I got this gun in a VERY sweet deal from a gunshop going out of business...marked $695 less 20%. I know its a Dakota 97 action. Not sure who made the barrel but has a HS Precision stock. In any case it was new in box with a set of Talley Mounts for less than $600 with tax.

But one thing I did not notice is this gun has a drop box magazine...not a hinged floorplate. And its damn hard to load...the cartridges need to be pushed rearward under the feed rails as its physically impossible to simply snap then down into the magazine like every other gun I own. Anyone else see this as a problem? Can I single load this rifle without damaging the extractor or do the cartridges need to be cycled? Any replacement bottom metal available?

KN, you guys piss me off, I paid $900.00 for my Beretta in 30-06! Then I paid Siegrist Gun Shop $200.00 for a rebore to 338-06! This made it into a lighter better balanced tack driving sweetheart that I love to shoot! Oh, by the way, Beretta had Shillen sabotage your trigger!!! Send Shillen $25.00 for a new trigger shoe, (finger lever) and you can have a nice silky smooth 2# trigger pull! My clip loads and feeds Dakota sweet, but 4-round rifle capacity is a compromise to some! Ed

Here's a question for all you Mato owners? Are your barrels free floated or do they have a pressure point? mine was all over the paper last week. Came home and checked it and it had a verly slight amount of contact between the stock and barrel. I removed the action, sanded down the high spot and re-torqued the action screws to 65 in lbs. Haven't shot it again but it sure as hell is free floated now....

K N, You done good!�Next get rid of the hot glue bedding job, then bed it right!-- If you have to ask, find a good smith! Then call Shillen about your trigger! The part you need is easy to change! More questions, e-mail me! -- win70@webtv.net Ed

I have a question about the hot glue bedding job. My rifle is at the gunsmith's having the trigger taken care of so I don't have it here in front of me to check, but I thought the rifle was bedded in an aluminun v-type bedding block. Am I mistaken in this? What is the Hot glue bedding job?

AR,
The receiver recoil lug is bedded in some sort of plastic or epoxy around the recoil lug and ONLY around the recoil lug. The rest of the action rests on the almuminum bedding block.

FWIW my Mato came with a VERY acceptable trigger...I see no reason to alter it or spend money on it...its about perfest as it sets.

I wish now that I would have chosen the .338. I bought the last 7 mag at the Lenox Galyan's. I'm thinking about selling or rebarreling it to get a .338.

ar1, I got my rifle in the first year they made them, and had to pay $900.00 for it! Hot glue = cheap factory stuff that looks and feels like hot glue!!! Call your smith and ask his opinion,while he has your gun apart! The top of the trigger arm that contacts the sear should be pointed, but Shillen ground the point off at Berettas request! You might mention this to your smith also! (K N), if you put lipstick on the bottom of your action, the red marks inside your stock will show you where it touches ! You may be surprised! Ed