# Weatherby O/U? (Orion and Athena)



## Ol' 30-30 (Oct 12, 2009)

Anybody own a Weatherby O/U. I shouldered a Weatherby Orion and it felt great. Pointed good and swings easy, it was a good fit. I like the Weatherby Athena but it's in the same price range as Browning and Beretta. I've never owned any Weatherby firearms, have yall been pleased with yalls? How is their customer service? 

http://www.weatherby.com/product/shotguns/overunder/athena_ditalia_iii_ou


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## Twenty five ought six (Oct 12, 2009)

The new ones are made in Italy.

Older ones were rebranded SKB's and if you're looking used, you can save a few hundred dollars just buying an SKB.


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## KKrueger (Oct 12, 2009)

I have the Orion in a 20 ga. I've been pleased with it. Never needed any customer service. Had the gun for 15 years. It's been to Argentina and been shot a lot.


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## Doc_Holliday23 (Oct 12, 2009)

New ones are made by Fausti Stefano of Italy, a very highly regarded gunmaker.  I handled one and it seemed nice, though I seem to remember it being slightly on the heavy side.  Nice fit and finish, though, and probably pretty comparable to a Beretta.


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## Ol' 30-30 (Oct 12, 2009)

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> New ones are made by Fausti Stefano of Italy, a very highly regarded gunmaker.  I handled one and it seemed nice, though I seem to remember it being slightly on the heavy side.  Nice fit and finish, though, and probably pretty comparable to a Beretta.



Thats one thing I did notice when comparing specs of the Athena to a Silver Pigeon.....the Weatherby was a little heavier, but not by much.


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## jvancamp1948 (Oct 12, 2009)

I've had an Orion grade III 12 gauge with 26" barrels for 15 years. It's a great shotgun that I've used for everything from dove to geese as well as all the different clays. I've had no problems and it's still as tight as when new.


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## Ol' 30-30 (Oct 14, 2009)

It's like pulling teeth trying to find somebody that carries a good line of Weatherby O/U's.  Do yall know anyody around North GA that have a few in stock?  Franklins had a few used ones and I heard Schullers had a couple.


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## jfon (Dec 11, 2009)

Might be late info for you, but I just learned of this site.

CDNN has the "close-out" SKB Weatherby's in their current on-line catalog. They seemed to have a good selection, with Athena and Orion O/U's, plus the Athena SxS.


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## Ole Fuzzy (Dec 11, 2009)

Doc_Holliday23 said:


> New ones are made by Fausti Stefano of Italy, a very highly regarded gunmaker.



Highly regarded by whom?

Honestly, that is the first time I have seen "highly regarded" used with respect to Fausti.  The gun mags that live off advertising would never say anything disparaging about any maker, and always praise.  I don't think that they are considered junk, just more along the lines of mediocre and below Beretta, B Rizzini, FAIR, F.illi Rizzini, A&S, etc. 

Some of the women in the Fausti clan don't look that bad.


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