Oops - need Mateba help please, anyone?

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DanP

New member
Tamara, AndABeer or whoever else is familiar with this mechanism:

I separated the slide from the frame by removing the stop pin, a basic procedure.

But I can't figure out at all how to re-engage the pin on the "Desmo" to its point on the slide ("Slide Distributor").

The distributor can only by pulled outwards by a small amount, perhaps 5 o'clock. It would need to be closer to 3.5 / 4 o'clock to re-engage.

Hope this makes sense!
 
Got it!

Goes something along the lines of:

1) Open the cylinder on the slide, and close the cylinder lever (cylinder still out)!

2) Push the black thingie on the rear stop plate, apparently this frees up the "distributor" enough to get a tool underneath and gently hold out "just enough".

3) With your third hand hold the tool in place while sliding back into the frame.

While you are at it, somehow make sure the recoil sping underneath stays in place.

4) Use additional body parts to make sure everything stays there while reaching for the unidirectional stop pin.

5) Turn the pin over, that was the wrong way.

6) Align the tiny dark screwhole on the pin with the hole inside teh trigger guard, cock the hammer to gain more room inside the guard and use the cute little tool provided... (and worry that if that tiny hex screw ever falls on the rug I might as well not even bother bending over, it will never ever be found).

Voila, done.

Unless of course you reassambled it with the hammer cocked, which would lock up ALL the action, not even the cylinder can be released.

If the above happens, remove the grip and jiggle the many innards enough until something gives, then everything else will start working.

Go back to step 1, repeat.

So, why would the manual not even hint or mention anything at all about this? Unless something is really bad with this particular specimen.
 
First hand gun I haver heard of where you should take your shoes off before starting. And then you need toe dexterity.

I keep big speaker magnet handy for finding things the carpet ate. Works pretty well.

Sam
 
DanP,

I don't have any hot plans for Monday; as a show of Mateba owner solidarity, I'll take mine apart in the morning and see if my reassembly's any different. If I stumble across any shortcuts, I'll let you know, but looking at the exploded diagram, I have a feeling I may wind up needing that checklist you posted. :eek:
 
Hey, great!

So how did it go?

BTW, I did this to install the .38 spring, will try that out next time and will report back.
 
Okay, okay!

I admit it. I chickened out. :o

I'm going to go take it apart right now.

I'm not going to lie though, I hope yours was defective and mine's a breeze to reassemble, because the alternative is too horrible to contemplate; I only have two hands to put it back together with. :eek:
 
Dammit.

I won't be seeing my gunsmith 'til Tuesday, either.

Until then, it looks like I have two halves of a Mateba. There's gotta be a trick, here, but I'm apparently missing it.
 
Waitaminnit...waitaminnit...

Got it! :cool:

No worse than my first time with a Ruger Mark II in retrospect.

The cylinder release trick (allowing the "dispenser fork" enough free play to engage the "desmodromico") is akin to making sure you're not fighting the mainspring on the Mk II.

Thanks for the tip sheet, DanP! :D
 
Ahh! Somehow I feel better now! :D :D

(as in not the ignored stupid guy that can't put a gun back together and has a broken gun);)

Next time I'll document better with pictures for the next Mateba victim.

Taking it to the range with .38 spring tomorrow, will report back.
 
This reminds me of the classic "Instructions for giving a pill to a cat"

Ah, but Bog, this one is for real!

Maybe this is equivalent to changing the oil on a Ferrari? :p
 
Just an update: finally made it to the range today with the .38 spring.

It failed to cycle at least once per loaded cylinder! :mad:

I was using Winchester white box stuff, which I like but maybe not the best for this gun?

I'll lube some more and try other brands see what happens.

Other than that, discovered that the lockup that I reported in the first range session was caused by the slide not cycling 100% and returning prematurely (just a tad).

Too busy worrying about what the gun was doing to even start measuring accuracy.

But it sure felt nice when it was shooting! This is going to be a labor of love.

P.s.: Was reminded of how important the basic safety rules are!

After a failure to cycle on the last shot, I reclosed the cyclinder with the 5 spent cases and the live round in the position that I thought would be the next chamber to fire, then fired in DA. No bang.

Given the previous light primer strikes, I decided to just use DA until the one live round came up again for a second chance at firing it.

Well duh, out of habit I was counting on the live chamber chamber being the one on top, not on the bottom! :eek:

Talk about being surprised when the third "dry DA pull" went bang!

Luckily I was a good boy and was "dry-firing" downrange, so I even hit the target.

But still!
 
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