Weatherby Orion SxS 20ga hunt season review enroute

[sndmn11]

I've been having too much fun with my bird-mutt! There's always been a part of me that is attracted to a SxS, so I snagged a loaner. Weatherby sent me a 20ga version or their Orion SxS for a few months. It comes with 5 different Briley extended chokes, skeet, improved cylinder, modified, improved modified, and full. I've killed a few training birds with it in the spring and shot some clays with it, but today I set out to pattern each choke with common loads.

Orion® SxS – Weatherby, Inc.

weatherby.com

I used a V rest in my Wiser Precision Ridge Warden and shot at 20 yards as well as 35 yards. My paper is 45" wide, and I lucked out finding a nearly empty purple spray paint in the garage.



I need to get the kid's help in marking and counting the holes. I also was curious about barrel regulation and shot a few chokes from both sides with the same load, and everything seemed on point. I think I ended up with 15-17 pattern papers shot.


My goal is to see how many different species in different states the dog and I can put down with this shotgun before I have to send it back, and then write about.

What do you want to know?



@robby denning

 

[sndmn11]

For those curious.

 

[sndmn11]

 

[Macintosh]

Weatherby has had some nice shotguns, and some not so nice ones over the last couple decades. Hopefully this is a nicer one! Stuff I’d be curious to know:
Overall configuration (its 20ga straight stock, DT’s, but basic action info, lockup system, ejectors, auto or manual safety, etc + any noteworthies here)
Where its made (turkey—made by yldiz?)
Stock dimensions and any options available re: fit…website lists a range of lengths so Im curious if thats different models, diff pads, or?, and if drops are accurate. Any cast?
Actual weight
Balance point (prob a photo)
Barrel regulation (sounds good?)
Handling characteristics relative to various other guns youd choose for the same purpose
Any issues you have
Street price
Overall impression

 

[sndmn11]

Weatherby has had some nice shotguns, and some not so nice ones over the last couple decades. Hopefully this is a nicer one! Stuff I’d be curious to know:
Overall configuration (its 20ga straight stock, DT’s, but basic action info, lockup system, ejectors, auto or manual safety, etc + any noteworthies here)
Where its made (turkey—made by yldiz?)
Stock dimensions and any options available re: fit…website lists a range of lengths so Im curious if thats different models, diff pads, or?, and if drops are accurate. Any cast?
Actual weight
Balance point (prob a photo)
Barrel regulation (sounds good?)
Handling characteristics relative to various other guns youd choose for the same purpose
Any issues you have
Street price
Overall impression

No ejectors; I wouldn't say it has extractors either.


It is made by Yildiz

Manual safety

I believe it is modeled after a Fox internally and is supposedly more robust because of that. I don't know what that means so I will be in Sheridan in a month to meet with Weatherby's shotgun line manager to take things apart and learn.

Regulation seems fine, I expected something noticeable but can't tell the difference on paper.

Right hand cast, I will see if I can find out any measurements for that.

Swamped rib

LOP is with or without the recoil pad.

Other stuff TBD