EAA Witness Compact Polymer 9mm opinions

[brufener]

I've seen a great deal on a NIB EAA Witness Compact Polymer in 9mm (blued), with one 13rd mag for $250. I believe this is one of their older models - and is now on clearance. It isn't listed on the EAA website. I understand that this is a knockoff of some CZ pistol, but I find the model designations (on both CZs and EAAs) hard to understand.

Looking to use it primarily for range use, home defense, and some CCW. I like the idea of the thin grip on this - I quite like the SA XD-SC, but the grip is a tad thick.

Any opinions on this pistol? How is it for reliabiltiy? What about for CCW?

Should I get this gun, or would another serve me better?

 

[wally]

There are too many variations of the Witness Polymer for me to know for sure about yours, but I have a 9mm Witness-P compact that shoots great but its a bit longer in the grip and extra mags for it are hard to find because they are longer than most other Witness mags -- I think this was to support a variety of conversion kit uppers on a single frame. The 9mm rounds are a lot shorter in OAL than the mag is.

One feature I do like is the safety can be engaged after lowering the hammer to the half cock notch for a DA first shot (not sure why you'd want this) but when the safety is engaged normally at full cock you can still cycle the slide -- I find this a very useful feature for my wife who is prone to hand slippage when racking the slide to load or unload. I like being able to lock the slide back with the safety on, insert a mag and release the slide to immediately have a fully loaded cocked and locked on safe gun ready to go. I'd rather see more guns with this feature than "new" LDA, SFS, DA/SA. "safe-action" or DAO guns.

--wally.

 

[browningguy]

Iv'e had a Witness P for several years, they are amazingly accurate for the price, built by Tanfoglio in Italy. If you don't know Tanfoglios won several World Pistol championships in the 90's. Mine uses the 16 round mags and has been utterly reliable over the past 5 or 6 years. It was my primary carry gun until I switched to .40 cal High Powers, it's still my nighstand pistol.

I highly recommend them.