EAA Witness 10mm Compact Range Day

[StockIIBoss]

Shot a couple guns today, but the star of the show was my Witness 10mm Compact. This is the gun that I heavily modified to accept an ISMI flat wound spring, and it has never failed since. I put 150 rounds through it today without a hiccup. The other was the Sig P365. Had one FTE, but it otherwise ran well. Until next time....

[The_Shadow]

Sounds like you had a great day!  Been so hot down here, trying to change the oil in my truck was a battle zone with this heat!  :'(

[Bongo Boy]

This is another one on my very short list of 10s the I feel I need.  Did you post any details of the required modifications elsewhere, and prior to the mod and install of the IMSI spring, were you having troubles?  Seems like this one would be a real handful, but just based on appearances, it looks to me like it would also be more comfortable and easier to get a death grip on than, say, the G29. Also, are you running the factory trigger, and have you been able to find magazines?  At gb I see a lot of EAA compact magazines, but all that I've seen say 'EAA Compact steel', indicating they  don't fit the polymer model.

[StockIIBoss]

This mod was crucial to me to get a single flat wound spring to work. The OEM gun came with a dual spring system (one large and one smaller inside spring). It was crap and I couldn't believe EAA would release this setup. Of course, they're selling imported samples and probably had no idea this wouldn't work. And it never did. The dual springs got entangled in each other and would eventually break. In order to get the flat spring to install, I had to cut about half the spring pocket out of the slide. It worked perfectly if you have the guts to take that step. And you really should! The results meant no more failures, no more weak cycling issues, and 100% RELIABLE. However, do you have the GUTS to try it? C'mon people, a hack saw (or mill), a Dremel and some Oxpho-Blue will make your project sing. Good luck and let me know your results.

[StockIIBoss]

Sounds like you had a great day!  Been so hot down here, trying to change the oil in my truck was a battle zone with this heat!  :'(

I hate the freezing winters and the muggy hot humid summers in NC. There's only a two week period in Spring and Fall that suits me, so I'm in big trouble! Recommendations of where to retire to are all appreciated. Florida?

[Trapper6L]

You can always come to South Texas. We don't have a winter here usually. We just have 2 seasons- hot, and not so hot. But I'll warn you ahead of time, you may find good water hard to find and electricity in the small towns and country is not guaranteed. You might see temps at 10PM of 125F during August. Think about that during August when the electricity goes down and there's no A/C. Generac is yer friend.

[Overkill338]

Is the muzzle blast from the 3.6" tube as brutal as I imagine it is? Of course it's only 1/4" shorter than a G29. So I imagine the 180 Underwood's are moving around 1200 ?

[StockIIBoss]

Is the muzzle blast from the 3.6" tube as brutal as I imagine it is? Of course it's only 1/4" shorter than a G29. So I imagine the 180 Underwood's are moving around 1200 ?

It's not bad, but I still haven't run any of my Underwood collection through it, cause I'm skeert. LOL Been mostly shooting Armscor and Sig 180gr stuff. The sig ammo is fairly potent and enough to keep my attention, whereas Armscor feels a tad weak. But whatever, I'm just happy to have the Witness compact running at 100% since the mod. You'd think a manufacturer could figure this out on their own, right? Or maybe not? So far no one has called me to my opinion.   

[gnappi]

I have an early 90's Witness compact with the "wonder finish" and with full power loads like the Norma stuff muzzle blast is fierce.

[BENTENMM]

I picked one up locally off Armslist last Oct. Damn near new $300 with a box, docs, and a box of 50 factory rds. I only took it out 3 times and was sadly disappointed with how low the damn factory rear sight is. I finally got it back out looked it over and order a boatload of parts. Henning group Conefit Guiderod (with brass buffer), Henning Battlehook rear sight (they no longer make the compact and instead of a phone call or email they wrote that on the packing slip and sent a match model one! It is spot on if you bottom out the front dot in the rear), Henning Reduced Trigger Plunger Springs Set, Patriot Defense Reduced Trigger Return Spring & Reduced Sear Spring, Wolff XP EXTRACTOR SPRING, Wolff Compact XP Spring kit 18, 20, 22lb, EGW EAA Flatt Bottom Firing Pin Stop, and accidently got the wrong Wolff Hammer Springs, About to order the right ones..

Factory Trigger Pull After Polish:

Single Action: 4lb 6.9oz
Double Action: 11lb

Sear, Trigger Reset, and Plunger springs did this

Single Action: 2lbs 9.8oz!
Double Action: 9lbs 5.7oz!

Wolff Hammer Spring Rates:
    Reduced Power...: 13, 14 & 15 Lb.
    Factory Standard.: 16 Lb.
    Extra Power........: 17, 18, 20 & 22 Lb.

I figure just get both Reduced and Extra power. 13lb spring would give about 1lb SA pull (there are youtube videos demonstrating this), where as 20-22lb would help with insanely stout loads..

Thing is quite a handful but not uncomfortable by any means. It really fits my hand like a Glove, I've never been a Glock owner but wanted a compact higher capacity 10mm.. It also has so many advantages over any other platform by being a CZ75 clone..

Shooting some 170gr Precision Bullet Power Pistol Loads last weekend I averaged 1,290 fps 628 ft lbs.. Using the 22lb wolf spring with the brass buffer I sill had 100% slide lock on empty.. but you cannot lock it open by hand.. Also I did have a few failure to feeds because the magazine couldn't keep up with the heavy/fast recoil spring.. I'm gonna call Wolff and ask about their extra power mag springs as they list them not working with the 10mm!?!

12rd mags
https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/741566111310 
14 rd mags
https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/741566111273

Now that I got it back out and on target I already ordered a 12rd & 14rd for $20 ea.. Henning and J&L gunsmithing offer a mag extension and spring kit that can turn a 14 into a 20.. Spendy @ $62! But 20+1 would be kinda fun at the range and depending on how big it is.. A good backup in a vehicle/backpack carry mag.

It really is a great little gun and I'm glad I went the route I did. I tried several times to get a Glock 29 for a reasonable price.. But people tend to think the damn things used are worth more than new! I'll be at $580 with all the new hammer springs, mags, and everything thing else listed, a great deal in my book. The only other things I can think I might do would be to get one of the xtreme double action triggers that has less curve more like a SA, a 4 3/4" barrel and have it threaded for a comp, and possibly a extended firing pin and lighter firing pin spring if I settle on the feather weight 13llb hammer spring.. which I most likely wont.. with the modifications I've made I see no problem with this gun lasting me a very very long time even with occasional nuclear loads run through it.

Sorry for the random write up.. just thought I'd share my experience with mine -Ben