flexibility to use Pittman-Robertson excise taxes dollars raised from the sale of firearms and ammunition to enhance existing public shooting ranges and to build new ones to meet the growing need for additional places for target shooters to participate in their sport,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Public shooting ranges provide hunters a place to sight in rifles and shotguns before hunting seasons, for people to take firearm safety and hunter education courses and, for recreational target shooters to enjoy their sport. NSSF thanks Congressmen Kind and Bishop for recognizing the critical need and providing solutions to benefit recreational shooters and conservation.”
This legislation has been introduced in previous Congressional sessions, where it received overwhelming bipartisan support, but was never advanced to the president. The funds are derived from an existing excise taxes paid by firearms and ammunition manufacturers since 1937, with almost $12.1 billion raised for wildlife conservation supported by the sale of these products.
States are permitted to use some of those funds for hunter education courses and for public shooting ranges under a restrictive formula that has largely discouraged state agencies from building and enhancing public shooting ranges. The legislation would provide states greater flexibility on their ability to use Pittman-Robertson excise tax funds by increasing the cap of federal funds accrued for the creation and maintenance of shooting ranges from 75 to 90 percent. This means states could begin work on range facilities with 10 percent matching funds, instead of the current 25 percent. It would also enable excise funds to be made available and accrue for five years for land acquisition or range construction.
Target shooters are largely responsible for the funds derived through excise taxes from the sale of firearms and ammunition products. That money is directly responsible for habitat conservation, recreational shooting and wildlife management, making gun owners, hunters and manufacturers largest financial supporters of wildlife conservation throughout the United States. The development of new ranges will help encourage participation in hunting and the shooting sports, ensuring wildlife conservation funding through the Pittman-Robertson Act will continue for generations to come.
Legally Armed In Detroit Offering Free Shooting Class For Women in Detroit
Legally Armed In Detroit, a gun rights advocacy group, has announced that it will provide a free firearm shooting lesson at a southeast Michigan target range for 800 women interested in learning more about firearms and personal protection.
There will be no charge for the Firearm Instructor’s safety briefing, the usage of a firearm, ammunition, and range time. Participation is 100 percent free for all attendees. No prior firearms training or experience is required of the women who desire to take advantage of the lesson. Further, experienced women merely desiring to improve their marksmanship skills are also welcome to attend.
The free shooting lesson offer was the brainchild of Rick Ector, an NRA Approved Firearms Trainer, after seeing a local television newscast of a young woman’s body being discovered on an east-side Detroit street seven years ago.
This year’s event will be the seventh consecutive year it has been conducted. In the first year only 50 women were trained. However, last year the event grew sufficiently to teach almost 600 how to safely operate a pistol.
This year’s goal is 800 trained women over the day-long event. It is only with the cooperation of Ector’s fellow Firearm Instructor colleagues and supporters across social media that this event could even be attempted and safely conducted.
Ector believes that there are many women in the state of Michigan who are curious about firearms and their role in self-defense but are reluctant to investigate due to fears. He said, “If giving women a free lesson by a credentialed professional translates into women just trying it, it’ll be a productive use of my time.”
The ladies FREE shooting event will be held on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at the Top Gun Shooting Sports Gun Range at 22050 Pennsylvania in Taylor, Michigan. FREE Advance Pre-registration is required for participation. Interested ladies should visit the Facebook event page for more info.
MantisX System Gives Real-Time Shooting Feedback
Recently, Casey from MantisX reached out to GunLink to tell us about their system, which they describe as “a firearms training system that mounts on the rail of your gun and gives you real time feedback via an app on your smart phone,” going so far as calling it “most innovative development in personal firearms training in years.” Bold claims, to be sure, but Casey was confident enough in the system to send one over for us to try out.
First of all – what exactly is a MantisX? You are probably familiar with the ubiquitous Pistol Correction Targets. Our Pistol Correction Target posts have seen hundreds of thousands of pageviews the GunLink Forums and the GunLink Blog, and have been shared far and wide on other sites, gun stores, and ranges.
When Casey first contacted us, the MantisX system was essentially a feature-packed, electronic, “smart” 21st century version of the targets that have been around decades (it has since gotten even better). It works by attaching the MantisX device – packed with sensors, gyros, and other electronic wizardry – to your pistol and connecting it wirelessly via bluetooth to your Android or iOS smart device using their free app.
With the device attached and connected, the sensors inside of the MantisX unit track movement of the firearm before, during, and after your shots, analyzes them, and presents them in a variety of formats through the app. Continue reading
