Tanfoglio/EAA Witness Successes

[QBToo]

Witness Elite Limited .38 super:
(1) has been 100% reliable with all brands ammo (ball/range ammo)
(2) very accurate out to 25 yards (my indoor range doesn't go past 25 yards)
(3) smooth trigger, crisp break

Witness Elite Limited 9mm
(1) will post on it next week....it should be in my hands by Thursday

Cons:
Only found one source for 9mm chrome mags with the alum basepad (like the ONE mag that comes with the gun) and they are $60.  I can purchased the blued mags for $20 and the alum basepad for $5 so I haven't justified the cost of the chrome mags although I suppose I will end up getting a couple of them.

Haven't found any chrome mags for the .38 super

[usurp31]

1.) Accuracy - Very tight groups; a blast to shoot; even better accuracy than my S&W's.
2.) Feeding Reliability with hollowpoints or semi-wadcutters:  So far, I have shot CCI, Winchester Silvertips, and some other off brands and had no problems period.
3.) Target Matches you placed well in or game you have killed:  n/a
4.) Use as home defensive arm or CCW: Yes, this gun is as reliable and trustworthy as my Glocks.
5.) Any other comments you may have:  I am in the process of backordering a Gold Team and will post my experience with this as well.  I like pulling this out at the range when everyone else is shooting their 9mm or 40S&W (although I'm a big fan of those rounds too).  I like the grip and feel of the Witness compared to the myriad of other guns that I own; it is one of the most comfortable of all my handguns both to grip and to fire.

[rjoy]

I bought a used Witness Match in 9 mm last week and just took it to the range to shoot it today.  To say I am impressed is an understatement.  I shot about 75 rounds through it without a hitch and it shot where I aimed it every time.  This is the first nine I have ever owned, being a huge fan of the 1911.  This gun feels and works a lot like a 1911 so it just feels natural in my hand.  I was a little leary of these guns but have read and heard a lot of good things about them, so I thought I would give it a try.  I have to say, I think it is a keeper.  I like that it is all steel and I have always been partial to single actions, even though I have nothing against a double action auto.  I think I might have been able to buy a nicer gun but not for the money I wanted to spend.  The only thing that I might say is somewhat a negative about it is the reversed slide rail system.  It doesn't seem to give you much slide to grab when racking compared to the 1911.  I think it will just take a little getting used to.  How do these guns do in USPSA?  That's what I would like to use it for if I can ever get off the evening shift at work.

[jwc007]

How do these guns do in USPSA?

Very well actually!  I have shot a .45 Witness for Limited 10 Major in USPSA/IPSC sanctioned matches.
Also, USPSA World Champion Eric Grauffel, uses a Tanfoglio Gold Team style Pistol in .38 Super,
for open class.  http://www.ericgrauffel.com/

Congratulations on your "New to You" 9mm Witness Match and Welcome to the Forum!

[blackcampbell]

Accuracy:  Superb.  2 to 2.5" groups out to 25 yards.  Out-shoots my buddy's boutique $1200 Kimber.  I have two Witness .45s in the Wonder finish, or with a ported barrel.  Both are incredibly accurate.

Feeding problems:  I have one mag that doesn't like to feed the last round in the mag on the non-ported .45.  Not the gun's fault.

They're both used for home defense, and I occasionally carry one (when I'm not toting the FN 5.7mm.)

I had one of these in the '90s and got rid of it for money.  My friend still owns it; no troubles with it.  I used to talk it up all the time, and finally decided to buy another two or three years ago.  The new .45 has not failed to perform as expected.  I bought the ported one on a whim, because I saw it in a gun shop and actually had some money to blow.  I'm selling that one to a friend this week to fund my new CZ-85B (dual tone.)

I'm doing some part time work at my local gun store while finishing my grad work.  I've been talking them up so well the shop's had to start stocking the Witness.

[Cliff47]

I've got a TZ75 Custom 90 that I picked up used from a local purveyor of fine firearms.  Rediculously smooth trigger with a break like glass.  Super scarey accurate.  So far, all I've done is punch targets with it.  As i understand, the Custom 90 was a "custom shop" model of limited numbers.  I've only seen two others besides mine.

[Tanfoglio]

I've had two full sized wonder finish 9mm's since the mid 1990's.  One I carry weekly that has maybe 5,000 rounds through it.  The other I use for practice, IDPA competitions, tactical matches and I used to instruct with.  It has well over 60,000 rounds and has had no parts replaced.  I did change over to a Sprinco recoil reducing guide rod but that's the only part that's been replaced.  I recently bought another one, this being the 18 round magazine pistol just in case the first one goes down in a competition or training class.

Fred

[Jaymo]

Have owned a Witness .45 full size wonder finish for 10 years now. It eats flying ashtrays like their nothing. No reliability problems at all. Very accurate.
P/U a TZ75 Custom 90 9mm last year for a song based on how much I like my .45 witness. Haven't shot it yet. Can't wait to.
Haven't hunted with either, nor have I competed.
I bought the .45 witness specifically to be a CCW defensive pistol. It holds more rounds than the AMT government model I used to own, and the grip and trigger feel much better than a .45 block, I mean, glock.

[kdanie]

My youngest daughter (21 years old) joined the Coast Guard and was about to leave for basic training, she wanted to do well when qualifying on the pistol course so I took her to a range with my full size .45 Witness and 200 rounds of ball ammunition. She had never shot a centerfire pistol before but picked it up pretty quickly. Here's a pic of her first target-20 rounds at 25 yards:



Here's 20 rounds at 25 yards rapid fire - one round every second.



She qualified well with the Sig .40 S&W on the range but I let her down. We didn't practice timed fire enough and she was left with 3 rounds in the mag at the end of that segment.

I'm pretty proud of her for even wanting to do well and then REALLY doing well. The range master was quite surprised a young woman was that proficient and comfortable with a handgun.

She's thinking of buying her own handgun now. I think a Witness compact in .40 S&W would serve her well.

ken

[blackcampbell]

I've had three Tanfoglios over the last 15 years and I've loved everyone.  Two got sold due to money issues, but I held on to my .45.  I do occasionally carry it, but it weighs a lot more than the FN57 I usually carry (open carry here in NM) or the CZ-85 (CCW).

Accuracy is fantastic; I regularly outshoot my buddy's boutique Kimber (but not another friend's Yost-Bonitz modified Springfield.)  I can squeeze out (on a good day) a 3" group at 25 yards unsupported and standing.  At realistic self-defense ranges of up to 10yrds, a double tap will got exactly where you want it to go.  Workmanship on the weapon is tops -- this isn't a Llama or a Star.  Ergonomics on the grip are better, in my opinion, than anything else on the market.  I like my so well, I decided to pass on the new Bren and send $250 for a 10mm conversion kit for the .45.

[obxned]

EEA WitnessP full size 9mm:  decently accurate and totally reliable with FMJs and JHPs.  We used it as a range pistol, never carried.  Currently it is my son's home defense pistol.

We originally bought this pistol because of the feel, features, and price.  It was my first long-term exposure to a CZ tpye pistol.  Since then, I have sold most of my non-CZ pistols and will be buying another CZ on Monday.  The clones are very nice, but the real thing is better.

[vinpar092]

Hello, New to this forum,

EAA Witness PS, purchased used for $200.00. Previous owner stated 4-500 rds and didn't care for it.
    -Very accurate
    -DA very difficult/SA very easy
    -Ejection issues after 500 rds that I ran through it. Solved by cleaning and maintenance to ejector. Trouble free since, another 7-800 rds.
    -2 years of dry firing solved most of DA difficulties/SA is now almost too light with frequent double taps, unwantingly
    -Everyone that shoots it loves it and frequently will knock down 9" plates at 25yds, first time shooter yesterday - 6 plates 6 shots
    -The only gun that I take to the range everytime I go

[Rod Slinger]

vinpar092 ............Welcome to the forum, and thanks for the good news about your Witness.  I bet you would not sell it for $200.00.  R S

[vinpar092]

Definately not! ROD SLINGER.

Vince

[blackcampbell]

Thumbs up for the blued 10mm conversion barrel/slide for my wonder finish .45.  Fit seemed awfully tight, but it ate the three boxes of Blazer 200gr, a box each of 200gr Double Tap, the 180 gr Double Tap, and 155gr/1500fps Action Ammunition JHPs with only a few malfunctions on the last ammo.  (I think the slide might've been moving to fast for the magazine to feed the thing properly...time for some Wolff springs in those mags.