Thinking about getting another 45, and I have always wondered about the EAA Witness.

Mainly, I am looking for something with an exposed hammer and shorter length. Double action is an option but not necessary.

Everything else being equal, a version of a 1911 combat commander might be my choice but I'm also considering other designs as well.

Anyway, they are making a Witness in a compact size, looks like in both a steel and polymer frame. Any thoughts on those? I don't really think they are any lighter, about the only benefit I could see would be in corrosion protection but it would be easy enough to put a coating on a steel frame....

So if anyone has any exposure to them I'd appreciate your thoughts. Or on any other compact frame 45 with an exposed hammer of some sort, single or double action.

Pricewise, I'd rather have a 5 or 6 hundred dollar gun I liked than a 3-4 hundred dollar gun I didn't.

Thanks!

Mark

Mark, I have several EAA Witness guns in 45ACP, 38 Super, 10mm. and 9x21. None of them however, are compact. I have had zero problems with them and think they are excellent value for money. My only Commander size gun is a Charles Daly which also is/was an excellent value and functions perfectly. Having said that, for size, I prefer my S&W Shorty Forty which is also extremely accurate.
Peter.

Mark, I have one in 40 S&W. Like the CZ, they just seem to fit my hand. Mine functions perfectly, all the time. I have never had any problems with it, at all.

Rock Island carry size. Best value out there.

Have 4 Tanfolio pistols with the 9mm sized frame.


Two are 40s with complete 9mm top ends as well. One is a long slide Springfield Armory P9 World Cup in 9x21. The last is a custom racegun in 9x21.


Have had good service from all four. Have broken one firing pin over the years.

The frames show no significant wear on the rails after many rounds.

I personally like the ergonomics and consider the Tanfolio CZ75 to be only slightly less desirable than the SIG P22X series.

Bought my brother a Rock Island Armory compact last year as a house gun. Impeccable accuracy. Added a set of Marine Corps Grips (his branch) and it's good to go. Bought myself one this year. Absolute best buy in a 1911 out there. So it's cast and made in Phillipines. It's impeccable in it's finish ,has an extended safety ,lowered port and accuracy is without fault. I just put a decent set of grips and it's 'good to go'also. I say it's best buy and I've been building and shooting 1911's since 1952and currently also shoot a Kimber Eclipse and truly can't say the Kimber shoots any better. MAYBE a little better trigger and does have adjustable sights which I have never had to adjust as I basically just shoot hardball.

I have one of the Winess compacts, all steel, 45acp, double-single action. I like it very well. It is plenty accurate enough for a good CCG. It doesn't like to feed wadcutters but I haven't even tried to throat it so it would, as I prefer hardball anyway. It is flawless with hardball. It appears to be a well made pistol but I have put less than 1,000 rds. through mine. No problems yet though. I bought mine for a bedside pistol. I believe if I was going to carry it frequently I would get the model with the polymer frame in order to reduce the weight a little.

I had a full sized EAA witness .45 and liked it a lot. It was comfortable and fit my hands great. It was accurate and feed all the ammo I ran thru it including my semi wade cutters. Mine was one of the early ones that had the trimmed down slide. The slide cracked as did many of them. They had awesome customer service and replaced my slide in no time flat. One of my friend fell in love with it, so I sold it to him. I have plenty of .45's! My brother shoots an EAA Witness 10mm. It is crazy accurate and functions flawlessly. Only draw back is that it sends the spent brass into the next county.