The BOSS

[b79holmes]

I am trying to decide on a center fire rifle. 95% of it's usage would be at the range. It's more fun at the range to have something better then hunting accuracy.

I have recently been reading about the Browning BOSS system which may produce pretty amazing accuracy.

The Weatherby Vanguard S2 (Sub MOA guarantee) rifles are starting to go on sale at the big retailers.

The largest caliber I would buy is 30-06/7mmRem Mag but lean towards a .243W. Anyone have a BOSS equipped (bolt or BAR) producing dime sized groups at 100 yards?

Any other info appreciated.
Bill

 

[Patocazador]

A BOSS-type attachment didn't help the accuracy in my .338-06. No change for the better only as good as the plain barrel or worse.
It can help but it isn't a guarantee to better accuracy.

 

[gpb]

I bought a Browning A Bolt in 243 Win off the rack about 17 years ago. At that time the "BOSS" was fairly new. I was interested in seeing if it offered any advantage.

The first thing I did was replace the tube with holes with the solid tube. I didn't care for the extra noise from the "brake". On larger bores the brake may be of help for recoil control, but on a 243 I didn't notice any gain.

I tried dailing the load in using the BOSS. I could only see very small if any improvements in accuracy. I found that adjusting the loads by handloading had a larger influence on accuracy.

All in all, I found it easier and more effective to adjust the loads for the rifle and leave the BOSS alone. However, I handload if someone only uses factory loads it may work for them.

Since I handload I would not pay extra for the BOSS. If I could get a really good deal on a rifle I wanted with the BOSS I'd buy it and put a solid tube on it.

 

[jmr40]

The BOSS was a gimick that has proven to be marginally helpful at best. A used rifle equiped with the BOSS system can be hard to sell and will bring much less when it does sell. It adds weight on the end of the barrel, messing with balance and adding length that does not help with extra velocity, and if the ports are left open makes for a very loud gun. If someone gave me one it would go straight to a gunsmith to be cut off and have the barrel recrowned.

 

[Haxby]

My Winchester 70 30'06 with the BOSS works fine.
For shooting little groups at the range, I'd think about a Remington 700 243 VLS. Or maybe the SPS varmint, and think about changing the stock.

 

[TonyAngel]

My experience, from years ago, with any sort of BOSS type system is that all it does it make the rifle louder, which can be downright painful with larger calibers.

As for the sub MOA guarantee, I wouldn't get too excited about that. Most over the counter rifles these days will do that, included the $300 or so budget lines from Marlin.

These days, as far as I've seen, what makes a rifle (barrel) special is being able to shoot .5 MOA and do it with a smoking hot barrel.

 

[x_wrench]

the boss system is a neat idea. i am not sure how effective it really is. imo, you could do everything the boss could do accuracy wise and more by hand loading. however, if you are only going to buy otc ammo, it might be useful. at least it would give you a way to TRY to tune the gun to the ammo.