Citadel Boss 25 12 Gauge Burnt Bronze Semi-Automatic Shotgun
Specifications
Action Double Action
Finish Burnt Bronze
Sights Bead Sights
Weight 6.7 pounds
Capacity 5+1
Optic Ready Yes
Barrel Length 18 inches
Caliber / Gauge 12 Gauge
Chamber Length 3in
Overall Length 41.5 inches
Mode Of Operation Semi-Automatic
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including arsenic, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information, go to WWW.P65WARNINGS.CA.GOV
Description
Product Overview
The Citadel Boss 25 is a semi-automatic 12 Gauge tactical shotgun built for fast follow-up shots and practical handling. Finished in burnt bronze and configured with an 18-inch barrel, it offers a compact, maneuverable profile with a simple bead sight setup and support for mounting an optic.
Key Features
- Semi-automatic, gas-operated action for quick cycling
- 18-inch barrel for a tactical-ready length and handling
- 3in chamber for reliable function with common 12 Gauge loads
- 5+1 total shell capacity for a tactical-ready onboard loadout
- Burnt bronze finish for a durable, dark appearance
- Bead-style front sight with optic mounting support via top rail
If you want a compact semi-auto 12 Gauge shotgun with a straightforward setup and room for an optic, the Citadel Boss 25 is a solid choice.
5.0 | 2 Reviews
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5.0 out of 5
2 total reviews
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Latest Reviews
Randy R.
3 months ago
Verified Purchaser
This is my second...
This is my second Citadel Boss 25! For the price this is a LOT of gun. I wanted to grab a second one before the state of CA decides to create a new restriction! The CA version uses aluminum alloy for both upper and lower with a tiny pin that pops up when you crack the receivers to allow the mag button to depress and release the mag, or allow insertion. It's not nearly the pain the "Patriot Pin" is on standard AR15 pattern rifles because on those, the bolt carrier extends into the buffer tube preventing the upper and lower from separating which plays havoc with trying to clear feed stoppages! But on THIS AR pattern shotgun, the bolt carrier group rests in the forward part of the upper and during firing never moves back far enough to leave the upper. In fact, the rear of the upper is solid. IF you have feed stoppage and need to drop the mag, the upper can be cracked open no problem, though with the upper raised, the bolt hold open feature is non functional. Even if I lived in a different state I'd try to get the CA compliant model because it has alloy upper and lower, with hinge up front and pull pin at the rear. While NOT recommended for those living in CA, the Patriot Pin can be removed to allow normal function, just don't do it if you are in California! The gun takes down easy - WAY easier than ANY other type of shotgun! Starting at the front and unscrewing the barrel shroud releases the front hand gard - alloy. It has a tiny set screw at the rear but that really isn't needed since it's held on tight by the shround. Then unscrew the gas cylinder nut,remove a couple of half-circle clips, slide off the gas cylinder, then piston and that's it. Barrel comes off using an Allen wrench to loosen set screws then unscrewing the barrel retaining nut and out comes the barrel and bolt carrier assembly as one! But you'll never NEED to do that because it can all be easily cleand without a full takedown. The gas piston and cylinder appear self-cleaning, meaning you'll have to shoot a LOT, like thousands of shots to cause them to be so fouled they need disassembly, and the piston(s) appear to be stainless. My first outing with the gun I used a combination of RIO Brenekke style non-discarding sabot rifled slugs, and RIO brand 00 buck - 9 pellet. Every round fired perfectly. The gun comes with 2 five round mags which are perfect for normal hunting/field use, but 10 round mags aren't even expensive and it seems magazine fed shotguns are ONE area where nearly all mags are universal! I picked up additional 10 round mags for $20 each! I also picked up 3, 20 round drums - limited to 10 rounds to be CA legal. The drums are Skeletor design using a thick, wide, central flat coil spring. The drums can have all tension released, then limited tension added while loading, then full tension applied. I found the BEST way to load drums is to keep some tension, making inserting shells easy, then when full, add tension one click at a time, then pressing down on the top round to feel how hard it is to press down. When it matches standard mags, tension is perfect. During shooting, the gun NEVER failed to cycle with 5-round, 10-round mags, and 10/20 drums. That's 60 rounds of interspersed slugs and buck. Clearly, when fed the ammo this gun is meant to use, reliability isn't a in doubt! Recoil was quite mild as expected from a semiauto. At around 8 pounds, this gun soaks up a lot of kick. After shoulder firing 30+ rounds my shoulder wasn't sore, nor did I have the normal bruise the next day! The key of course with all autoloading shotguns is to provide a solid base so the gun isn't allowed to move backward excessively, thus sapping energy from the cycling parts. After firing 60 rounds the interior was essentially clean, and the gas piston had a barely perceptible coat of residue. Using the supplied flip-up sights, making hits on targets at 50 yards using slugs was as easy as using a rifle. Initial firing was done using the supplied cylinder choke. Fit and Finish on this gun is superb! The bronze anodized color is deep and rich. All controls feel solid with distinct feedback. For the price, NOBODY is making a better shotgun! While pump-action shotguns are the classic home-defense favorite, THIS is the new standard. With a 10 round mag of 00 buck locked in, it has double the capacity, and can be fired blisteringly fast with excellent control! The bolt locks open on empty and second mag can be locked in quickly - whereas classic tube systems require inserting one shell at a time, and if you need to change out the load, that's also, one shell at a time! With a box-mag shotgun, if you don't want slugs, drop that and snap in a box of slugs. The gun isn't made for super light target loads. Just like all military grade weapons, they're designed around a STANDARD load. Rifles, pistols, and shotguns. As long as you use loads adequate to the gun, it will work as expected. One doesn't need to shoot light target loads with this gun because recoil with full power ammo is quite mild. There is a classic episode of The Ultimate Warrior where a couple of Russian Spetznaz guys squared off with U.S. Special Forces guys. The SF guys used a Mossberg 590, while the Spetznaz used a Saiga 12 auto for the bar clearing challenge. To say it wasn't even close is an understatement. That ONE episode proves that NOBODY should be choosing a pump shotgun over a box fed auto for home defense!
Randy R.
6 months ago
Verified Purchaser
This is the CALIFORNIA...
This is the CALIFORNIA COMPLIANT version of the BOSS 25 model. As of this writing. only two companies offer CA compliant semiautomatic, box-magazine fed shotguns! RIA has a model and this one, the Citadel Boss 25 CA compliant. What's the difference between this and the non-CA version? Quite a bit actually, and I think the CA model is the better version! Under CA law, a semiautomatic shotgun cannot have a detachable magazine. To accomodate that mandate - (and I'm extremely pleased they did), Citadel reengineered the Boss 25. The non-CA model mates the upper and lower by means of an interlocking shelf at the front, and the rear of the upper set into a recess on the lower. Normal disassmbly does not include separating the upper and lower. Also, I believe the non-CA model uses a polymer lower. The CA compliant model uses an alluminum alloy lower, with forward hinge pin just like an AR, and a rear pull pin - also like an AR, that extends out about half and inch on the right side. This pin is pulled to allow the upper to shotgun, and in so doing, it allows a small Patriot Pin located above the magazine release to pop up, thus unlocking the mag release. Normally, I'm not a fan of the Patriot Pin system as it applies to AR rifles because even with the bolt barely retracted, the upper and lower are locked together, making it impossible to remove the magazine in the case of a feed malfunction. But the Citadel Boss 25 is different. The bolt and bolt carrier assembly is very much like a conventional semiauto shotgun, with twin steel bars running forward to the annular ring piston, with the recoil spring mounted around the barrel. When the bolt is retracted it does not extend into the lower at all, so whether the bolt is closed or locked back, the Patriot Pin can be pulled to allow the upper to swing upward so the mag can be released. This makes the system a mere annoyance of little practical consequence for normal sport shooting. Five to ten rounds of 12 gauge is subtantial, and shotgunning the receiver is quick and easy. Attaching a small length of paracord between upper and lower creates an automatic lift-limiter. IMO, the ability to remove the mag by cracking the receivers open outweighs the annoyance factor. Even with shotgunning the shotgun to load, the mag-fed system can be recharged with a 10-shot magazine in less time than one can thumb 5-8 shells into a tubular mag system, and the entire process is completely straightforward, no confusing loading sequence where one must lock back the bolt, drop in a shell and chamber, then start shucking fresh shells into the tube. At the price-point, in this case, California buyers are getting a better version of the Boss 25, for the same money! The gun comes with two, 5-round magazines, and 10-round mags are surprisingly inexpensive from various online sources. One reason magazines are cheap is because a wide range of brands and models share the same design! The gun also comes with the obligatory plastic pack of chokes along with a choke wrench and a separate takedown wrench. Now the amazing part. This is one BEAUTIFUL shotgun! It's one beautiful ANY KIND of gun! The Burnt Bronze anodized upper and lower is rich and even. Fit and finish overall is clean and crisp! The shotgun feels well balanced, not too heavy, and with a surprisingly manageble length of pull. I was expecting the pull to be a stretch, but it's not, the gun comes up and shoulders nicely. The supplied flip-up sights are pure AR pattern, and certainly better than adequate for normal shotgun ranges. I know the current craze it to stick and optic on everything, but when it comes to shotguns of any kind, optics only work against fast shooting, and since they use batteries and delicate internal structures, the one thing you can bet on is that if the time comes you need to grab your shotty and make the shot, will be the PRECISE MOMENT the LED diode decides to no work. I prefer Ghost Ring style sights, though with a decent cheek weld, one really only needs a bit of front sight when using ANY kind of shot! Only slugs require honest sights and I'll stick with iron. There's an old saying, the fancy do-dads you DON'T install can't fail you at a critical moment! The advantage to box magazine shotguns is the same as with box magazine rifles and handguns. Rack the bolt back to lock, slap in a mag, release the bolt and start shooting. Autoloaders are VASTLY superior to pump guns in the real world. They shoot with lightening speed if needed, and a mag swap is always faster than shucking shells into a tube - even work those shotguns festooned with multiple tubes with tube selectors and awkward ergonomics. As for reliability, a human hand and arm is much more likely to induce a malfunction than an automatic system. From a family, home-defense standpoint, familiarizing family members with the Citadel Boss 25 is far simpler and more sure because it's the same manual of arms as learning the AR system. As we boomers shuffle off the mortal stage, I predict these AR-pattern shotguns will become the dominant tactical choice, just as the AR has. At present one can buy a conventional autoloading shotgun - even in California for an amazingly low price - less than this cost, but the box feed, AR pattern system makes this work the added acquisition cost!
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Retail Availability
Bud's Gun Shop - Lexington, KY
1105 Industry Rd., Lexington, KY 40505
Bud's Gun Shop - Sevierville, TN
2270 Two Rivers Blvd., Sevierville, TN 37876
Uncle Lee's - Greenville, KY
820 Main St., Greenville, KY 42345
