Browning A-Bolt in 30-06 BOSS

[musky hunter]

Hi, my next rifle is going to be a Browning A-bolt Stalker. I am looking at a synthetic stock and Boss. I can get a new adaptor that can replace the BOSS for hunting so i dont go deaf. The BOSS would be excellent at the range. The rifle is for deer, black bear, and Moose. Anyone have experience with Browning bolt action rifles? I think 30-06 or 300 win mag.

 

[larryw]

I have a Stalker in 30-06 with the BOSS. Great gun, silky smooth action, very accurate, great to carry, points well, hits same POA with cold or hot barrel. Absolutely love it.

Its my understanding that the new guns come with both barrel weights (comped and non) for the reasons you stated. Mine only came with the eardrum buster, but a care package from Brownells fixed that.

Would I get another Stalker? In a heartbeat.

I've had the BOSS get loose a couple times while at the range, make sure its locked down good and tight. (you don't want to LockTite it so you can take it off to clean).

Would I get another gun with the BOSS? No, but only because I reload and can tailor the load to the gun.

If you don't reload, the BOSS is a great thing to have. It allows you to choose any load you want and then tailor your gun to shoot it very well. Be prepared to spend a lot of time and ammo sorting out the gun, but once you do, you'll have a light barreled hunting gun that cuts one hole groups all day long.

 

[Art Eatman]

And if your rifle doesn't have the BOSS, just free float the barrel and install a shim at the tip of the forend. About five pounds of pull to make enough separation to insert the shim (any not water-absorbing materail). You get the same basic effect, as near as makes no nevermind.

The deal is, a barrel vibrates like a spring, and you want uniform harmonics from shot to shot. The BOSS or the shim act as do the shock absorbers on a car--"dampers", as the Brits say.

, Art

 

[musky hunter]

Thanxs, that is the exact rifle i want. I will probably wait until fall to buy it, i am still deciding between stainless or blue.

 

[HadEmAll]

I liked my A-Bolt in .243, but made the mistake (for me) of getting the real pretty Medallion with the pretty wood and shiny finish. I was always worried about bangin it up in the boonies. Wish I'd gotten the synthetic stock and matte finish. Hope you enjoy it. The 30-06 is a wonderful caliber.

 

[CB900F]

Musky Hunter;

I've got a Winchester new model stainless classic w/BOSS LHB in .30-06. Took the Winchester because I like the Mauser action.
I put it in a McMillan stock & free floated the barrel. I also got the BOSS/CR, which does not have the muzzle brake & therefore isn't anywhere near as noisy to the shooter.

When you do get the gun, take the BOSS unit off immediately & check the threads on the end of the barrel. Make sure they were machined correctly & have no burrs on them. Also look for crud left behind from the machining & not properly cleaned out. Any of that kind of thing can make the use of the BOSS a lot more difficult.

900F

 

[larryw]

Art, not sure if I agree.

Wouldn't pressure of the barrel change, with a resulting change in POI, with different pressures on the forend? For example, shooting offhand vs. shooting prone with a Ching Sling?

I know the fore stocks on many hunting guns aren't the most sturdy things in the world; adding a varible pressure point would negate all the benefits of a free floated barrel.

All barrels whip as the bullet travels the bore. Reloaders tailor the load so the barrel is in exactly the same stage of the whip with each shot. Making sure this whip is the same shot after shot is why we free-float. As a result, accuracy improves.

BOSS takes the other approach: change the harmonic of the barrel so the whip, instead of load, can be tailored. As a result, once you figure out the right BOSS setting for the load, accuracy is improved.

Note when tailoring the BOSS. Stock up on ammo. Before I started reloading for the 30-06, I found that a BOSS setting of 2.5 for my favorite 165gr hunting load gave me 1 1/2" 3-shot groups. A setting of 2.25 shrunk these down to 1/2". Moral is a little does a lot.