By the way Raith
I recently wrote my own review because there isn't a whole lot of info on the TH M240. If you have anything to add, please do.
TRIGGER HAPPY M240 REVIEW
I’ve owned my Trigger Happy M240 now for almost a year. I ran into a few problems and tried to search the Internet for more information. However, I discovered there is not a whole lot out there. So I decided to write this review to help provide more hands on experience with this gun.
I purchased my TH M240 from Impact Games in Hawaii where the gun came directly from one of their suppliers in Hong Kong. Even though I’m in California, I chose Impact Games because they are one of the oldest airsoft shops in the U.S. and have one of the most experience airsoftsmiths I know. And since I was going to buy one of the most expensive airsoft guns currently available, I wanted it to be a solid reliable performer above all else.
I did some extensive research on the TH M240 before buying my gun. I’ve heard mixed reviews. The most common comments I heard was that on the out side, the gun was beautiful and well built but the internals and it’s shooting performance were somewhat below par (mainly the barrel) considering it’s price tag. I had also considered the Inokatsu M240 but after seeing a video review of it shooting with an accuracy of a shotgun at only 30 ft, not to mention it’s higher price, I dismissed it. I think we can all agree that if you spend more than a $1,000 on an airsoft gun, its performance should at least be better than your average AEG.
With that in mind I asked Impact Games to strip the internals and replace it with the best parts in the market.
The parts that were replaced are as follows.
PDI 05 (6.05mm inner barrel) 595mm barrel
Guarder Hop Bucking
Systema Ver.3 Taper Cylinder Head
PDI Palsonite Cylinder
Guarder SP120 Spring
Guarder Ver.2 Steel Spring Guide with Bearings
Systema Torque-Up Gears
Tokyo Marui EG1000 Motor
Note; I replaced the Guarder SP 120 spring with a Systema M120. My original request was to have the gun shoot 395~400 fps with Excel bio-bb but it was frequently shooting slightly over 400 fps which was disqualifying my gun sometimes. With the Systema M-120 it now shoots an average 395 fps which is perfect.
Another thing that I asked them to upgrade was the ammo feeder pouch. The ammo feeder that sits in the ammo pouch is made out of cardboard. I understand they did this to be more realistic. A 100 rounds belt of 7.62mm bullets sometimes comes in a cardboard box. So they were trying to achieve this look.
This M-60 repack Kit is available at
http://www.cheaperthandirt.comBut in real life the box is used once then discarded. Cardboard wasn’t design for repeated use. So I had them replace the cardboard with plastic and duct tape to make it more durable. The results were quite nice, sturdy but flexible and with a pull up tab to boot.
NOTE: On the very bottom of the feeder you will always see a white BB. This is an important anti-jamming feature and not a stuck BB. Don't try to remove it.When I got the gun and opened it up. Visually I was not disappointed. It looked very realistic and the parts looked like they were made with high quality machined parts and a nice gun metal finish.
The gun comes in 10 parts: barrel, bipod, receiver, ammo tray, top cover tray, ammo tray pin, trigger, trigger pin, stock and the ammo feeder pouch. Which assemble very much like a real M240. When I put all the parts together, the precision machining showed. All of the parts fit smoothly and snug like a pair of racing gloves.
However, there are 2 areas that require a little effort attaching. One is the top tray. The front section of the top tray pushes up against a large spring button which is rather stiff making insertion of the tray pin a little difficult.
I found the best way to do this to firmly push the tray forward then close it. Once the top tray is closed, insert the pin that holds them in.
The other is the stock. The wires in the back can sometimes stick out a little making it sometimes difficult to close. The best thing to do is make sure the wire and fuse box are tucked well into the body before sliding the stock close.
There were two other areas that required some modification. The first one was the stock. A large 9.6v battery fits snugly in the stock. However, with SAWs, I like to use a lower voltage battery such as an 8.4 v because I prefer to shoot with long but slow firing burst than a high speed short burst. (A SAW is all about suppression!) So, when I tried to put an 8.4v battery in, I discovered it wouldn’t drop in. Since the last battery cell on an 8.4v is perpendicular to the other cells it actually makes the battery a little wider on that end. Not a whole lot but enough that it wouldn’t drop in. If I pushed hard a little bit I could get it in but trying to get it out was twice as hard. I was concerned about ripping the wires out of the battery. I guess trigger Happy just automatically thought that everyone would use a large 9.6v and didn’t bother trying other batteries. So, I took a half rounded file and grinded the top and bottom of the inside of the stock neck. Fortunately I didn’t have to shave too much to get the 8.4 v to fit. The other area that required minor modification and the only thing I considered to be a design flaw was with the top tray cover. When I closed it, the top tray did not seem to be locking in. I could open it relatively easy by pulling on it without pushing in on the release buttons on the back of the tray . This was not right. Once the tray is locked in, it should sit securely on top of the receiver and not easily pulled off. After a little examination, I discovered that the two little push buttons that you squeeze on the back of the top tray to open it are connected to 2 angle hooks underneath.
Theses angle hook are supposed to slip into a cut groove on the inside of the receiver and lock the tray down.
The problem was the tray wasn’t sitting down low enough for the angle hooks to slip in to the locking grooves on the in side of the receiver. My first thought was to file the 2 nubs on top of the back section of the receiver where the tray sat on. But the tray was already sitting flush with the body. If I filed the 2 nubs, it would no longer sit flush with the body. Instead, I removed the rear locking angle irons and filed the top portion down about 1 or 2mm. After I did this, it fixed the problem and now I can lift the gun up by the tray. However, I don’t recommend picking up your gun that way. Always use the handle.
As for performance, the THM240 shoots like a dream! Impact Game’s quality craftsmanship in upgrading this gun definitely shows. The range and accuracy is incredible. I basically can out gun just about anyone in the field. I have no trouble picking off targets at 50 yards. On top of that, the gearbox runs very smooth and quiet. That is a testament to an excellent shim job.
However the nicest aspect is the ammo feeder pouch. It is one of the smoothest and quietest motorized ammo feeder/drum mags I have ever seen. In fact the first time I shot it. It was so quiet that I thought it wasn’t working. The other thing I like about it is that that there is only one small wire that you can barely see. This wire connects to another wire that shares the same connection as the trigger which connects to the battery in the stock. So there is no need to have a battery in the ammo pouch to power the feeder. And since they are connected together, the ammo pouch feeds BBs into the gun when ever you pull the trigger. Another excellent feature is the tube spring that feeds BBs from the ammo pouch to the gun is integrated into metal frame that clips on the side of the gun.
So attaching it is simple, easy and snug.
This is perhaps the most user friendly ammo feeding pouch that I have ever seen. On top of all of this I never had a jam or feeding issue. And last, you can have someone pour BBs into you ammo pouch while you are shooting. Its only drawback is when you first put BBs into the ammo feeder. It takes about 5 to 7 seconds of shooting for the first BB to travel up the spring tube and into the chamber. If there was one change I could make, I would have the spring tube run up inside the ammo pouch and out just below the top and through the support frame for a cleaner look. That said, Trigger Happy deserves a round of applause for this ammo pouch feeder design.
Now for the field performance review. I’ve used this TH M240 in various terrain and weather from heavy winter snow fall of the Sierra Mountains to the heat of the of the Nevada desert. The TH M240 performed admirably in all conditions.
Reno Desert
Ambush In The SnowAt 16 pounds this gun is about 10lb lighter than the real one but still about twice as heavy compared to your average airsoft gun. Combine with its size of 49 inches which is just over 4 feet. This is a beast of a gun to be lugging around. When firing, the best position to be in is on the ground using your bipod. Shoulder firing is difficult for any long period of time and the ammo pouch hanging off to the left makes the gun unbalanced. On occasions I found myself borrowing a friend’s shoulder while he holds on to the bipod. This works pretty well. In most cases though, I found myself shooting from the hip. So getting a SAW sling is highly recommended.
When you do uses a sling, one thing I recommend is that you don’t attach the front portion to your barrel. This can potentially put stress on the barrel and cause damage over a period of time. The best place to attach it is at the front end of the gas tube. The gas tube is the cylinder underneath the barrel and is attached to the receiver. At the end of the gas tube and just behind where the bipod attaches, you will see a “U” shape bracket on top that supports the barrel. Below it is a hole. On a real one I think an eye pin goes in this hole so you can attach your sling to it. Since there was none I had to improvise. An old Vietnam Vet told me that they use to use parachute cords to make slings for their M60. So I did just that. I took some parachute cord and ran it through the hole and make a big loop about 2.5~3 inches long on the left side (right side if you are left handed). Then I attach the front of the sling to the loop. Make sure that you have enough excess rope to wrap around the gas tube at least once. I also made a knot on both sides of the whole for added protection. The last thing you want to happen is have that parachute cord come off and have your barrel smack on the ground, potentially breaking it. Also, keep in mind that if you make the loop too short, the clip ring on the sling will rub against your barrel and scratch off that nice gun metal finish, showing the bright aluminum silver underneath. I learned this the hard way. By the way, the sling I use is a “Vickers Saw Sling” by Blue Force Gear.
Anyway, back to the gun’s weight and size. Because of its weight and size, it’s a bit unwieldy. You will often find your self being the slowest guy in the pack. Your buddies will often be bitching at you for not moving fast enough and to keep up. However, when shit hits the fan, everyone will be calling your name and when you start ripping a way, they will be cheering you on. Another drawback is that you are slower to acquire your target and take cover. So if you come upon an enemy and both of you are surprised, usually the guy with the assault rifle is going to get the drop on you. So playing point man with this gun is usually not a good idea. Your best location is in the middle.
Keep in mind though that with a gun like this, your job on offense is suppression. Even with excellent range, accuracy and even a scope, you won’t be a sniper. It’s just too big and bulky. You want to use it to keep the other guy’s head down so your guys can move in for the kill. As I mentioned earlier, I like my SAWs to have a slow rate of fire. This allows me to hold the trigger down for a long period of time. Even though I may not be actually hitting a lot of targets, a long sustained burst can cause several psychological effects. The first one is paralysis. Guys will hunker down and stay there because they don’t want to get shot. Leaving your guys free to flank and take him out. Other guys will start freaking out and just want to get out of the hot zone. Even though they might be in a safe position, they may leave it just to get out. If your team mates are in good position he will be easy pickins, like flushing pheasant out of a bush. The last one is frustration. After being pinned for a while some guys may get frustrated. When they do, they are more likely to make mistakes and get shot.
Where this gun excels the most is in the defensive position. In the right spot you can lay waste to anything in your firing arc and hold people off for a long time. However, even in the best spot it’s always nice to have someone about 30~50 feet behind you to watch your back. You can bet that once you start controlling an area they will try to flank you. If you don’t, bug out just before you feel they’ve had enough time to flank you.
Another area where this gun excels is being mounted on a vehicle. It’s probably the best airsoft gun for this use. In fact the real M240s original function was to be a vehicle mounted gun. However, when the Iraq war started, guys in the field were finding out that the M249 just didn’t have the knock down or penetration fire that they need. So they began requesting to replace the m249 with the m240. If you do mount it on a vehicle, it best to use real mounts. The cheapest way is to buy an M240 pintle mount and a travel lock. This can be bought for around $300~$350 but since the M240 pintle cradle is in current use, they are a bit difficult to find. However, I wanted to find a mount that had the pintle cradle and travel lock in one and was more compact. I searched the internet for them but most of them cost more than the gun itself. Plus nearly all of them had ammo trays which prevented me from using the ammo pouch. So I had a custom one made for $450. It turned out very nice and is strong enough to handle a real M240.
M240 pintle and travel lock
My custom M240 Cradle
M240 on my HMMWVWell now that I’ve talked about most of the good point about the gun. Here is what I was annoyed with.
The first time I played with the gun. I put it on my friends shoulder to get better stability. When he went to grab the bipod, it fell off. Needless to say I was not happy. In the round cylinder section of the bipod, there is a pin that holds the bipod on. When you move the bipod forward, it opens the hole where the pin is. If the pin inside is not in tight, it just falls out and the bipod comes off as what happened in my case.
If Trigger Happy used a simple spring pin, it would prevent the bipod from falling off.
There is also a ball bearing and spring inside the cylinder to but this was lost as well when the bipod fell off. Fortunately I was able to get replacement parts for it at Orchard hardware store and fix it. If you own a TH M240, I strongly recommend that you glue the pin in with some Lock-Tight or replace it with a spring pin. I had to cut mine down to fit and use a metal punch to tap it in.
The second time I used my gun my ammo feeder broke. On the ammo pouch, there is a black triangle frame that connects the ammo pouch to the gun. The base of this triangle frame is connected to a large rectangle black plate. The 2 heavy duty nylon straps on the ammo pouch wrap around the large plate securing the ammo pouch to the frame. Holding this large rectangle plate to the triangle frame are two small screws. During play, these screws came loose and fell out and my ammo feeder pouch fell off. I lost one of the screws but found the other.
Fortunately it was an easy fix and once again I was able to find replacement screws at Orchard Hardware. Had I lost both screws, I would have had a real hard time figuring out what size screws when into those small holes. I was rather pissed that something so small and trivial could have turned my gun into an expensive paper weight. So I strongly recommend using Lock-Tight on these two little screws. Before you do this though, it might be a good idea to see if you can find spare screws, just in case.
The third problem I ran into was after playing in the snow all day. My gun became damp and wet. I just stuck it in my bag and went home. The next day I pulled my gun out and removed my barrel to clean it. When I did, the section of the barrel that locks into the receiver had rust on it.
I was shock that something that is an important part of the gun would rust so easily and so quickly. Fortunately I had some silicon oil and cleaned it off. So if your gun ever does get wet, I recommend that at the end of the day you take your gun apart and thoroughly dry it off. It might also be a good idea to rub a light coat of silicon or gun oil on the metal locking rings on the barrel just below the carry handle and also the hole where you insert the barrel into the receiver.
The fourth problem I ran into was the trigger guard. In the upper front section of the trigger guard there is a small pin. If you remove this pin, the trigger guard comes off. However, this pin is loose and can easily fall out and causing the trigger guard to fall off. If you loose it, it will be very difficult to replace. I secured it by putting some scotch tape over it. For the most part though, you should never have a need to remove this pin. By the way, as long as the trigger is in the gun, this pin will not fall out. The earlobe holes use for the travel lock that come down over the front trigger, covers part of the pin and prevents it from falling out. (You can see this by looking at the 2nd picture from the top.) It's only when you remove the trigger that the pin can fall out.
Last was the rear sight. The sight was slightly bent so the range finder would not slide all the way up or down. This is rather a minor annoyance but for the price you pay for this gun you expect it to be perfect.
Overall, I think Trigger Happy hit all the big stuff on the mark and with a proper upgrade, the gun is a top notch solid performer. However, they miss the mark when it came to paying attention to the small details. A loss of a few small screws in the right place can put you out of commission. Perhaps the biggest draw back is the lack of replacement parts should you break or loose something. The most critical issue is the ammo feeder pouch. This is perhaps the most vulnerable piece of the gun. If you should ever fall and brake it or it craps out on you. You’re screwed and stuck with an expensive wall decoration because there are no replacements available. At minimum, Trigger happy should at least make extra ammo feeder pouches available for purchase.
I could have added more but ran out of time. If anyone has any more questiosns, let me know and I will update this review.
