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Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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This is for Steve because he requested it. It is a Mateba 6 Unica semi-auto revolver in .44 Magnum.
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January 24, 2009
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That is one crazy looking gun, do you shoot it much?
How did you get it & how long have you owned it? We need the story.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Well, I got it about 5 years ago. I was at the gun shop and he had one. It attracted me because of it's interchangeable barrels (just like my DW's) and the fact that it is semi-auto.
I have shot it quite a bit. It's very accurate. It's also somewhat peculiar.
First, the barrel is aligned with the bottom of the cylinder. This actually makes it a very comfortable shooter. The recoil is closer in alignment to your hand. Also, there is a recoil spring which absorbs recoil as it rotates the cylinder and cocks the hammer for the next round.
Next the shrouds are aluminum and do not actually hold the barrel in tension. They are pretty much cosmetic barrel covers and little, if anything, more.
Each barrel has a washer at the breach end which is used for headspacing. This washer is very difficult to remove, which I do when cleaning after each use. However, if you aren't paying attention, it will simply disappear and you will forget about it and your head space is screwed up. Two things now occur, the cylinder binds and the ejector rod slams against the barrel shroud when closing the cylinder and the thing shoots terribly. I lost one of my washers so I have to obtain new ones and then grind them to achieve a .006 headspace. No, you cannot use one washer for multiple barrels. They aren't made that precisely.
A few month's ago my brother became interested in shooting, fell in love with my Mateba and bought one. He has had simply awful luck. Every time he takes it out to shoot it, the grip splits. It has been re-glued with the best epoxy several times with no success. The gun has now been retuned to the importer's service center and is awaiting a new grip. Unfortunately the manufacturer is in receivership so we may have to try to make a new grip using mine as a template. It is a mono-grip just like the DW's.
Recently my gun has started mis-firing. It will fire 5 rounds and the firing pin will make just the slightest dent (more like a scratch) in the primer of the 6th round. That round will fire the next time around, but the round in the 6th position will misfire again. I think I may have to send mine in for service as well. The owner of the gunshop where I bought it has a .357 version himself, but he (though an excellent gunsmith) won't work on them. They "make him crazy".
Interesting and some fun, but no where near the performance of a DW.
January 22, 2008
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That's a wild looking gun! I spotted one of these at a recent gun show for $600.
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January 24, 2009
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Looks like I've got another one added to my "need" list, that is getting...uhhh...REALLY long now.LOL!
Which country did they originate from? Having an aluminum barrel cover, does that make that long barrel feel more like a 2" when shooting?
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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They were made in Italy.
The current price new is about $1800.
The importer is Jim Glidden (aka Coltman on GB).
link: http://www.coltman.cc/Mateba/Mateba_Top.htm
I'm not sure how many more he can get.
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January 24, 2009
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Boy, at that price, it's going to be a ways down the 'ol list.
But if I ever see one for as cheap as the one Jody saw, it will probably come home with me.
Thanks for showing & explaining this unique gun, it's pretty cool.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Thanks for bringing that one up for us. I am fascinated with the concept, but they sound pretty finicky. I relate best to simple, I think a Mateba would make me crazy
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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