This fits perfectly in my FN SPR A1, chambered in .308. The FN SPR A3G is tight, smooth in operation, and even though it features a similar spec matte phos… That’s all that need to be addressed. A good read if one has the time. FN SPR A3G – FBI Approved The FN SPR™ A3G has been selected by the FBI as one of their approved tactical precision rifles; the other rifle coming from famed custom rifle maker GA Precision. This rifle is an excellent performer and an outstanding value. Back in the states now with Major Land helped set up the sniper program all services use today. Its just as accurate, feeds from the same mags as my 308 AR and less than half the price. He has been writing for The Truth About Guns for four years and specializes in hunting, the outdoors, gun, and gear reviews. I don’t drop three grand on a rifle very often, but when I do there is usually a Mauser at it’s heart. The FN was chosen after extensive testing between competing models. Basking in the cool relief provided by a newly installed central AC system, I found myself in a room pulling double duty as a combination office and gun room. Carlos was blown out of an APC and rushed back into the burning vehicle saving two Marines and burned badly enough to loose his sweat glands. If I had no concern about future infringement of our rights and panic buying I would get the 6.5creed’. Now about those magazines. Two accuracy nodes at 46.2 and 46.5 hrs with 2675fps on the top one. And while the mags allow a longer round, closing the bolt on much past 2.820 becomes difficult. The FBI selected the SPR A3G more than a decade ago as one of their go-to sniper rifles for HRT. Your point is 100% valid, if you are actually a sniper. The rifle in my lap is his duty rifle used in his role as one of the department’s snipers. rifle has extremely mild recoil, and the high-quality stock made finding a natural point-of-aim easy. Smith work? I loaded up some dummy rounds and found that I could just barely squeeze a round loaded to 2.850″ and still have it function without issue. .300 Win Mag is a better choice if you care about terminal ballistics or going farther. I’d expect it from a budget rifle, but people shelling out $3,000 deserve better. It is not so easy to find what you would need to keep a 6.5creed’ or a 6×47 Lapua running. The model you see here is the long(er) barreled option. The SPR action is a nice riff off the Win70. While Hathcock wasn’t the most prolific sniper to operate in the Vietnam, he was certainly the most famous. Shot this today. Tyler, wait till you work up some home loads. A PR barrel and a RPR is just under $2000 without the optic. What ensued was a collegiate level lecture on Hathcock and his Viet Cong-killing prowess at distances well past half a mile. There seems to be a bit of spring assistance getting it off safe, and it will easily bypass the load position to make your rifle ready to fire. FREE SHIPPING on Over 250,000 Products. The slight angle of the butt along with that thumb hook allow those shooters who “drive” the rifle off a rear sandbag to do so effectively. The first one is more endemic to the cartridge. Three pounds is just about perfect for me, and seems to be the accepted industry standard for this type of rifle. Caliber: .308 Win. I probably won’t try any more as I am getting the same, or even slightly higher velocities with the 185gr Berger in my rifle and I am not getting any pressure signs on my brass or primers. The next five shots settled down to a marginal .75 MOA group, the third group I stacked 3 shots on top of each other but shots four and five stretched the group out to about 1″. The FN A1a SPR is a fine rifle, well-suited for police or military sniper work, as well as for any shooter who just wants a highly accurate precision rifle, built right, and built in the USA. Adjustment of the cheek piece up and down is accomplished with a simple thumb screw on the right hand side. The twenty-four-inch barrel is a drag on maneuverability and the gun weighs almost twelve pounds before you slap a bipod, rings, and a scope on it. My first five-shot group after a cleaning was almost always right at or a little bigger than 1 MOA, while all subsequent groups hovered around 3/4 MOA. The A5M XP’s stock is absolutely lousy with QD swivel points, featuring three on the butt and three on the forend. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The button can be used from either side which should please lefties and those who prefer to maintain their firing grip whilst dropping a mag. If I was considering using this rifle for large game or “zombies” at extended range I may have chosen one. You’ll likely spend every bit of four grand (or more) at a custom shop buying new or burn up dozens of hours and similar dollars trying to cobble something together yourself. For those looking for the nostalgia or those plug ‘n play buyers looking for something a little different than every other Remington 700 clone out there, the FN SPR A5M XP is hard to beat. I peered out the window of the newly constructed house at rows of other newly constructed houses in a newly constructed subdivision near my hometown. Cold hammer-forged 16" standard or 20" heavy barrel. Overall I was not overly impressed with Eagle Eye. I can buy them in bulk and even if I cannot do that .308win ammunition is everywhere. All of the rifles in the SPR line feature the same action, hammer forged, chrome lined barrels, and built in 20 MOA Picatinny rails screwed down with oversized 8-40 screws. I’ve got the 20″ version. Where the XP differs from the standard A5M model is the twist rate. I dont have a need for a .300win mag to reach out and hit targets. A young company line officer wrote unfavorable fitness reports and believe accelerated his retirement via a medical discharge 55 days short of full retirement. Simply rock the lever forward, and the magazine fall free. A lot of hype has been made about the new FBI HRT contract with FN Herstal for their new tactical rifles (a special version of the FN SPR rifle line). A spacer-based system changes length of pull. Customize This * * * * * Gun Review: FN SPR A5M XP Rifle Basking in the cool relief provided by a newly installed central AC system, I found myself in a room pulling double duty as a combination office and gun room. It should go without saying, but this isn’t a great walking and stalking hunting rifle. And as I have a steady (free) supply of once fired federal match brass I’m staying cheap. Now if someone would make a chrome lined barrel for the Ruger Precision as good as the ones from FN I would have a damn near perfect rifle on my hands. Check out this and other FNH products online at www.fnhusa.com. Learn: About Us Policies Reviews Blog How To. Off a bench or prone using a bipod and a rear bag, this is an eminently shootable rifle. Given the A4M XP’s accuracy that FN advertises, it appears they’ve solved that problem. 2) I don’t have to readjust the reloading press to make ammo for my .308 AR and .308 deer rifle. Which brings up an important point. When you start thinking about keeping five or so ten-round magazines rattling around the shooting bag, those savings really start to add up. The stock is generously cut to allow the enormously thick barrel to be completely free floated. Tyler Kee is a small town kid trying to make it in the big city of Austin, Texas. Seems a bit heavy and a bit spendy for a .308Win at first glance. Tactical Box Magazines of 5 and 10 rounds give shooters options on the firing line. I hate proprietary mags as much as anyone else. Yes Dear…. FN indicates that it can be adjusted, but I didn’t bother. Or, why not step down to one of the great 6-7mm rounds that do long range quite well and get a rifle that might be a little more manageable, weight wise? Best 1-4x Scope Guide: Our Recommendations for Affordable Optics that Won't Break the Bank, .308 Sniper Ammo: One Sniper's View [Updated], Strike Industries FERFRANS CQB Muzzle Brake System, Broken Recruits: Common Field Training Problems and Solutions, Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Holster Guide, •Broken Recruits: Common Field Training Problems and Solutions. That out of the way, the accuracy never seemed to change on long strings of fire. FN SPR A3G 308 The FN SPR A3G is the flagship of the FN SPR line. The FN parts are mostly good with even finishes, machining, and engraving. This is a high quality factory offering that wants for very little. Things are pretty uncertain right now here in the USA. Now if they’d just chamber it in 6.5 Creedmoor…. If you’re going to that weight class why not step up to a better distance cartridge, like .300 winmag? In Vietnam Carlos’s Capt Land saw the value of snipers in Platoon elements as forward Intel/Recon and taking out the enemy’s command structure. I’ve managed to find them in stock in various other places on the internet and usually for a couple bucks under MSRP. But for someone who wants to use this to punch paper on weekends at 600 yards, .308 is a great choice. I agree the the super sixes are amazing and stupid easy to shoot. Other than that it’s a nice bolt gun out of the box. Just for giggles, I stretched the legs of this rifle a bit and had no trouble putting first-round hits on steel at 600 yards and below. Fabrique National developed the FN Special Police Rifle (SPR) from the successful and highly regarded Winchester Model 70 series. Barrel properly fouled, I shot the five-shot group below, which measured a hair under 3/4 MOA. The rifle is manufactured at the U.S. Replacement? But owning guns like this you quickly forget the cost and are left with a dead reliable, precise shooting, bolt gun built on an action proven for over 100 years. The end of Carlos career was mared by outburst on Q town ranges trying to get young Marines to understand what their up against in combat. Juggernaut can certainly sort it out. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Half the price same specs and performance. The safety engagement could stand to be a little crisper with a bit less muscle required to activate it. Magazine: 5 rds. My long range gun is a .308 because My AICS magazine-fed bolt gun uses a magazine release reminiscent of an AK 47, something I find quite useful in the field or in a competition. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Let me say first and foremost I am not a competetive long range shooter. The only choice you have here is barrel length, and even those options are minimal. Im talking about the A1A for the low low price of $1900.00 LOL. So I am going to be getting a .308win and while it may not be the biggest, baddest, fastest, or flatest it is certainly capable of more than I am. Sure, I am a hand loader and have access to lots of stuff, but can I always do that? Receiver-mounted optical rail, with additional rails on fore-end. 0.308″ is a good starting point and you can jump down to the Creedmoor when you get a better job. What “custom” money will buy you is a rifle that’s absolutely perfect out of the box, something the A5M XP doesn’t quite achieve. The expectation is that there will be a clean, glassy break befitting a rifle this expensive. Everything else you’d ever upgrade on this kind of rifle has already been done from the factory. Weight 8.5 to 10 lbs. Fully kitted out for this test, the whole she-bang easily weighed fifteen pounds which creeps up pretty close on the weight limit for F/TR competition. Eagle Eye shot like absolute garbage out of my Remington (a rifle that I have on more than one occasion obtained .3-.4MOA groups with several different powder and bullet combos). If you plan on getting in and out of vehicles, moving around a bit, and potentially shooting off improvised barriers, opt for the shorter version. This length restriction is identical to what I’ve seen in the more popular AICS magazines. Carlos main contribution to Lands’ program was fieldcraft. Live Chat Contact Check Order Status. However, I’m going the Ruger Precision route. The year is 2004 and I’m just returning from a day shooting with one of the local police department’s finest. “No,” I replied. The twenty-four-inch barreled model certainly has the length to get the job done, as twenty-four inches seems to be the accepted industry standard for a barrel length that allows enough velocity while still being somewhat maneuverable. As the A5M XP is geared toward the “tactical” crowd, it checks all the necessary boxes to satisfy those users. After shooting my friends 6.5 there’s no way I’m ever going back to 308. The SPR isn’t made in a long action, last I knew, and there aren’t too many Model 70 long actions sitting around unused. Magazine capacity 5 or 10 rounds. But if this is your first magazine fed, precision bolt gun, you won’t know the difference, and be ahead (financially) of your AICS-using friends. If you really lust after a pre-’64 Model 70, you’re already looking down the barrel (so to speak) of a pretty spendy purchase. Should you decide to purchase something from one of those companies, I make a small commission. I’m getting .6-.8 MOA out of my Rem 700 LTR 20″. So that left be back at the .308win. The last 5 shot group of te box o was testing came in at around .9moa. It is very easy for me to find .308 brass and bullets. The performance of the rifle is up to standard and is capable of.5 MOA accuracy, though just barely with our new unbroken in rifle. Every one is nestled in a McMillan fiberglass stock. For what I am planning to do the .300win mag is not a requirement. Feel free to pop the QD swivel of your favorite sling in place, slip in the cuff, and torque down. In the field, this provides an easier target for fast moving hands as they eject spent cases and load fresh ones from the magazine. I didn’t have to fight the rifle to shoot it from my weak side off a barrier or prone as the stock is a mirror image from one side to the other unlike some chassis I’ve used. FN does have a fairly expansive lineup of SPR models with various stocks, fixed and detachable magazines and features. Low recoil, high ballistic coefficient, and flat trajectories are the order of the day with them. Big, heavy, long bullets like Juggernaut need a lot of runway and a bit of twist to get going, and this’s where the A5M XP really shines. Function * * * * * Of those FN SPR models, the SPR A3G is typically the most expensive of the line due to the extra features including action bedding, titanium scope base, barrel fluting and small gunsmithing details to pump up accuracy. Many thanks to our friends at Federal for supplying the 168 gr. Why not .300win mag? The Model 70 — specifically the pre-’64 model — was utilized by Hathcock to win the Wimbledon cup and during his first tour of duty to put him on track to rack up an impressive ninety-three confirmed kills. I doubt that anyone really needs anything beyond an optic for this rifle, but the provision for multiple sling mounting points, a bipod, and a brake/silencer are all there. If you think that shorter range — and by that I mean under 600 yards — PRS style shooting will be the order of the day, opt for the shorter barreled version which is undoubtedly more maneuverable off barricades and out of vehicles. The finished rifle sports a 19.5-inch Bartlein 5R barrel, a 3-pound Timney trigger, an thoroughly upgraded FN SPR action, a versatile Bushnell Elite Tactical HDMR scope and a Harris bipod. I love the way the SCAR 17s handles. And they’re currently in stock on FN’s website. And since we’re talking about accuracy, if you’re spending a touch under $3000 for a rifle, it really does need to shoot well. I got consistent sub MOA groups using Federal Gold Medal with most groups hovering right around 3/4 MOA if I did my part. He could live of crackers, peanut butter and a canteen of water for days. AICS magazines are usually pretty easy to find…but boy they’re expensive. 1) the longest I get to shoot is 600 yards SMKs. Otherwise I’m curious how the 175 grain Eagle Eye would do. With a muzzle brake, there is zero recoil. These rifles are WAY overpriced for running McMillan stocks that arnt bedded, missing side flush cups, missing detachable magazines, missing threaded barrel, gritty trigger, subjective performance, twist only of 1:12 – 12.5lbs? The McMillan A5 shines as it allows you to adjust length of pull as well as cheek riser height. Additionally, the A5M XP model features an adjustable-on-the-fly cheek piece. I’m not as big of a fan of this style vs. the CDI Precision unit on my other rifle as the button requires more fine motor movement. I do not charge readers a dime to access the information I provide. The A5M isn’t threaded from the factory so those looking to add a brake or silencer will have to send it off to the ‘smith to get properly cut. Based upon the Winchester Model 70-type rifles, the SPR A3G has a … I have a FN SPR A3G bolt action (Nightforce F1 MLR2 reticle),Sig 516 with EO tech Exps3-0 with magnifier, Bushmaster ACR (ACOG TA31RCO-A4CP), and SCAR 17S FDE (NightForce 2.5-10×32 NXS Compact) . Magpul has certainly disrupted the market a bit with their polymer AICS versions, but I have yet to test their offering so I’ll hold off on commentary. For those of us who are already heavily invested in AICS mags though, you’re SOL. Action Length: Short Mag A cubicle-dwelling technology sales professional by day, he is an avid starter of projects, purchaser of speciality tools, and aspiring chef outside the office. Shooting the SPR was a pleasure. Featuring a forged receiver and integral recoil lug for rigid stability and enhanced accuracy, the FN SPR™ A5M XP features a distinctly accurate and threaded barrel that is cold hammer-forged and chrome-lined for durability. The good news: this one does. Choose from either a twenty- or twenty-four-inch tube. The problem is, what I want often isn’t available from any of the major manufacturers. This rivals everything else in the price range, and even some beyond it for workmanship and quality of assembly. While Remington 700-patterned guns seem to be all the rage these days, something that started as early as Hathcock’s second tour, the pre – ’64 Model 70 still holds its place as own as a one of America’s greatest precision rifle actions. (TBM) Get into and out of enemy controlled area undetected. The other major barrel-related difference is the muzzle threading. Velocity is pretty consistently right around 2,620 FPS. If you’re looking for a lightweight hunting rifle, look elsewhere entirely. Buy FNH 10 Round .308 SPR A5M Tactical Box Magazine Factory replacement gun parts, accessories and gunsmithing service on most manufacturers including Browning, Winchester, FN America, Beretta, Benelli Franchi, Stoeger, Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin, Sig Sauer, HK and many more. I want to spend all day shooting. What powders will you be using with the Bergers Tom? I agree with rdsii64 that if it were my money I would go for the Ruger Precision. Once you’re ready to fire, all that’s left is to rest the pad of your index finger on the nicely grooved, curved trigger shoe. That goes double for anybody who plans to stick a silencer on the end as a twenty-four inch rifle with a seven or nine inch silencer on the end is an enormously long prospect. Slicker bullets like Berger’s 185 gr. The PBR rifle reviewed here is a lower end tactical rifle that was intended to be carried in patrol cars (hence the name). Ernie Bray at Red Creek Tactical was kind enough to facilitate this process for me, as my schedule makes this sort of thing difficult. I believe it took two days to get within 800 yards. Rifleshooter.com reviews the FN SPR A3G 308, bolt action rifle. I’m under a half inch with 168 AMax’s. To understand the quality of the FN SPR A3G, I think people need to understand that difference between this rifle and the Remington 700, a comparison everyone will make. Much past that, and I started running into the limitations of what I can do with the less slippery 168 gr SMK and my wind-reading ability. This rifle can be re-barreled in 6.5mm Creedmoor. BlueSheepdog.com .300win mag is certainly a powerful round. The autographed, framed photo on the wall is of Carlos Hathcock. Haven’t gotten around to fine tuning by bracketing .1gr above and below either of those charges and playing with the length but with coarse development accuracy was below 3/4″ of vertical dispersion on both. Chrome lining a barrel is usually reserved for heavy duty machine gun use, something FN knows a thing or two about. Those groups shrink quite a bit. Well, for starters, you have a scarcity of long actions. Design details. Or you could buy an RPR, put whatever barrel you want on it, enjoy reloading and get 1/2 moa for about half the $. Extra magazines from FN are $54 for the five-round version and $60 for the ten-rounders. You Want in Best Store. You asked a great question and it is one I asked myself. I don’t do long range precision shooting. That leftie-hating screw holds the cheek rest extraordinarily firmly, and once set, is rock solid. If the trigger bothers you, use the money you saved on magazines to send it to the ‘smith to get cleaned up. Unfortunately, I didn’t find that to be the case. Up top, a Picatinny rail with 20 MOA of elevation built in is secured by oversized 8-40 screws. FN SPR rifles use a controlled round feed action with a cold hammer forged chrome lined barrel. The grit in the trigger is a major disappointment. The shot low and left is the cold bore shot. You get no argument from me. Like all of the SPR series rifles, the barrel is a cold hammer forged, chrome lined unit. Change nothing, shoot everything. MSRP: $2,899. Every SPR ships with a 1 MOA out-of-the-box guarantee (and that’s with factory ammo) along with the test target to prove it. When you find something a rifle likes, you just keep doing that right? The MSRP for the SPR Al is $2095; however, a quick check on the Internet revealed a … Those aren’t the rifle’s problems. Overall Rating * * * * The shorter barrel makes the A1a perfect for mid-range target shooting and tactical competition. Shoulda bought four or five of them if these rifles are going for $3K. This allows you to set the perfect riser height, lock it down, but still remove the bolt for cleaning, transportation, etc. I also checked out a a3g my friend bought and I like the adj saddle cheekrest so I will get it installed also on mine. Infantry commanders didn’t employ them in the role of recon/Intel and usually kept them close to command post areas. My pet load right now is 44 grains of 4895. These links take you to the products mentioned in the article. The FN Special Police Rifle (FN SPR) is a bolt-action sniper rifle marketed by FNH USA, a subsidiary of the Belgian company FN Herstal. That is not presently the case. what can be done about the gritty trigger? It all comes down to availability. If most of your shooting is at things far away off a bench or prone using front and rear rests, opt for the longer barreled version. Gold Medal ammo used for this test. His most famous kill was a NVA General. I certainly can’t speak for White Feather, but I have to imagine that FN’s Special Police Rifle (SPR) series of bolt guns would give him a moment’s pause. While not chrome lined but there are a number of companies making aftermarket RPR barrels. SPR A5M XP…is the new thing in “tacticool” jargon to use as many acronyms as possible? Moving and shooting with it is a different matter altogether. To each his own, this FN is no doubt very nice. The FN SPR A3G rifle as it was adopted by the FBI is still a capable and relevant rifle today. Moving the lever back from fire to safe requires a bit more effort and the use of your whole hand, which we can all agree is a bit safer. Easily my favorite part of testing was laying out prone at Best of the West with the long range all to myself smacking steel shot after shot at 600 yards. Not sure why but my rifle was super inconsistent with eagle eye, on the first five rounds through a clean bore I got 7 MOA of vertical dispersion. The cheek piece can’t be moved fore or aft and the thumb screw can only be attached from the bolt side…sorry lefties. Somewhere around here, I have a SPR action I bought back in 2010 that I should built up into a rifle. All that weight is both a blessing and a curse. Fit, Finish, Build Quality * * * * I’m not overly concerned about temp too much here in Oregon. It fires and handles like a 5.56 when shooting off hand almost no recoil or muzzle flip. Heavy isn’t bad if you’re going to be shooting it mostly from a firing line (eg, F-class or other competition). If you want a claw extractor, you’re typically looking at ponying up some cash for a long action. The A5M uses a 1:12 RH twist in the .308 chambering while the A5M XP uses a 1:10 twist, better suited to the heavier, longer bullets that have grown in popularity since the original SPR was first fielded more than a decade ago. Where the Remington 700 gets the job done, it feels a bit pedestrian in its fit, finish, and operation compared to the quality, precision, and smooth cycling of the FN. OUT OF STOCK (2) FN HERSTAL 75640 SPR A5M Bolt 7.62 NATO/.308 WIN NATO 20" 4+1 M. OUT OF STOCK (0) FN 6261401 TSR/XP SPR 308 Winchester 4 rd Black/Gray Finish. Some of the links on this page and site are affiliate links to companies like Amazon and Palmetto State Armory. The original sport-minded bolt-action Winchester Model 70 was introduced in 1936 and earned a reputation for accuracy, reliability and quality (even being fielded by the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War). BlueSheepdog.com is a for-profit website. Trigger quibbles aside, I had no problem stretching the practical limits of my own ability and the factory loaded ammo I used for this test. My initial reaction to the news that FN elected to use a magazine of their own design was one of dismay. I think I gave $350 for the action, a couple mags and a scope rail. I have a PR CF barrel on my 18″ .223 Wylde AR, .63″ group from a first time AR shooter, she then said I want one, build it!!! Buy Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review Reviews : If you're looking for Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review . Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review BY Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review in Articles @Don't buy Fn Herstal Spr A5m Sniper Rifle Airsoft Gun Review can be the best products brought out this 1 week. More on that in a second. Maybe I’m missing something here. They’re usually expensive, made of unobtanium, and somehow function more poorly than what’s available on the market. Fifteen pounds of rifle and scope — a lot of it hanging nearly two and a half feet from your body — is a bear to muscle around. The magazine they supplied fed and functioned flawlessly. That seems to be the threshold whenever you start talking about really well built rifles.