Old EAA Witness in .45 - is there a conversion kit (barrel) to 10mm

[Taylor3]

Guys,  I am NEW to this forum (loving it so far) - I am OLD to guns....  I have a vintage 1994 EAA .45 cal steel Witness. (rather interesting name choice for any number of reasons...).
An under-rated gun: Interesting look;  no frills on features; so reliable its almost boring; bought it new and never modified it; fits my big hands very well; reasonably priced at the time; shot it a lot when I first got it but soon settled into 1911's when shooting .45.  In recent years 10mm (one centimeter?) has become my favorite round.  I see now that EAA is making a variety excellent 10mm's.

I know there are conversion kits for other EAA Witness guns in other calibers.  Does anyone know if there is a conversion kit for this gun to allow it to fire 10mm?

[Graybeard]

They're out there. There's one on Gunbroker for $650. https://www.gunbroker.com/item/868094430

[sqlbullet]

And this price is the rub..  You can get a complete gun for about $250 less.

[Taylor3]

Sqlbullet,  thank you.  looks like they sell the barrel with the slide and spring. This does make sense since the slide and  spring need to fit. but this is Bit more than I am wiling to pay.  thanks

[Taylor3]

Greybeard,

thank you. I see now that the slide, spring, guide rod and barrel are all sold as a complete kit....for a lot of money!

would have been nice but thanks nevertheless.

I got spoiled by Glock and H&K drop in conversion barrels!

[sqlbullet]

You can pick up a barrel only for $131 from EAA's website.  My experience is dropping a 38 Super barrel in a 10mm Elite Match, and that worked 100% with a 38 super mag.

I don't know if the 45 ACP extractor will grab the 10mm rim.

[Taylor3]

SqlBullet,  Thank you.  I was not sure the barrel would fit properly within the original slide.  Your experience is informative.

[DenStinett]

Here you go .... $413.00+shipping for a Standard Upper from EAA:
https://eaacorp.com/store/shop-full-width/parts/conversion-kit/10mm-standard-conversion-kit-blue-300038/
The Compact Upper for the same price:
https://eaacorp.com/store/shop-full-width/parts/conversion-kit/45acp-conversion-kit-compact-wonder-303007/
All you'll need is a Magazine:
https://www.cdnnsports.com/witness-10mm-15-all-full.html#.XrtZO0RKi00

[Taylor3]

DenStinett,  Thank you for your help on this!

[DenStinett]

You bet
Hope you get'er set-up the way you want

I put this together:

A Full Size Witness, Large Frame, with a 10mm Compact Upper (a Semi Compact, my DTDC)
A 10mm Longslide and the Large Frame .22lr Conversion
Not a single matching Serial Number among them !

[TonyRumore]

I've done a pile of barrel/slide swaps on Witness pistols. 

In my experience when you put a 10mm barrel in a Witness 45 slide it works most of the time, but you really need a 10mm extractor installed for it to be completely reliable.
However, the good new is that the 10mm extractor will work fine when you put your 45 barrel back in it. 
Keep in mind, that is just my personal experience, yours may be different.

Tony Rumore
Tromix

[Taylor3]

DenStinett,

Thanks for the photo! Nice interchangeability (if that is a word). Those options give me hope!   Many rounds through each configuration? Reliable?

Looks like something you have fun with!

I have written to EAA with my concern about the age of my gun (bought in early 1994 so manufactured in 1992? 1993?) and compatibility with a current conversion barrel/kit. 

Have a good weekend.

[Taylor3]

Tony Rumore,  Thanks for that detail. I would love to do a conversion barrel only and avoid buying the whole slide spring assembly so your experience helps if I go barrel only.
As SqBullet pointed out buying the whole slide assembly aint cheap.  But it would solve the extractor compatibility issue.

Im not in a rush on this project.  Will gather as much info as possible.  You helped so thank you!

[TonyRumore]

Taylor3,

There are 8 basic Witness frames as follows:

Large Steel
Large Polymer
Small Steel
Small Polymer
And then Compact versions of those four above.  I own them all and frequently swap them all around.

[Taylor3]

Tony Rumore,

You are a Witness PhD!

Thank you.

here is what I got back when I emailed EAA asking whether the conversion kit for .45 to 10mm would work (I identified the product number that Den Stinett pointed me to) (thanks again Den Stinett) :


Will work on the frame , the conversion kits require to be fit to the frame by a Gunsmith at first but this is the correct kit .


Thank You
Kristy
EAA CORP
800-536-4442 ext 208
321-639-7006 (fax)