• put your amazing slogan here!

    Like the Booligan Airsoft Facebook page for a chance to win gear, guns, and other cool stuff!

    Madbull Troy TRX Extreme Battle Rail


    Home.gif

    Madbull Troy TRX Extreme Battle Rail review by Booligan
    Discuss this review HERE

    Table of Contents:
    Introduction
    Ordering
    Basic Information
    First impressions/Packaging
    Included
    Rail Details
    Trademarks
    Modifications
    Pros/Cons
    Overall

    Introduction:
    I've been a huge fan of the Troy Industries TRX rail system since I first saw it, and I've been eagerly awaiting an airsoft company to make a high quality replica. Madbull Airsoft, who has obtained Troy Industries licensing, has manufactured a range of Troy TRX and VTAC rails for the airsoft market. These rails are manufactured using high quality materials and methods and come complete with Troy Industries trademarks. Today, I'll be reviewing the TRX Extreme 13" Battle Rail, which is one of 8 different rails available currently. Keep reading if you're interested in this lightweight, modular rail!

    Ordering:
    I obtained this rail directly though Jag Precision, who is the US distributor for Madbull Airsoft. I was able to tour their California based facility and see several of the Troy rails just as they were getting in stock, and I fell in love with the 13” rail being reviewed today. The rails are available at various retailers including Evike and Airsoft GI, where they are priced at about $120.00 each. The different rails that are available are 7”, 9”, 11”, and 13” TRX Battle Rails, and 7”, 9”, 11”, and 13" VTAC Battle Rails.

    Basic Information:
    The Troy TRX rail is a lightweight and modular free float rail system that is designed to fit pretty much any M4/16 model. The rail attaches to your rifle using a propriatary barrel nut and utilizes several unique features to give it great stability when mounted up on your gun. The Madbull Troy rails are manufactured out of T6-6061 aluminum and finished with a hard anodized coating for durability. Madbull also includes three easily attached rail sections for mounting up accessories wherever you want along the handguard's multitude of mounting points.

    First impressions/Packaging:
    I was incredibly impressed with the handguard when I first pulled it out of the box, as it feels fantastic and was much lighter than I thought it would be. The box itself is a basic cardboard container with a sticker indicating the rail model held inside. Each item is wrapped up in bubble wrap and there is high density foam at either end of the box to prevent damage during shipping. It worked quite well, as the rail and included accessories were undamaged.

    From this point on, click on the thumbnails to view full size photos

    th_DSC_2628.jpg
    Box
    th_DSC_2629.jpg
    Box art

    Included:
    Along with the rail itself, Madbull included the required barrel nut, as well as the three aforementioned rail sections and all of the required mounting screws. The inclusion of the rails is a nice touch, as it allows you to configure the RIS however you want to fit your specific needs.

    th_DSC_2632.jpg
    Included rails and screws

    Rail Details:
    As mentioned before, the rail is very lightweight, coming in at about .75 lbs. This is VERY lightweight for a full metal, rifle length rail system. The body of the handguard has multiple holes that allows for both heat dissipation in real steel firearms, and they allow you to mount up the included rails. Using the holes, you can mount rails at 45 degree intervals throughout the length of the handguard.

    th_DSC_2636.jpg
    Rail overview
    th_DSC_2627.jpg
    Mounted up on my Deep Fire M4

    To mount the rail, first you must install the included barrel nut, ensuring that one of the top grooves aligns up with the gas tube hole in the upper receiver. You won't be able to use a faux gas tube, due to the blocked gas tube channel on the handguard, but if it's lined up properly, it will help ensure the rest of the installation goes easily.

    th_DSC_2634.jpg
    Barrel nut mounted up

    Next up, you can slide the handguard over the barrel and onto the barrel nut. Don't line it up perfectly yet, instead have it rotated slightly to the right of the receiver centerline. Once you slide it down until it's flush with the receiver, then rotate it to the left until the top rail is lined up. At that point, you can tighten up the two bottom screws, locking the handguard into place.

    th_DSC_2615.jpg
    Rail installed

    The installation instructions for the real TRX rail can be found HERE, and the installation is pretty much the same as for the Mabull one.

    There are several benefits to this rail, the first of which is the uninterrupted top rail surface. This lets you mount multiple optics inline on the rail, and gives the gun a solid appearance. Another feature that I really like is the anti-rotation tab located on the left side of the handguard. This tab prevents the rail from loosening itself during use, as it butts up against the receiver to prevent rotation.

    th_DSC_2638.jpg
    Anti-rotation tab
    th_DSC_2641.jpg
    Tab resting against the receiver

    The surface of the rail has grooves cut into it to allow you to keep a firm grip on the handguard. This, combined with the holes leads to a solid, almost abrasive gripping surface. If you use the handguard without gloves, you could experience some discomfort, so I'd recommend using gloves or some sort of grip to prevent you from hurting your hands. The small overall size of the rail

    th_DSC_2613.jpg
    Handguard surface

    The included rails are quite simple to mount, as they use a special backing plate that slides on the inner grooves to keep it lined up. The rails themselves also have a small round protrusion that lines up with the holes in the handguard, further stabilizing the rail mounting. Due to the huge number of holes in the handguard and 7 different angles in which the rail can be mounted, you have dozens of potential mounting positions for the included rails.

    th_DSC_2637.jpg
    Inner grooves for aligning the rail backing pieces

    Trademarks:
    One of the perks of the Madbull Troy rails are the licensed trademarks, which are laser engraved on the handguard. The markings include a Troy logo, part numbers, rail numbers on the top rail, and unfortunately, a "For Milsim Only" can be found on the left side of the top rail.

    th_DSC_2617.jpg
    Troy logo
    th_DSC_2622.jpg
    Rail numbering and parts numbers
    th_DSC_2621.jpg
    For Milsim Only

    Modifications:
    Modularity is one of the things that this rail is all about, and the ability to add various rails at dozens of potential positions makes it very easy to modify to fit your specific style. I really like the slim design of the rail, as it allows me to do a thumb break style grip without the use of any grips or reference points, however I have mounted up an RVG grip to give me the option of using it as a grip or as a reference point for a thumb break style grip.

    Pros:
    Very lightweight for a full metal rifle length handguard
    Legally licensed design and markings from Troy Industries
    Modular design gives you dozens of potential rail mounting locations
    Slim design allows for easy thumb break shooting method
    Easy installation, directions can be found HERE

    Cons:
    Aggressive surface texture can cause discomfort to ungloved hands
    Top rail may not line up 100% on all AEGs (Deep Fire for example is about 1mm off, not really an issue with the rail, more with the inherent design differences in airsoft)
    It's a little pricey, but honestly, this thing's quality is on par if not better than the Troy original item

    Overall:
    I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Troy rails from Madbull for months, and I'm thrilled to see that they've lived up to my hopes. The construction materials and methods are extremely high quality and make good use of the Troy licensing agreement. The laser engraved trademarks add to the overall look of this modular and versatile rail system, and the unit itself will separate your gun from others on the field!

    Many thanks again to Madbull, and of course, Airsoft Retreat!