Give me your thoughts on adding a EAA Witness to arsenal

[Kiowa Scout]

As the title says, I'm looking for any thoughts on EAA witness. I have never owned one, but I am thinking of adding one to my arsenal. I am thinking about one of the Match guns that I can use as a carry waepon, but also use it for competition. I have not totally decided on caliber, but I am leaning toward either a .38 Super or 10mm auto.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[CC Italian]

I have shot an EAA in Match 10mm and it was a good gun but my friend had a few problems with it and he said EAA customer service is horrid. As far as caliber the .38 super is nice but it really offers little over 9mm +P but is still a good round. Between the two I would go 10mm. As far as 10mm pistols for carry the two best that come to mind are the Glocks and now discontinued S&W. Glock 29 and S&W 1066,1076 or 1086 with 4.25 barrels for carry or the 5inch 1006 and 1026. Glock, S&W and then EAA in that order in semi auto for 10mm IMO. Also the EAA are very heavy! They weigh more then my Glock 20 and that weighs in at around 28 ounces before it's loaded. They EAA is probably at least 4 or 5 ounces heavier!

Edit: EAA is more of a range then carry gun and the 10mm has way way more power then the .38 super!

[Kiowa Scout]

I have shot an EAA in Match 10mm and it was a good gun but my friend had a few problems with it and he said EAA customer service is horrid. As far as caliber the .38 super is nice but it really offers little over 9mm +P but is still a good round. Between the two I would go 10mm. As far as 10mm pistols for carry the two best that come to mind are the Glocks and now discontinued S&W. Glock 29 and S&W 1066,1076 or 1086 with 4.25 barrels for carry or the 5inch 1006 and 1026. Glock, S&W and then EAA in that order in semi auto for 10mm IMO. Also the EAA are very heavy! They weigh more then my Glock 20 and that weighs in at around 28 ounces before it's loaded. They EAA is probably at least 4 or 5 ounces heavier!

CCItalian,
Thanks for your thoughts. As far as weight is concerned, I'm not too worried about that. I carry a 5" 1911 that weighs closes to 44 oz loaded. What kind of issues did your friend have with the pistol? My thoughts with the .38 Super are that I could get a 9X23 win barrel and a 9mm barrel and have 3 guns. I'm not really fond of the Glock. I have never been able to shoot one very accurately, but that does not mean that I will not try one. I like the Witness and Glock because of the 15 rounds per magazine.

[CC Italian]

Granted this was a now older model but the slide cracked after about 1000 rounds of the hot stuff, it would hang up from time to time also. mag problems if I remember right. EAA replaced the slide but he sold it not to long after that. If you want a heavy diet of the hot stuff the Glocks will hold up better then most! I know people say whatever but research it and you will see. The Delta Elites are nice but they actually can't even do hot loads as well as the Glocks! They actually have less case support! I have no experience with the kimbers in 10mm. The S&W are an awesome single stack 3rd gen smith. It will be my next 10mm purchase. I also wanted a witness hunter but it is just to much money. I know there are a few on the board here who will vouch for the witness but imo the S&W and Glocks are the better. Actually under the firearms section there was a member selling a 10mm witness match if I remember correctly.

[CC Italian]

If you decide on a 10mm take a close look at Underwood ammo out of West Virginia. His stuff is hot but still no signs of over pressure on the spent cartridges and his ammo makes its velocity claims. It is as hot as the Buffalo Bore but half the price!

[speedsix]

...EAA has sexy ads, but we wouldn't take the guns in on pawn...quality issues...wouldn't bet my life on one...you can buy a good used Ruger or S&W for the same money and have something to count on...that's fixable and parts are available for...I wouldn't own either of those calibers...ammo will not be that easy to find once things step up again...I'd get a more common caliber...using it for competition, you're going to both wring a gun out more and go through a lot of ammo...I'd stay with .45 or 9mm for that...just full of good news this mornin', huh?!!!

[JustMe]

I have the EAA Windicator. It is very heavy for a little snubbie. Also, it has a very long, stiff trigger pull--so much that I usually SA it rather than DA. Don't know if that is particular to all models, or just the one I have. (like with my glocks, the trigger is the same on the 19 & the 26)

[Jumping Frog]

..I wouldn't own either of those calibers...ammo will not be that easy to find once things step up again...I'd get a more common caliber..

Everyone I personally know who shoots 10mm also reloads for it.

They are funny at the range too, relentlessly hunting down every fired casing.

One advantage reloaders have with a 10mm round is that bullets are super easy to find since .40 S&W is so common.

BTW, I agree with the S&W or Ruger comment. There are some companies out there that have built a reputation for standing behind their products. Life is too short to buy from a company that will not.

[Iunnrais]

They are funny at the range too, relentlessly hunting down every fired casing.

And the faces I make when I watch a 10mm casing bounce off the partition wrong and into the hot side of the range....

I think I'm pretty much in the skip to a Glock if you want a 10mm crowd. Granted, I wouldn't turn down a Delta Elite, but it's no longer my top choice and would only be an occasional shooter. I really like the option to go with either 10mm or .40 S&W in the same pistol with just a barrel swap. Same size lead for both and it's nice not having to pay attention to the brass all the time. And to think, I really used to hate glocks...

I'm not really fond of the Glock. I have never been able to shoot one very accurately, but that does not mean that I will not try one.

Same. Found it was more a matter of changing out the sights from the stock. Something about the white box on the rear sight does not process well with my brain. Much happier with a nice pair of night sights on the beastie.

[CC Italian]

All the things said by others are right on. The other things I will add is that the .38 Super had and might still have a following with competition shooters(not sure 10 years ago yes but I know the 9x23 you mentioned is the newer round they use). As for the 10mm It really isn’t that much more then .45acp if you order it from the right dealer or company. Yep, that’s right order or reload. I buy a 1000 rounds at least at a time. The 10mm ammo at ranges is marked way up! 10 years ago I would say the super was more popular but the 10mm contrary to what some might have you believe is alive and well because of its cult like following and quite honestly the Glock 20 and 29. Like I said it is one of the few platforms that can handle the 10mm after thousands of hot rounds that doesn't cost at least a thousand dollars. Personally without law enforcement I think the .357 sig would be less popular then 10mm.

Also, if you want you could get a Glock 20 or 29 and get the .40 s&W, 9X25 dillion or .357 sig conversion or you could get a Glock 21 or 30 (.45acp) and get a 10mm, 40 super, 400 corbon. Either way it will not be for sale in Wal-Marts around here ever! I still have people tell me that the round doesn’t exist! They flat out call me a liar and say there is no such thing! If you want cost effectiveness stay with a 9mm for competition, you can shoot two-three times as much as 10mm or .45acp. When I want to drop a 1000 rounds at a range visit I grab my .22 and 9mm!

Everyone I personally know who shoots 10mm also reloads for it.

They are funny at the range too, relentlessly hunting down every fired casing.

One advantage reloaders have with a 10mm round is that bullets are super easy to find since .40 S&W is so common.

BTW, I agree with the S&W or Ruger comment. There are some companies out there that have built a reputation for standing behind their products. Life is too short to buy from a company that will not.

Yep, its easy to pick out at the range next to all the other spent cartridges. Sticks out like a sore thumb!

[The Annoyed Man]

I know next to nothing about 10mm, but my son did once almost buy a EAA Witness competition model in .45 ACP. It had a very nice trigger, but it did not come with the sights that the EAA website said are supposed to be on this model, even though the box was clearly marked as being the competition model. He wasn't fully aware of the discrepancy until he got the gun home and started going over it.

He returned it the next day to the dealer he bought it from for full credit and used that credit to go home with a Kimber Pro Raptor instead.

The dealer consulted the wholesaler she got the EAA from while we were there, and he told her that EAA's production consistency leaves something to be desired.........not so much in the quality of manufacture, but that they are likely to change the features of a gun (like what sights they are using) without telling anybody. He attributed it to "Luigi getting into the grappa on company time."

Every EAA I've handled has seemed like a fine gun, and I got a chance to shoot somebody's 9mm competition gun once at DPC and was impressed with how it handled. But that lack of production consistency has scared me off of ever wanting to buy one for myself.............but that's just me. YMMV.

[CC Italian]

Speaking of CZ, the 75 was one of the best guns I have ever shot! I know little about them but that might also be another option. Beretta 92 also come to mind when I think of highly accurate 9mm European guns. Just a few thoughts. CZ has certain models that look just like or similar to the Witness in 9mm or more then likely like Andyc said the EAA (Tangfoglio) looks like the CZ. They have a solid following but other then the 75 and a few of their rifles I have no experience. Check out CZ

[CC Italian]

http://www.gunweek.com/2002/feature0110.html

Here is a cool article.

[CC Italian]

There are a lot of those European knock off or clone guns. My father has a FEG that looks just like a hi power and shoots pretty darn well.