I have been looking for a wood stocked Mato in 30-06 for a buddy. If you know of one and aren't interested could you clue me in?

I have a couple of Dakota 76's from a ways back. Before the 97's and I don't think they make a 97 left hand anyway. My Dakotas have been very accurate and excellent rifles. One is a 30-06.

JPK

I bought a Mato when they stopped making them. Mine was a .270win with the syn stock, it felt heavy and unbalanced. These had a Bell&Carlson Medalist stock (or clone) with the aluminum bedding block. That might be why it felt so hefty. The rifle was a beauty, but there was just something about it I couldn't warm up to. I can't really say what it was. It didn't shoot very good out of the box and that never helps.

I'll hold most of my comments about the weatherby. I don't like them.

Terry

I AM DEFINITELY A FAN OF THE MARK V ACTION BUT NOT NECESSARILY THEIR CALIBRES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE .340. ONE DAY.................

I have 2 Beretta Mato's, a 300 win mag and a 338 win mag. Both are excellent rifles and well made. I was under the impression that the stock was a HS Precision product. The barrels are Lothar Walther and the triggers are Shilen. I talked a friend into buying one in 30-06 and am working with it now.

They are made to last and are an investment, IMO. The 338 is the most consistantly accurate rifle I own and with the straight stock distributes recoil well. The heavy barrel gets on target and stays there very well. I would have one in every caliber but I also like Sako's and prefer them for the lighter calibers.

If you get a Mato, use Talley bases and rings and you have a rock solid performer.

The target on the right is from the 300 win mag and is 4 shots in the black square with 180 gr TSX



As you can tell, I voted for the Mato.

Woods, I was under the impression that L-W barrels, Dakota97 actions and H-S stocks were only used for a very few of these rifles. After that they went to a low bidder sys for the components and used a clone action. I may be wrong as I have no first hand knowledge of it.

Terry

The Mato has QC issues as noted. I'd prefer a good Mato to a Mk V only because it's smaller and lighter - the Mk V is HUGE - but neither would be my first choice for a hunting rifle. The 30-06 is THE all-around hunting cartridge, so it belongs in an all-around hunting rifle: 22-24" tube and 8-8.5# all up. The Mk V is a great action, but it's big enough for a 460 and it's heavy. If I wanted a 30-06 Weatherby I'd get the Vanguard. It's lighter and trimmer than a Mk V because it's built on a Howa action. And if I were going to end up with a Howa, I'd buy a Howa to begin with. They're cheaper and very accurate out of the box.

The Mato's deal-breaker is the magazine. Detachable magazines for sporters are fragile. Damage, destroy or lose it and your rifle becomes an awkward single-shot with a big square hole in the bottom. Spares can be hard to find and expensive, as owners of Bren Tens and Winchester 88's and 100's have known for decades. Far fewer Matos were ever made, so very few magazines will ever be available, and they will probably never go back into production. Not much good for a hunting rifle.

In the end, detachable magazines on hunting rifles are a trick, a gimmick, a mechanical substitute for training and skill. I HATE them. Soldiers need them, but the only time a hunter needs a fast load/reload is to jump up and bust something fast. That guy should thumb one round into his rifle and shoot with care. And if he burns up a full magazine without hitting anything important, he doesn't deserve a fast reload.

For a 30-06 sporter, get a M-70, a Mauser or a Ruger.


Okie John

I have an Accumark in 340 and it's DEAD ACCURATE and well made. However, I believe in Weatherby rifles for Weatherby calibers. For an 06, I voted for the wood stocked Mato. jorge

For a .30-'06 the Beretta Mato is a more balanced choice to that cartridge.

After working with the Steyr SBS action and its detachable box magazine (I do have spares ), I can see their virtues.

One unintended consequence of the DBM is their ability to mimic the controlled round feed of the Mauser extractor. My .376 Steyr ProHunter will feed bullets that some H&Hs have problems with (very large flat meplats).

jim

I would much prefer the Mato. I'm not a huge fan of removeable magazines but the Mato's is probably the best of the bunch. I would also have to admit that the forend on my wood stocked Mato tends to wander a bit right and left and had to be releived so as not to touch the barrel when humid.
All three of mine have been excellent shooters. The stock fits me extremely well. They are slightly heavy especially when compared to my Kimbers but probably comparable to my Sako 75's.
The Weatherby MK V's are strong actions. Some of them shoot well. That's about the only good things I can think of about them..............DJ

I have a Beretta Mato Synthetic in 30-06. I love the rifle. It wears a Burris 3-10x40 Signature Select with Talley rings and bases. Yes it is a touch heavy, but it is a real pleasure to shoot.

I like the Mark V safety better than anyone found on any other rifle other than the Blaser. However I think the Mato is a very nice rifle.

So I would pick the Mato, the fact that is uses a half breed Dakota 97/76 action makes it sexy too. I could have bought one of these cheap a couple years ago. I wish I would have found one with a synthetic stock in 338.