The "BOSS" why not more use?

[BLK]

Many moons ago I bought a Winchester stainless model 70 7mm with a "BOSS" factory installed. I have shoulder problems (artificial now) and was very sensitive to recoil but wanted to get a little above my 25-06. Several amazing results with this factory rifle. First I found the boss would dial in factory ammo to less than one minute of angle at 100 yds. It performed to 1/2 minute of angle with reloads. Recoil was very mild. I have killed over fifty animals at long range (200-600 yds,). Black bear, elk, and white tailed deer. I am yet to wound or lose an animal.

The boss is a major contributor to this in my opinion. It really works and is not a gimmick. I see very few if any on rifles in gun shops and in the field. Why don't more hunters use a boss to make their rifles far more accurate and reduce recoil?
Am I the only one with this experience?

 

[liltank]

I'm sure that you are not the only one who has experienced an increase in accuracy. But there are far superior muzzle breaks out there now that reduce recoil much better. By this it is easier to then tune a hand load, and if one is going to use factory ammo, then it is a matter of finding the right factory ammo that shoots best out of ones rifle. My cousin owned an A-bolt with the Boss on it and from what he has said, he liked it.

Tank

 

[silvertip-co]

Glad it works well for you. I've seen a lot of them but never shot one and never heard much good or bad from those who owned them and used them. Personally just never cared for that hunk of steel hanging off the end of the barrel like a silencer. Most that use muzzle brakes complain about the excess noise and I guess a Boss is a brake in way.

The late great grumpy Col. Jeff Cooper however said that "the two greatest marketing hoaxes ever perpetrated on the American shooting public were the Boss system and 'fluting' barrels and bolts to make them stronger". I have always agreed with him totally on those two points...

 

[dirtboy]

Me and my dad both had 300 win mags A bolts with the Boss. I ended up trading mine in for a 300 wsm X bolt. The Boss was able to tune any factory load we put threw it below 3/4'' it is a great Gun he still swares by his. I traded because I liked the trigger 100 times better on the x bolt, I thought the clip added a nice touch and the safty open bolt feature. The new recoil pads on the browings x bolt are a wonder. the 300 wsm has some recoil. you wont notice it the kick, its more in the muzzle jump. Nothing bad.

I do wish they would put the boss on x bolts or at least muzzles brakes period that you can remove. I have one on my Christensen arms 30-378 weatherby mag and that kicks less than my dads 300 win mag with the BOSS. Christensens muzzle brakes take away about 40-50% where browing does about 30%

I do like shooting with out the noise of a brake, that the only down side.

 

[Buano]

The BOSS system works. Increase is increased with almost every loading & noise isn't an issue if you use the replacement BOSS sleeve without holes when you hunt.

There are other ways to make a rifle accurate, but that generally means a lot more money than a Browning or Winchester with a BOSS.

The truth is most hunters don't need an extremely accurate rifle as most hunters never shoot over 150 yards at deer sized game. For these people, the BOSS is just wasted money that means carrying around something extra on their rifle. These people also are unlikely to shoot enough rounds to find the BOSS sweet-spot.

I'm one who appreciates anything that improves accuracy. To that end I have a rifle with a BOSS. (I've also got several that do not.) I also like the idea that I can shoot my practice rounds with the muzzle brake & hunt without the muzzle brake while still having the accuracy gains of the BOSS.

 

[Boss Hoss]

Well on the Boss even if it is the ugliest thing I have ever seen on a rifle and never would I consider one it does work. I have a couple of friends who have them and they do work for them have seen it adjusted and shot them myself. Have seen it with my own eyes---old Cooper should have quit before he got senile lol!

 

[sendero72]

A friend of mine bought a Win sporter 270 for his dad. Loaded 130 BT's straight out the Nosler manual, dial the Boss to the recommended setting and my first group measure .132 @ 100yds. I then sold my old Rem 700 7mag and bought a Laredo and shot at least 200 rds and could not hit the backside of a barn with it. Sent it back to Winchester and the barrel was bad and they refunded me full retail for the rifle. Went back to the Rem Sendero. Some shoot and some don't!!!!

Sendero72

 

[Buano]

As you just told us the issue was a bad barrel, I would ask what that experience has to do with whether or not a BOSS works. Does a bad (whatever that means) barrel mean the trigger is garbage, or the stock is useless? Does it say anything about a BOSS? No it doesn't say anything about any part other than the barrel.

I do not think a BOSS is something I would want on my "dream" rifle. Then again, if I ever buy it, that rifle is apt to cost upwards of $5,000. For that price the rifle had better not need tuning.

The question was posed to us, "The "BOSS" why not more use?". To that we should give rational answers:

1) Browning/Winchester haven't licensed it to anyone else.
2) Some gun buyers are religious about what they believe a rifle should be & these people didn't see a BOSS on granddaddy's '06.
3) A BOSS only works if someone takes the time to tune their rifle with it. This may take 25-30 shells, or possibly more.
4) Most hunters can easily get by with a rifle that shoots 2-3 minutes of angle (MOA) since they never shoot deer outside 150 yards. That 2-3 MOA is a huge improvement over the 5+ MOA their old lever action 30-30 was known for.
5) Many gun buyers do not have the luxury of trying many different firearms before they buy. If gun buyers tried before they bought more would opt for guns that shoot well out of the box, Savage, Browning/Winchesters w/ BOSS, Tikka, etc. would quickly displace Remington atop sales charts.
6) The BOSS with muzzle brake is LOUD. Even though Browning gave away BOSS sleeves without holes for hunting & these are available for Winchesters (at Midwest Gun Works), many BOSS owners still hunt with guns that can deafen them and anyone near them.

The argument for the BOSS is simple, "They work!". They work by tuning barrel harmonics to whatever load is being used & they work by reducing felt-recoil & muzzle jump which makes practicing more comfortable — and effective.

 

[dirtboy]

That was one thing we noticed about the BOSS is that it didn't matter what load we used at 100 yrds that all shot about the same once dialed. Than it wasn't what bullet shot good out of are gun, it was what bullet we wanted to shoot.

Haveing owned 2 of these rifle between me and my dad and knowing three other people who had them also. If you follow their recomendations read the intructions the BOSS can be dialed in rather quickley. If I recall I did mine in under 8 shots we never took 25 30 shots.gun)

 

[Len Backus]

I had a BOSS on a Browning (I think) 12 years ago. I used it to take my first long range deer at 459 yards.

The tuning feature works well. I was a reloader at the time but still used the tuner feature of the BOSS.

I believe some of the serious rimfire competitors use a tuner.

 

[cstilt]

That was one thing we noticed about the BOSS is that it didn't matter what load we used at 100 yrds that all shot about the same once dialed. Than it wasn't what bullet shot good out of are gun, it was what bullet we wanted to shoot.

That's the main reason I love my Browning. Before I started to handload I could decide I wanted to shoot this brand cartridge and I was relatively certain it would be under 1" at a hundred yards with a smidge of tuning.

As for sound, I fired mine one time without ear plugs. Then I bought the BOSS CR.

I'm not sure if I like it as much now that I handload. I can't decide if I should set the BOSS and then work up the load or work up the load and then play with the BOSS or both. Either way, it still shoots better than I can. Anything over about 0.75" is my fault, and trust me, my handloading skills need tons of improvement.

 

[djbwow2008]

I have had 2 guns with the Boss on them. A Browning 270 and a Winchester featherweight 270. The Boss definitely works. Never tested them past 100 yards but they both would hold 1/2 moa easily at 100 yards. The thing I didnt like is that the barrel on the 270 for instance is 22 inches including BOSS. So you loose 2" of barrel when using the Boss. You will loose 2" on any gun equipped with the boss. So to answer your question in my case I ended up selling both guns with boss due to the fact that my 270 didnt need a brake to shoot comfortably. The Boss was big and bulky and I was losing 2" of barrel on something I didnt really need. I sold the Winchester to my brother over 10 years ago and it is his favorite rifle to this day.I think the main reasons you don't see more is the bulk of the boss, loss of barrel length , some of the most popular cartridges don't require a brake to shoot comfortably, and the thought of tuning may be intimidating to alot of hunters.

Dan

 

[azwalker]

I own a Winchester model 70 with the BOSS chambered in 7mm rem mag.

Love the gun except for the noise. I've ruined my hearing with it. Shot it 3 times without hearing protection while hunting and the damage was permanent. I now put earplugs in before I shoot even while hunting.

As for accuracy, never missed an animal with it. Sub MOA at 100 yds. I plan on putting a Huckemaw scope on and working up a load. I'm currently shooting Hornaday 139gr sst's out of it and they are devastating. Shot my last buck at 427 yds and he dropped in his tracks. It currently has the factory sporter stock on it but I'm looking into a thumphole stock to replace it.

Great gun but watch your ears.

 

[azwalker]

Also, in case there is someone who doesn't know, which I'm sure most or all here do, I'll add this .

The function of the BOSS (balistic optimizing shooting system) is basically to lengthen or shorten the length of the barrel to match the grain of the bullet being shot. What it is supposed to do is change the harmonics of the barrel so that the barrel stops vibrating before the projectile exits the muzzle, thus improving accuracy. The fact that they added vents to make it a muzzle break doesn't add to the function, just a plus for some people. I would be just as happy if it weren't a muzzle break, maybe happier.

Just in case someone didn't understand the purpose.

Have a good one!