M24 Modify
Modify makes the replica of the M24 rifle in four variants: MOD24, MOD24, USR150, MOD24 SF and MOD24X (the first three in the following colour variants: black, olive drab and sand). Individual versions differ in performance, installed parts and the type (shape) of the external barrel. The most important differences among internal parts is the stiffness of the main spring and the diameter of the inner barrel.
Common features of all the versions visible at first glance:
- an extended Picatinny rail for mounting a scope (the rifles do not have any iron sights);
- an enlarged trigger guard (making it easy to use the rifle with thick gloves);
- the trigger mechanism with an adjustable travel and stiffness of the trigger.
The basic version of the MOD24 (320 or 450 fps) costs 325 USD, has an inner barrel with a diameter of 6,08 mm and a standard, smooth external barrel, narrowing towards the exiting end.
The second version, the MOD24 USR150 (490 fps) costs 420 USD. It has an inner barrel with a diameter of 6,03 mm and a smooth external barrel, narrowing towards the exiting end.
The third version - the MOD24 SF (490 fps) costs 490 USD, has an inner barrel with a diameter of 6,03 mm and a fluted external barrel, narrowing towards the exiting end.
The MOD24X (490 fps) version described below has an ma nner barrel with a diameter of 6,03 mm and a fluted external barrel with an even diameter on the entirety of its length. This is where the additional name, the MOD24X Bull Barrel (meaning heavy) comes from.
The prices listed above come from the Modify company website and are, in my opinion, recommended retail prices. Those prices were taken on 11.10.2018.
The reason I called the MOD24X Bull Barrel the "ugly sister" of the Novritsch SSG24 is its looks. And since it is no mystery that the SSG24 replica is made by Modify, comparing both replicas if fully justified. How will MOD24X do in direct comparison with the rifle made by Novritsch's"specifications"?
What is in the set?
In contrast to the great majority of airsoft replicas, we get the MOD24X packed in a suitcase made of durable plastic. Inside the case is lined with a sponge that effectively immobilizes the replica and any additional accessories. The length of the suitcase is 124 cm. There is no need to take the rifle apart. Protection for transportation proposes is excellent. Novritsch is delivered in the same kind of packaging.
Along with the replica, we get a magazine holding 30 BBs, two mounting rings for a sling, two hex keys, a small packet of 0.25 g BBs branded with a Modify logo and a tubular (!) magazine loader. We also get three alkaline LR41 batteries and a LED diode in a plastic colorless frame, which we can mount in the magazine and expose the BBs too, which should give a well known effect. There is also a Velcro tag with the Modify logo and the slogan: "Dominate the Field".
Technical data:
- overall length 1100 mm
- length of the inner barrel 485 mm
- diameter of the inner barrel 6,03 mm
- muzzle velocity 490 fps
- magazine capacity 30 BBs
- weight 2,8 kg
External design and our impressions
The individual parts of the replica are made and put together folded very well. The stock is made of glass fiber reinforced polymer, the surface of which is slightly rough on the touch. Looking at it, you can see a very, very small texture. In contrast to similar but cheaper replicas, the material used is very hard. In combination with really thick walls, this results in an unusualy stiff stock. I have tried to bend many times in various places, unsuccessfully.
On the right, next to the bolt handle is the safety switch. Moving it forward makes the replica ready to fire. Moving it back secures. Unfortunately, the switch has no SAFE/FIRE markings - positions must be memorized. Moreover, the rifle also has no spring tension indicator.
Three steel pins are mounted on the bottom - one at the stock section and two at the front section. Two of them, the one on the stock and the one closer to the trigger guard, are used to attach the included carrying sling mounts.
The closest one to the exting end of the barrel is designed for mouting a bipod. It's kind of obvious, but I'm writing this because the Internat is full of photos of "tactical" M24 replicas with a bipod mounted on the second pin. How to carry the rifle using the sling in this situation? Maybe the stylist-photographer didn't had a clue what he/she was doing?!
The butt stock is finished with a rubber pad, about 20 mm thick. In the part adjacent to the point you put the rifle against your shoulder, the manufacturer's logo is placed. The length of the butt stock can be adjusted by moving the stock's back plate with the aid of the adjustment ring. The adjustment range is nearly 65 mm. After setting the correct length, the adjusting ring is locked with the second, narrower ring acting as a counter nut.
SSG24 Novritscha has an identical stock. The only difference is the logo on the pad. The SSG has there a characteristic vertical inscription NOVRITSCH with a stylized crosshair inside the letter O.
Among the characteristic features of the MOD24 Modify replicas, is the the enlarged trigger guard. In fact, this part is just slightly enlarged. Unfortunately, the flap located directly in front of it is just a dummy. Together with the trigger guard it is a part of a single cast. The M24 by Classic Army has a folding-out flap in this place. It is not used for anything, but can be opened. In Modify's and Novritsch's replicas you cannot do that.
Another feature highlighted by the manufacturer is the detachable extended Picatinny rail. The rail is in fact detachable, but due to the lack of iron sights it does not make sense to disconnect it from the replica. The only reason for which one would like to disconnect it would be to disassemble the external barrel or for maintenance (cleaning or lubrication) inside the chamber. Under the rail is hidden screw that fixes the external barrel in place. By the way, when looked at from the top, we see 4 screws in the rail, two in the front and two in the back. Only three of them need to be unscrewed to disassemble the rail. The one on the side of the barrel, fits entirely inside the rail. Its only there for looks, it does not work at all. Finishing the subject of the accessory rail, it is actually extended (towards the front of the rifle) - it is 194 mm long and is about 30 mm longer than the rail used, e.g. by Classic Army. In addition, it is also significantly higher, by about 5 mm.
The external barrel ends with a cap, the role and description of which will be explained later on. Here, I will only mention that in the stock version there is no possibility of mounting a silencer. The barrel does not have any thread.
Modify offers additional caps, both for standard barrels (narrowing towards the end) and for the MOD24X bull barrel that have a 14 mm counterclockwise thread, typical for mounting silencers.
A caps for a narrowing barrel:
And one of the MOD24X bull barrel:
Both photos have been taken from Modify's offer found at www.modify-tech.com
Disassembly of the replica and internal parts
Disassembly is essentially the same as in most spring powered rifle replicas. Using one of the Allen keys that come with the replica, we remove the two screws holding the trigger guard and one of the steel pins in the front of the stock. Exactly the one closer to the barrel exiting end, because only it connects the stock with the external barrel. It is worth emphasizing the use of this solution, which is also found it the SSG24 by Novritsch, as it significantly stiffens this structure and affects accuracy. The second pin is held with a nut mounted directly in the stock and has no effect on the dismantling of the rifle. After unscrewing the screws and the pin, we pull out the barrel with the magwell, the chamber and the trigger group. In the photo below, the magazine is shown only for referential purposes.
The view from the bottom of the external barrel. The middle part shows the HopUp chamber, in which the magazine is placed. Next, in the red circle, there are two screws that hold the HopUp adjustment lever, which we will have to unscrew if we want to extract the chamber with the inner barrel.
The pins in the front part of the stock. On unscrewed one allows to disassemble the replica.
The magwell is made of plastic and is attached to the external barrel with two screws, with the front one also keeping the HopUp chamber in position.
After unscrewing the magwell, we are left with the proper mechanism that powers the replica. Now we have to unscrew the next two screws (those in the red circles) and we can disconnect the trigger group from the chamber. In the green circle are the screws used to adjust the travel and the pressure needed to pull the trigger, but I will describe that in a moment.
The bolt
The bolt itself, which is in fact the whole cylinder group.
The cap and the bolt handle are made of aluminium alloy. The cylinder itself is made of steel, has anti-corrosion coating which is gray. Unfortunately, the quality of the coating is miserable - already during our tests abrasions occurred which, although adding the replica a bit of a charm, force one to pay more attention when operating in more difficult conditions. The rear part of the cylinder is permanently mounted using three expansion pins.
Removing the cap and handle is simple. You have to remove one Allen screw. Just watch out for the locking pin and its small spring.
A very sensible idea was to place two polymer slip rings inside the chamber, whose role is to facilitate the movement of the bolt (cylinder) and maintain the bolt's alignment in relation to the barrel. Access to the rear ring is obtained after disassembling the rear part of the chamber. The front one is accessed after unscrewing the external barrel from the chamber. Before that, the barrel securing screw has to be unscrewed.
The rings have a diameter of 27.43 mm, and the the rear one was cut through in our unit. I do not see any reason why it looked like this, but I have not found the missing ring fragment. Maybe so it should be this way.
The cylinder head
The cylinder has an aluminium cylinder head. The external diameter of its nozzle is 5.94 mm, and its length is 21.84 mm.
The head can be unscrewed from the cylinder using a dedicated wrench, an adjustable wrench or Seger pliers. The disassembled head:
And its inside parts. The thickness of the rubber bumper is about 1.5 mm.
The disassembled cylinder group with all its parts.
The spring
The spring generates a muzzle velocity of 490 fps, according to the specification. It is 210 mm long, its outer diameter is 12.9 mm and its inner diameter is 9.8 mm. Its ends are grounded and is has regular windings along the whole length, apart from its ends. This is different then in the Novgitsch SSG24, which has a spring made in accordance with a different philosophy.
A photos of the MOD24X spring.
The Novritsch's windings are regular at the ends and they are narrower only in its middle. But there the windings are completely pressed together, they do not work. It is supposed to give the effect of two cooperating springs. It this better? I have no idea. I will try to verify it by comparing springs in similar replica designs.
A photo of the cylinder from the SSG24 description at www.novritsch.com
The spring guide with a bearing
The MOD24X spring guide is made of two types of steel. A rod, with a diameter of 8.95 mm, in made of stainless steel and a foot of tool steel. In addition, a rotating sleeve made of the same material is placed on the foot, acting as a bearing for the spring it supports. This is a difference in favor of the MOD24X as the SSG24 has a guide without a bearing. The wrench points to the rotating sleeve.
The piston
The replica uses an ultra-light piston made of various materials. The rear part, which works with a latch locking the piston in the rear position, is made of steel. The main part is made of green anodized aluminum. A stabilizing slip ring was also added. The piston head is rubber, mounted in a standard way. It differs from the SSG24 piston with a high degree framework design, which reduces weight (see the photos below).
All press material describe this piston as "super light". The piston, without its head, weighs 20.82 g, and 24.08 g with the head attached.
Some observant people might have noticed one more extremely important thing on the photo of the piston. The factory piston is adapted to work with an advanced trigger group made as a so-called "zero trigger".
For all of you who do not know this term I will explain. The term "zero trigger" is related to the shape of the latch that locks the piston and describes the angle of inclination of the working plane of the latch relative to the vertical plane (canary line).
The red line illustrates the solution often used in at factories that produce large number of replicas - conventionally referred to as 45 degrees. Here, the working plane of the latch and the rim working with it on the piston are inclined at an angle of 45 degrees in respect to the vertical plane. This causes the piston to tilt and adversely affects the accuracy. In a "zero trigger" the mechanism is practically no tilting and therefore upgraded triggers are made in this technology. A zero trigger requires the use of an appropriate (adapted) piston. And this is precisely what we have in the MOD24X, a zero trigger and an appropriate piston. Upgrade parts in a stock rifle! Just like in the SSG24.
By the way, in the Internet the term "90 degrees trigger" is also used and it means the same as "zero trigger", just measured from the barrel level (axis). Regardless of the methodology used, a "45 degrees" trigger is still a 45 degrees trigger.
The trigger group
We already know that the MOD24X and the SSG24 are equipped with the same "zero trigger" with two-stage regulation. Let's check out the details.
First of all, it's worth noting that some upgrade trigger sets have no safety feature. In the Modify design, the safety is present, which has already been mentioned at the beginning of this text.
Secondly, the trigger group is equipped with reinforced sears made of hardened steel, which will ensure long and trouble-free operation of the replica (up to an M190 spring). Considering that steel upgraded sears cost even a few hundred PLN, it is very good news.
Thirdly, it is not visible on the photo but the red arrow indicates the axle and mounting pin of a ball bearing that greatly "smooths" the workings of the trigger.
Fourthly, a two stage trigger adjustment. It works as following:
By screwing or unscrewing the screw marked with the green arrow, we change the cam angle of the cam that moves the trigger (red arrow). The tighter the screw, the shorter the pull of the trigger is.
The second adjustment screw is, unfortunately, hidden in the photo behind the first one. Its tighter the screw the compression of the thrust spring and increases the force required to pull the trigger.
The green arrow shows the head of the screw, the lower red arrow the part of the thrust spring, and the upper red arrow the end of the screw. Of course, the adjustment is made from the outside, without disassembling the replica with one of the attached Allen keys.
The inner barrel and the HopUp chamber
Stabilization of the inner barrel
Access to the inner barrel is obtained by unscrewing the cap at the end of the barrel. It is mounted on a traditional clockwise thread. Inside the lid is an o-ring, which stabilizes the final section of the barrel.
The barrel is also stabilized with a movable ring, which should be placed approximately halfway along its length.
The ring itself looks like this:
Thanks to this, the inner barrel is supported at three points (the third being the HopUp chamber), which is a good and effective solution improving the accuracy of the replica. It is used both in the MOD24 and the SSG24 rifle.
The HopUp chamber
The chamber is also identical in both replicas.
In addition to the pressure arm and the parts that set it in motion, the chamber is made of metal (ZnAl). Other noteworthy parts are two tabs of the pressure arm cooperating directly with the HopUp bucking.
Two parallel levers that lead the pressure arm, which are made of polymer, are additionally supported on the inner barrel itself, ensure stabilization of the arm and evening the pressure on both tabs.
Adjustment is carried out using the slider located on the left side of the barrel, just behind the magazine well when viewed from the read end of the rifle. Moving the slider forward increases strength of the HopUp, moving it back decreases it.
The bucking![]()
The bucking is made of a high quality mixture based on silicone resistant to significant temperature fluctuations (down to minus 25 degrees Celsius). It is dedicated to the MOD24 and SSG24 replicas. It differs from standard buckings by having two additional nubs that have a task of tightening the connection with the nozzle and the external. Novritsch claims that it works even with 0.46 g BBs, and the way it works does not give reasons used such contraptions as the R-Hop.
The inner barrel
The barrel is in the VSR standard - both for the MOD24 and the SSG24 we will not be able to mount a barrel dedicated for AEGs.
It has a length of 485 mm and is made of black anodised aluminum. The surface is hardened, which is to improve the service life. The inner diameter of the barrel is 6.03 mm. The SSG24 has a barrel made in the same technology with a diameter of 6.01 mm and a length of 475 mm. The SSG24 barrels are also supposedly individually checked before assembly. Believing this or not in this piece of formulation, the inner diameter itself seems to speak in favor of Novritsch.
The photo shows the exiting end of the MOD24X barrel.
The magazine![]()
The magazine holds 30 BBs and is made of transparent green plastic. In the set, we also get a simple BB illumination module. The assembly of the module requires disassembling the magazine. This is of course possible in field conditions, but it is more convenient and safer to do it at a workbench.
The magazine prepared for assembly of the module:
The module itself - an LED diode, three batteries and a plastic housing with a cover.
The module once again.
The module is turned on when the magazine is inserted into the replica or, as below, in a simulated working position.
Unfortunately, the attached magazine is lit all the time.
Muzzle velocity test and target shooting
Muzzle velocity test.
Measuring device: XCORETECH X3500.
0,2 g Open Blaster ASG AS BBs.
Temperature - 23oC.
1. 512.6
2. 500.8
3. 505.1
4. 509.9
5. 508.9
6. 511.6
7. 507.0
8. 503.1
9. 506.5
10. 507.7
Average: 507.32 fps
Kinetic energy of a 0.2 g BB at the barrel exit: about 2.4 J
Target shooting test
10 shots. Distance to target - 25 m. The replica was set in a K-Zone shooting rest. HopUp was set to zero.
BLS 0.45 g BBs
Summary
The M24 variations are already among the classics of airsoft sniper rifles. In contrast to the competition, the MOD24X by Modify is a factory pre-upgraded replica. Ready to be used in airsoft games straight from the manufacturer. The MOD24X is available primarily in the Asian market, however, similar versions are available in Poland and Europe.
