Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Tell me about the Beretta Mato.

Pawn shop has one in ought six for $860. I could trade some guns I don't shoot for it. Any good? Worth it? They used two different actions, no? Dakota and something proprietary? Whats the story? Thanks.

I only saw one, several years ago. The way I remember it Beretta used Dakota actions to build the MATO - the one I saw was quite nice.

Nice rifle, but too heavy for an 06. They used Dakota 97 actions with detachable mags and most had B&C stocks. I had a 7 mag and sold it because I did not like the detachable mag.

HS stocks.

I killed my biggest whitetail with a Mato and that wasn't enough to make me want to keep it.

They were not made from Dakota 97 Actions but rather a variation of them, the recoil lugs are different. They have shilen triggers and use the same scope mounts as the 97's.
They are a little heavy but are excellent shooting rifles. Maybe not the rifle you want to carry up into the mountains but good for general all-around hunting. The magazines are mounted to a removeable floorplate, a little different but they feed just fine.

Here's a wood stocked Mato in 300 Mag:




The rifle on the bottom of the next picture is a Dakota 97




The Dakota 97's have a thick recoil lug mounted ahead of the receiver similar to a Remington 700. The recoil lug of the Mato's is much thinner and is inset into receiver and isn't visible from the side.

Anyway for $900 and especially if it's a good trade there's not another rifle available for the same price that will equal the overall quality of a Mato. Check what Dakota prices the 97's for...............................DJ

Beretta made these with Dakota actions, custom barrels, and Mac stocks. The magazine is odd, floor plate type, extra's have to be fitted by a gunsmith. Accurate guns, solid actions, and good triggers.

The old Galyans chain had a large number of the Matos, sold for well below the original pride of $850 - $900. The Mato goes for $750 or so when they appear.

I picked up one when Galyans was getting rid of all they had, in 7mm Rem Mag for an Elk hunt one of these days.

First B&C stocks now McMillan. Hoping someone chimes in saying it was a Bansner

LOL!
Whatever stock it is, they are a very good rifle!

Only a very small numbers of the early production models had McMillan stocks, you can tell the difference in the stocks because the Mcmillan's had checkering the later std. synthetic stocks don't.
A buddy of mine said that he had one that actually said Dakota on the side of the action, I haven't seen it to verify that. The later action's look to be made by someone else. Comparing a Mato bolt to my Dakota 97, the Dakota 97 is noticably better machined with finer machining, sharper edges etc.. There are cosmetic differences such as grooves around the bolt and running the length of the bolt in the Mato. The Mato is definately a copy of the 97 other than the different recoil lug but they certainly look like they were not manufactured by the same people...................................DJ

Already said it, HS stock.

They do take the same mounts as a Dakota.

That is correct, Dakota mounts, used Talley's on mine.

I'm not so sure. The Synthetic stocks are not marked in any way. They have a aluminum chassis like both the HS Precision and Bell and Carlson Medalist stocks. The wrist is substantially thinner than the HS Precision stocks which makes me think that they are much more likely to be Bell and Carlson's than HS's, but they aren't marked so you can't say for sure.............................DJ

I've seen enough HS stocks to know what an HS stock is. I've also recall the articles at the time and than there is this.

http://www.hendershots.net/gunRoomDetail.aspx?id=2340

Hendershots is proud of that .270 Mato $1,200 with talley mounts! - Based on a Dakota 97 Action - They were going for $500 when Galyans was 'purging' of them. They do get some interesting stuff at Hendershots. A while back they had Steyr Full Stock 7x57 and 6.5x55's.

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Steelhead, you are going from memory. I have 2 HS Precision Rifles and have used their replacement stocks. I have 3 Beretta Mato's and have an extra synthetic stock for the wood one in the picture, I have the extra stock IN MY HANDS looking at it comparing it to HS PRECISION Stock IN MY HANDS. I also had the Dakota Model 97 IN MY HANDS while making this post!
The Web site listed could be mistaken just as anyone else can be.
They MIGHT be HS Precision Stocks, but they are DIFFERENT than any HS stock that I've ever had in my hands, this is something that you can't be sure about............................DJ

I picked up my Mato for about 7 bills. Too heavy for my tastes, stock was funky and the removable mag didn't warm me up but they did handle it well.

I'm sure they and I are wrong.

I do know one thing, you're an idiot.

I guess that your definition of idiot is someone who actually knows what he is talking about and has proof in his hands to disprove some of your faulty memory..................................DJ

The magazine is odd, Beretta wanted the rifle to fit the magazine, if you wanted an extra. Have not shot mine, scoped it, but other rifles are closer to the front of the safe these days.