EAA Witness - Should I or not?

[greencoulee]

EAA Witness 10mm Full Size Wonder Finish

I've had an EAA Witness for over a year. I looked at SW 1006-1086 guns on gunbroker first, but didn't find any that were a great value at the time, and I REALLY wanted to hold it in my hand and at least strip it before buying. I have never had a FTF, although I have under 1000 rounds through it. It seems accurate, but I have nothing else to go by. It's well balanced, and the sturdy frame takes up alot of the recoil when I shoot Federal JHP XTP 200gr. rounds. I like it alot. Friends that have pistols were surprised by the gun too. It must not be a lemon. For $360 new, I feel it was a good deal.

 

[mpmarty]

EAA WITNESS

I bought a 10mm all steel full size Witness three weeks ago and have put over a thousand rounds through it. It is GREAT!! I've got smiths, colts, glocks and have had HKs and Sigs. This 10mm is the best shooting best handling piece I've ever had. It has the wonder finish which as mentioned is a type of tenifer finish (think SAAB Turbo crankshafts) it is tough and looks pretty good also.

I bought a couple hundred new 10mm cases from Grafs and six boxes of various factory loads. The factory stuff worked great, no FTFs of FTEs at all. Then I started loading some "steel" loads with just five grains of 700X over a 180 grain cast semi wadcutter. Well, I had to take the dremel tool and break the edge around the top 120 degrees of the chamber but now it feeds empty cases.

All in all I love it and I'm ordering a 40S&W and a .357SIG barrel for it, they just drop in and work or so I'm told. I may also buy a .45ACP conversion kit for it.

Marty in Oregon

 

[frayluisfan]

Guess I got one of the lemons

I got a Witness .45 about 2 yrs ago. Ordered one in, but was very disappointed. The slide was unbelievably gritty when I cycled it--felt like someone had field stripped it, dropped it in the sand at the beach, and then put it back together. There was also a large (pin head size) burr on the feed ramp. The supposedly 10-round magazines would hold 8 comfortably; I could only get round #9 in with considerable huffing and puffing, and no power on heaven or earth would get round #10 even close to being loaded. On the basis of the above, I raced back to the gun store without even firing it, and thank the good Lord they were gracious enough to let me trade it back for store credit. I know some of you have had great experiences with EAA pistols, but it seems like their quality control is very inconsistent. I have heard the same kind of thing from lots of other people--some pistols are fabulous, some are crap, and the customer service is abominable. I wound up going with a Glock 20 and have been very happy.

Witness? Blech!

 

[MDMadrid]

I have had nothing but trouble with my EAA Witness .45. I can't fire more than two rounds through it without a jam, and the slide will not lock back after the last round. I would like to fix the problem because I like the gun, but I have called EAA several times and can't get anyone to call me back. I also have tried 3 different factory mags.

 

[AQUAJOE]

I got my .45 Witness full size/compensated/wonder finish 3 years ago.

I have not had one lick of trouble. Very accurate and fun to shoot. I recommend very highly.

I am now looking at a .45 ported barrel carry with wonder finish.

All I shoot through it is the winchester white box 230gr. FMJ.

 

[wally]

I also have tried 3 different factory mags.

Try one of the Mec-Gar replcements. www.arizonagunrunners.com had them for $19 if I recall.

My .45 Witness polymer was unreliable with anything but FMJ ball using the factory mags. No problems since switching to the Mec-Gars.

What is curious is that my CZ97 was un reliable with my 200 gr lead SWC reloads, but using the Witness mag it fed them fine. This motivated me to try the Mec-Gars which so far have worked better in either gun that either CZ or EAA factory magazines.


Also EAA guns are sometimes seriously undersprung when shipped -- the slide hits the frame so hard its impossible for the mag spring to always keep the rounds in proper position for feeding because of the violent inertia during recoil. I've a polymer Witness .40 S&W compact that was unreliable with JHP because of this -- stronger mag spring had no effect, stronger recoil spring seems to have solved the problem.

--wally.