EAA/Tanfoglio Elite Witness Match 9mm

[Guest CK1]

Picked this up yesterday at Guns & Leather FFL'd by way of Bud's...

Sold off one of my favorite Glocks for the funds, but figured life is too short to only experience a nice single-action when I've got the extra cash to buy .45acp (I mostly shoot 9mm since it's relatively cheap to shoot a lot and easy to get a hold of...).

First impressions... BUY ONE! this piece honestly has me scratching my head wondering why I didn't get one sooner, and why the hell they aren't more popular... These guns differ from the average Witness' out there in that they are single-action, have a slightly longer barrel, and are hand fit in Tanfoglio's custom shop in Italy... and that last part shows. It came with a hand signed card (in italian of course) by the custom shop gunsmith who built it.

This gun is TIGHT! Incredible slide-to-frame fit and oozes quality, it's at least as good, if not better than my Wilson CQB in fit and finish, except it cost about $500, not $3000!

Just a quicky review here, so I'll just try to hit the good stuff: TRIGGER! The trigger has to be felt to be believed, again, think Wilson, STI, Nighthawk, etc., not any other $500 gun... the trigger is adjustable for pre-travel AND over-travel and breaks CLEAN even for just out of the box, and will only get better (already ordered a 13lb hammer spring, although I could live with it just fine as is at about 4.5lbs). The slide and controls move smooth as glass and I can't find a corner cut anywhere (even it's case is one of the nicest I've ever seen). QUALITY! In every detail, I have no idea why this gun cost what it costs... imagine if you walked into a Ford dealership, spent Ford money, except rolled home in a top of line Mercedes...

The Cons are: EAA as the importer, known to have some of the worst customer service ever and their chief gunsmith's foul attitude is legendary (not really a big deal since world-renowned shooter Henning Wallgren is the "real" go to guy on support questions for these pistols at: henningshootsguns.com, Henning Wallgren, coverage with video-clips from shooting matches around the world, eaa witness, tanfoglio pistols information resource center, practical & tactical pistol and rifle parts and accessories shop), also, the sights while adjustable LPA's could be better, and the after-market for these pistols is not very big (but the important needs are out there).

The most notable problem can be mags, specifically in 9mm and .40... these guns are all built on a large frame, enabling caliber conversion to .45, 10mm, and .38super just by buying $230 top ends and the appropriate mags, but the shorter rounds can have feeding issues if the newest mags with an integrated spacer aren't used (sometime soon, an even better 9/40 mag design should be being imported and available).

At some point in the future you may find me at an IDPA match shooting ESP with this set-up, then shooting CDP in .45 on the same frame with the EXACT same trigger and holster set-up, consistent and economical!

Anyways, I went through 300rds of wwb without a single issue and I'm positively stunned at what just over $500 has bought me... I HIGHLY recommend picking one of these up, after researching these (they have a small but enthusiastic following) I was initally concerned that some of the boasts would be exaggerations or hype... happy to report, NOT SO.

Final thought: I don't believe you can get a nicer gun for the money, period.

Here's a target of 10rds off-hand (rounds 41-50 through it to be exact) of wwb at 45ft in 8.56 seconds according to my iPhone shot timer (and this is BEFORE I adjusted the pre and over-travel which means I'd hit better today...) all while still not even used to it yet, it's a keeper!

Edited October 24, 2009 by CK1

[Magiccarpetrides]

freakin sweet!

[mk19]

Good stuff, the internal rail design guns are sweet. been wanting to buy a CZ but with the caliber convertions may go this way

[hipower]

Thanks for the recommendation. I recently sold a EAA Witness 45 and was thinking about the Elite.

[Guest CK1]

Good stuff, the internal rail design guns are sweet. been wanting to buy a CZ but with the caliber convertions may go this way

I thought about getting an SP-01 custom and having it converted to SA... but even after spending double, don't think the trigger could beat this one.

Edited October 24, 2009 by CK1

[frankmako]

nice looking gun. i been looking at getting one also.

[Guest KarlS]

Wow Very nice. Thanks for the detailed review.

[TGO David]

Nice! An SP-01 will end up in my care one of these days, but that's a nice piece of hardware.

[THE COOP]

I cant find it on buds, do you have a like to your specific gun? Thanks.... COOP

[I_Like_Pie]

Even without a sweet gun that is some pretty good shootin!

[Guest CK1]

I cant find it on buds, do you have a like to your specific gun? Thanks.... COOP

Here's the link: European American Armory 18 + 1 Round Two Tone 9MM w/Fully A for Sale at Buds Gun Shop $493.00

but, looks like the 9's are already gone (I've noticed that's how it tends to go with the Elite's, they're around, then they're not for a while... Usually there's a few on gunbroker at higher prices...), looks like they still have it in all the other calibers though... for now that is, they disappear fast.

(EDIT: just checked again, having a hard time resisting ordering the .45, looks like the 9's are still available...)

Edited October 25, 2009 by CK1

[Guest CK1]

Even without a sweet gun that is some pretty good shootin!

Thanks man, I noticed pretty quick that 9mm in a heavier gun (34oz empty like a 1911) is a *****cat... AND I've never had a gun with a trigger as good as this one (been shooting glocks for the last couple months exclusivly, and while I still love 'em, a crisp single-action is a thing of beauty...)!