The Weatherby Orion SxS is a 28 gauge side-by-side made for upland birds and the occasional round of clays, and at $1,099 MSRP it puts a double within reach for a lot more shooters. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have the highest expectations going in. Here is how it actually shot, and whether it deserves a spot in your truck this fall.
In this article
Quick take
Verdict: Nothing about it screams high-end, but it flat out shoots, and for the money it is a great value.
Best for: Upland hunters who want a 28 gauge double they can carry hard in the grouse woods, quail country, and the dove field.
Skip it if: You want fancy wood, engraving, and a fine fit and finish, or you would rather have a single trigger and ejectors.
What stood out
A shooter, not a wall hanger
Let’s get this out of the way first. The Weatherby Orion SxS is not a high-end shotgun, and it doesn’t pretend to be one. You aren’t paying for high-grade wood, engraving, or a fine fit and finish. It is made in Turkey by Yildiz and imported by Weatherby, and it looks like the honest, working gun that it is.
Here is the part that matters, though. Side-by-sides can get expensive in a hurry, and this one is a lot more attainable than most of what is out there. That means you can actually hunt it without being scared of a few dings or scratches. It will get them if you use it, because all guns do, and I would much rather pick up a dent pushing through the brush with this gun than with one that cost several times as much.
Fit and ergonomics
The Weatherby Orion SxS wears a straight English stock and a splinter forend, which is exactly what I want to see on a classic upland double. Length of pull runs about 14 3/4 inches on the front trigger and 13 3/4 inches on the rear. Most guns are too short for me, so this one felt really good when I mounted it. If you need it shorter you will be cutting the stock, and if you need it longer you will be adding a pad.
The grip is slender in the hands and the checkering isn’t too aggressive. It does feel a little squared off compared to what you might be used to, and part of that comes from the long trigger tang underneath. Overall, I’d call the ergonomics decent, with nothing that got in my way once I started shooting.
Double triggers and extractors
You get double mechanical triggers and a top tang safety, with no barrel selector, which is common on side-by-sides. The front trigger fires the right barrel and the rear fires the left. On our trigger gauge, the front broke at 5 lb 6 oz and the rear at 5 lb 13 oz. There is a little pre-travel, but they were light enough, and at this price point they’re not bad at all.
It also uses extractors instead of ejectors, and I prefer that for a field gun. When you pop the gun open in tall grass, ejected hulls go flying and they are a pain to find. With extractors, the empties go right in your pocket.
How the Weatherby Orion SxS shot
This gun moved very naturally for me on target. I had spent the previous few days reviewing semi-autos, and switching to a side-by-side always takes an adjustment. So when I started breaking birds right off the bat, I took that as a good sign for the Orion.
Recoil is what you would hope for out of a 28 gauge. With Federal Top Gun 3/4 oz target loads it shot very light, with just a little muzzle jump. I stepped up to Federal Prairie Storm 6 shot, the kind of load you would carry for roosters, and it was still very, very manageable.
On the patterning board, point of impact came out roughly 50/50, maybe a touch high on the first barrel. We ran improved cylinder in the right barrel and modified in the left, and you could clearly see the difference between the two patterns. As for reliability, the extractors worked and nothing came loose, but I can’t speak to how it holds up over years of use yet.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Shoots extremely well and moves naturally on target
- Much more attainable than most side-by-sides
- Light, manageable recoil
- Extractors keep your hulls out of the grass
- Five choke tubes included
Cons
- Nothing about the finish or wood says high-end
- Some pre-travel in the triggers
- Grip feels a little squared because of the long trigger tang
- Long-term durability is still an open question
- 28 gauge ammo cost makes it a pricier clays gun
Who should buy the Weatherby Orion SxS
I would be happy to take this shotgun into the grouse woods, or out for quail, doves, and the occasional pheasant. It would also be a fun gun for a round of clays, although the price of 28 gauge ammo makes that a little less fun. If you want a side-by-side that actually gets carried and shot, this is it.
Now to be fair, if you are after a double to admire as much as shoot, with figured wood and hand engraving, you will be happier spending more on something else. And because the length of pull runs on the long side, make sure it fits you before you buy.
Final verdict
I was extremely impressed by the Weatherby Orion SxS, just not by its looks. It is what I call a shooter, meaning it isn’t for hanging on the wall, it’s meant for shooting. It won’t win any beauty prizes, but it gets the job done, and if it fits you, I wouldn’t hesitate. It’s a great gun for the money and a great value overall.
If you own an Orion SxS, how has it held up over time?
