I recently traded for a very lightly used M70 Classic Sporter controlled feed. I have never shot anything with a BOSS on it but have been told that it is somewhere between very loud and unfriendly. I used to shoot some 375 H&H in a SAKO 20" carbine years ago that would clear all the adjacent bench's but was a sweetheart in the field since it only weighed about 7 1/2lb's rigged and ready, but now mostly shoot a 270 Win or a 300WMg.
I am looking for comments on the functionality of the BOSS as a hunting gun for Texas sized hogs thru nilgi and elk.
Any thoughts on an appropriate power of scope to use... a buddy who used to guide in Colorado in the Uncompaghre area cautions me about using anything that won't get down to a very low power setting for use in the "Black Timber" at very close ranges and not to plan on shots over about 3-350 yards.... 3x9ish or 2x7ish sound about right? Where I hog hunt is very similar to what he describes as black timber in deep brush at 25/50 feet to 30 yard shots.
Any thoughts on Swift Scopes? Swift has a 2x7x40 that looks good sizewise but will it stand up is the question.
Thanks Ron

[ 01-29-2003, 03:28: Message edited by: verhoositz ]

I have the same rifle as you in 338 and also just picked up a stainless 30-06. The BOSS is loud but its not a big deal at the range as you and everyone around you should be wearing hearing protection. I put about 50 rds through the 06 today and had people on both sides of me with out a problem. As far as hunting goes I would call Winchester and order the CR Boss from them. (It costs $17.50 shipped to you)You still can tune your loads but there is no holes in the BOSS so the noise is the same as a standard setup, that goes for the recoil as well.
I think the BOSS is god awful ugly but it works great! I can tune the gun to shoot the loads I want. It does take a quite a bit of shooting to get the best groups but I like to shoot my guns alot anyway. As far as a scope, I think a 2x7 Leupold would be just about perfect for that rifle.

Jarrett

The Range I shoot at has a steel roof over the concrete benches and some of the higher pitched calibers really make it ring. I wear both ear plugs, some old Lee Sonics and muffs too since I already have some tinitus from various causes over the years. A malarial type fever cost me both some tone loss and vision loss from an extended very high fever years ago so I am careful but the gun range is the primary source of the tinitus I'm told.
Yes the BOSS is butt ugly and reminds me of the Cutts Compensator my grandad had on his M12's, but is good to know about the CR adapter. I am looking forward to putting the gun together and wringing it out.
If you shoot factory stuff what are you most successful with as far as accuracy and penetration on bigger sized critters?
I need to break out the reloading gear but need to rebuild the bench first. I used to shoot 3-4000 rounds a year of centerfire rifle from 223 to 375 Holland but have gotten away from it for the last 10 years after I sold my collection of low production and non cataloged Sako Classic Grades from the late 70's to the mid 80's to finance a business venture...that was so stupid!
Ron

I can't improve on Finley's advice. Either get the CR attachment, or cut the g*****n thing off.

Your guide is quite right about using a lower, rather than higher, power variable. I recommend against anything more powerful than a 3-9, or maybe a 3.5-10 on a hunting rifle. If you will hunt most frequently under very close circumstances, a 2-7 or 2.5-8 is a good choice. I can assure you, there's nothing you would consider shooting with a .338 at any distance that you would consider shooting it that you can't see clearly with 7x magnification!

This sounds like a serious hunting rifle. I'd put a serious scope on it. The mass-marketed Asian-produced scopes like the Swift usually have pretty good optics, but the adjustments, waterproofing, eye relief, and other features generally won't match the better scopes. Go ahead and spend some money to match the quality of the scope with the quality of the rifle.