I have a Beretta Mato that I love except that it has removable magazine that I have been unable to find a spare for. Is it doable to have a gunsmith convert it to a drop floorplate?

That thing is basically a RemiChester so I would think something could be fashioned. If you have access to a Remington 700 BDL, you might do some measuring to see if that bottom metal will bolt up to your action.

I thought that the action was Dakota based. I've tried talking with them but they don't seem to want to talk.

I wish I could just locate a spare mag. and be done with it.

what caliber?

quote:

Originally posted by Gary Surko:
I thought that the action was Dakota based. I'

Yes the action is Dakota's design. In fact a number of the guns were made with actions produced by Dakota and many featured Dakota's stamp on the receiver near the bolt handle. Most however were produced in a seperate plant and not by Dakota. For all intensive purposes the majority of the design, with the exception of the bottom metal, is Dakota 97. If I remember correctly the barrels are Lothar Walther

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty Marlin:
what caliber?

280 Rem. The mag is marked "Long Standard"

Gary, check you PM's.

BIG Misconception in the market place. The Mato is NOT Dakota based. I had two of them, a 270 Winchester that shot 8" groups at 100 yards and a .375 H&H which I don't know how it shot because it jammed every round and would not fire.

Beretta, would be well advised to stick with O/U shotguns which they do well and leave bolt action rifles to others.

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
BIG Misconception in the market place. The Mato is NOT Dakota based. I had two of them, a 270 Winchester that shot 8" groups at 100 yards and a .375 H&H which I don't know how it shot because it jammed every round and would not fire.

Beretta, would be well advised to stick with O/U shotguns which they do well and leave bolt action rifles to others.

The one I recently rebarreled looked quite similar to the Kimber action. The recoil lug is separate like the Remington 700 but is set back and stashed under the front ring. The receiver resembles a 700 with a Win 70 classic bolt and safety.

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
BIG Misconception in the market place. The Mato is NOT Dakota based.

Sorry to pop your bubble. The Mato started as a standard Dak76 that was put on a mandrel and turned round. Beretta wanted a goofy DBMag incorporated into it. That was a PITA. The first 50-?? or so (I can't remember) were built in Sturgis at D Arms. B&C made the stocks to our pattern that Beretta had way too much input in making. I kept wanting to open the grip and Beretta kept wanting it to look more like a 700. I don't know where the manufacturing went to after it left Sturgis. At that time I was no longer there.

I can tell you where the manufacturing went after it left Sturgis; It went to Hell!

What a gaffe.

I have 3 Mato's. All are sub-Moa shooters, sometimes much better than that:




The later actions are very similar to a Dakota 97 but with a thinner recoil lug that as mentioned about is recessed into the front reciever ring.
They are a little heavy and would probably be better with a regular floorplate but still IMO excellent rifles for what they are selling for now.............................DJ

Mine shoots great.

I have one in .30-06 that shoots great. Bought it used about 3 years ago from a gentleman who needed to sell it so he could by a pre-64 Model 70 Super Grade. Came with a Bushnell 3200 4-12X40 scope. Also had 4 clips. Paid $750 for it. The rifle shoots 1" or better with most loads that I have put through it; but it especially loves 165 grain TBBCs. The action is marked Dakota 97.

this thread is the first time i have heard negative comments about the mato except for weight. never have shot one. interesting

For informational purposes, this is straight from Beretta...

quote:

The Beretta Mato rifle (discontinued in 2002) was based on a Dakota Action. The Mato featured a fully adjustable trigger for overtravel and weight of pull, a select American walnut checkered gloss finished stock with black forend cap, ergonomically designed bolt handle, extra soft rubber recoil pad and drop out magazine. The receiver of the Dakota is drilled and tapped for Weaver style scope mounts and fitted with a muzzle break on the end of the matte oil finish walnut stock (no sights). The Length of Pull (LOP) for the Mato rifle was 13.5 inches with an Overall Length (OAL) of 44.5 inches. The stock comb rise was 14.5mm/0.56" and the heel drop was 21mm/0.81". The Mato was available in the following calibers: .270 Winchester Magnum, .338 Win. Mag. and .375 H&H (Holland and Holland) Magnum.

Also I have been told by a fairly knowledgable collector that there actually several hundred Dakota actions made into Beretta's but only the first few actually had the Dakota stamp. In fact this same individual provided me with a serial number and stated that all guns prior to that number featured Dakota actions. (I have never been able to confirm that and would only consider an action as a Dakota if it were so stamped. )

As for the manufacturing of the acions by Beretta that was done in Beretta's Accokeek, Md., facility

quote:

Originally posted by Jcchartboy:
For informational purposes, this is straight from Beretta...

quote:

....................... and fitted with a muzzle break on the end of the matte oil finish walnut stock ....................... The Mato was available in the following calibers: .270 Winchester Magnum, .338 Win. Mag. and .375 H&H (Holland and Holland) Magnum.

As for the manufacturing of the acions by Beretta that was done in Beretta's Accokeek, Md., facility

Thanks for posting this. Not to criticize you in any way but to illustrate how how much you can trust information straight from Berretta, I have Mato's in 280 Remington and 300 Win Mag as well as 270 Winchester. BTW none of them have muzzle brakes (especially not on the end of their "matte oil finish walnut stock" )........................................DJ

quote:

Thanks for posting this. Not to criticize you in any way but to illustrate how how much you can trust information straight from Berretta, I have Mato's in 280 Remington and 300 Win Mag as well as 270 Winchester. BTW none of them have muzzle brakes (especially not on the end of their "matte oil finish walnut stock"

DJ,

Actually you can trust them pretty well. The information above was posted on their website in response to a question many years ago and was not intended to be an all inclusive fact sheet. Aditionally, although you may not have been aware of the fact the guns you own were marketed as the cheaper "synthetic" models. Not the premium "Deluxe" models that the above qoute is discussing. All of the deluxe models did in fact come with rather nice American walnut stocks. Finally, many of both the Deluxe and Synthetic models also came with factory brakes and iron sites.

If you want to see all of this for yourself get ahold of the August 2001 issue of Rifle. On the cover you will find a Deluxe wood stocked, iron sighted, muzzle breaked, Mato...

JC

As you say, I was just pointing out that they came in different calibers than listed here as well as making fun of having muzzle brakes on the stocks instead of the barrels. The Beretta website was wrong on some other items I looked up on it so I guess I'm just a little leery about their details.

Mato "Delux" in 300 Win mag:






Not a bad stick but being Claro Walnut it isn't quite as stable as I'd prefer. The forend tends to move back and forth a bit..............................DJ

The Mato is discontinued for a reason..........

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
The Mato is discontinued for a reason..........

Yeah, They weren't making enough money on it. Simple as that....................DJ

I owned one once. I couldn't get mine to shoot so it was disposed of. The whole thing was a big disapointment because I really liked the rifle.

Terry

I have 2 of them, a 300 win mag and a 338 win mag that was just rebarreled to 338 RUM (westpac did that and it is a real shooter). I also reload for a friend's in 30-06. They are excellent rifles and that is comparing to other rifles I own or have owned to include Sako's, Sauers, Brownings, Remingtons, Savages, Rugers, Weatherby's and Steyrs. The only manufacturer that shoots better out of the box is the Steyr and the Mato shoots as well as my Sakos.

The detachable magazines are wonderful when you get used to them and I wish I could find another myself. The HS Precision stock is straight without a lot of drop and good at taming the heavy kickers. The controlled round feed is very positive and a smooth feeder almost as smooth as the Sako.

I would not hesitate to buy another Mato if it was in a caliber that I did not have or could be rebarreled to a caliber that I wanted.

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
The Mato is discontinued for a reason..........

They bought Sako!