http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2012/09/fnh-introduces-tbm-conversion-kit-for-spr-rifles/
Looks like you’ve got factory bottom metal support.
Pappabear, look out!
Is TBM magazines good company to keep?
I want a box mag sooo bad on this gun.
Guys, if you have an SPR, would you go ths route or Badger …that takes AICS Mags?
PB.
Badger with AICS. Hands down.
To the point where it’s unlikely that you’ll ever have a problem if it’s installed properly.
Over the last 6 years, I’ve not had one single malfunction with short action AICS mags. … ever.
I have the SPR A5M with the TBM, no issues at all. for some, it may be an issue of standardizing magazines if you have other platforms with the AI mags. Both are high quality and will perform well.
The Team FN Long Range guys ran the prototypes very well at every match I’ve shot with them. No problems at all, and they are designed very well. I’d run one without hesitation if I had an SPR, it’s a great upgrade.
I applaud them for getting it working… but $449… dayum.
Even when considering you get a 5rnd and 10rnd mag… they are jumping right to the top of the price bracket with a brand new un-proven design.
As was said, with an AI setup… you have a much greater audience.
449$ my ass CDI cost almost half that and uses AI mags not to mention wayats outdoors, seekins and badger. 449$ why even offer it?
Because its has FN stamped on it they feel they can charge 30% more like everything else with FN. But yes that it way too high to expect success.
The CDI requires machining of the action.
Some people might want a no-gunsmithing drop-in solution, even if it costs more.
Then there’s badger.
There is no Badger bottom metal for an SPR.
Shows what I know. I could have sworn I saw one.
As I understand, once you have it machined to accept the CDI, etc you cannot use the stock FN bottom metal again. Until someone makes an aftermarket replacement, paying for machine work plus the part may cost you twice, potentially more. (warranty/resale)
Yeah, if it were between milling my action, or spending a few bucks more, I’ll spend a few bucks more.
O, are you saying just buy the FN box?
Yeah.
I thought someone said above that badger made one for this rifle, and I thought that I had seen one. Apparently i was mistaken.
So yes, no way would I buy a CDI if it meant milling the action on my rifle… especially if it cost what these friggin FN’s cost. Get it papabear, and let us know how it works! 
Its worth it too check the over all length numbers of the FN mag and the various other offerings on the market. The machining is not that involved, and the directions are provided. I suspect it is a lot like milling the mag box recess to install and extended box mag.
I’ll give credit where it’s due - CDI does a beautiful job of inletting for their bottom metal. When I got my first FN back from them, it looked like it had grown there.
FN returned my CDI metal and magazine when they replaced my A3G, and I noted prior to the CDI installation that my first A3G’s factory bottom metal was not bedded. My new gun is a fucking laser, has factory bedded bottom metal, and every time I look at that CDI metal and Alpha mag sitting on my shelf, I think - Do you really want to fuck around with this gun after all the hell you played to get to this point?
That said, $500 is fucking nuts, but if that’s what I have to pay to have my 1/2MOA warranty intact (I was VERY lucky they honored the warranty on my old gun - but it clearly had a bad barrel) I guess I’m going to have to pay it at some point.
The milling has nothing to do with the type of bottom metal.
It has to do with getting an aics mag into the window on the bottom of the action so that the bolt can grab cartridges.
The feed window on the bottom of the fn action is smaller than the feed window on a 700 because there is all that extra metal that hangs down to form that nice flat bottom on the action…