Did I make a mistake purchasing EAA Witness .45?

[MachIVshooter]

It seems EAA has made many more great guns than lemons

Just to clarify, EAA is an importer. The company has never manufactured a firearm. They have brought in Saiga products, Sarzilmas, Zastava and a host of other European makes.

The Witness series pistols, made by Tanfoglio of Italy, are what EAA is best known for. Tanfoglio has been making guns for quite some times, and is a well known brand all over the world. Top competetive pistol shooters like Eric Grauffel use Tanfoglio pistols. The Tanfoglios have been imported by other companies in the past under different model names, such as the TZ-75 and TA-90. I believe EAA has been the exclusive USA importer since 1998.

If you ever have to deal with EAA, just be courteous and polite when you call. I think a lot of people hear about the "horrible CS" and enter into the phone call with a crappy attitude, which is reflected back by the recipient of said call at EAA. I have never had a problem, though I've only ever called to order magazines, springs, sights and other accessories.

 

[Robert101]

So this thread describes a gun purchase from a pawn shop, an internet search that tainted the purchase, then the gun is taken to the range, and now happy purchaser. I think I finally learned something from reading the 26 posts.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I left it with a local gun smith down the street who is going to glass bead the finish if the it's made out of stainless (I'm not sure if it is or not) if it is not stainless steel than I'm just gonna duracoat it jet black.

It's not stainless. The "wonder finish" is some kind of teflon or something.

Tanfoglio actually does not make any stainless pistols; The elite series that look the part are actually hard chromed carbon steel.

 

[marv]

I had a .45 Witness 15-20 yrs ago. It was accurate and performed flawlessly with 230 FMJ or LRN ammo. I was shooting local USPSA and wanted to use 200 LSWC. It wouldn't empty a mag without vapor locking. I called them and the guy said that this gun was designed to shoot round nose ammo. He was right. As long as I loaded LRN it was OK.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

There ARE a few individuals on this and other forums who seem to have a VENDETTA with Witness -- but EAA can't be held harmless in this situation. EAA/WITNESS customer service has earned a terrible reputation for a reason.

I've had a number of Witness guns, over the years, and they've all been superb. But SOME folks who have had big problems -- like cracked frames or slides -- have had a lot of difficulty in getting those problems resolved satisfactorily. Many were told to pound sand. In the meantime, Tanfoglio has changed some of their designs so that those same problems go away.

The EAA import firm seems to have tried to improve things over the past couple of years, and the complaints seem to be dying out a bit. Most of the problems seemed to be due to a single senior manager at EAA who was a family member/part owner of the EAA import firmk and who had the reputation for being a real horses butt. He seems to have been given different duties. But the old cliche, "once burned, twice shy," seems to be at play here.

EAA seems to be importing well-made guns with their Witness line which, while based on the basic CZ pattern, often incorporate changes that some see as improvements. Tanfoglio builds solid guns. The Turks, however, are now offering a lot of CZ clones that are similarly "improved." I don't know how service and warranty is handled for those clones, however, and whether that should be a big concern or a small one.

Re: Wonder Finish. EAA says it's a surface hardening treatment, not a finish. (It may be their functional equivalent to Tenifer, or similar treatments.)

 

[Dakotared]

I have 2 witness guns, one in 10mm and a 45/22 combo. Both are superb guns. I am sending in my 10mm due to the fact the wonderfinish is flaking off the bottom of the slide and with the saftey on it can go into half cock . When I called them up they were very nice. I will let you know how it goes after I get it back.

 

[Dave P]

Finish damage: consider using steel wool or something like 600 grit paper to refinish all the flat surfaces. I did that on a Kimber slide with nice results.

And I say EAA service is fine - they replaced a pistol for me this summer, without any issues.

 

[Pilot]

I would have no problem buying a Witness Elite Match 9MM if I could find one. I think it would be a nice edition to my CZ's, and from what I have read it is a very accurate, and well made pistol.

 

[Special Projects]

I formerly had a Witness full-size polymer in .45. Wonderful, accurate shooter, very reliable with factory mags.

 

[ajoker31]

I've owned many pistols from just about every manufacturer I can think of....the Witness Elite Match 9mm is easily one of my favorites.

Jerry

 

[ryno31]

I must say I'm feeling much better about the purchase. I want to thank everyone for all the incredibly helpful feedback which is why I think this is by far the best firearms forum on the Internet. For Dave P (sorry I haven't figured the whole quote feature on here, I need to do that) I initially tried steel wool which was an epic failure as it didn't help and I had to spend and hour cleaning tiny pieces of steel wool out of all the nooks and crannies in my gun haha, definetly learned a lesson with that one! I also tried 600 grain sandpaper but when I tested it in a spot on the back of the frame I felt like it took too much finish off and I didn't want to sand down the whole gun to make it look even. I decided to let a gun smith glass bead blast it then duracoat it diamond plate grey. Hopefully it comes out looking pretty nice but it's gonna be a wait due to the smith having so much work right now. I'm also going to a put a sprinco system in it not so much for the recoil but to help extend the service life of the gun as well as put in a new extractor, barrel, and a few other minor parts because buying it used I have no idea exactly how many rounds have been through it but its definetly been shot alot.

 

[Jaymo]

Wonder Finish is a nitrided surface hardening process. Just like Tenifer, Tufftride, Rugers black nitride, etc.

I paid $279.00 each for my 2 .45 Witnesses, in 1998. All I've done is clean, lube, and shoot them.
Mine work perfectly with the Speer Flying Ashtray hollowpoint. A lot of autopistols choke on SWC bullets.

I wouldn't trade mine for the world.

I read quite a few internet posts about what a POS the Ruger SR9 is, and how terrible the trigger is.
I bought one anyway, because the factory trigger is a LOT better than a Glock factory trigger, and the gun feels great in my hands.
It's also been 100% reliable.

Enjoy your Witness.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I read quite a few internet posts about what a POS the Ruger SR9 is, and how terrible the trigger is.

Like you, I picked one up -- but had the Ghost trigger installed. Ruger improved the trigger on the SR9c, and has since upgraded the SR9 with the same improvements -- so the extra time and money I spent on mine probably isn't needed on new ones. It's a fine gun, and surprisingly accurate. I think it does the "Glock" thing better than Glock.

Lot of good guns out there, if you can get by the crap and hype you hear and read.

 

[MachIVshooter]

put in a new extractor, barrel,

The extractor is a good idea, but the barrel? Unless it's noticeably worn or damaged, leave it be. Handgun barrels last a LOOOOONG time. If you're itching to spend money on it, the only other wear items I'd maybe replace besides the extractor are the sear and hammer if they look worn.

You might also check out this site, lots of Witness goodies:

http://henningshootsguns.com/

 

[hemiram]

I have a Witness .45 full size and two 9mm Tanfoglio "Mossad" guns, and all three are great, as was my .40 Witness I had a few years ago. All but the .45 were bought used, and cheap. The fullsized "Mossad" gun has the best slide to frame fit of any gun I've ever owned. The others are fine, but that one is like it's on ball bearings. They will all eat anything I've put in them, unlike many other more expensive guns I've had and shot. I've bought a couple of spare parts from EAA and I've had no issues with the people there, but I can see how some people might.

 

[blaisenguns]

I have repaired the EAA bounty hunter and the coach gun. I hate them both I have no experience with the Witness, but with the quality of their weapons and their customer service I would not own ANY EAA weapon.

 

[hAkron]

As has been stated -- EAA imports the VERY capable Italian Tanfoglio pistols, which are themselves 'improved' clones of the CZ 75. Tanfoglio makes very high end, and mid-range pistols at a startlingly high value to dollar ratio. Some of the base models have had various issues as is typical for any pistol, however there have been some reports of unsatisfactory dealings with EAA customer service. Magnify these potentially normal percentage failures with the scrutiny of the Internet community with a couple of bad CS tales and you have you the current reputation of the EAA imported Witness. There are countless CZ 75 clones (and even Tanfoglio clones --- double clones ?) that are built of lower quality materials and looser tolerances than the Witness and these guns are much beloved. Enjoy it, shoot it, and if it ever breaks, deal with it then.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

I have repaired the EAA bounty hunter and the coach gun. I hate them both I have no experience with the Witness, but with the quality of their weapons and their customer service I would not own ANY EAA weapon.

Don't confuse EAA, the IMPORTER, with the companies that build the guns that EAA imports. Some of the weapons EAA imorts are top quality, and some are less expensive, bargain-basement guns, with quality that matches the low prices.

 

[blaisenguns]

Don't confuse EAA, the IMPORTER, with the companies that build the guns that EAA imports. Some of the weapons EAA imorts are top quality, and some are less expensive, bargain-basement guns, with quality that matches the low prices.

Fair point, but it is better to buy american.

 

[hardluk1]

blaisenguns take a walk around your home and see how little american you really own from the elctronics in your maybe made in american car or truck to the clothing you wear. Buy what surves the needs best.

 

[blaisenguns]

Trust me I know. I hate going to the parts store and coming home with a bunch of chinese junk, for my American car. I do go out of my way to buy American, as much as possible, but many times I have no choice.

 

[hAkron]

Trust me I know. I hate going to the parts store and coming home with a bunch of chinese junk, for my American car. I do go out of my way to buy American, as much as possible, but many times I have no choice.

I don't get this analogy because I drive a Japanese car, so I don't ever have to go to a parts store because nothing ever breaks. (I'm just making a joke...but honestly, my Honda is pretty darn reliable).

 

[blaisenguns]

I'm just making a joke...but honestly, my Honda is pretty darn reliable

There is nothing wrong with my daily driver. I only need stuff for basic maintenence. It is the '67 Mustang I am restoring that I buy parts for

Ill race ya for pinks when its done.

 

[hAkron]

It is the '67 Mustang I am restoring that I buy parts for

Oh, well that is a different story! You should have said that in the first place

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Yeah I think the slide cracking issue was on the newer rounded edge 10mm guns, not any of the .45's. Enjoy it, and don't fix the problem before it happens.......... cuz it may not happen.