Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered load dissection data and patterning results.

J

Joe Hunter

Active member
12 GA 2 3/4" Boss Warchief No. 4 Bismuth buffered load

I recently purchased a box (20 rounds/box @ $43/box + $10 shipping and $4.86 tax = $57.86) of Boss Warchief 12-gauge 2 ¾-inch 1 ¼-ounces No. 4 Bismuth buffered load online from Boss.

I cut open five shells, from the same box as the shells to be patterned, and the components (powder, shot, and buffer) were weighed, counted, and measured for consistency. Here are my findings from those dissections.

12 GA 2 3/4" Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered load
1 1/4 oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) @ 1350 fps

PELLET COUNT / WEIGHT (grains) (1 ¼ ounce = 546.9 gr)
170 / 544.1 gr (buffer 19.6)
170 / 539.8 gr (buffer 19.9)
169 / 544.9 gr (buffer 19.8)
168 / 534.9 gr (buffer 19.7)
166 / 530.8 gr (buffer 19.2)
Aver. 168.6 pellets / 538.9 gr (buffer 19.64)

PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5 pellets/shell, #4 pellet dia. = .130”)
.145”, .145”, .143”, .141, .140, .139”, .139”, .138”, .138”, .138”, .137”, .135, .135”, .134”, .134”, .131”, .130”, .130”, .130”, .129”, .128”, .127”, .125”, .123”, .122”
Aver. .13424” dia.

POWDER / SHELL (grains)
27.1 gr
26.9 gr
26.8 gr
26.6 gr
26.5 gr
Aver. 26.78 gr

PATTERN RESULTS
The patterns were shot at 40 yards with a Remington 870 Special Purpose 12-gauge using a 28-inch Rem-choke barrel and factory flush Modified (.018” constriction) and Full (.037” constriction) Rem-chokes, constrictions are from a bore gauge. The 40-yard (muzzle to target) pattern data is the result of pellet hits registered in a 30-inch post-shot inscribed circle from five separate pattern shots.

Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered load
12ga 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets)
40 Yards / Modified Rem-choke (.018” constriction)
Patterns -- 135, 125, 123, 119, 112
Aver. 122.8 (72.8%)

Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered load
12ga 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets)
40 yards / Full Rem-choke (.037” constriction)
Patterns -- 146, 143, 143, 140, 132
Aver. 140.8 (83.5 %)

So, how did the new Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered load perform? Well, here are a few more of my pattern numbers from some other bismuth loads using the same gun/chokes as above for comparison.

Now you can be the judge, good luck!

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Modified Rem-Choke (.018” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 123 (73%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 126 (66%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 3/8 oz #5 Bi (267 pellets) / pattern 143 (54%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 3” 1 ½ oz #3/#5 Bi duplex (226 pellets) / pattern 121 (54%)

Kent Upland Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (197 pellets) / pattern 119 (60%)
Kent Waterfowl Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (212 pellets) / pattern 126 (59%)

HEVI-Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #5 Bi (228 pellets) / pattern 85 (37%)

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Full Rem-Choke (.037” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 141 (84%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 138 (72%)

Shotshell, Boss Warchief Bismuth, 12ga 2.75-inch #4 Bi (1).JPGBoss Warchief Bismuth, 12ga 2.75-inch #4 Bi (2).JPGPattern, Boss Warchief bismuth, 12ga 2.75, Boss #4 bismuth buffered, 870 Mod @ 40 yds.JPGPattern, Boss Warchief bismuth, 12ga 2.75, Boss #4 bismuth buffered, 870 Full @ 40 yds.JPG
 
Very interesting results. It appears that the Boss Warchief performed quite well and performed extremely well in comparison to the other brands that you tested. Thank you for posting your data.
 
I used 5 boxes of the Warchief 2 3/4” 3/5 in North Dakota a couple weeks back and was very pleasantly surprised. My percentage went up tremendously with very few cripples. These are certainly worth the money to me.
 
Thanks for your work. The Warchief seems to be the best alternative to lead. Plan on using it in Iowa in a couple of weeks.
 
jpari said:
Very interesting results. It appears that the Boss Warchief performed quite well and performed extremely well in comparison to the other brands that you tested. Thank you for posting your data.
Click to expand...
I don't think it performed any "better" than the Boss Unmuzzled or the Kent load for that matter. Yes, the Warchief load did shoot higher pattern percentages but since it had fewer pellets in the load to start with the higher percentage didn't put any more pellets in the pattern. See the average pellet strikes in the 30" patterns, the loads shot basically the same patterns!

I'll say it this way... Pattern percentages measure and indicate choke/load "efficiency"... not choke/load "effectiveness"!

And I believe it was Brister that said... "percentages don't kill birds, pellets do!"

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Modified Rem-Choke (.018” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 123 (73%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 126 (66%)
Kent Waterfowl Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (212 pellets) / pattern 126 (59%)

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Full Rem-Choke (.037” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 141 (84%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 138 (72%)
 
Joe,
Have you ever tested any of the Migra brand stacked loads? It was all I could find on the shelf for ducks a few weeks ago, and I ran some of the steel 1/3 shot in my top barrel last week with steel 3's in the bottom. I'd be curious to see those results.
 
I have a buddy that likes shooting that stuff.. We call is gun the ATM haha. I'm sure its nice stuff and love the idea of non toxic loads but I hunt too much to pay that kind of money for ammo.
 
Wind River said:
Shells are the cheapest part of the trip, unless your shooting way too much. Did the limit jump to 10 a day?
Click to expand...
I normally agree but $2/shoot can start to add up. Especially if you live close to hunting and aren't spending much on gas. If you start avoiding shots because you don't want to waste the shell, that's a bad sign.
 
I've switched to steel for all of my hunting. I bought a case of steel 6 shot for grouse and woodcock for $129 to my door. Looks like on Rogers it would be $1.20 per shell without tax and shipping for the Migra stuff. I might go through a half case between ducks and pheasant in a year. If I take a trip, maybe a case. I'd say $150-300 a year in hunting shells isn't too bad, considering all the other cost that goes into many hunters bringing a bird home. Taking a day trip tomorrow. 6 hours of driving, 375 miles, 80 bucks in gas, food on the road, etc. for the chance to bring home two roosters. We're certainly better off going to the grocery store and buying a $6 rotisserie chicken, but that's not why we do it is it? :)
 
Joe Hunter said:
I don't think it performed any "better" than the Boss Unmuzzled or the Kent load for that matter. Yes, the Warchief load did shoot higher pattern percentages but since it had fewer pellets in the load to start with the higher percentage didn't put any more pellets in the pattern. See the average pellet strikes in the 30" patterns, the loads shot basically the same patterns!

I'll say it this way... Pattern percentages measure and indicate choke/load "efficiency"... not choke/load "effectiveness"!

And I believe it was Brister that said... "percentages don't kill birds, pellets do!"

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Modified Rem-Choke (.018” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 123 (73%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 126 (66%)
Kent Waterfowl Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (212 pellets) / pattern 126 (59%)

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Full Rem-Choke (.037” constriction)
Boss Warchief Bismuth buffered 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (169 pellets) / pattern 141 (84%)
Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets) / pattern 138 (72%)
Click to expand...
I'm revisiting this based on looking at the numbers you posted in a different thread. The unbuffered #4 pellets were definitely different than the buffered #4s. From your other post, the buffered pellets were potentially 4.7% more dense and 2% larger. Which yields a 23% increase in distance.

If those measurements were accurate, that means you could use a #5 buffered which has 12% more pellets and would theoretically have the same penetration as the #4 unbuffered pellets.
 
136-137 pellets/oz perfectly matches my most recent findings with their #4 shot (more accurately #3.6 shot). It'd be interesting to know how much of the tighter Warchief pattern (in your 870 anyway) is due to buffer & how much is due to the different wad with much taller shotcup. That appears to be the 12 ga version of the same, new wad they're using in their new 1-1/8 oz, roll-crimped 16 ga loads. Does anyone know if they've also changed wads in their "unmuzzled" 1-1/4 oz 12 ga loads?
 
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