Non-scalloped Witness

[DDuck]

I'm looking for my first 10mm firearm and have decided on the full-size steel Witness, however everywhere I look I see the stock photos with the scalloped slide. Is there any way to tell the difference between the scalloped and non-scalloped versions when buying online without a picture of the actual product?


Here's what I'm seeing specifically:
http://www.mrgundealer.com/product.tanfoglio-witness-by-eaa-full-size-steel-10mm-45-141-blk-syn-grip-wonder-finish-75
https://www.tombstonetactical.com/catalog/eaa/1911-witness-pistol-10mm-4.5in-15rd-stainless/

[Intercooler]

Have you checked GunBroker? Many put actual firearm pictures on there. If you stepped up to a Stock 1 or Match they're better and for sure not scalloped.

[sqlbullet]

Call them and ask.

FYI, at the end of the cracked slide fiasco EAA finally pulled their heads out and started replacing them without much fuss.  If I found a great deal on a scalloped slide NIB, I would not be terribly afraid of it.

But, IC nailed it.  For a couple bills more you can have a Stock 1 or a Match, and they are 3-4 times the gun.

[wolfsburg_de]

I took a chance on Grabagun last year:

http://grabagun.com/eaa-wit-10mm-15rd-4-5-stl-wf.html

Their photo showed scalloped with no rail, but the one I received is not scalloped and has a rail (pardon the fingerprints but the finish is great):

[blaster]

ok, I'm ignorant here and new to the Witness. what is the scalloped slide? and while we are at it, small frame? I'm guessing they have something to do with the original CZ 75 design?

[Bluefish]

Have you checked GunBroker? Many put actual firearm pictures on there. If you stepped up to a Stock 1 or Match they're better and for sure not scalloped.

This is the way I went and I am quite happy. 150 rounds through my new limited pro today and it shot well. Definitely made to handle 10mm recoil without any issue. Glad I bought extra magazines, it is a riot to shoot.
Russ

[sqlbullet]

ok, I'm ignorant here and new to the Witness. what is the scalloped slide? and while we are at it, small frame? I'm guessing they have something to do with the original CZ 75 design?

Originally they made two different size frames for the Witness.  A "small frame" for short cartridges like 9mm and 40 S&W, and a "large frame" for long cartridges like 38 super, 10mm and 45 ACP.  I believe now all Witness guns are "large frame" regardless of caliber.  They went to one frame to capitalize on caliber swaps.

The slides were originally slab sided meeting a dome top, like a 1911 slide but with a bit flatter dome than a 1911.  There was a flat portion to the slide that extended above the frame about 3/8 or maybe 1/2". 



They changed this several years back to the "scalloped" slide.  The slide starting right at the back of the ejection port was milled to a profile that closely followed the barrel.  There was no longer any "flat" to speak of above the frame.  A contour-ey as soon as it cleared the frame rails.



There were one of more batches of these second types of slides that did not get properly annealed after heat treatment.  They were brittle and the 10mm variants would crack at the ejection port.  In addition, while they reduced weight, which I think was the goal, the removed that weight from the slide.  High impulse rounds like the 10mm really need as much mass in the slide as possible, so reducing weight by taking it from the slide exacerbated this issue by subjecting a brittle slide to higher velocities, and therefore more stress.

Initially EAA tried to blame out of spec ammo for the cracked slides and refused to cover them in warranty.  However, as more and more occurred they corrected this and began replacing them with the "old" style.  Shortly after, they returned to the old style slide, at least for 10mm.

[blaster]

thanks sqibullet for a great explanation of the differences.