akbound

I owned one of the Winchester Model 70' s equipped with a BOSS, chambered in .25-06. I used that rifle a number of seasons particularly for long range woodchucks and some " stand" hunting for whitetails. I liked the system and shot it a considerable amount particularly at the range and on chucks. It was " very" accurate.

One day while " chuck" hunting I took a shot at about 300 yards across a field that was nearly 500 yards long. There were trees on both sides of me approximately 50 yards to either side, (fence rows), and a wooded section about nearly 500 yards to my front. I FORGOT TO PUT IN MY EAR PLUGS!!!!! Apparently due to the shape of the field, (a slight bowl shape), and with the trees as backdrop the " muzzle report" hit my ears as hard as if someone had " clapped" them. My ears literally " HURT" for most of that afternoon and I heard ringing for several days afterward.

I never shoot at the range without ear plugs and sometimes even muffs. And I put plugs in prior to shooting while chuck hunting (unless I am shooting a rimfire or maybe a hornet). But once in a while you need to take a shot rather quickly....and sometimes you forget, (as above). And I do NOT use hearing protection while whitetail hunting....it would be to much of a hindrance and normally it is all over in one shot! But that day I decided I would not have a " game rifle" that I was afraid to shoot hunting....without hearing protection. (That rifle was made with the earlier version of the BOSS that you could NOT turn off!) Within a season or so I had traded it for another rifle....without the BOSS. In all fairness though I must admit I have NOT tried the newer version that you can turn the brake " On or Off" . I would like to try it as I liked everything else about the system.

Maybe someday?