Who Knows About The EAA Witness Line?

[Papajohn]

I have four of them, but there are some variations in frames and so on that I'm not familiar with, I just shoot them.   



My first Witness was a 40 S&W, purchased new in 1990.  As I understand it, this is one of the early "small-frame" guns, the same size as the early 9mm's.  This gun has close to 47,000 rounds through it, by my best count, it was my only semiauto for several years and I shot it constantly. 

My next Witness was the 45 Match, which has an interesting history behind it - it was the first of that model ever imported into the US, and was the gun that was sent to all the magazines for photography and review, so it had to be cosmetically perfect.  It took me two years to track this gun down, the guy that had it was the former US Sales manager for Tanfoglio and he was clearing out his safe, I think he was working for SIG by then.  The trigger is awesome, and it has an early polygonally-rifled barrel, yet it shoots lead like a death ray.......go figure.

The next was a one-off 45 Compact from the same guy, it was a parts gun he commissioned while working for Tanfoglio.  The DA trigger was replaced with SA lockwork, special sights were added, an ambi safety was fitted, and a few other goodies were added.  The coned barrel is something I've never seen before on a Witness, and from the front it's quite intimidating!  It came with a spare 9mm slide and several magazines, but I sold that stuff off shortly after I got it.  I'm just not a 9mm guy.   



From the top, the 45 Match Barrel, the 45 Compact, the 40S&W and the 9mm.



The newest Witness is the used 10mm I picked up early this year, it was lurking in a favorite gunshop and ambushed me when I walked in unaware.  $350+tax and it looked pretty much unfired, the breechface was still pristine.

From left, the 45 Match, 45 Compact, 10mm and 40S&W. 



The 40 went to my youngest son for his birthday this year, he's been shooting it since he was four, and has always considered it "his" gun.  That meant I had to replace it, and I ordered a CZ-75 Single-action 40 several months ago, still awaiting delivery.

One or more of these babies goes with me nearly every time I go to the range, and they all shoot better than I do.  The 10mm got a 22-lb recoil spring before I ever shot it, and it still throws fired brass high and wide.  With hot loads the empties could do some damage, they're coming out of there pretty fast!

The 45's at the range.......in the case the 45 Match came in. 



So (finally) to the question...........what are the differences in the 10mm Witness slides?  This is the only one I've ever seen, so I'm not sure if it's the old style or the new, how does one discern between the two?  I don't feel like having to replace a cracked slide, so I don't run this one at full power.  (The 40 however, has endured some loads that would make a ballistician lose his ever-loving MIND.     I wasn't always the paragon of reloading sanity.) 

So can anyone tell me what I have, what the outer limits should be, or anything else about my first Ten?

[Intercooler]

   You have an older Match with the better Bomar style (does it say Bomar?) adjustable rear sight, no rail and the red/orange follower mags. The new mags hold 14 instead of 15 and are stamped K10 with a black follower. You have the standard Match slide which they have been using forever and don't know of any breaks with one.

    You are welcome to join the EAA Firearms Facebook page. That's mine and not attached to EAA the Company.

[pacapcop]

Your collection has the squared off slides which are considered durable,esp in 10mm.The slides they produce now on their base model 10mm is one that is rounded(contoured)and has had many issues with cracks.BTW,that .45 compact is sweet.I have the compact 10 with same slide and sights are fixed like your .40 and 10.Mine is DA/SA.The Match i have recently purchased now comes with plastic grips and a LPA sight.The cases are differant for the Match now.No more cool case with combo lock.

[Papajohn]

pacapcop, thanks for the info on the 10mm slide, that's what I was looking for.  Now I don't have to baby the gun, or worry about which loads go in which gun, when  I eventually get a few more Tens.

Does your compact 10mm also have the coned barrel?  I've never seen another pistol like this one, the former owner pretty much designed his own gun, and worked with the in-house Tanfoglio gunsmith to put it all together and get it running, it's really an awesome little gun, and has only choked on out-of-spec ammo. 



The quirky thing about my SA Witnesses is that both hammers can be set at half-cock, but a pull of the trigger will fire them!  The day I found that out was a loud one.   

[pacapcop]

My compact was redone by EAA after slide issues,FTF.The rounded slide was replaced with squared off slide with fixed sights and barrel was replaced but not the cone.Much better barrel non the less.The 12 roung mags work better with 10 rounds.The more I kept shooting it the better it got.I can shoot Norma spec out of it and it's fun to shoot.No real heavy stuff with this one.The Match is now D\AS\A.Compact I carry and use Federal Hydro Shok.The guns from the 90's is where they had it.

[sqlbullet]

Your 10 is a tank.  I have one that was just like it.  The "Wonder finish" didn't hold up well to daily carry.  I sandblasted it, parked it and sprayed it with the oven cure Cerakote.  Mine is now black.



My 10mm Witness has handled all loads fine, including many very stout loads.  I did replace the recoil spring with a 20 lb spring from Wolff.

[pacapcop]

Looks good.Now if they could just make em like that again.

[The_Shadow]

Nice set of EAA's PapaJohn...