EAA Witness Hunter 10mm 6" missing recoil spring bushing?

[Arizona_Mike]

Receive my witness today and proceeded to field strip it. Laura sheet so as not to lose any parts. I'm confident that did not have a bushing to begin with.

The manual says "after removing the recoil spring and guide there is a bushing in the dust cover that retains the recoil spring.

Is this an error? My manual says the Witness Limited, Witness P carry, and Witness Hunter have the bushing while the standard Compact and full-size and Gold Team models do not.

According to a tag the gun was manufactured in March 2018? Have there been changes? I'd like to go to the range tomorrow is the gun safe to shoot?

Mike

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I managed to find a couple Hunter disassembly videos on line with no mention or appearance of any such part. I'm beginning to think the manual is wrong.

Mike

 

[saiga308]

wow video time 4:11 thats a long guide

 

[WestKentucky]

My only advic would be to contact them. Either they assembled wrong and your missing a piece, or their literature is wrong. Either you need peace of mind and assurance that your gun is safe, and they need to figure out their problem and fix it.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

wow video time 4:11 thats a long guide

Where was this video filmed at, a shut down maximum security prison?

That man needs a bench.

 

[ATLDave]

The bushing in my Limited is nestled into the very front of the slide. It's a close enough fit that it does not drop out on its own. Now, the LTD is a cone-fit barrel design, so you have to take the bushing out to remove the barrel. The Hunter is a straight-barrel, IIRC. Any chance there is a bushing up in the lower front of the slide?

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Support email sent to EAA. I've heard things . . .

Mike

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Quick reply back to EEA. "The only model that has the recoil spring bushing is the Witness P carry model".. Looks like I'm good to go. Gun ships with 11, 12, and 14lb springs (5kg, 5.5kg, 6.5kg). The 12 was installed. I've put in the 14 and will shoot some fairly mild PPU stuff. Trying to figure out which length Wolf Springs to order.

Mike

 

[ATLDave]

I have a Match and Limited (not a Hunter). I settled on 16lb for my full-bore 180 grain woods/carry load.

The PPU ammo is mild, indeed. Mid-range 40 in terms of power, at least as of ~10 years ago before I started loading. 10mm is a great handloader's cartridge!

 

[CaptHank]

Mike, I changed my Hunter out to 20# Wolff springs. I shoot hot loads in mine.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Mike, I changed my Hunter out to 20# Wolff springs. I shoot hot loads in mine.

What length springs? Their Witness page does not go by model. It does not look like they have spring packs for Long Slide if that is the correct spring. I was hoping to get a 18,20,22lb pack.

 

[CaptHank]

Stock # 49720. I called them and they said this would work for the Hunter.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Thanks. That is a full size spring. I ordered the calibration pack with 16, 18, 20, and 22lb springs.

I switched to Underwood a few years ago because they don't mix bullet brands in the same stock number. I got tired of playing the Buffalo Bore bullet lottery.

I've been very partial to the 180gr Hornady XTP for carbine velocities. I'll have to do a little research for best bullet out of the 6".

Mike

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I got a tech support reply back form wolf. They say their standard and long slide (5") springs are identical only the load number changes with the rating (2 lbs less for the long slide application). They had no recommendation for 6". I'm pretty sure with the long spacer on the guide rod, the spring travel is the same as long slide, so a 22ln spring would actually be 20, etc.

Mike

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I have a Match and Limited (not a Hunter). I settled on 16lb for my full-bore 180 grain woods/carry load.

The PPU ammo is mild, indeed. Mid-range 40 in terms of power, at least as of ~10 years ago before I started loading. 10mm is a great handloader's cartridge!

I forgot how mild! 469 ft-lb from a 6" bbl. That's what a good defensive 40 S&W load will do from a 4" bbl.

Right now I only have the PPU and full power Buffalo Bore and Underwood. I'm waiting for my heavier springs to arrive (16,18,20,22lb Wolff Calibration Pack--they say subtract 2lb when used with a long slide.

I shot the Hunter this morning. It was right on left and right but 5" low at 25ft. The only screwdriver I brought was too thick to adjust the elevation. Ditto for other guys at the range. With the 6.5kg (14lb) spring the PPU was throwing brass 12-15 ft towards 2:00.

I really like the feel off the gun. Adjusted the pre travel just enough to allow dosconnector reset plus about a 1/4 turn. For the overtravel adjustment I turned it just far enough not to drag on the half cock notch plus 1/4 turn. I was disappointed the half cock notch is slightly taller than the sear. I would have rather had a little bit less overtravel. Out of the box you could tell one hook was a little bit higher than the other on the sear. 1000 dry fires, 20 thumb boostings, a good cleaning and then some PTFE made the sear very smooth indeed. Let's just say that after switching from either a G19 or Beretta 92, one shot with the witness was not just a "surpise break" but a bit of an actual suprise (it landed on paper).

There is a little grittyness in the linkage. I wonder the trigger bar is rubbing on the frame a little bit of oil there helped.

Mike

 

[ATLDave]

Yeah, polish the outside of the trigger bar to a high shine. Tanfos really benefit from polishing of a few surfaces, and that's one of them. The top of the plunger is another. Careful adjusting the over and pre travel screws too fine... it's definitely possible to get them past the point of reliable operation. You do want a little slack in the system.

Tip: Unless you have lock-tited your elevation adjustment screw, if you simply push down on the sight, all the tension comes off the screw and you can turn it without any tool at all. But a small, flat, black stamped-metal multi-tool should have come with the gun that fits the elevation (on one side) and windage (on the other) screws.

There's a very good Tanfo sub-forum at Brian Enos forums... fair amount of discussion of tuning, working with the internals, etc. If you haven't already, check it out: https://forums.brianenos.com/forum/202-tanfoglio-eaa-ifg/