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

[gnappi]

I have four witness pistols, all large frame steel and one hard chromed .40 "Stock" conversion kit...

Tanfoglio   Witness compact (wonder finish)   10MM
Tanfoglio   Witness Match   (chrome frame /blue upper) 9MM       
Tanfoglio   Witness Limited Pro (chrome/chrome)   .38 super 
Tanfoglio   Witness Limited Custom  (chrome/chrome)   40 S&W

The chromed 40 conversion kit dropped right on the compact, but required my fitting it to the Limited pro and after fitting it to the Lim Pro it's still too tight to fit the match.

The chromed 40 conversion kit dropped right on the compact, but required my fitting it to the Limited pro and after fitting it to
the Lim Pro it's still too tight to fit the match.

The 9mm blued match upper fits the Lim pro frame.
The Lim pro .38 chrome super upper does not fit the match frame.
The Lim pro .38 chrome super upper does fit the Limited Custom frame.
The Limited custom .40 upper does not fit the Match.
The Limited custom .40 upper does fit the Lim pro.


I haven't tried any further swapping anything onto the compact or Limited custom but I am looking for a .40 barrel or complete .40 slide for the compact and I have not tried fitting other barrels to frames that do not fit because at this point I have every combination i need working except for a compact .40 slide on my compact 10mm.


My experience and others who tried to help me with fitting advice (suggestions from diamond files, stones, J-B Non Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound to diamond lapping paste) I had not encountered anyone trying to fit chrome slide to chrome frame... it's pretty hard stuff!  I wound up using thinned diamond paste.  Whatever you get if you need info on fitting them feel free to PM me for help.

Hey Tony,

I have a line on a .40 large frame full size Witness P slide kit but have hesitated because EAA would / could not verify that it's possible to fit. I take it you have found that large frame polymer upper to steel large frame are compatible?

Thanks,

    Gary

[Taylor3]

Gnappi,

Thanks.

[blaster]

Blaster,

Ouch. Sorry you had that experience and may have lost money. Any remote possibility a smith could make some modifications? 
Conversions are so easy with Glocks I have gotten spoiled.
In the meantime I will forgo my EAA commission.

its been a week or two but I contacted EAA. they told me to send it back. I asked if there was a different barrel that would fit.  they ended up refunding my money on the barrel so I guess there isn't.

[Taylor3]

at least you got honorable customer service.

[blaster]

EAA has gotten better with their customer service. the last few times I've dealt with them have been o.k.

[gnappi]

Yeah, I'm thinking that between all of the negative comments on the web, CZ kicking their butts, the emergence of the IFG (Italian Firearms Group) and a REALLY crappy new website has had them doing some soul searching. Every call and Email to them in 2020 has been positive. 

Now if they can get a better handle on spare and option part supply, maybe they'll get a following they SHOULD have had all along. I've been very happy with the several Witness pistols I acquired since the early 90's. To tell the truth, at this point in time no other brand is even a blip on my RADAR screen for purchases any more. I guess that makes me a Tanfoglio fanboy? :-)

[gnappi]

its been a week or two but I contacted EAA. they told me to send it back. I asked if there was a different barrel that would fit.  they ended up refunding my money on the barrel so I guess there isn't.

Hang on... You bought a 6" 10mm barrel that doesn't fit your 10mm slide/frame?

Not possible.

You received a SMALL frame barrel and EAA never made a 10mm (or .38 super) in a small frame AFAIK! Is it possible you received a .40 barrel that was marked 10mm?

I bought a .40 complete upper for a small frame planning on a small frame build from IFG. For grins I tried it on my 10mm compact and it had the same issue you found with the 6" bbl you received.

Anyway, I genned up this image which details all of the differences between the small and large frame pistols.

NOTE: this does NOT have coned barrel measurements (.725") as they were only made for large frame witness pistols