Scorpyd Orion Extreme Review (In-Field) – Compound Crossbow

Model	Draw Weight	Stroke	Velocity	Suggested Arrow Length	Crossbow Length / Weight
Scorpyd Orion Extreme Check price on Amazon.com	110, 135, 160, 175 lbs.	18.5	370, 390, 420, 440 FPS Crossbow Academy: ballistics, sighting, tuning	20"	34.5" / 7 lbs. 8 ozs.

Scorpyd Orion Extreme Crossbow Package Contents

The Scorpyd Orion Extreme is a crossbow that comes pretty much how you want it, depending on what package you select. It is available in 4 basic package configurations as follows:
The Base Kit includes the crossbow, string stops, a scope rail, sling studs and a short sled cocker.

For an extra couple of hundred dollars, you can order the Base Kit plus the Accudraw system (more on this later in the review), which replaces the short sled cocker with a crank system.

The next level up is the Scope Plus kit, which actually adds quite a bit in terms of value. This includes everything in the base kit, plus a Hawke 1.5-5 x 32mm illuminated reticle scope, a 4 arrow quiver, a Limbsaver sling, Bowjax limb dampeners and 6 Scorpyd SPEC Goldtip Laser III arrows.

The final level is the Scope Plus with the Accudraw system for the ultimate Orion Extreme setup.
To further add to the customization of your Scorpyd Orion Extreme, each crossbow is available in one of four draw-weight configurations. The monster 175 lb. draw, the 160 lb. draw, the 135 lb. draw, and the 110 lb. draw. Don’t let the comparison of the 110 to the 175 lb. draw fool you, it will still sling arrows at a whopping 370 fps!

Note: the Orion Extreme held a spot on our list of the best crossbows between July 2016 and October 2018.

Kinetic Energy of the Orion Extreme

Scorpyd has really raised the bar with the new Orion Extreme. They have brought forth speeds which were absolutely unheard just a few short years ago, translating to kinetic energies that one might look to for a trip to Jurassic Park. Given that the higher the draw weight, the more “oomph” it takes to cock it, it is understandable for Scorpyd to offer the Orion Extreme in multiple draw weights to fit each shooter’s needs. Below we will talk about the energy created for each of the four draw weights available.

The lowest draw weight, at a modest 110 lbs., will still produce some very impressive numbers. The 110 lb. limbs are capable of slinging a 400+ grain projectile at an impressive 370 fps. This translates to 121 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle…certainly plenty for just about anything you are going to be willing to get within crossbow range of!
The 135 lb. limbs are going to be able to shoot that same 400+ grain arrow at around 390 fps. That extra 20 fps is going to translate to an additional 12 ft. lbs. of energy, or about an extra 10% (133 ft. lbs.).

If you step up to the next level, you are going to be pulling back on a set of 160 lb. limbs. These are in turn going to be propelling that same projectile at a whopping 420 fps. This is going to translate to around 158 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle. At this point, we are talking some serious wallop.

If you decide that you must have the biggest and baddest, you can step up to the 175 lb. limbs. Keep in mind that means you are going to be pulling almost 90 lbs. of felt draw, even with the short sled cocker, each and every time you want to fire. If you decide that being able to take out a main battle tank is something you want out of a crossbow, you are going to be slinging arrows at a sizzling 440 fps. This translates to 173 ft. lbs. of energy at the muzzle. Armor plated moose? No problem.

Use our arrow ballistics calculator for more valuable information.

Ballistic Data For The Scorpyd Orion Extreme

Your actual results will vary slightly depending on weather, and significantly with arrow weight change. See our Crossbow Ballistics Guides section for a complete understanding of how we conducted our tests and why this data matters.

Design, Safety, Comfort and Accuracy

This is truly the pinnacle of current crossbow technology in terms of design. Scorpyd holds the patent for reverse-draw technology and they have pulled out all the stops with the Orion Extreme. To save on weight, they have opted for a non-folding stock. There is an option for 1911-style pistol grips should you want to further customize your crossbow later on. The Kempf-Tec trigger, which is patented, gives an extremely clean break, with almost no creep.
There is also an anti-dry fire mechanism as well as an ambidextrous safety. The length of pull is adjustable from 13” to 14” to allow for a more custom fit for each shooter. The Orion Extreme is actually based on the proven Ventilator platform and offers a forged riser, laminated limbs and titanium fasteners. There are also dual string stops as well as a vented forward grip to cut down on weight and also allow the fingers of the forward hand to grasp around the front grip.
To ensure fingers and thumbs are kept out the way of that sizzling string, there is also an oversize flange above the front grip that sticks out on both sides. This is an incredibly smooth, and incredibly accurate crossbow. We did not get to try shots at the 100 yard mark, but Scorpyd claims 1” grouping potential at 100 yards…based on what we have seen, this is actually believable.

Hunting with the Orion Extreme

The overall design of the Orion Extreme is one that is truly geared towards the serious hunter. Scorpyd has gone for a much lighter weight crossbow, weighing in at a mere 7.5 lbs. before accessories. Allowing for a customization for the length of pull as well as creating a crossbow designed to be incredibly accurate, Scorpyd was serious about a hunting crossbow.

The variation in limb draw weight allows you to select the right draw for what you are hunting. The narrow 12 7/8” axle to axle width when cocked means you can really get into some narrow spots that might not have been able to access before. This is definitely the platform to bring home the meat!

How Quiet is the Orion Extreme

The Orion Extreme was actually very quiet when shooting. It was very impressive to see a crossbow with this much power not produce sound that would typically be associated with that power. A big part of this stems from the reverse draw limbs, which inherently cut down on noise and vibration. The string stops and available Bowjax limb dampeners go a long way to further silence the Orion Extreme. Another reason for the quietness of this crossbow stems from using a lower draw weight but more a more innovative design to achieve higher speeds. Basically, high draw weight = louder crossbow, everything else being the same.

Cocking the Orion Extreme

The Orion Extreme is actually quite easy to cock, especially given the long 18.5” power stroke. This comes in large part from the reverse limb design. Because the limbs are reversed, the string sits very near the stirrup, so when you start pulling back, you are actually starting much lower that if you were cocking a traditional crossbow design. The short sled cocker reduces felt weight by the expected 50% so you shouldn’t have too much trouble. If you opt for one of the higher draw weight models, you might really want to consider the Accudraw system to make life a lot more enjoyable. This system installs into the skeleton stock and allows you to simply turn a crank to cock the crossbow.

Quality of the Optics

The Orion Extreme, when ordered with the available Scope Plus package, comes with a Hawke illuminated reticle scope. One feature we really appreciated with this scope is that it is actually variable power. The scope can be adjusted from 1.5 to 5 power, giving the shooter the ability to really utilize the intense speed of the Orion Extreme, and make pinpoint shots much farther than a lower power scope might allow.

See our detailed guide on how to sight-in your crossbow

What Arrows to use with the Orion Extreme

The 20” Scorpyd SPEC Goldtip Laser III arrows that come with the Scope Plus package are very well suited for the Orion Extreme. These have been tried and tested with other Scorpyd models and have been found to work very well with the Orion Extreme. If you do go for aftermarket arrows, be sure that you know whether they can stand up to the high forces generated, especially by the 160 lb. and 175 lb. limbs. We would highly recommend that you spend some time using the supplied arrows…if you can get 1” groups, there is not a lot of reason to change!

You can also learn more about crossbow arrows and take a look at our broadhead recommendations

Overall Thoughts

The Scorpyd Orion Extreme represents the culmination of many innovative technologies all incorporated into a single shooting platform. Scorpyd owns the patents for reverse-draw technology and has truly taken this to the extreme, no pun intended. There are so many innovations in the Orion Extreme, it is difficult to single out every one of them in just one review.

Given the relative light weight, the ability to customize the draw weight, and the truly narrow axle to axle width, this is a winner all around. This is not the crossbow for the beginner unless you have some seriously deep pockets, but this is truly a case of “you get what you pay for”. This is certainly one of the most accurate, if not THE most accurate, crossbows we have ever tested.

When you read the manual, it is even stated NOT to see how tight of a group you can get. You are told to select different areas of the target for each shot as grouping has the potential to ruin arrows, given the accuracy. Sadly, we didn’t listen to this advice, and they are right, you WILL ruin arrows if you go for a tight group! If you can afford it, you would be hard pressed to go wrong with the Orion Extreme. Take a look at today's amazon.com price on this crossbow.