Identify my gun?

[Springfield9]

Picked up what I was told was an EAA/Tanfoglio Witness 45ACP the other day. It has zero markings identifying itself as such. The only hint is it saying it was made in Italy. The serial number leads me to believe it was made in 1979 as I was told they use Roman numerals or something for the first two digits to place it's build date, and this is AE.

I've looked up mod.ea45 ft, eaa ea45, 45ft and on so many times and the only thing close is a little EAA 380 that isn't even close to this.

I can't find any Witness models that has any markings like this.

Every old Tanfoglio full-size I've found that looks remotely close was only offered in 9mm to my knowledge due to my little research so far.

I was told it's an EAA 45 by my local gun shop, but that's not really a model. It's a double/single action, uses CZ mecgar mags, has an adjustable rear sight that looks era correct, a stainless barrel and the trigger looks so also. I can't find many EAA that don't have more of a hook trigger to them, which throws me off because it is possible the trigger was cut and smoothed off but it doesn't appear to be modified by my untrained eyes.

Idk. Your guess is as good as mine. She shoots incredibly well and I paid next to nothing, so any news is good news here.

Thanks guys!

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[legionofdoon]

I can't identify it but go back to the stickies there is a safety warning about Witnesses with the AE prefix on the serial numbers.

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[DWARREN]

It does look like a Witness 45 full size.
The AE prefix is Witness.

[cstellabott]

Looks a lot like my 45 witness. EAA started in 1990. Love mine. What kind of deal did you get on that?, if you don't mind me asking


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[jwc007]

Very very Nice!   

Looks to be an older longer barreled Match version of the .45 Witness.  It will use Mec-Gar .45 Witness Magazines and older Cz97B Magazines without the extended Floorplate.

The recall on the AE series Pistols replaces the Firing Pin and Spring.  Also, Tanfoglio upgraded the Magazine Release to hold Magazines higher in the Magazine Well, for enhanced Feed Reliability.
I recommend that both upgrades be done and I have done them to my 1992 .45 Witness.


From Left to Right
EAA Witness .45 (1992)
EAA Witness .45 (2004)
SAR K2-45 (2013)

[DF_Hammack]

I don't know about .45's so much, but I am pretty sure that Tanfoglio used a slide mounted safety up until the Series 88. Again, not sure, but I think 92 is when EAA added the "Witness" branding to the CZ clones. Prior to that, the Tanfoglio "Witness" was a 1911 clone. With the EA 45 stamp I would assume it is an EAA marketed pistol. EAA didn't pick up Tanfoglio till after FIE went out of business in the mid 80's. I would guess the date is between 88 and 91. Here is a very similar gun, marked as a "Witness"...

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/pistols/eaa-pistols/eaa-tanfoglio-ea-witness-45-series-high-cap-45-acp-reduced.cfm?gun_id=100900376

[wags68]

Very nice!  Congrats on the deal!

[Model Citizen]

Have you tried the magazine lookup on the EAA site? There is a window that will come up that says Lookup serial number. That should give information including SKU, import date, etc, etc.
Mine (although 9mm) looks just like yours, Lookup ser# says it was imported in 11/94
These are very well made pistols, enjoy.
Cheers, MC

[win308]

Here are some early Tanfoglio 9mm guns....some are called Witness, some not.  The trigger on your gun is the same on a couple of my guns and other triggers, later years, are more curved.  I like the less curve, but all shoot just fine.  Also, look on the gun in the lower right and you see the height adjustable rear sight, like yours.  (The very top gun is a SAR B6P poly, so just ignore that one).

The fact that your gun says Mod EA 45 means your gun was imported by European American (Armory), not Excam, so that dates your gun to 1991 or so.  It wasn't too long after EAA started importing Tanfoglios that they stamped Witness on the gun somewhere.  If you're into it for $400 or so, you got a nice gun at a fair price.  Current EAA 45 mags will fit, as will MecGar branded mags.

[Springfield9]

Thank you for all the help everyone. So, to recap- it is a Tanfoglio EA45, be imported by EAA somewhere around the late 80s/early 90s?

And yes. The gun is an absolutely remarkably nice shooter, especially for my first 45. I paid significantly less than $400, if I'm being frank so that makes me feel better.

This flat trigger is so much nicer than the hook on my SAR B6, which is somewhat similar but nowhere near as nice.

I'll check the number for recalls when I get home.

This was incredibly helpful everyone. Thank you very much!

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[cstellabott]

You guys have some nice 45s!!


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[Springfield9]

You guys have some nice 45s!!


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I'm not a 45 guy at all... But this being my first all steel major caliber pistol... I may get converted. Lol.  Thanks again!

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[DF_Hammack]

You guys have some nice 45s!!


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I'm not a 45 guy at all... But this being my first all steel major caliber pistol... I may get converted. Lol.  Thanks again!

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It may actually be cheaper to keep it as it is, and buy a 9mm. With Tristars running in the sub-$350 range, and SAR's going for about $100 less, it would be a shame to give up the .45.... I would just keep it as is.

[Springfield9]

You guys have some nice 45s!!


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I'm not a 45 guy at all... But this being my first all steel major caliber pistol... I may get converted. Lol.  Thanks again!

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It may actually be cheaper to keep it as it is, and buy a 9mm. With Tristars running in the sub-$350 range, and SAR's going for about $100 less, it would be a shame to give up the .45.... I would just keep it as is.

Sorry, I said that wrong. I mean, I may be converted to a 45 guy. I won't be doing anything to this except shoot it, clean it, and leave it well oiled. I may have my buddy make an extra set of stab wood burl grips. But that's a serious maybe.

Sorry for the awkward wording.

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[DF_Hammack]

...
Sorry, I said that wrong. I mean, I may be converted to a 45 guy. I won't be doing anything to this except shoot it, clean it, and leave it well oiled. I may have my buddy make an extra set of stab wood burl grips. But that's a serious maybe.

Sorry for the awkward wording.

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I would look closely at it. It may be a small frame gun. If so CZ grips should screw right on...