Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth load dissection and patterning performance for waterfowl.

[Joe Hunter]

12 GA 2 3/4" Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth load, waterfowl
After purchasing two boxes (20 rounds/box @ $35/box + $10 shipping and tax = $87) of the Boss Unmuzzled 12-gauge 2 ¾-inch 1 ¼-ounces of #4 Bismuth load online from Boss, I dissected and patterned these shot shells to assess their component consistency and patterning performance.

I cut open five shells, from the same lot number as the shells to be patterned, and the components (powder and shot) were weighed, counted, and measured for consistency.

Here are my findings from the dissections.

12 GA 2 3/4" Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth load
1 1/4 oz #4 Bismuth (192 pellets) @ 1350 fps
PELLET COUNT / WEIGHT (grains) (1 ¼ ounce = 546.9 gr)
195 / 552.9 gr
194 / 553.3 gr
193 / 553.9 gr
190 / 544.2 gr
187 / 541.1 gr
Aver. 191.8 pellets / 549.08 gr

PELLET SIZE (25 pellets, 5 pellets/shell) (#4 pellet diameter = .130”)
.138”, .137”, .137”, .136”, .135”, .135”, .134”, .134”, .133”, .133”, .133”, .133”, .133”, .132”, .131”, .131”, .130”, .128”, .127”, .127”, .127”, .126”, .126”, .126”, .123”
Aver. pellet diameter/.1314”

POWDER / SHELL (grains)
27.7 gr
27.7 gr
27.6 gr
27.5 gr
27.4 gr
Aver. 27.58 gr

PATTERNS / BOSS UNMUZZLED BISMUTH LOAD
The patterning was done at 40 yards with a Remington 870 Special Purpose 12-gauge w/ a 28-inch Rem-choke barrel and factory flush Modified (.018” constriction) and Full (.037” constriction) Rem-chokes. The listed constrictions are from a bore gauge.

The 40-yard (muzzle to target) pattern data is the result of hits registered in a 30-inch post-shot inscribed circle from five separate pattern shots.

Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 12ga 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets)
40 yards / Rem-choke Mod.
Patterns
145
130
128
113
113
Aver. 125.8 (65.52%)

Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth 12ga 2 ¾” 1 ¼ oz #4 Bi (192 pellets)
40 yards / Rem-choke Full
Patterns
150
142
135
133
129
Aver. 137.8 (71.77%)

So… How does the Boss Unmuzzled Bismuth load’s performance compare to some other steel waterfowl loads? Well, here are a few more of my pattern numbers using the same gun and chokes as above for comparison.

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Rem-Choke (Mod. choke / .018”)
40 yards / Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (186 pellets) pattern 128 (69%)
40 yards / Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (193 pellets) pattern 146 (76%)
40 yards / Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (195 pellets) pattern 131 (67%)

40 yards / Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) / Pattern 115 (75%)
40 yards / Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) / Pattern 110 (72%)
40 yards / Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) / Pattern 106 (73%)

PATTERNS / 40 YARDS / Rem-Choke (Full choke / .037”)
40 yards / Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (186 pellets) pattern 141 (76%)
40 yards / Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (193 pellets) pattern 150 (78%)
40 yards / Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #3 steel (195 pellets) pattern 154 (79%)

40 yards / Fed. Speed-Shok 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (154 pellets) / Pattern 118 (77%)
40 yards / Rem. Sportsman 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (152 pellets) / Pattern 117 (77%)
40 yards / Win. Xpert 3" 1 1/4 oz #2 steel (146 pellets) / Pattern 118 (81%)

Now you can be the judge, good luck!

 

[Decoyin Drake]

Very good post.

 

[bustsducks]

Thank you for your efforts.

 

[JFG]

As always, great info Joe.

One thing I’ve noticed over the years from your testing is Remington Sportsman and Win. Xpert always seem to have the highest percentage of hits on paper. Yes, those ugly, non uniform pellets found in Xperts that lots of hunters have lambasted for years consistently perform well. I use to use them all the time until I started making my own.

 

[Northhunter]

Good post!

I think it's worthy of mention the consistency of the powder & shot charges. Seems pretty good for a "factory" load. 1 1/4oz is listed on the box and that's actually what you get

 

[garza7585]

Great analysis of the semi-current 2 3/4" offering from Boss.

I'm not sure if you have heard or followed what Boss has been doing but they just did a pre-release of this load with a different wad and buffer. They've dubbed it "Project: Warchief" and I believe you can still get some. They are in the process of re-tooling some thing for full production runs and adding these modifications to their whole line.

Brandon has been obsessed with pushing the envelope with bismuth and getting as much as he possibly can from bismuth shot. I've read some of their testing on this new and improved load and they are touting 80+% patterns at 40 yards.

Part of the issue with bismuth is its frangibility. It deforms and shatters with too much pressure causing fliers and patterns that fall apart down range. Copper plating solved some of that for them, but ultimately, buffering and wad selection probably has the most effect on that in my opinion. Alot of early bismuth data and production cartridges called for buffer and lots of it.

I'd be curious to see how they would compare if you ran the test on the new version.

If I can find it I'll post a link to the testing they did on this new load.

 

[Joe Hunter]

Yes, I have seen that they have a "new improved" buffered load, but they weren't available when I purchased these a few weeks ago.

If you'll send me a couple 20 round boxes, I'll dissect and shoot a few of the "latest and greatest" iteration to see if their "claims" are legit!

 

[Dr Swane]

Great analysis of the semi-current 2 3/4" offering from Boss.

I'm not sure if you have heard or followed what Boss has been doing but they just did a pre-release of this load with a different wad and buffer. They've dubbed it "Project: Warchief" and I believe you can still get some. They are in the process of re-tooling some thing for full production runs and adding these modifications to their whole line.

Brandon has been obsessed with pushing the envelope with bismuth and getting as much as he possibly can from bismuth shot. I've read some of their testing on this new and improved load and they are touting 80+% patterns at 40 yards.

Part of the issue with bismuth is its frangibility. It deforms and shatters with too much pressure causing fliers and patterns that fall apart down range. Copper plating solved some of that for them, but ultimately, buffering and wad selection probably has the most effect on that in my opinion. Alot of early bismuth data and production cartridges called for buffer and lots of it.

I'd be curious to see how they would compare if you ran the test on the new version.

If I can find it I'll post a link to the testing they did on this new load.

It’s the mg42 wad (holds all the shot) and 22gn of their own (walnut+) buffer.

 

[Dr Swane]

Yes, I have seen that they have a "new improved" buffered load, but they weren't available when I purchased these a few weeks ago.

If you'll send me a couple 20 round boxes, I'll dissect and shoot a few of the "latest and greatest" iteration to see if their "claims" are legit!

Also, you can easily open the crimp without cutting, and reload the components; will save on the expensive rounds

 

[garza7585]

Yep its the MG42, he actually posted the recipe of the new load for all the reloaders out there, but he must have taken it down. I might try to load a few of them up for myself, but I haven't shot a 12 gauge in a few years. Pretty cool of him to put that information out there.