Peter M. Eick
Member
My elite match is great. Zero complaints, extremely reliable and quite accurate!
EAA Witness .38 Super
- Thread starter Cowboybootnut
- Start date
- Status
Ash
Member
The Elite line of Tanfoglio pistols are among the best bargains in handguns out there.
Cowboybootnut
Member
Lucky 7
Member
I am definitely a fan of the Tanfoglio line-up. I am currently on my 4th and 5th guns (x2 .45 Carry Comps, FS Steel and Poly .45, and a .38 Super Match sans that ugly rail) from the company and have had no problems.
In regards to the cracked slide, I find that the guns are grossly under sprung from the factory. 14# Recoil Springs are fine for the the 9's and .45 target loads, but as a matter of course, I replace the recoil springs with +2-4# Wolff Springs and am very pleased.
As far as the .38 Match I own (and shoot in local comps and use as my 100yds steel gun), it is stupid accurate and reliable for the $556 OTD I payed for it. I reload, and using 9x23 or .38 Super Comp brass, one can increase the capacity to 18+1 which translates to ~3 revolvers worth of comparable loads. Additionally, I recently purchased a 9x19 barrel (for cheaper shooting) and now have 3 guns in 1 (.22 conversion, 9x19 barrel, and .38Super/9x23) for roughly $850-875.
Hard to go wrong with the platform. Just replace the recoil spring and enjoy it!
Regards,
Lucky
In regards to the cracked slide, I find that the guns are grossly under sprung from the factory. 14# Recoil Springs are fine for the the 9's and .45 target loads, but as a matter of course, I replace the recoil springs with +2-4# Wolff Springs and am very pleased.
As far as the .38 Match I own (and shoot in local comps and use as my 100yds steel gun), it is stupid accurate and reliable for the $556 OTD I payed for it. I reload, and using 9x23 or .38 Super Comp brass, one can increase the capacity to 18+1 which translates to ~3 revolvers worth of comparable loads. Additionally, I recently purchased a 9x19 barrel (for cheaper shooting) and now have 3 guns in 1 (.22 conversion, 9x19 barrel, and .38Super/9x23) for roughly $850-875.
Hard to go wrong with the platform. Just replace the recoil spring and enjoy it!
Regards,
Lucky
atblis
Member
I had a 38 Super Witness. It was one of the most amusing pistols I've over owned. I always hand loaded for it, and pretty much only shot 9x23 Winchester through it. Think 115 gr bullet going 1400-1500 fps. That being said, it was never perfectly reliable.
The cracked slide thing seems to come and go and is always with the 10mm guns. I think it's more of a metallurgy issue. They've made runs of guns with the slide being a touch too brittle. The recent rash of cracked slides appears to have been attributable to the new rounded slide profile they went to. It happens. When it does, plan on being S.O.L. with EAA.
The cracked slide thing seems to come and go and is always with the 10mm guns. I think it's more of a metallurgy issue. They've made runs of guns with the slide being a touch too brittle. The recent rash of cracked slides appears to have been attributable to the new rounded slide profile they went to. It happens. When it does, plan on being S.O.L. with EAA.
Peter M. Eick
Member
I was just blasting but this is at least 50 rounds of me having fun testing loads. Looking at the target, I bet I really shot 100 rnds through it. Lot of fun at 15 yrds offhand. I noted that early on I was getting first shot flyers so I was trying to wear the barrel in. By the end of this shooting season it was fixed and no problems.
Just to reinforce the cracking issues were mostly from guys hot rodding 10mm. Even hot 38 supers won't put near the stress that hot 10mms will. I just got this used one off gunbroker it's a pre elite match. After I figured out it doesn't like 1.21 OAL and prefers the mags have 17 rounds instead of 18 it quit FTF. Accuracy is outstanding. The pictured group is 25 yards offhand.
Attachments
wally
Member
Not mine, less than two hundred 10mm factory rounds -- CCI Blazer and Remington -- hardly hot stuff.
EAA was very fast to turn the gun around, putting a "square profile" slide in place of the "rounded" one, but I had to pay shipping to send it back and they made me return the entire pistol instead of just the slide which IMHO is very poor support as one of the guns "features" was interchangeable top ends. Sending in just the top end is not a firearm and thus would be way less cash out of my pocket to get it fixed.
It hasn't broke, but then I don't shoot it all that much because I never could get it completely reliable.
I too like the Tanfoglio pistols, but the .45ACP and .38Super are the only ones that have not given me magazine issues, I was able to resolve the mag issues in 9mm and .40S&W (the newer mags with the spacers pretty much cured the problems) but haven't been successful with the 10mm mags.
The Witness Elite Match .45ACP is what the CZ97B should have been!
wally
Member
I'm more concerned with poor service in terms of fixing an "infant mortality" failure requiring out of pocket expense for me.
Every make, no matter how expensive, suffers some percentage of early failures -- that is why there are warranties, its not having a system in place to make the unlucky buyer happy that is the real problem.
Every make, no matter how expensive, suffers some percentage of early failures -- that is why there are warranties, its not having a system in place to make the unlucky buyer happy that is the real problem.
If you handload, .38Super +P, 9mm +P and .357mag brass cost about the same. You can order brass directly from Starline and they pay the shipping costs.
VihtaVuori #4 manual has extensive data for the .38 Super, including loads that take 124gr JHPs into the 1500fps range and keeps chamber pressures under 34,000 psi.
I've experimented with the .357cal, 125gr XTP in .38Super, this recovered 125gr XTP had an MV of 1491fps from a Colt M1911, ejected brass was from 5ft to 6ft;
The 125gr XTP is designed for .357mag velocities that the Super can match at relatively low operating pressures. I don't know how the single action trigger pull is in your Witness, but from a 1911, cold split times on target are faster than my G17. By cold I mean bare hands during winter time, well, in Arizona what passes for winter temps is different than I was used to.
If you handload, this is what you can achieve;
Not only was that dried out range cow leg bone very tough, but the XTP bullet first penetrated a 14 ply semi-truck tire casing before hitting the bone.
So, how tough are these bones to pentrate? This .40 S&W 180gr bonded PDX bullet ripped open on a much thinner, flat bone;
For me in my very rural living environment, the .38 Super is a working carry caliber that's been very effective on 4 legged vermin.
Enjoy!
Bob
VihtaVuori #4 manual has extensive data for the .38 Super, including loads that take 124gr JHPs into the 1500fps range and keeps chamber pressures under 34,000 psi.
I've experimented with the .357cal, 125gr XTP in .38Super, this recovered 125gr XTP had an MV of 1491fps from a Colt M1911, ejected brass was from 5ft to 6ft;
The 125gr XTP is designed for .357mag velocities that the Super can match at relatively low operating pressures. I don't know how the single action trigger pull is in your Witness, but from a 1911, cold split times on target are faster than my G17. By cold I mean bare hands during winter time, well, in Arizona what passes for winter temps is different than I was used to.
If you handload, this is what you can achieve;
Not only was that dried out range cow leg bone very tough, but the XTP bullet first penetrated a 14 ply semi-truck tire casing before hitting the bone.
So, how tough are these bones to pentrate? This .40 S&W 180gr bonded PDX bullet ripped open on a much thinner, flat bone;
For me in my very rural living environment, the .38 Super is a working carry caliber that's been very effective on 4 legged vermin.
Enjoy!
Bob
I've eyed the Witness pistols a number of times as an inexpensive way to get into .38 super or 10mm.
But turning it into a 9x23.. wow.
But turning it into a 9x23.. wow.
MachIVshooter
Member
Get Wolf extra power mag springs and round/smooth the bottom of the extractor. Your reliability issues will disapper.
And get stouter springs if you want to run full power stuff. As was mentioned earlier, these guns are undersprung for real 10mm ammo.
Ash
Member
I like Tanfolgio - and I'm not the only one. Virtually every company who made a copy of the CZ75 used them as a subcontractor (or complete producer). That range is broad, but includes arms from Italy, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Great Britain, the USA, and Israel. The Turks have gotten into the act and are giving Tanfoglio a run for their money. Even EAA is importing Turkish copies now.
The Elite Match is one of the best deals in single-action autos on the market today (and dollar-for-dollar, better than any 1911. To get equal quality, you have to spend hundreds more). They are solid and reliable pistols. If Springfield Armory were still building off their parts, if the Elite were being sold as the Springfield Armory Tactical Elite, they would be thousand-dollar-guns. I have a Springfield Armory P9 in 45acp and it is superb. Ditto for the AT-84s, the Jericho/Baby Eagle, the Weapons House, LTD Tanfoglio, and even my one EAA (I just don't care for EAA as a company).
Even Rock Island Armory has imported Filipino-made Tanfoglio's as their MAPP line of pistols.
The Elite Match is one of the best deals in single-action autos on the market today (and dollar-for-dollar, better than any 1911. To get equal quality, you have to spend hundreds more). They are solid and reliable pistols. If Springfield Armory were still building off their parts, if the Elite were being sold as the Springfield Armory Tactical Elite, they would be thousand-dollar-guns. I have a Springfield Armory P9 in 45acp and it is superb. Ditto for the AT-84s, the Jericho/Baby Eagle, the Weapons House, LTD Tanfoglio, and even my one EAA (I just don't care for EAA as a company).
Even Rock Island Armory has imported Filipino-made Tanfoglio's as their MAPP line of pistols.
wally
Member
Been there done that, helped, but not a complete cure.
SADshooter
Member
Elite Match Fun
Chiming in. I have an Elite Match I've put a few hundred rounds through. One failure to go into battery on the first mag which I attribute to break-in, and flawless since. I have some 9x23 and a stiffer recoil spring, but haven't tried it yet. This is actually why I bought the pistol, so I need to get it out to the range.
I do have the same issue mentioned with Mec-Gar mags. 4-5 rounds and blocked. I think replacing the follower with a factory unit may fix it. Slightly sliimmer grips than the factory rubber would also be nice. The gun is fairly chunky, even in my somewhat large hands.
ETA: I replaced the MecGar follower with the factory unit, and the MecGar mag loads fully. The factory follower has a bottom post that rides between the spring wires, and the mag body has ridges which I think keep the follower from tilting and binding. (The NG walls are flat). This looks like MG cutting design corners, resulting in an inferior, unreliable product. By the time you upgrade followers, it's probably less expensive to buy factory magzines.
Chiming in. I have an Elite Match I've put a few hundred rounds through. One failure to go into battery on the first mag which I attribute to break-in, and flawless since. I have some 9x23 and a stiffer recoil spring, but haven't tried it yet. This is actually why I bought the pistol, so I need to get it out to the range.
I do have the same issue mentioned with Mec-Gar mags. 4-5 rounds and blocked. I think replacing the follower with a factory unit may fix it. Slightly sliimmer grips than the factory rubber would also be nice. The gun is fairly chunky, even in my somewhat large hands.
ETA: I replaced the MecGar follower with the factory unit, and the MecGar mag loads fully. The factory follower has a bottom post that rides between the spring wires, and the mag body has ridges which I think keep the follower from tilting and binding. (The NG walls are flat). This looks like MG cutting design corners, resulting in an inferior, unreliable product. By the time you upgrade followers, it's probably less expensive to buy factory magzines.
Last edited:
- Status
