EAA Witness line

[BLB68]

Around 1996 or '97, I bought an EAA (Tanfoglio) Witness in .45 acp. The thing shot about two to three feet low. So, I took it back and wrote off the brand. I figured you get what you pay for and all that.

However, I've been hearing/reading a lot of praise for the Witness line lately, and of course anyone can make a bad gun, so I figured I'd ask for opinions on their current line of firearms. Any thoughts and opinions are appreciated, particularly with regards to liability and customer service.

ETA: Does anyone know if they make a decocker only model?

 

[JTQ]

Here's their line-up http://eaacorp.com/index.php/guns/handguns?pid=1&search=&order=i.name&dir=asc&cm=0#tlb

 

[BLB68]

Thanks for the link. I looked at it before posting the thread. The info is either buried or they simply all have a standard safety on them, as I didn't find any mention of a decocker only model when looking through it earlier.

 

[kokapelli]

I recently purchased a Pavona in 380 and it is a tack driver with a really good trigger.

 

[hemiram]

Every single Tnafoglio made gun I've had or seen, except for one poor abused one a friend found at a garage sale (All it needed was a new recoil spring), has shot great, and was as accurate as any CZ or clone can be. Great guns, and I've not had any real problems with EAA's customer service either.
I currently have only two Tanfoglio made guns, both TA/90 models labeled "Mossad" in both full sized and compact. I have no idea how many rounds they had through them before I got them, but they shoot great and hit at the point of aim. I have a Witness .45 on my "buy when I get some extra cash" list.

 

[ATLDave]

I've never fooled with their basic Witness line, but I have used their Witness Elite series in competition. Many, many thousands of rounds through them. Love 'em.

 

[justin22885]

wait, so you "wrote off" an entire brand because the factory sites werent spot on with your particular ammo?

 

[BLB68]

Shooting that low was neither a sight nor an ammo issue. Thanks for ignoring the entire point of the thread, which is clearly not writing off the brand. If you don't have any further input refrain from cluttering up the thread.

Everyone else, thanks for the info.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Tanfoglio makes solid guns. I have several, including two Witnesses, a steel Compact and a Limited, both 10mm. No complaints.

The thing shot about two to three feet low.

At what range? If you're talking 25 yards, obviously a sight problem. If you mean 100 yards, though, that'd be normal for a slow pistol round.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Great guns. I have an elite match in 10mm. Awesome trigger, adjustable trigger. Short reset. Minimal over travel. Accurate as can be. No doubt its a lot of fun at 100 yds. But i like it closer to 15 or 20.

I got too relaxed and did not pay attention to my grip because it shot soft. Well i loaded some power pistol loads and thought i was jarring the mag out as it kept dropping out.

Turns out it was me hotting the extended release...smh....how i ever did something so silly that i would normally have caught quickly i will never know.

I only have a few thousand or so through it so far. Had 2 of my reloads fail to ignite. Looking at the seating and dent i assume the primers failed. Seated deep and dent was plenty.

Prices have gone up on the witness pistols lately. I don't have a reason unless it is demand or inflation. Maybe both because I am seeing more of them than i use too see.

No failures other than primers and not due to the gun.

Fit and finish are top notch on the match and hunter grade pistols.

The Pavonas are designed for women they say but ive held one and felt the trigger. They have a much smoother trigger. Like most grips the texture lacks bite imo but the fit in my hand is great.

If you want a full size, all steel range gun and your one of those guys that like competition type triggers... don't go with a standard steel model. Get something in the match style or the hunter. They start at $700 for the Elite match and may be all you ever want.

If you want something in the polymer frame you can always do a trigger job if you dont like it. Actually a polish and a few bucks on springs and the trigger pull really gets nice. If you want to go lighter and want the flat trigger system Henning has them and they really do make for a great trigger.

Your basic witness has a decent trigger. Compared to the feel of a striker fire, the Single action has a good feel imo.

The one drawback to these pistols is the benefit to another category. As you already know the CZ style, slide inside the frame design, sits partially down inside the frame and it leaves a smaller surface for purchase when racking the slide.

However the design also allows for a lower bore axis and reduces muzzle flip and better handling of the recoil.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

RE: decockers...

I've never seen nor heard of a Witness (based on the CZ pattern) that had a decocker. That doens't mean they don't exist -- but I don't think they're common And I couldn't find one on the EAA website. Tanfoglio has built a number of decocker models over the years, but I don't think EAA/Witness ever used those designs for their Tanfoglio-made models.

For a number of years, EAA has had a reputation for terrible customer service. Most of that came during a period when the Tanfoglio-made Witness guns in .45 or 10mm had problems had cracked slide (and a few frame) problems. Customers calling EAA Customer Service were told the problems were caused by using hot hand-loads -- but many (maybe most) of the customer had NEVER used hand-loads, let alone HOT hand-loads. Tanfoglio later redesigned the slide -- so much for the hot hand load theory.

You need to hear or see what more recent purchasers have to say about customer service nowadays. EAA may have taken steps to get back on course.

If you're buying used, you'll just have to take your chances.

 

[ny32182]

If it was an adjustable sight model, the sights are not zeroed (nor attempted to be) at the factory, and they are WAY off, until you adjust the sights. I don't know about the others.

I've owned guns from Sig, CZ, S&W, and Tanfoglio that needed sight adjustments from the factory.

 

[Zendude]

Is the warranty still only 1 year, or is it longer now?

 

[BLB68]

Thanks all. Great info as usual.

@MachIVShooter: Inside of 25 yards. Had to aim at the very top of the head of a B27 to get on the very bottom of the paper with multiple ammo types. Other competent shooters had the same result. I suppose it's possible the sights were just that far off, but saw no excuse for it.

@ny32182: They were fixed sights.

Mods can close this one, asked and answered. Thanks again everyone.