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Post by ruber on Dec 12, 2018 19:36:05 GMT -5
Ya, I have a soft spot for grimy old secondhand unwanted pistols. As I have been thinning the CZ herd, I saw this old Witness 45 gathering dust. I figured it needed a home, so it now keeps my remaining CZ 75 company.
Well weathered and filthy but looks to be in good mechanical shape. Not the stock trigger, and adjusted too tight to be reliable in DA, this should be a fun project!
Will post a range report after I change out springs and work on the trigger/overtravel screw.
ps. if anyone is keeping track, I’ve seen this slide style (no front serrations and rails do not extend the full length) on large frame witnesses from 1992-94. This one is from ‘94. Would like to know if others have one outside that date range.
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Post by CXM on Dec 13, 2018 8:07:44 GMT -5
Hope you enjoy the EAA 45... I used to have have one and it was a big beast...but shot well and was reliable...
Please let us know how you like it,.
V/r
CHuck
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Post by gt40doc on Dec 13, 2018 13:42:56 GMT -5
I had an EAA Witness in 9mm that was a good performer. I changed out the original trigger, as it was brutal to my finger. My dentist talked me out of it. That was many moons ago.
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Post by ruber on Dec 16, 2018 20:59:06 GMT -5
I managed to get it cleaned up and a new recoil spring and got it to the range this afternoon. I wanted to run some rounds through it before I invested too much.
Generally, I like it. It feeds and fires well. Extraction is a bit erratic and I knocked the safety ‘on’ three times, so I think a full suite of springs and some small parts may be in order. It already has an EDG Extreme trigger, so no bite or rough edges there, felt pretty good.
When I first get a gun, I like to do the rangemaster drill (25 yrds-5 shots slow fire; 15 yrds-5 in 15 sec, 5 in 10 sec; 7 yrds- 5-mag change-5 more in 15 sec; 5 yrds- 5 shots in 5 sec- all from low ready safety on, B-8 target). I’ll usually run it first with a known gun with same ammo. Kind of a fun, cheap way to find out what you like in a given gun (30 rounds and one target).
This afternoon, the witness went up against my HK USP Elite. Match trigger, extended sight radius, flared mag well. Not really fair... It was pretty easy to score a 287 after 5 warm up rounds and using S&B ball range ammo.
I ran the same ammo & drill for the Witness. The safety engaged during a couple of the timed strings, so I did not get three shots off in time. I took the shots anyway, and decided to take 30 pts off the score. Total score was 279 - 30 for 249. Without the safety issue or brass hitting my forehead, it would have been over 280 for sure.
Soo... ya, definitely has potential! Compared with the HK (ergonomics of a 2x4 and aesthetics of a AMC Gremlin), the witness is a pleasure to handle and shoot.
I think I’ll start with new extractor/spring, and look at whether it needs a new safety or if new springs will do the trick there. Not sure if it is me or the safety, but I don’t have this problem with my CZ’s and the safety on this is really sloppy & mushy. I will probably get a new hammer spring and new guide rod as well.
ps. One thing to note was that the Hk had most shots in the bull, the missed points came from 6 outliers. The Witness target looked like a well centered shotgun pattern, no fliers, but no tight grouping either.
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Post by CXM on Dec 17, 2018 8:26:25 GMT -5
Funny you mention Rangemaster, I ran into Tom GIvens about two weeks ago at a seminar he sponsored in which Ed Meriles the FBI agent who finished off the two ED's at the Maimi shoot out in 1986... Tom is 'sorta' retired and now lives in Florida... BTW the seminar was extremely interesting and well worth the time... Mas Ayoob was there as well... which was a good indication the seminar was going to be a good one. FWIW Chuck I managed to get it cleaned up and a new recoil spring and got it to the range this afternoon. I wanted to run some rounds through it before I invested too much. Generally, I like it. It feeds and fires well. Extraction is a bit erratic and I knocked the safety ‘on’ three times, so I think a full suite of springs and some small parts may be in order. It already has an EDG Extreme trigger, so no bite or rough edges there, felt pretty good. When I first get a gun, I like to do the rangemaster drill (25 yrds-5 shots slow fire; 15 yrds-5 in 15 sec, 5 in 10 sec; 7 yrds- 5-mag change-5 more in 15 sec; 5 yrds- 5 shots in 5 sec- all from low ready safety on, B-8 target). I’ll usually run it first with a known gun with same ammo. Kind of a fun, cheap way to find out what you like in a given gun (30 rounds and one target). This afternoon, the witness went up against my HK USP Elite. Match trigger, extended sight radius, flared mag well. Not really fair... It was pretty easy to score a 287 after 5 warm up rounds and using S&B ball range ammo. I ran the same ammo & drill for the Witness. The safety engaged during a couple of the timed strings, so I did not get three shots off in time. I took the shots anyway, and decided to take 30 pts off the score. Total score was 279 - 30 for 249. Without the safety issue or brass hitting my forehead, it would have been over 280 for sure. Soo... ya, definitely has potential! Compared with the HK (ergonomics of a 2x4 and aesthetics of a AMC Gremlin), the witness is a pleasure to handle and shoot. I think I’ll start with new extractor/spring, and look at whether it needs a new safety or if new springs will do the trick there. Not sure if it is me or the safety, but I don’t have this problem with my CZ’s and the safety on this is really sloppy & mushy. I will probably get a new hammer spring and new guide rod as well. |
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Post by ruber on Dec 17, 2018 16:51:17 GMT -5
Wow, must have been pretty good! I remember reading Mas’ articles in my dad’s gun mags growing up.
I bet in the era of flashier, newer, marketing, it was great to be in a room surrounded by that much real world experience and practical knowledge.
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Post by ruber on Mar 18, 2019 20:19:14 GMT -5
And the saga continues... As I dug deeper into the witness, lots of gunk and weak, broken, or cut springs. So I replaced them all with factory springs and gave it a thorough bath. That brought the SA trigger pull up to 5 lbs, but made it smooth and crisp. It also made the safety much more positive. I don’t like that the sear spring doubles as the safety spring, but anyways, reset and safety are much more positive now. The gun also stopped throwing brass at my forehead... so now on to working on the fun stuff. I’m down to my single, favorite CZ 75: a 75B in 40 s&w. It is typically host to a Kadet 22 lr kit, so the fpb lifter is gone (as the kadet does not have a fpb). It also has the CGW 85c trigger and a CGW fitted disco. I’ve also fitted a 9mm sp01 barrel to it, so it is good to go with 40sw, 9mm, or 22 lr. The Witness is the large frame companion, in .45 now, but with a 10mm slide assembly on the way. So... hopefully soon, I’ll have a pretty solid platform with a good range of ammo choices.  |
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Post by CXM on Mar 19, 2019 10:52:54 GMT -5
It was a really good seminar... Mirales is a very interesting speaker who was completely frank addressing the mistakes made and what went wrong... Mas is a very down to earth guy who has a LOT of good information... easy to talk to and fun to be around... Tom Givens was there as well... he is less of an extrovert than a lot of people, but very knowledgeable. FWIW Chuck Wow, must have been pretty good! I remember reading Mas’ articles in my dad’s gun mags growing up. I bet in the era of flashier, newer, marketing, it was great to be in a room surrounded by that much real world experience and practical knowledge. |
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