CZ or EAA?

[matai]

Which do you guys think is the better gun?

I've been wanting a CZ SP-01 .40 Tactical for a long time but recently have been seeing a lot of sweet EAA Witness Match guns around. Either way I want the .22lr conversion and the other conversions for the EAA seem really sweet as well, especially since I already shoot 10mm.

Also the EAA is a lot cheaper overall, including mags and stuff. But does that mean the CZ is a lot better?

 

[blkbrd666]

Personally, I would get the Tanfoglio. The finish on the Italian made guns seems better. They are basically the same gun.

 

[Trigun]

I will take Tanfoglio over the CZ, I like my 75B but it seems SP-01 is not better than the Match, but match is two hundred dollars more than SP 01 here.

Trigun

 

[Philo_Beddoe]

I have never heard a good thing about EAA customer service, so CZ for me.

 

[Deanimator]

A friend had TWO of the original TZ-75s. They were DESPICABLE garbage. I don't think either of them fired three consecutive rounds without a misfeed. He punted and bought a Glock 22.

Based on my friend's experience, I'd never buy a Tanfoglio. I've heard enough good things about real CZs to consider one, if something could be done about the too long (for me) trigger reach.

 

[Lucky 7]

I've never needed EAA customer service and I'm on my 3rd Witness (two carry-comps and one FS .45).

My CZ75B is currently w/ my brother as I chose the Witness over the CZ because of the reset (always felt shorter), it's a doublestack .45 I can wrap my hands around (without the aid of an extra knuckle) and caliber interchangeablilty.

Good Luck,
Lucky

 

[Runningman]

I would like to buy a EAA Witness Match in 9mm myself but Until EEA improves their customer service and their quality control on their magazines I would have a hard time buying one again.

I don't consider CZ perfect but they are usually accurate, their magazines are usually good and their Customer service is excellent.

 

[Lucky 7]

Meg-Gar makes the TANFOGLIO mags (EAA is just the importer). Just remember red follower and you'll be fine.

 

[briang2ad]

The Witness MAtch is not the run of the mill Tanfoglio. It WILL have a much better trigger OTB than a SP01 "Tactical". The tactical part is funny - its just a decocker which cop lawyers like over manual safeties. (I just don't like the CZ decocker setup). Hold a Witness Match and try the trigger.

Yes - much ado about bas CS in the EAA camp. But, the Match is a VERY nice gun.

 

[Boba Fett]

Go with the Match Witness. Very very nice. Plus you can swap calibers out for around $250 IIRC.

Probably wont see caliber swaps on their site for the Match, but give them a call and they can give you the prices and calibers available. They have about 6 different calibers you can swap (10mm, 9mm, 40S&W, 45, 22lr, 38super).

I have never heard a good thing about EAA customer service, so CZ for me.

They were very good to me. Called them up, got all my questions answered quickly and concisely.

 

[matai]

Has anybody bought a Witness Match and had the frame blackened? I saw Robar could do this for $50, I'm just not a big fan of the two-tone.

 

[floydster]

I have a CZ 75 D PCR and a CZ 75B stainless.
Also have two Witness Match pistols in 38 Super and 45ACP, I will take the Match pistols over the CZ'S anyday, more accurate, excellent trigger, match barrel, fit and finish can't be beat.
You can rack the slide with the saftey on ( a great feature ) also field stripping is great, you can dis-assemble the firing pin block without any tools,you can't do that on a CZ.

For the $ these guns are the best kept secret in the pistol world.

 

[matai]

I'm surprised that most people are voting for the CZ, but not saying why.

 

[Philo_Beddoe]

Its not really fair to compare the Witness match, which is a competion gun to the CZ SP01 tactical.

The witness is a competiton gun, the CZ is a duty weapon.

A better comparison would be the SP-01 shadow (DA/SA) or tactical sports (SA) to the elite match.

 

[schmeky]

matai,

I think you may seeing the under-tow of bad customer service from EAA for many years. There have also been some mag issues and cracked frames in the past with EAA that have frustrated owners.

I am of the opinion that Tanfoglio makes a great pistol for the money. There are features on the Tanfoglio the CZ should have.

I've owned Witness' in the past, but I prefer a CZ personally.

 

[eerw]

The Witness Match is a better gun than the SP01 Tactical.

The WM has a better trigger, holds more bullets.
it is a bigger frame than the CZ, but doesn't feel too bad.

the SP01 Tactical is a decocker gun, and the trigger is fairly heavy and single action has some creep in it. can be cleaned up if you decide to go that route. I had a SP01 Tactical in .40 and it cleaned up very nice. got the DA to 5.5# and the SA to break around 2# with no creep. it holds only 12 rounds, but does have a fairly small grip.

if you compared it to a normal EAA and not the match, I would take the CZ, but compared to the Match. I would take the match.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

i voted for CZ.

how can there be any question in someone's mind about this

 

[Zundfolge]

In general I'd say CZ > Witness (if nothing else because of the horror stories I've heard about dealing with EAA)... but the Witness Match and Witness Elite I've handled really seemed like really nice pistols and probably a bit better than the run of the mill Witnesses.

Didn't vote as I haven't actually shot the Witness Match or Elite. Honestly I'm kind of struggling with the same choice so I look forward to seeing where this thread goes.

 

[GreySmoke2]

im picking up an Elite STOCK tomarrow in .45acp and im going to the range Wednesday I report on the experience.

 

[mm6mm6]

I bought a Witness in .38 Super back in 2005. I loved the gun. I bought conversion kits (slide/barrel/recoil spring/guide) from www.reedsammo.com for $195 each. I now have .22, .38 Super, 9mm, and .40 caliber conversions with 3 magazines for each.

My Witness has never had a failure of any kind (feeding, jamming, ejecting) in all three centerfire calibers. The .22 is a bit finicky (as are most .22 conversion kits for any gun) and wants high velocity quality ammo (CCI Stingers work flawlessly).

I purchased a set of birdseye maple custom stocks from Sam at www.czgrips.us and they're top quality and gorgeous!

I recently saw the new Match with the picatiny rail on GunBroker. The Match is custom hand fitted by the Tanfoglio custom shop. It is a single action only design. It comes with an extended thumb safety, magazine release button, an overtravel stop screw in the trigger, and a "hart" shaped skeletonized hammer. It also comes in a really nice hard case with a combination lock.

I had to buy one.

I swapped my custom wood grips over and took it to the range today. I fired it in .40 and then put the 9mm slide on. Both shot great. It's an amazingly accurate gun.

I think the Witness, and especially the custom shop Match and other pistols are the best kept secret around.

Tanfoglio has a great reputation that most everyone says is tarnished by EAA's horrible customer service. I'm lucky that I've never needed EAA's service so my experience with the Witness line has been 100% positive.

I love my Tanfoglio Witnesses!

 

[floydster]

Please do not vote if you don't know what you are talking about, I have many thousands of rounds thru the CZ's and Witness Match pistols I have, and I can tell you the CZ's are not up to par with the Match pistols, period!
I shoot at a police training facility every week, and my Match pistols are my "go to" guns. I can run with the high end 1911's, no problem, in fact I am turning heads with the Match pistols and not because I am that great of a shot, but because they run without problems, and are very accurate.

Buy what you want, but if you don't have a Witness Match, you are missing out. I don't give a crap about CS, never needed it, and it's all BS anyway.