Tanfoglio/EAA Witness Successes

[jwc007]

If you have gotten good service from your Tanfoglio or other clones of the CZ designed pistols, time to stand up and be counted.  I want to hear about:
1.) Accuracy
2.) Feeding Reliability with hollowpoints or semi-wadcutters
3.) Target Matches you placed well in or game you have killed
4.) Use as home defensive arm or CCW
5.) Any other comments you may have

[stans]

Good thread, I expect there are far more good Tanfoglio made guns out there than bad ones.  Mine is a TZ-75 Series 88, blue, 9mm.  Only two problems.  Firing pin tends to leave smears on the primers, better with a heavy firing pin spring, and stove piped empties, solved with a 12 pound recoil spring.

1.) Accuracy

Pretty good for a 9mm.  With ammo it likes, 2-1/2 inch groups at 25 yards.


2.) Feeding Reliability with hollowpoints or semi-wadcutters

Never a feeding problem, only the aforementioned stove piping.


3.) Target Matches you placed well in or game you have killed

Won 3rd place in a local IPSC match many years ago.


4.) Use as home defensive arm or CCW

Brief use as a defensive arm.


5.) Any other comments you may have

Very comfortable to shoot and shoot accurately.  The trigger on mine is a little heavy in double action, but smooth, the single action has quite a bit of creep, but is also smooth.

[petereick(d)-czechpistols82792]

Ok, Lets do this in order of purchase.

Springfield P9Ultra.  
1) Very good accuracy.  It is the semi auto that got back into shooting.  The porting on it really helps keep the gun down on target.
2) It never really liked lead, but anything else it would just take.  TMJ's (155 winchesters) are its favorite with blue dot.
3) One coyote in Big bend area (outside the park) with 135 grn JHP's.  1 shot about 25 yards, and very "messy".  My only comment at the time was "bleep, that have to hurt".  About 6859 rnds fired.
4) Never done
5) Probably one of my favorites, briley put a new barrel into it because I went through a phase of 135 screamers trying to turn it into a 10mm and burned the barrel out of it.

Witness 10mm
1) good accuracy, reliable.
2) None, about 3284 rnds fired
3) none that I remember off the top of my head.
4) Was my truck gun for CCW for years.  Only replaced by a Glock 20 due to additional capacity.
5) the supersight cannot take the recoil without heavier springs.  Other then breaking mags due to the cuts no problems.

CZ97B.
1) Excellent.  50 shots, 2" 10 yrds! (not bad for 5 mag changes)
2) Excellent if the COL is less then 1.272 for FMJ's or JHP's.  DO NOT load long for the 97b, Shorter is better in this rare case. 2724 rnds fired.
3) None
4) None
5) By far the best glossy finish of any modern gun I own.  The bluing rivals the Python Royal blue from the 60's and is close to the bluing of S&W out of the 50's.

P9 9mm
1) So So but it is still very new (357 rnds fired so far)
2) Hard to say, to new to pass judgement.  No failures so far, but 357 rounds does not truly test a gun.
3) none
4) none
5) shoots low, about 3 to 4" at 15 yrds with 115 grn JHP's.  I think I need so 124 grn ammo and another 1000 rnds before I change out the front sights.

[verbaltharhino]

CZ 75BD
1.  The most accurate gun I've ever owned, possibly the most accurate gun I've ever shot.  Out of the box, the sights were dead-on.
2.  Hollow points- never an issue.  Only ammo to FTF or FTE was UMC.  Never shot SWC.
3.  N/A
4.  Currently MY go to gun, next to the bed.  Soon to be my girlfriends, too, now that she's shot it more than the PA-63 which resides in her nightstand.
5.  I will NEVER EVER EVER sell this pistol.  It's the best $335 I've ever spent.

Steel Witness .45 Full-Size
1.  Excellent accuracy.  Shoots dead flat, but a bit to the left out of the box.  VERY tight groups, though.  Never felt the need to adjust the sights, but I suppose I will some day.
2.  N/A
3.  N/A
4.  Never needed it for that, but wouldn't hesitate after qualifying some HP's for the job.
5.  Quite a nice gun.  I think if I were to do it again, I'd get one in Wonderfinish as the parkerizing or whatever the finish is isn't the best.  Held up so far, but not too pretty.  Came in the .22/ .45 combo.  Sold the .22 kit as it didn't do what I wanted it to do (shoot any kind of plinking ammo available for dirt cheap).  Accurate, though.

Looking to pick up another Witness 9mm (compact) or a PCR very soon.  I like the safety on the Witness better than on the 75B's as it can be used in DA mode.  Leaning towards the PCR, though, as it's lighter and I have no problems with using a decocker over cocked and locked.  PCR feels more comfy in the hand, too.  I do't like the magazine being part of my grip as on the Witness compact.

[matthewdanger]

My P9 has been reliable and accurate.  It shoots the .40 S&W with little recoil and feels great in the hand.  What more could you ask for?

[FalkRG]

Bought a Witness .40 Compact.  Absolutely reliable and a freeking tack driver.  Super accurate (under 2" groups @ 21 yards). I love it!

[Sturm-Reiter]

This is a good thread,
Seen to many on other boards wanting to know the bad things that happen with the Tanfoglio/Witness pistols. I think they have an agenda but thats just my opine.

10mm Witness:
1.The pistol is hardy, actualy feel it is over engineered but I have no heart burn about that.

2.The pistol has been accurate, everyone that has shot this pistol has shot well. Good soild groups consistantly regardless of conditions or shooter. The pistol will shoot better then I can shoot it.

3.The pistol has been Reliable, I have fired a number of different ammo types in the weapon. It has yet to fail me and eats every type of ammo placed inside of it. No extra care needed, no polishing or porting...no such things needed.

4. I carry this pistol everyday. I work in Law Enforcement and I carry this at work and off duty. I have yet to have to use it in a defensive capacity it is my hope that I'll not ever have need, but as is said if you want peace prepare for war.

Sturn Reiter

[barnshooter]

Wife's 9mm was so-so, and it shoots way to the side (1ft at 25yds). Got a 40 conversion for it, and man, it is the most accurate autoloader I've ever shot. Fully reliable too. If I carried daily, this would be it.

[Unregistered(d)]

Witness 40/ Tanfolgio EA40, as this is one of the first Witness pistols imported, and possibly the first Witness marked 40 in the US.

        Accuracy. Honestly, I have shot more accurate guns, but I can get excellent combat accuracy from this weapon, and have no hesitation using it to defend my life, or others. Now, I have had 6 Witness pistols, and they were all a tad more accurate than mine, but I keep coming back to the original. My loving wife has a compact 40 Wonderfinish, and loves it.

        Reliability. I had mine throated and polished for Hydra Shoks the day I bought it, and it has never failed to feed a thing. I have had about 6 FTE, all with handloads. This is with well over 10,000 rounds through it.

       Matches? Whew! When I worked at the indoor range I shot every bowling pin match and IDPA we hosted for a year and a half, and won several BP,and placed well in IDPA - we had a former member of Team EAA shooting there, Tim Copperstone, so we never won IDPA....

      Use as a defensive arm? This gun rode with me that last year with Wells Fargo Armored, all six years with AT Systems, (formerly known as Armored Transport, INC.), and now is my offcially approved off duty sidearm with AZ DOC.

      I have never kept a firearm this long, much less carried it almost every day as I have this one. I have carried others occaisinally since I bought this one, but the Witness always came back to the hip. Sidebar - the CZ Compact almost replaced it....
   Latest photo.....Hakans and HBE IWB.....

   


   'Nuff said!
   Dave

[reveasy]

Descriptions: all are full-size steel-framed guns. The 9mm is a Target Ported model; the rest are conventional. I own one Witness per caliber offered.

Loads used:
9mm: Federal PD 135-grain Hydra-Shok
.38 Stupid: CorBon +P 115-grain JHP
.40 S&W: CorBon 135-grain
10mm: CorBon's lightest bullet
.45 ACP: Federal PD 165-grain Hydra-Shok

1. Accuracy: all guns were bought for eventual concealed carry, so accuracy beyond 7 yards is a matter of indifference. At 7 yards, all shoot within an inch of POA and group 1" at most.

2. Reliability with hollowpoints: perfect.

3. (not applicable)

4. Each is carried concealed, from time to time.

5. Other comments: I've quit griping about CZ's failure to offer a .38 Super or a 10mm. I have been annoyed at EAA's failure to offer smooth hardwood grips, but now I keep seeing the word "Hakan's" - gonna have to look into this...

[Magnum Recoil]

10mm Full Size 10 round capacity, Wonder Finish, Hogue finger grooved grips, 22lb recoil and firing pin spring, 16lb hammer spring.
Accuracy? 4" at 25yrds off hand and 1.5" at 25 yrds sandbagged.
Reliability? will feed Hornady 180XTP FMJ's all day long no stovepipes or FTF's, SWC's were another story but after slight chamfering and some major polishing 100% succes!
Haven't killed anything but paper targets and I do not quite feel proficient enough yet for competition , but that will change this coming spring, still bitterly cold here in Wyoming!
CCW? Yes, every day, about 12 to 14hrs a day, as of now I wear it in a Uncle Mike's Horizontal shoulder holster. But I will soon make my own fitted for me, the way I like 'em!
Comments? These pistols seem to take quite a bit of "out of the box" tuning, I wouldn't have it any other way, I have enjoyed all the hours of polishing and tweaking! I am closer to this pistol (emotionally) and trust it farther than even some revolvers I own.
I will add I have yet to figure out the secret to bettering the Double action pull it is about 12 lbs. but I have the single action at 4 lbs. very sweet pull, no grittiness whatsoever.

[reveasy]

In addition to my five Witnesses, I also own a Springfield P9, a TZ-75/88 Government, an AT-84S, and two Jerichos - and their records are as stellar as those of the Witnesses. The TZ-75 is a particularly good point-shooter. The Jerichos are a .40 S&W and a .45 ACP; all the rest are 9s.

None of these pistols has ever had a cycling failure, and none has any modification.

One reason I keep collecting these guns is because I'm trying to find one that doesn't measure up to the CZ standard of reliable accuracy at reasonable price and, so far, I've failed. 3 CZs (9mm 75, .40 S&W 75, 97), 5 Witnesses, 2 Jerichos, the TZ, the P9, and the AT all make me expect high quality at reasonable price from the Baby Eagle I'm picking up tomorrow.

[firebird100]

witness .40 silver team, very accurate, better then I can shoot, no feeding problems, not very good at home defense(to big, use a SAR-1 , mossberg 500 and colt det spec)best auto I have ever owned for target shooting, want to add red dot sights to realy show its potential.

[mstnglx50]

I have an extremely modified P9 with custom comp and about to have a C-More after brief experiment with doctor sight.  Converted to SA, flattened trigger, squared triggerguard, beavertail added, egw magwell welded on, egw frontstrap checkering, egw slide stop pin (slide stop delete), storm lake 9x21 barrel, dragonfire recoil system, lightweight hammer, hardened extractor wolff springs throughout, oh and JB weld covering the crack on the frame dust cover by the frame rail.  

1.) Accuracy
More accurate than quite a few of the infinitys i've seen running around

2.) Feeding Reliability with hollowpoints or semi-wadcutters
N/A  used for competition only

3.) Target Matches you placed well in or game you have killed
Consistently high finishes, I'm just going back to Open after a stint shooting production and limited with a CZ85

4.) Use as home defensive arm or CCW
N/A  used for competition only

5.) Any other comments you may have
Outstanding pistol, approx 25,000 rounds through it and aside from normal consumable parts the frame cracked at around 18000 on the left side of the dust cover by the forward portion of the frame rail.  JB weld seems to have the situation under control for now.  It should be noted that the rounds in use at the time were loaded to meet the old power factor of 175 so this kind of lifespan is impressive.  Those rounds were way outside SAAMI specs and anything an ordinary 9mm P9 was ever designed to shoot.  When it does finally go I doubt I'll find another like it.

[Grayrider]

Gents,

   No need to rehash my Stock review, but it probably fits here as well:

p201.ezboard.com/fczechpi...1420.topic

   I have run quite a few more rounds through it and am continually more impressed.  With luck I will have one in 9mm soon for comparison.

GR