Multiple Witness Questions

[Coltitis]

I hope that this is the right forum, if not please move.  On the 11th of this month I received my first Witness pistol, an Elite Limited Pro.;  took it out and shot it the next day.  I'm assuming that many of you have seen my thread posted in the 10mm semi-auto Handguns section.

Well the jest of the above is that I am really impressed with the Elite LTD Pro and am thinking of adding another pistol or two, perhaps adding a conversion unit or two, or a combination of both. 

I have mentioned in my other thread the grip panels are a bit thick for me and it looks like aluminum grip panels will help.  While comparing pictures and specifications for the Witness line I noticed(finally) that the Elite Match grip frame differs from that of the LTD Pro.  Specifically, the checkered portion on the front and back of the LTD Pro is on a raised surface.  This raised surface adds to the overall width of the grip frame.  Now from pictures it looks like the serrations on the Elite Match are below the surface of the frame, not on a raised surface as on the LTD Pro.

Below is a picture showing a measurement that I took of the width of the grip frame LTD Pro:


I used the middle of the grip screw for the horizontal center point.  Would someone be so kind to measure their Elite Match at the same point and post the results?

I do have some other questions that I will post in this thread, but I didn't want to make this first post too lengthy.   
   

[Coltitis]

In retrospect I should have been clearer about the measurement.  For clarification, a dial caliber was used for the above measurement.  The calibers were placed against the outside of the frame where the arrows are pointed to.  Measurement was not taken at the tip of the arrows. 

[Coltitis]

Additional pondering.  Since I have been impressed so far with the Elite LTD Pro I am considering adding some calibers via more pistols or by going the conversion route.  I would like to add 9mm, 38 super, possibly 40 S&W and 45ACP.  Conversions would soften the financial blow, but I'm thinking of adding at least a Elite Match.  I have greatly exceeded this years gun budget by a wide margin and have started selling a few guns to get me back in the red.

I have less than one week experience with the Witness line.  Function and accuracy of my one pistol was perfect on it's first range trip.  But before I get serious about adding more Tanfoglio products, I would like to know a little more about their product.  From what reading I've done their Witness line is more known, possibly used, outside of the U.S..  From this forum and the Enos's forum(thanks Intercooler for mentioning that forum) the distributer here is, well, lacking. So here we go:

The Tanfoglio Witness is a CZ 75 clone, correct?  While I have never had a CZ 75 or one of it's permutations, I have heard or read of their quality for 30 years or more.  How about the overall quality of the Tanfoglio clone?  Is the Tanfoglio's quality equal to or perhaps not quite up to the same level as CZ? 

 

[sqlbullet]

2.160" on my Elite Match.

Yes, it is closely derived from the Cz-75.  However, there are minor differences, and the Witness line is a larger frame to accomodate 45ACP, 38 Super and 10mm length cartridges.

The guns are well regarded in Europe as best I can tell.  They have been imported to the US over the years by a number of different companies, including Springfield Armory at one time.

[Coltitis]

2.160" on my Elite Match....

Thanks sqlbullet, that's .10" smaller than the Elite Pro.  This in combination with a set of thin aluminum panels might be just the ticket for my grip on the frame.