EAA Wittness

[GoodKat]

All I currently know about them is that they have the worst website I have ever encountered for a firearms manufacturer.

Can anyone comment on the quality of their guns, perhaps in comparison to the CZ's they apparently copy? I hear they make the only non-1911 all steel 10mm automatic currently in production, but I honestly can't glean any relevant information from their site.

 

[briankk]

Back when they first came out, my son bought an EAA Witness in .45 ACP. It was the very safest gun I've ever handled. Whenever you fired it, the saftey engaged. It was a sort of hybrid gun, a simi-automatic single shot...

Finally, he sent it back to the importer, but it got stolen en route and the shipper bought him a new one, different serial number, same problem. I traded that thing to a guy for an Alfa Romeo, it was a good trade, he was afraid to shoot it, and it was very safe.

I recently handled the CZ. Beautiful gun, if I were in the market for a steel .45, I'd be all over that thing. Grip is way better than the 1911. Can't speak to the rest of it, didn't have a chance to shoot it.

 

[ReloaderFred]

The Witness is made by Tanfoglio, in Italy. The importer is European American Armory (EAA).

I've got them in the following calibers:

.22 LR
9x19
9x21
9x23
9x25 Dillon
.38 Super
357 Sig
.40 S&W
.41 AE
10mm
.45 acp

They are extremely ergonomic, and fit most hands well. They point well and are accurate.

There is a website where you can get more information called the CZ Clone Club: http://www.czforumsite.info/index.php?board=27.0

They are a very versatile platform and are readily converted from one caliber to another by simply switching the barrel, slide and magazine, in most cases.

I've never had the safety go on while firing on any of my Witnesses, and I've put many thousands of rounds through them, so I can't address that issue.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[hardluk1]

I have a witness match in 40s&w payed out the door 499.00 and then bought the 9mm conversion kit and that cost 199.00 . Great gun,very accurate and the 9mm kit was installed going to a match and worked just great. I have shot around 1500 rounds of 40cal and 600 + rounds of 9mm and have no problems. Would i buy another one ,,heck yes. They are to big for me to carry so it's my play gun and do shoot it everweek. The older models did have some growing pains and had AE serial numbers. The new ones are quite different and work well. These guns are the gun of choise europe for competion and starting to make in's here. Check out brian enos eaa forums and henningshootsguns for more info and accaesories.

 

[Japle]

I suggest you Google "EAA" and "customer service".

EAA has the worst customer service in the industry and their "gunsmith" is a big part of it. It's too bad that jackass is still employed at EAA.

I spoke to Mr. Tanfoglio about this at the SHOT Show in 2007. He didn’t want to listen. He turned his back on me.
I got around in front of him and, at a range of about 2”, called him a whole string of names that I'd learned from SEALs. Made no impression at all.
They just don’t care about customer service.

 

[Dougsboy]

GoodKat, I can't speak for the Witness as I have never fired or handled one. I can vouch for the CZ97b 45acp. I just got one in the past two days. Have not fired it yet but from all the reviews I have read, and they are numerous, you would not be disappointed with one. It is a beast. It's big and it's heavy so should handle recoil very well. On top of that the fit and finish is excellent.

 

[schmeky]

Goodkat,

I have the Witness .45 in the Wonder Finish and several other 45's including a CZ-97. The Witness has several things I really like:

1) Better grip than the CZ-97
2) Holds 10 rounds and no bigger overal than a CZ-75
3) Manual safety can be engaged and the slide can be retracted
4) Very well made
5) Accurate and easy to shoot well

Things I don't like:

1) Front sight sucks, can't reasonably replace it
2) Trigger can be trickey to improve
3) Wonder Finish on mine is uneven
4) Will not reliably feed 200gn LSWC unless you recontour the barrel throat
5) Hammer mainspring difficult to replace

Overall, I like my Witness, but I prefer the CZ-97 of the 2.

 

[threefeathers]

I've had a Witness in 40 for 10 years, it has never failed towork. When I teach new students it is the Witness that all want to fire because it is heavy enough to control, works all the time, and hits what it is aimed at.

One of my son's carries the compact, but I recommend them as both a carry weapon and a learners weapon.

 

[sqlbullet]

I have had good luck with two Witness guns, both in 10mm. I have a full-size and an Elite Match.

The full size had some failure to feed during the first 500 rounds. During that time I put in a 22lb recoil spring, buffed the feed ramp to a mirror, and upgraded the mag springs to a +15% spring. I don't know if it just needed to break in, or if one or more of the changes made the difference. The gun is nearing 2000 rounds, and I haven't had a FTF since just before the 500 mark.

The safety does re-engage when firing if you wrap your thumbs down. Recommend adapting to a thumbs up grip, with the dominant hand thumb resting on top of the safety rather than below.

The front site on my full size is an OK painted red dot. Can't easily be changed. The front site on the Match is a terrible all black job, but can be easily replaced.

Not a fan of the new 'rounded' profile slides. I think they are ugly, and there have been issues with cracks. Supposedly that was related to metallurgy in the first batch and is corrected. The Elite series still have the old 'square' slides.

For the money, I think the Elite Match is a much much better gun, but it is SAO and the full size is a great fun for $400 or so it should cost. I have no experience with their customer service, but I haven't needed it. I have ready many bad accounts, and a few good.

 

[ReloaderFred]

The Witness is one of those guns that you either really like, or really dislike. I happen to like them, but that's just my opinion. They're a lot of gun for the money and I've been happy with all of mine, and they are numerous.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[krs]

I have a Witness Limited Match gun in 38 Super that's been a fine competition platform for several years. The single action trigger is as good as any 1911, the pistol has never failed to cycle for me or for it's previous owner, and it's an accurate fine handling pistol. The 19 +1 capacity isn't bad and the gun is put together like a good watch. I'd like to have some more, or some conversions if possible for this one.

 

[chrislee51]

does anyone know anything about the target pistols with the ported barrel i have one in .45 that i just recently purchased and it will out shoot my colt 1911. just worried about the durablity

 

[sqlbullet]

I have about 2,000 rounds each through both my 10mm's. They both look brand new inside and out when cleaned. I wouldn't worry about durability with 45 ACP.

 

[wally]

I like the guns, but agree the customer service is about the worst, but they replaced my 10mm Compact cracked slide in four days door to door. What irked me is they made me send the entire gun back at my expense when I could have simply sent in the upper which is not a gun and would have cost only $6 to ship instead of the Overnight gouge FedEx/UPS requires shipping guns

No excuses about slide to frame fit -- this is the model who's selling point is interchangeable uppers in multiple calibers.

The EAA standard are good guns but the Elite Match series is disproportionately better than the modest (~$150 last gun show) price premium might suggest.

--wally.

 

[ParaElite]

Wally,

I completely agree with you on the Elite Match and price differential. I was very pleased with my Witness Elite Match in 10mm which I purchased for $467 including shipping. However, my newer Elite Match in .45ACP which I recently purchased has some cosmetic problems but not worth the effort of contacting EAA. Because of the price I decided to keep it ($492 + shipping). It is still a great deal for the money. However, it seems that their quality control is also slipping. From my perusal of various websites dedicated to firearms, I have noticed a growing trend in increasing prices and lowering quality or lack of quality control.