There used to be a guy, on one of the old iterations of the hide, who was a wealth of information. I think his old screen name was ActionGuy and he is still here as Action Guy. His name is Ben Voss and he was/is employed by FN. He was captain of "Team Claw" which was FNs LR rifle team.
https://www.ammoland.com/2011/04/fnh-usa-rifle-team-at-2011-snipers-hide-match/#axzz6P1M9em1m I don't know if Ben was assigned as liaison to this site but if a member had a problem with an SPR he would follow it through the shop. He was a great rep. for FN.
My experience with the SPR closely ties with finding this site. I was watching an SPR on an auction site that was described as new, possibly test fire only. I read some threads here, checked the F/S Exchange and pulled the trigger on the SPR. A week later this is what I got. An early model SPR whose condition was as described. It has an HS Precision stock in Winchester Marksman style. It has two sling studs on the forearm and one on the butt. It has an alloy bedding block. The barrel is just under 26" and chrome lined. The bottom metal was alloy and the action screws were slotted. It has a four-round drop magazine that is a flush mount. An empty magazine does not hold the bolt open. The trigger is the standard Mdl70 two lever. The serial # has the FG prefix and is in the10,XXX range. The entire serial number is stamped on the underside of the bolt. The left side of the barrel is stamped -FN HERSTAL SPECIAL POLICE RIFLE .308 WIN-. The right side is stamped -MADE BY U.S. REPEATING ARMS ARMS CO.- over -------IN NEW HAVEN, CT. U.S.A------. The action is marked with the FNH symbol followed by FN SPECIALL POLICE RIFLE. All stampings appear to have been done with different die sets. The address portion on the right side is extremely lightly struck.
The rifle did not come with a rail. I don't remember if the mount holes were filled with screws. I called Seekins and they said they had the correct rail. When the rail arrived there was a fitment problem. The hole spacing was correct under-lug that abuts the rear of the front bridge was fitted correctly but the rail did not lie flush on the bridges. I shimmed the rear bridge and moved on. A trigger spring was installed and the trigger readjusted. I can't remember whether the original scope was a 6.5-20X50 Viper or a 5-20 SSHD which is on it now. I bought an SPR action a few years later in the FN18,XXX and switched it's steel bottom metal and hex head action screws for the original alloy metal and slotted screws. That action had the same four round mag. I eventually added a Witt Machine slip on brake and that's how she sits. I did buy three sets of the A-4 stocks with DBM and a 5rd. and 10rd. mag. from MidWest. One of those stocks has the action and DBM in it and is used as a mule when I compare scopes. A couple of comments about the 18,XXX action. It came ith a Near rail. Across the lugs is stamped M20 over SPR over Near. On the underside of the at the front is a MADE IN CANADA. The attachment screws are Torx head. Behind the Special Police Rifle on the left side of the action is a two line address with FNH USA over FREDERICKSBURG VA. It appears to be laser engraved.
That's what I know but there is lot's more I don't know. Does prefix FG that is part of the serial # mean Federal Government? What serial # range had the M-240 barrels? When were the various models introduced? What about the warranty on the TACCORD rifles? etc. etc. etc. The list just goes on.
The original question was are SPR lovers extinct. The answer personally is a big NO. I have admired the the M70 action since the early '60s. The SPR action represents all the reasons the LA M70 was superior to the Mdl 700 Rem. My early SPR shoots FGMM 168s and 175s into a .5" average. It did the same with the old SW Ammunition with 175s in Lapua cases. About six or seven years ago a friend, in his early '60s, brought his son down to our place to shoot CF. He had already been down here to shoot Clays, CF revolver., RF rifle and RF revolver. The kid is smart and a natural athlete. He was about twenty-five when he came down to try CF rifle. We shot all the aforementioned stuff and then I brought out the SPR. I ran a boresnake through it and set up the rifle on a sixteen pound, four legged, round patio table on a gravel drive. Rifle was supported by a Harris in front and eared bag on the butt. Instructions were simple and consisted of NPA, relax into the gun, follow through and repeat. His first grp. of three was well under an inch and the second was well under .5". Next his dad shot. He was in his mid sixties is about 6'5" and weighed about 280#. It was interesting watching him fold this frame into a camp chair behind a crotch high patio table. He probably hadn't shot a CF since he got out of the service in the early 70's. Three shots in about a half inch. What comes next is they want to see me shoot. I do my very best to pass on the idea but of course they insist. I had already told them both that their performance was about the same as mine, which I found ridiculous considering that I had been shooting pretty constantly for half of a century. I see the first round hit and can't see the next two. I know the rifle and consider that they were all in the "same" hole but I dismiss that. A walk to the target and it's one hole of .152" CTC. My only comment was "that is better than I can normally do".
Do you sell a rifle like this? Of course not. Do you alter a rifle like this? Of course not. Now I'm in my early '70s and I need to dispose of a bunch of firearms before I reach personal extinction so our kids don't have to deal with them. The SPR will not be included in the disposal.
