New (to me) Witness on board...

[daved20319]

So was able to pick up my "new" Witness Full Size Steel last Thursday, and was also able to hit the range on the way home and put a box of shells through it.  Just some Federal AE 180 gr. FMJ's, so pretty mild, but I was really pleased with how it felt, shot, and functioned.  I'm not someone that normally does double taps, mostly because I'm not very good at it, but this thing made it easy.  Being heavy is a big help, of course, especially with that extra weight being at the muzzle.  But there's also something about the way it fits my hand.  I've owned a bunch of guns, including several CZ's (traded a 97 BD for the Tanfo), but this is better somehow.

So of course the first thing to do with a new gun is take it completely apart and give it some TLC.  Based on what I'm seeing of the internals, Tanfoglio has definitely upped their game since the 90's.  My only other Witness was a 90's vintage 9mm, nice shooter, but the internal machining and general fit and finish were nowhere close to the level of this new pistol.  Anyway, I'm enjoying the process of going through it and examining everything closely, polishing the bits and pieces that benefit from polishing, and just generally admiring my new shooter.  Did a trigger pull test first to establish a baseline, SA was actually a bit heavier than I thought, just over 5 lbs.  DA was as bad as I expected, my gauge tops out at 12 lbs., and it's well over that.  Hoping that polishing and lubricating will improve that, if not, I can always throw parts at it.  Later.

Dave

[Kenk]

Nice write up Dave, would like to get one at some point as well

Ken

[daved20319]

So a quick follow-up for you, Ken .  After some fairly extensive polishing, and replacing a couple of springs, the action is now VERY smooth, SA is at 4.5 lbs., and DA just a hair over 10  !  I can live with that quite happily.  Reassembly was smooth, with the exception of the pin and spring in the mag catch, that got away from me twice, but I found the parts both times.  Finally figured out I needed to switch to a smaller punch, and everything just dropped into place.  This is definitely easier to work on than the decocker model CZ's.  Function checks all went well, and it looks like I'll be able to get a range session in on Wednesday.  Have a batch of test loads to run over the chrono, 180 gr. XTP's and Blue Dot.  Looking for a "full power" load, once that's established, I'll back off a little and probably switch to HAP's for general target use.  More later.

Dave

[Kenk]

Absolutely, plus the HAP's are much less expensive than the XTP's😊

[gnappi]

I've had at least one Tanfo 10mm here since forever. You may find that they're under appreciated. Which barrel length and finish did you get?

[daved20319]

Hi, Gary, mine's the Full Size Steel in the Wonder Finish, so 4.5" barrel IIRC.  But I don't think they're under, appreciated, virtually unknown is more like it.  Don't care in the least, I'm really liking this shooter, now if I could just find a .45 ACP top end for it, it would be perfect  .  Later.

Dave

[10mmfan]

The new witness pistols are so much better than the old ones for sure.

[gnappi]

I have a 90's compact 10 and it's still like new.

Recently I stumbed on a tanfo longslide10... WOW!

[texasandy]

I have a `90s fullsize, bought way back when, stupid cheap, brand new. Followed the whole cracked slide/frame issues and worried about it. I finally realized that for what I paid for my pistol, unless it broke right now, I'd still have a pretty low cost dollars per round launched firearm. It's still running all these years later, and I shoot it as often as possible.