Browning B.O.S.S. system

[Bigeclipse]

I know this is an old system but the theory behind it seems sound. I get that doing your own reloads will always rain supreme to obtaining the best accuracy out of your rifle. (excluding bedding the rifle and such). But what I do not get is why this did not become a more popular type setup with the everyday joe who does not reload? It would seem it could help to obtain some decent accuracy with regular factory loads. The only reason I bring this up is my father-in-law has 3 of these rifles and they sit in his gun case unused (he likes to buy things and then use them maybe once or twice before buying another rifle). Have any of you personally used them before? Were they really able to help tune the barrel harmonics to help achieve better accuracy?

 

[marioq]

Yes I have an Abolt 300 and I had the Barnes vortex shooting .5-.75 Moa at 100 when I first got into hunting big game. I like the idea and the practice. It does work for those that don't want to reload in my experience.

 

[Hatrick]

Had one from 1998 in 7rm. Shoots my reloads less than 1". I also "tuned" it to 3 factory loads for loaning it out and emergencies. It does change point of impact but I keep a dope card in the case with it. It does not shoot the factories as well as the reloads. It is a stainless stalker with a Leupold 3-10 vari x 111.

 

[PPR]

I had one in a .300 Win Mag and it was a tack driver. I think the concept was smarter than the average 2 week a year hunter. Sad but true.

Paul

 

[Bigeclipse]

That is a shame then that they moved away from them. My father-in-law has 2 or 3 just sitting in a case which was what got me interested in them. They are semi-autos which is a bit of a turn off to me but maybe ill convince him to let me get one sighted in for this season.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I had 2 of them in 7mm RemMag with the BOSS. I'm not so sure how much the BOSS changes harmonics, but the factory barrels were accurate, and the BOSS muzzle brake itself worked great for recoil reduction. I never really played with the BOSS to see how legit it was, I just looked up the settings and set it to where it was recommended.

 

[longrangehunterII]

Years and years ago I had two, a Browning A-bolt 270 Win. and a Winchester Claw Ex. in 338 WM........ I quickly found out more time was spent turning the **** thing then finding a load that worked. I set it for the bullet weight and went to work testing to find a workable load, and barely turned it from its original setting only to give up on the process. I did hunt with them for a few years and later sold them both.... They just blew my ears off while hunting and fussing with hearing protection during a hunt I couldn't take it anymore. The 270 win. was accurate though, and someone else my just fall in love with them..... It just wasn't music to my ears!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Years and years ago I had two, a Browning A-bolt 270 Win. and a Winchester Claw Ex. in 338 WM........ I quickly found out more time was spent turning the **** thing then finding a load that worked. I set it for the bullet weight and went to work testing to find a workable load, and barely turned it from its original setting only to give up on the process. I did hunt with them for a few years and later sold them both.... They just blew my ears off while hunting and fussing with hearing protection during a hunt I couldn't take it anymore. The 270 win. was accurate though, and someone else my just fall in love with them..... It just wasn't music to my ears!

I figured as much years ago, with no definitive proof. So I just did the same thing as you, set it for bullet weight, and worked the load up accordingly.

My first one got stolen, and several years later I replaced it with another used one. Barrel must have been shot hot, and alot, because I only got about 150 rounds out of it before the barrel started throwing shots bad. I had the action blueprinted and a new barrel put on it, and still use it. It's back to being accurate again, and should have a nice long barrel life...Until I decide to rebarrel it with a Proof Research carbon fiber barrel.

 

[jaeger19]

I bought a 270 a bolt with boss for his first big game rifle at 12. Tamed the recoil down to a .243 and it tuned to my reloads (for another 270) at .5 inch at 100. My son has killed 12 antelope and 4 deer with it. My buddy was so impressed he bought an identical one and we tuned it to my reloads. His shhots .64 inch. But..boy are they loud. I think the problem with the boss is that they were before their time. They obtain accuracy that the average guy didnt care about. Now the average guy cares but guns have become out of the box almost as good as the boss system and cheaper

 

[MudRunner2005]

jaeger19, you're exactly right. I've got a factory Rem 700 5R Milspec .308 Win that can shoot in the .1's with handloads, if the stars line up just right. And it averages .2xx to .3xx groups most every time, if I do my part.

Back when I had my first A-Bolt, it shot around 1-1.5" @ 100 with factory ammo (before I reloaded my own ammo), and I thought that was great. My custom .308 Win I had at the time shot factory Hornady 168 Match BTHP's into the same ragged hole at 100 yards, and that was the most accurate rifle I'd ever seen or shot. Then both of these guns got stolen at the same time, along with 2 others. Man, I miss that old custom Model 7 .308. It was built by a gunsmith friend of mine, who retired before I could get the funds to build another one, so unfortunately, I will never be able to have another one built by him.

 

[Sammydog]

That is a shame then that they moved away from them. My father-in-law has 2 or 3 just sitting in a case which was what got me interested in them. They are semi-autos which is a bit of a turn off to me but maybe ill convince him to let me get one sighted in for this season.

jaeger19, you're exactly right. I've got a factory Rem 700 5R Milspec .308 Win that can shoot in the .1's with handloads, if the stars line up just right. And it averages .2xx to .3xx groups most every time, if I do my part.

Back when I had my first A-Bolt, it shot around 1-1.5" @ 100 with factory ammo (before I reloaded my own ammo), and I thought that was great. My custom .308 Win I had at the time shot factory Hornady 168 Match BTHP's into the same ragged hole at 100 yards, and that was the most accurate rifle I'd ever seen or shot. Then both of these guns got stolen at the same time, along with 2 others. Man, I miss that old custom Model 7 .308. It was built by a gunsmith friend of mine, who retired before I could get the funds to build another one, so unfortunately, I will never be able to have another one built by him.

 

[Sammydog]

About 15 years ago I found a Winchester model 70 with the BOSS in 7mm Rem Mag on sale and bought it for my 14 year old son. I was shooting a 7mm as well. I wanted to use my same load in his new rifle. I took it to the range and did just as the manual said. I was lazy and stopped when the group got to .75 at 100yds. If I had continued, I'm sure it would do even better. He loves it! It is awfully loud though.
Last year a friend asked me to help me with his 270 with the BOSS. I loaded up a bullet he likes and some powder that was listed and I had a lot of. Within 16 shots, adjusting the Boss, it was shooting a .5". If you can abide the noise, they are the neatest thing since chocolate milk!!

 

[Wedgy]

Winchester started BOSS(Ballistic Optimizing Shooting System) and Browning took it over. They do (or did) come with or without the brake, just as a tuner. The idea is to tune the rifle to a load, instead of tuning a reload to the rifle. They work, guys mostly use them on rimfire but they have a loyal following. If you have any doubt slap one on, shoot a group, turn it, shoot another group, turn it, and you will see it open and close. Keep in mind you are tuning at a benchrest level of shooting(if you've already worked up a load), meaning you can adjust to compensate the increase or decrease in your load for temperature, atmospheric, etc.
Sometimes you get a really great barrel that doesn't need a tuner.....
it's called a hummer, and we all remember it until we get a better one, if ever.
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/tuner-experience.3937618/
http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/tuner-brakes

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/718425976

 

[AZShooter]

A friend has two, both are Browning A bolts. The 223 is fed the inexpensive ammo cans of 223s you find at gunshows. Some twisting of the BOSS and the ammo shoots 1/2" or so. The 300 WSM never required much tuning to get it to shoot. It shoots 125 Nos bt AND the 230 Berger hybrid equally well. (talk about extremes)

I found the comments on it being loud funny. Those holes in the BOSS make it a MUZZLE BRAKE! All over this site there are many that use a brake yet I don't hear how loud those are. Laughing......