New Compact Witness 10mm

[axeman_g]

All,

I was looking for a new possible CCW choice, and since I have recently become infected with 10mm-itis I was examining my choices. I have a G20 and had recently traded a SW1066. Both were much to large for what I was looking for in a CCW. I really do like the G20, and now have a nice vintage 9mm SIG 226 as my "combat pistols". I was off to find something smaller ....yet still keep the power level up. I am also hoping to keep myself to three or four calibers/gauges, 9mm and .22 being base level two of three/four. I dont really care fr the G29, very ugly even for a glock.

So, I entertained a .357 revolver and lever action. I wanted a semi auto, so lever actions are out. I think I will look into the Ruger PC9, Marlin Camp or Storm 9mm carbines.

Back to the witness. I spoke with some people and had one 10mm offered to me for a trade, but it would not work out for awhile.

I called around and Pawn Warehouse in Forest Park Ga had one 10mm compact in blue. Well I was looking for WonderFinish, but lets go see ....

I like it alot, a good price and good fit, grease dripping off of it, looks like it had never been handled. I will strip it down tonight, clean it out and hopefully have a range report in a day or so. By the way, Pawn Warehouse has some nice people, and they are not one of those overpriced pawn store with guns. They have some realistic prices on their items.

Wait, I am not finished with the gun magic I hit today. I walked out with the Tan and headed back to Atl. Saw a Army and Navy store in the old part of Forest Park, so I turned off the road and headed inside. I am a sucker for ArmyNavy stores, real ones, not new yuppie camping stores with ArmyNavy titles in their names. I just like the cluttered nature and the adventure of searching for what you want.

So I start talking to the guy behing the small gun counter. I am looking at some surplus, black nylon, universal flap holsters for M9 and I think M11 (smaller then m9). He watches me try the witness in the smaller holster, snaps his fingers and says "hold on a minute". He walks over to the wall and pulls two NIW 10mm EAA Witness Mags of the shelf. Price is $29.95 each.
"You give me $30 for both, it would be a big help" ...
Ok then .....

So, hopefully I have itched the itch sufficently. I hope this is a good peice and I dont have to deal to much with EAA Non CS.

I will post a range report and impressions soon.
Axe

 

[Lennyjoe]

I will be anxiously awaiting the range report.

I always did like the Witness but have heard it was hit or miss on function.

 

[Marcus]

Neat little powerhouse. I often thought about buying one myself but my full sized 10mm Witness had a few little nagging issues that prevented me from doing so. First thing I`d do if I were you is install a Wolff 22# recoil spring. They`re WAY undersprung from the factory. I think I`d steer clear of large amounts of HOT DoubleTap,GA,ProLoad,TA etc. ammo and stick with .40+ level and mid range 10mm loads for both controlability and longevity. Marcus

 

[PCRCCW]

Absolutely the most bang for the buck gun around.....or close to it anyway.

Check out the CZForum...they have a Clone club that has LOTS of info on the little cannons. The Witness gun lines are pretty damn good seriously but the 10mm Compacts have given a few people real fits. They can fill you in on what to do and not do.

Id HIGHLY recommend the 22# Wolff and get a second one just in
case....the little shooters can go through springs in a hurry. Like every 500-1000 rnds.

Enjoy your gun and let us know how it shoots....................

Shoot well

 

[jem375]

I talked to wolff springs and they don't make recoil springs for the Witness 10MM compact...........it's a dual spring set-up.......was wondering if the 40S&W springs would work in the 10MM...........

 

[nvrquit]

Better Luck to You....

.... than what I experienced with mine.

If you wish to read about my past experiences with same said Tanfoglio Compact Witness 10mm in Wonder finish, go to the aforementioned CZ Forum. Do a search on posts by user name, entering my 'nvrquit' as the entry.

Not very pleasant. Though the Tan line-up does offer the most "potential" for the money, both in basic package and available possible options. If just wasn't for what EAA tries to pass off as customer service.....

On the spring note, I tried the .40 S&W compact springs as listed on the Wolff site. The ejected brass still flew quite a ways off, but not as far as with the stock 14# dual factory set-up.

Good Luck(and hope you don't need it!)

 

[axeman_g]

springs

I was looking at the guide rod and spring last night. It is ONE spring... where is the double spring setup? Am I not seeing something ....

I was thinking of getting the highest poundage .40 cal compact spring from Wolfe OR taking a fullsize spring, counting coils on my current spring and cutting the fullsize down.

Any ideas ...

By the way, I am familiar with CZFORUM ... used to go to 85 club alot.

NVRQUIT ... I have read most of your posts... and yes EAA does suck to deal with. I had to return a Siaga rifle to them because they sold me a wood stock .308 but shipped a synthetic. They were not easy to deal with and I eventually canceled my order.

I have always wanted to play with this gun and I got it so cheap, I figure what the heck.

 

[axeman_g]

update ...

I had some questions of EAA, Tanfolglio and savvysurvivor concerning the compacts.

1) Are there .22 compact conversion kits?

Savy said no, he usually steers people away from the compacts for that reason.

EAA repied with YES. That is all ... monosyballic answers to someone that want to spend money on their products.

2) Wanted to know if I could flip the safety lever to the right side so I could use it if needed with my left thumb.

Savy said no, buy the ambi lever.

EAA repied with "can buy ambo safety lever". More then one syllable ... but not anymore helpful.

3) What other caliber conversion are available for compact 10mm?

Savy said he only has a .40 barrel for 10mm compacts.

EAA repied with YES. That is all ... once again nothing really helpful.

:banghead:

SO ... what is a guy to do ... I will buy the .40 barrel just because it might be a great SHTF item. I will try to track the .22 conversion kits from compact for information.

I am waiting to hear from Tanfoglio in Italy on these answers.

Axe

 

[Big Mike]

axe,

You should copy and paste the emails form EAA and send them to Tanfoglio. That's what I did a couple years ago when I was trying to get some .45 grip issues straightened out. Tanfoglio sent me something nice back saying they would look into it. But yes, that is the response of someone whom you are thinking of sending your money to buy stuff. I would think they would want to be nicer and just more professional and informative. I think nvrquit said it well in his detailed posts of his experience. Let us know how the compact shoots. Mike

 

[jimmyjoebob]

had one, and sold it
in fact nvrquit and I emailed a bit on ideas about beefing up the recoil system. I was shooting full house Normas in mine and the bass would go into orbit. My gun had several issues and I eventually sold it. I also talked with Wolf a good bit, and even sent in my springs for them to do some R&D work with. My gun was one of the 2 spring recoil system models. In a nutshell they couldn't help. The issue was that EAA winds there springs in a counterclockwise direction. Wolf does a clockwise method.

The gun is accurate, however I had issues with primer smear, crappy mag springs, recoil issues, as well as feed ramp/dirty weapon problems. I pretty much fixed the last one, but the others were constant issues.

BIG issue for me was the no decocker when in SA mode. Gets a little dicey thumb lowering a 10mm .

Hope this helps

 

[nvrquit]

Ahhh, the Infamous....

.... ALL CAPS MONOSYLABLE REPLY, from none other than EAA.

In the history of responses to every inquiry(save one) to EAA, until I directly requested otherwise, every reply was in the very same manner. Not only that, the reply was interspersed within the text of the very same inquiry which had originally been sent. BTW, the responder in that instance was none other than one Mr. Keith Bernkrant, then president of EAA(current position/status unknown by me).

Ahh, the memories....., how I don't miss them.

Interesting on the recoil spring issue. Every 10mm Compact Tan I've seen(admittedly not that many) has had the dual spring arrangement.

As stated many other times, the Tan CZ clone has a great feel to many people. Offers many possible options/accessories and has good potential in a wide selection of calibers. Too bad the importer is who it is .


Hey JJB, I know of what you speak. I wish the Tan had a decocking feature too. IMO, that(and a importer/servicing agent change) would make the Tan closer to being near perfection(in the rough). Hey, if Taurus can amke a line the allows Condition 1 as well as safely decocking, why not other manufacturers?

Axeman_g, good luck with your Tan. Tanfoglio was nicer to deal with(at least they were professional). If you do reference Tanfoglio to posts on this board, feel free to include my previously mentioned posts as included links. Perhaps they(Tanfoglio) will see the "continuity" of non-customer service that is the history of EAA.

 

[axeman_g]

Range report ....

Range report today.

Guys, thanks for all the advice. I am going to use this gun as a platform to mess with. It think some wolfe springs and some TLC will make this a heck of a little shooter.

I will contact Tan if needed. I dont wish to deal with bad customer service, I have had enough problems with companies in the past that do not stand behind their products (Doc Marten, Sony, etc etc) and still buy from the ones that do (LLBean, Filson, Benelli, Sears etc etc)

Axe