Armory Sponsor
Posted: 9/14/2002 1:19:27 PM EDT
|
I recently got a new pistol, an EAA Witness in .45. This is my 2nd 45, I also have a cheap 1911. I've shot other 1911's, including the LEGP ones, a couple of kimbers, and some bone stock 1911's, so when I reference vs. a 1911, it's not just vs. my crummy one, ok? My initial feeling about my EAA is that I like this gun quite a bit. I actually think I like it better than a 1911. EAA Witness guns are knockoffs of the CZ75 platform, made by Tangfolio in Italy. They come in a small green snap case. One magazine, two cleaning brushes (plastic and bronze), a safety lock, a manual, and a registration card. This is a steel framed model, in "Wonder" finish. It's matte black. Externally, it's pretty unimposing. Exposed hammer, DA/SA trigger, Safety (no decocker), slide release, mag release are all in the usual places, and easily reachable. The slide rides internally to the frame rails. Barrel is land and grooves. The grip is a bit narrower than a doublestack 1911. The grip angle is similar to the High Power. The grips are rubber, and not obtrusively thick. If you swapped out for some wood grips, you could narrow it a bit further. It fits my hand nicely, though. One nice feature on takedown are the two dots on the rear of the frame you align to remove the slide release. Once removed, the slide pulls off, the recoil spring gets taken out, barrel removed, and that's basic field strip. Internally, there are a couple of machining marks, but everything looks clean. All parts fit without much play. The trigger can be fired Double action or single action. The DA trigger is...well...a crummy DA trigger. SA is very nice, i'd guess 5-6# with minimal creep. Once I've gotten >500 rounds through it I imagine it will be quite a nice stock trigger. The only better stock (rotational) trigger I've used is on my Browning High Power Practical. I only managed 50 rounds through it today, DVDTracker shot 20 also. When I shot good, it was where it was supposed to be. Had I not played 3 hours of pool and 2hours of air hockey yesterday, I probably would have shot more, and better.  Zero misfeed, misfires, or problems. Recoil was less than my 1911, and far less than DVD's 44mag. Going from my glock 19 to the High power to the EAA 45, the glock had the sharpest recoil, while the EAA and BHP both had a smoother recoil inertia. The EAA wasn't noticably more recoil vs. either 9mm, whereas going from a 9mm to my 1911 is noticable. To top off my glowing, ass kissing review, this gun was $280 (plus fees). And no i don't have any connection to EAA. Once I have >1k rounds through it I'll try and post a follow up. Hopefully I'll still like it just as much. |
|
I've had my full size .45 Witness for about nine years now. 3000+ rounds (cast, FMJ, HydraShocks, and Golden Sabers, all 230 grain) without a single failure of any kind, straight from the box. Much easier to field strip then a 1911. More comfortable to shoot then a 1911, at least to me. 10+1 standard. The trigger could be slicked up a bit, and I would like to get some Novack glow in the dark sights installed, but for $225 with two 10 rnd mags, plastic case, nylon brush, brass brush, I don't think I have anything to complain about. |
|
I've got a Witness P in 45 ACP. It only functions reliably with hardball, and it won't retain the higher (10-round) capacity magazine when firing. I'll do some home gunsmithing on iot to see if I can improve the feeding issues, but it really appears to be a feed angle issue with the magazine geometry. Oh well, what did I expect for $215? My Witness 40 is the full size all-steel gun with the Wonder finish and is 100% reliable so far. Of well, what did I expect for $225? |
I give PE's Witness a thumbs-up so far. Very accurate and the felt recoil is definitely less than my 1911. SA tigger is excellent (though not as good as my .44 ). Only unknown at this point is reliability, which will be answered after several hundred rounds.
Yep, and the noise of my .44 was scaring people at the range today. What fun! 
|
Since i'm in kali I don't have this choice, only the Steel framed model was submitted for approval. Although the polymer is a tempting option, for the big round I definantely prefer a bit more weight to the full size gun. And DVD's 44 is definately a BIG boomer. Bastard.
|
|
Have you had any problems with the safety engaging itself during fire? I had one of these many moons ago, and it developed this problem and nobody could solve it, not EAA, not my own gunsmith, nobody. I ended up selling the gun off. It was actually nice except for the rather dangerous feature. My friend's EAA 9mm has the same problem too. later, AJ |
|
They are really good pistols for the price! When you take them apart are you thinking gee I have a star pistol! As the barrel connector pin is not hinged and pinned like the 1911! Its sloted,and depending upon the amount of fireing you will be doing! what happens when the sloted barrel connector wears out? New barrel not just the connector as it is a part of the barrel! I had one and broke the slide pin,only cost me 40.00 plus shipping! Anyway for the price good enough! Edited to say those cheap 1911 barrels are connected with a barrel link and pin that can be replaced for about 3.00 Bob 
|
Browning High Powers started the cam on frame pin design. I could see it being a problem if you shoot a lot of high pressure ammo, but the slide by design will take the brunt of the recoil. Most modern autos follow this design somewhat. The camming barrel also should help feeding since it angles to accept rounds a bit better. When disassembled, I didn't think it was a star. I have seen some of them, they aren't quite as nice as my EAA. Perhaps EAA's getting better. As for replacement, if I were to have designed the eaa/cz set, the takedown pin (the camming pin for this gun) would be a slightly weaker steel than the barrel or frame. If that pin is what you are talking about $40 seems high. hm. |
Armory Sponsor