Editor's Pick — Peter Burnham uses this and loves it.
Peter's shell: Boss's premium nonlead load, now copper rather than bismuth.
Why we picked this
Peter Burnham shoots Boss Warchief and loves it. California has required nonlead shot for all hunting since July 1, 2019 (CDFW), so every upland shell you buy here is nonlead; the question is which kind. Warchief started as a copper-plated bismuth load. Boss now makes it with CuProX, its corrosion-inhibited copper shot.
Quick specs
| Category | Shotguns & Shells |
| Brand | Boss Shotshells |
| Shot | CuProX copper (the original Warchief was copper-plated bismuth) |
| 12 gauge | 3 in; 1¼ or 1½ oz; shot sizes 2, 3, 3/5, 4 and 5; 1,475 fps |
| 20 gauge | 3 in; 1⅛ oz |
| Packing | Box of 20 or case of 200 (12 gauge) |
| Price | From $40 a box at Boss; 12 gauge waitlisted when we checked (Oct. 22, 2026) |
| In California | Legal: USFWS-approved nontoxic shot counts as certified |
| Shot by | Peter Burnham |
| Editor's verdict | Peter's shell. |
The full review
Boss's current Warchief is a 3-inch load of CuProX shot. In 12 gauge it comes in 1¼ and 1½ oz, in shot sizes 2 through 5, at 1,475 fps, according to Boss; the 20-gauge version is a 3-inch, 1⅛ oz load. Boss says CuProX "maintains pellet integrity on impact, eliminating the fragmentation sometimes associated with bismuth." That's the maker's claim, not our test.
The original Warchief was "round copper-plated bismuth shot," as Ducks Unlimited described it in 2023. If you have an older box, read the label to see which you've got.
Both are legal here. CDFW treats shot made of any material the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has approved as nontoxic as certified (CDFW). Bismuth-tin is on that list, and USFWS has approved Boss's corrosion-inhibited copper, as Split Reed reported on June 30, 2026.
Check your gun before you buy. The current Warchief is a 3-inch shell in both gauges, so your chambers need to be 3-inch. And if your gun is an old one, ask its maker what nonlead shot it can take.
What we love
- Peter's verdict: he loves it.
- Nonlead and legal for hunting anywhere in California.
- 12 and 20 gauge, with Boss's claim of no fragmentation.
What to know before you buy
- 3-inch shells in the current line, in both gauges.
- Waitlisted in 12 gauge when we checked.
- Premium price: from $40 a box, against $24 for Boss's own 20-gauge steel.
Where to buy
- Boss Warchief, 12 gauge (brand-direct)
- Boss 20-gauge shotshells (brand-direct)
California Upland doesn't earn a commission on these links.
See also
- All shotguns and shells
- Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I — Peter shoots a 20-gauge 686
- Nonlead Ammunition for California Upland Hunters