EEA corp

[Vampyredark]

Does anyone own a EEA gun? Any type at all? I mean how is their vindicator revolver, and their witness guns?

Tell me about the lateral play in the cylinder of the revolver and any other detailed information. Please leave personal opinions out, but tell me if you have had many problems, or none at all.

And, no I am not looking for a Glock! So please no "Get a Glock" statements because I am not really sure I am going to buy at this time, just doing ample research.

[Dr Rockso]

European American Armory, EAA.

The Witness is a CZ clone, they're nice guns but now that real CZs are available in the USA (unlike back in the day when Czechoslovakia was behind the iron curtain) there's less of an incentive to buy the Witness over a CZ-75. I've never seen a Windicator in person.

[Vampyredark]

European American Armory, EAA.

The Witness is a CZ clone, they're nice guns but now that real CZs are available in the USA (unlike back in the day when Czechoslovakia was behind the iron curtain) there's less of an incentive to buy the Witness over a CZ-75. I've never seen a Windicator in person.

right on, thanks for the reply.

Anyone else, please go a head.....

[Woodworker2]

The advantage of the EAA Witness series is the wide selection of factory parts. If you buy a .45, it can easily been changed into a .22lr, 9mm, 10mm, 40 S&W, 38 Super, 41 AE, and a few others with factory caliber conversion kits. Need to add an ambi safety, it costs about $75. Like to have a single or double compensator, easy. Need a compact frame, but a regular length slide, it takes less than 2 minutes to convert.

With the CZ, the frame is machined differently for an ambi safety. .22lr kits are available for the 9mm and .40, but not the .45. Can't change calibers. CZs are still very nice guns though, particularly the Tactical Sports.

[nick]

I disagree about there not being incentives to buy a Witness. First of all, it's not a straight up clone. A regular Witness is on par with CZ-75 (and yes, I have both, so I can actually compare them), with oneajor difference - easy caliber conversions. Yes, you can have one frame and multiple uppers, in 9mm, .22, .40, .45ACP, .38 Super, and 10mm. Those are the regular Witnesses, and then there's there Elite line. I have their Elite Match in .40, and it's one of my favorite guns to shoot. Utterly reliable, accurate, and the trigger is on par with a good 1911. However, fthe price is not, even though I had to pay CA premium for it.

The only downside OS ordering parts from EAA. The parts are inexpensive, and are generally in stock, but you better do your research before ordering from them, for they generally have no idea what they're doing or talking about.

[calcustom]

I had done some research on the EAA.
I found reports of slide and frame issues.
This put me off and I decided not to purchase.

[mes227]

I've not shot one but the EAAs do get good reviews.

[airwolfipsc@yahoo.com]

I have owned a small witness frame Eaa converted into an compensated gun that took a CZ magazine in 9mm..that was a hoot to shoot and very fast slide!this was an old pre 1993 frame and had no issue with it.

I use to own the witness elite Eric Custom model, bought 3 of them!! had barrel lug issues and destroyed the slide and the barrel!! Eaa waranty the slide and waited 1 year for them to replace it, thats why i bought another gun but only to find out that it did the same thing. This Eaa model took a wide body magazine same size as the caspian double stack 1911. My recommendation, dont get one! buy the CZ and customer service will be better. Last dealing I had with Eaa was I bought a NEW conversion kit in 38 super, had it custom fit and then same barrel and slide destroyed it self again and EAA would not warranty the top end coz I touched it and customize the item.If you are crazy about the gun, buy it factory and shoot the heck out of it until you have about 5k rounds thru it with no issues. I would then customize it if you want, otherwise, warranty will be VOIDED and your gun will be trash!

[dwtt]

European American Armory, EAA.

The Witness is a CZ clone, they're nice guns but now that real CZs are available in the USA (unlike back in the day when Czechoslovakia was behind the iron curtain) there's less of an incentive to buy the Witness over a CZ-75. I've never seen a Windicator in person.

This isn't correct, as pointed out by nick. The CZ guns are made in Italy (at least my full size steel model was) and is the same design as the CZ-75, but it's not a clone. The parts are not interchangable and it's ridiculous for anyone to say the Witness pistols are a clone of the CZ-75. The CZ-75 is designed and engineered in the Czech Republic, and the Witness guns are designed and engineered in Italy. EAA is an importer and distributor. As others have pointed out already, the Witness allows different calibers to be shot with the same frame by changing the slide, barrel, and magazines. I have a full size steel frame Witness in .45, but also have a second slide and barrel for 10mm. If I ever decide to shoot .40 S&W or 9mm from this gun, I can just buy another slide and barrel. You can't do this with a CZ-75, even if some people say a Witness is a clone.

[Dr Rockso]

This isn't correct, as pointed out by nick. The CZ guns are made in Italy (at least my full size steel model was) and is the same design as the CZ-75, but it's not a clone. The parts are not interchangable and it's ridiculous for anyone to say the Witness pistols are a clone of the CZ-75. The CZ-75 is designed and engineered in the Czech Republic, and the Witness guns are designed and engineered in Italy. EAA is an importer and distributor. As others have pointed out already, the Witness allows different calibers to be shot with the same frame by changing the slide, barrel, and magazines. I have a full size steel frame Witness in .45, but also have a second slide and barrel for 10mm. If I ever decide to shoot .40 S&W or 9mm from this gun, I can just buy another slide and barrel. You can't do this with a CZ-75, even if some people say a Witness is a clone.

I guess in this case I'm not trying to suggest that 'clone' means 'direct copy' (perhaps 'CZ-75 derivative' would be more appropriate?) The EAA/Tanfoglio, Jericho 941, Armalite AR-24, and lots of others are widely regarded as 'clones' of the CZ-75 design, despite not being direct copies of it, due to the fact that the design was of Czech origin and thus unencumbered by western patents during the Cold War.

And yes, the EAA has interchangeable slides and barrels for caliber changes. If that's a feature important to the OP he should take it into account. I will point out that the CZ Kadet kits are an excellent (albeit a bit pricy) way to convert a CZ-75 to shoot .22lr.

[dfletcher]

I have an older Tanfoglio, small framed TZ 90 as compared to the current EAA larger framed, believe they're all made by the same company. The old Castro Valley Gun Store had it sitting in their display case for about 5 years - it was in 41 AE. When Bullseye bought the store they just wanted it gone and I got it new for $199.00. Added a used 9mm barrel from Numrich and now I have a two barrel set pistol for all of about $275.00.

I have a CZ97 (larger gun) and always looked at the Tanfoglio/EAA as sort of the "ugly sister" but I have to say I'm happy with the gun's fit & finish. It has a typical DA/SA pull, the sights are prominent, it works fine. In general CZ75 magazines (the 41 AE uses 40 S & W) work fine.

The smaller framed TZ can't be converted to 10mm, 38 Super or 45 ACP but you can do 9mm Luger, 9X21, 41 AE with just a barrel change. Doing 40 S & W (I'm told) requires barrel & slide as does the 22 conversion kit. EAA had a few in stock, got one for about $200.00 and it works fine.

[NytWolf]

I had done some research on the EAA.
I found reports of slide and frame issues.
This put me off and I decided not to purchase.

That is incomplete information (and therefore, misleading). Please do not mislead the readers here. The Witnesses that had the problems were specifically a particular batch of the Witness models that had the Wonder finish. In particular, word has it Tangfolio didn't heat treat the slides long enough, so the cracking occurred ... on the 10mm models. And even at that, the problems are sporadic among the batch.

EAA customer service was real shady, but after numerous complaints from the public, they have since changed their customer service stance and are doing better warranty work. For magazines that cause FTF's, etc, they have been replacing them at no cost.

For the price, they are very hard to beat.

[gun fu]

I still own couple EAA Witness LSP . Great guns and EAA is the Importer. As the thread indicated, CZ design and manufactured by Tanfoglio in Italy. I did have a Gunsmith do a complete once over and convert to Open division. for USPSA/IPSC shooting.

[more1911]

I agree with Gun Fu, I still own 3 and all
are great guns never had any malfuction and shoots good.

[1911Luvr]

I have had both. I had the Witness in .40 S&W and enjoyed it, but didn't like the wonder (silver) finish that much. Overall it was a very well built gun so I would recommend it. That said I absolutely love my CZ-75b in 9mm and wouldn't trade it for the world- well maybe for a nice Colt Commander in 9mm...