FN SPR questions

[slars]

Hello all. I recently purchased an FN SPR and I have a few questions I hope can get answered. My gun seems to be an early A5M but I’m not sure. It was the A5 McMillan stock along with the sling mounting points and bipod. It has a 24” fluted barrel with a 1:12 twist. BUT it doesn’t have a shroud around the magazine well like most pictures of the A5M do.

Secondly, I shot it for the first time today and I’m experiencing some odd resistance in the action. After I fire, I go to rotate the bolt before pulling back but at the top of the rotational range of motion it requires a lot more effort. A few times it required a slight ‘slam’. I wanted to see if anyone else had this issue. There is something on the action that looks out of place, I included a picture of it. Any help/info would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[diggler1833]

I'm not going to be a ton of help on the second part. If it were in my hands with my three SPRs, I'd take it apart and compare...but something definitely looks like it shouldn't be there (no reference in front of me at the moment).

Hopefully somebody with a little gunsmith experience can see and easily diagnose what's going on. It might just be something caught up in there that can be easily removed.

First part: Your rifle has the original factory DBM. The SPR bottom metal and mags were later upgraded to the TBM. About the only advantage to the DBM are that it protrudes significantly less. Disadvantages are the 4 round capacity, and shorter COAL that you are restricted to if handloading (although, factory SPR throats were a lot shorter than their Remington counterparts).

The downside to the rarity of the SPR is that aftermarket DBM replacements are hard to come by. You'll be looking for kits that are no longer manufactured.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

There’s a pretty lengthy thread for the SPR owners, linked below.

I’m not sure I can help you but I’m sure someone in this thread can:

Are the FN SPR enthusiasts extinct?

I have owned an FN SPR A1 for over a decade. It’s been the best rifle I have ever owned. It’s Topped with the older NF with the NPR2 reticle. I always enjoy getting behind it and cutting sub Half MOA groups or dropping deer in their tracks. After the first year I called FN to check the serial...

www.snipershide.com

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Best thing you can do is convert it over to aics if cdi still sells the bottom metal/does the conversions. They are great guns but dated and you are kinda stuck with what you see.

 

[USNavy06]

Looks like the early gen SPR’s that came with the old style magazines. Someone threaded the barrel and put it in an A5 stock.

Isn’t that metal piece the shell ejector that pops up when you cycle the bolt? Been awhile since I’ve owned an spr but it looks like that’s the blade ejector.

 

[USNavy06]

I stand corrected I didn’t notice the fluted barrel. Does appear to be an early A5. I think the A5 XP rifles had 1:10 twist barrels and the FN TBM bottom metal.

 

[kl3309]

Best thing you can do is convert it over to aics if cdi still sells the bottom metal/does the conversions. They are great guns but dated and you are kinda stuck with what you see.

Mr. Allen passed in 2019 so no more CDI.

 

[slars]

Looks like the early gen SPR’s that came with the old style magazines. Someone threaded the barrel and put it in an A5 stock.

Isn’t that metal piece the shell ejector that pops up when you cycle the bolt? Been awhile since I’ve owned an spr but it looks like that’s the blade ejector.

Does it look like it’s out of place to you? I found a picture of the internals on another SPR and I believe mine is broken or at least pretty beat up. It ejects shells perfectly fine though.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

The TBM is a much nicer system than the DBM, but still had its issues. As a peice of history/vintage its a cool gun. As a practical precision rifle today, its way behind its time.

 

[USNavy06]

Does it look like it’s out of place to you? I found a picture of the internals on another SPR and I believe mine is broken or at least pretty beat up. It ejects shells perfectly fine though.

Yeah it does look like it’s been messed with but as long as it works I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[Action Guy]

I would pull the rifle out of the stock and remove the extractor in order to clean up the top portion of the rear of it. If it is causing binding on bolt open, something is wrong with it. Removing a little with a file could fix the problem, but a new ejector should as well.

AG

 

[slars]

I would pull the rifle out of the stock and remove the extractor in order to clean up the top portion of the rear of it. If it is causing binding on bolt open, something is wrong with it. Removing a little with a file could fix the problem, but a new ejector should as well.

AG

I shot it again yesterday with higher quality ammo and the bolt resistance issues disappeared. So the gun is shooting fine, but the twisted, metal tab in the picture still worries me. I’m not sure if it is a beat up part or just debris.

 

[diggler1833]

I shot it again yesterday with higher quality ammo and the bolt resistance issues disappeared. So the gun is shooting fine, but the twisted, metal tab in the picture still worries me. I’m not sure if it is a beat up part or just debris.

It is a fairly straightforward process to disassemble the trigger and extractor from the action. When I did it the first time, I just took a lot of pictures and reversed the process. Whatever that odd looking thing is, shouldn't be there.

 

[Action Guy]

On second look at the picture, it does look like debris, not part of the ejector. Is it still there after your second trip to the range? Maybe you can pry it off or remove it with a pick.

 

[slars]

On second look at the picture, it does look like debris, not part of the ejector. Is it still there after your second trip to the range? Maybe you can pry it off or remove it with a pick.

It is still there after multiple range trips. The gun shoots fine so I will look further into it when I get the chance to take to apart.