I picked up my first Witness in late 1990, twenty years ago this month. I liked the CZ's but all I could find were 9mm's, and I wanted something bigger. Walked into my local gunshop and spied a black CZ-lookalike the second I walked in. The counter guy was all the way across the store and I pointed to the gun and said, "What caliber?" When he said, "40" I said "write it up, it's mine." He stared at me for a minute, then said, "got a pistol permit?" I said "No, but I'll be back with one in an hour."
Back then Missouri required you to get a purchase permit from the local sheriff's office, which took about ten days. I was a badge guy back then, so I was back in 30 minutes with my permit, which got his attention pretty quick. I could tell he wanted to ask who I was, or who I worked for, but I just smiled and headed for the range. All you could get back then (when you could find ANY 40S&W ammo) was the Winchester 180-grain load, and I bought all they had, 250 rounds.
I got the gun hot and kept it that way until all the ammo was gone. After the first fifty rounds any roughness in the feed cycle had smoothed out, and I was hitting 4-6 inch rocks with boring regularity at 40 yards or better. I decided I liked it, picked up my brass, then bought dies and bullets on the way home.
Twenty years and something over 45,000 rounds later, I still have it, still shoot it frequently, and still carry it off duty now and then. My youngest son wasn't even a twinkle when I got it, he started shooting it when he was
three, and still believes that it's his gun. The trigger was a bit mushy when I got it, still is, but it's consistent and easily learned. The only time I have feed or function issues is when I run junky ammo through it, and I use it as a clearinghouse for old handloads with unknown histories. I'm surprised there's any rifling left in it, I've shot very little lead through it.
It has served many roles in two decades. Several years back I developed a bowling-pin-blasting addiction, and worked up a scorching 200-grain load that hammered pins as hard as any 45ACP. It has also served as a Home Defense gun, CCW pistol, test-bed for unsanctioned +P loads, and casual plinker for the kids. When my baby boy turns 21 in a couple years it really will become his, and I'll replace it with whatever CZ-pattern gun strikes my fancy. Who knows, I might just get another one of these.....in stainless.
