EAA Witness

[dennie]

Went to the local pawn shop today to browse. I saw an EAA Witness in the display case that appeared to be as new. Only one person working there and they were busy with another customer.
Anyhoo, i did not get to handle it. The price was not marked, but when I asked how much, he said that "he thought" they wanted $450.

I know nothing about the Witness. It appeared to be about commander size. Is this a good gun and good price? I can possibly get there again tomorrow to check it further. I already have a Colt Commander and Kimber Commander size so this is very similar to what I have. I just like .45s, I guess.
Whatcha think?
dennie

[awp101]

I've owned 2 (.38 Super and 10mm) and like them.

Is it a polymer frame or steel frame? I've had both and both were just fine but the steel frame has a few more options when it comes to the caliber conversions EAA sells IIRC.

$450 sounds a bit steep IMO unless they've gone up quite a bit in the past two years.

[dennie]

amp101, it is a steel frame. I do not know the caliber, but the hole in the barrel looks like .45. There was no info on it at all.
They will usually deal some on their prices.

[awp101]

The caliber should be marked on the hood of the barrel. I don't recall if either of mine were marked on the slide as well.

[Streetstar]

A lot of money for a regular Witness ---- based on the CZ 75 frame though, excellent ergonomics if you get along with that grip frame ----- i personally never spent a lot of time with it, but i worked at a gun shop a few years back and sold a few Witnesses based on the Ergos'


450 might be ok if it were a rece gun type thing, but from a pawn shop?? those are gunbroker prices or maybe more

[Hagler]

dennie,

They are made, in Italy, by Tanfoglio. This article may help you:

http://www.savvysurvivor.com/gearrevewt ... pistol.htm

Shawn

[Buffboy]

I agree with the others that the price seems a bit much. The steel frame Witness pistols are great guns. Also as others have said, the ergonomics are wonderful. That goes for most of the Tangfoglio all steel pistols. Only gripe I ever had was small hands can have problems with the safety cocked & locked on the larger 45 frame. I don't have any experience with the current crop of Poly guns, though the first generation Tangfoglio polys of 25 years ago were hit and miss for function.

I traded the last of mine, a 45acp carry comp,(bought new) on an AR lower a couple years ago. The spring that holds the slide release can get a bit weak at high round count, you get premature slide lock when that happens. Easy and pretty cheap fix, just replace the spring from EAA. Otherwise mine were trouble free except for magazines. If you pick it up, get extra mags from Tangfoglio or CZ for best results. They aren't much more $ than Magars(sp?)or other aftermarket mags and 10 times better.

[Kansas Ed]

As has been posted earlier. They are based on the CZ75. Springfield made them (I think actually imported them from Tagfolio) for awhile, and I have one in 40. While they are a great gun, mine seems particular to magazines. I almost traded it off, as ever since I bought it it had a tendency to jam with either mag. I changed springs to no avail, and finally on a last ditch effort just changed out the whole magazines...worked perfectly and has never jammed since. May just be mine, but I'd bargain for trial session before I laid down any cash.

Ed

[awp101]

The early poly frame I had (8-9 years ago) had what felt like really weak mag springs. The steel frame I picked up about 3 years ago had springs so stiff I almost couldn't load them without the aid of a mag loader. Never had an issue that I can recall after a break in period.

The OEM mags are Mec-Gar. I think one of the caliber conversions I bought brand new even had a Mec-Gar stamped mag instead of a Mec-Gar stamped with Tanfoglio's name.

[Buffboy]

Mec-Gar made the mags? I had 6 Mec branded mags, 2 no name, and eventually 5 of the Tangfoglio branded ones including the 2 that came with the pistol. I had one of the Mec-Gar mags that would function in the CarryComp, the rest, plus the 2 no names, were junk. All of the Tangfoglio mags functioned perfectly.

[awp101]

Mec-Gar made the mags? All of the Tangfoglio mags functioned perfectly.

That's my understanding. Now how long Mec-Gar has been the OEM, I can't say but at least 3 years since that's how long ago I bought the last Witness.

Mec-Gar is OEM for several manufacturers and usually brands those mags for the pistol manufacturer. Like any other manufacturer though, I figure they have a bad one or two slip through the cracks...