EAA Witness

[elroy]

I had a student bring a gun to the range recently that I had never seen or shot before, an EAA witness. It was a SA/DA semi-auto with a safety, but to my surprise, no de-cocking lever!

I had to teach him how to load and charge the gun then carefully lower the hammer by pulling the trigger. Needless to say I think this is a risky design, especially for beginners.

Couple that with the fact that it was a very large and heavy gun, but only chambered for 9mm and I was left thinking that there are so many better choices out there. It seemed reasonably well made and functioned and shot well though.

[JJ]

Why would you need to lower the hammer and carry hammer down? It has a safety for condition one carry, and a firing pin block that will prevent the firing pin from striking unless the trigger is being pulled.

I carry a Witness, as well as shoot IDPA in ESP (condition 1) and SSP (condition 2). Never had an ND. never had any issues with safety.

[minnesotatv]

I had a student bring a gun to the range recently that I had never seen or shot before, an EAA witness. It was a SA/DA semi-auto with a safety, but to my surprise, no de-cocking lever!

I had to teach him how to load and charge the gun then carefully lower the hammer by pulling the trigger. Needless to say I think this is a risky design, especially for beginners.

Couple that with the fact that it was a very large and heavy gun, but only chambered for 9mm and I was left thinking that there are so many better choices out there. It seemed reasonably well made and functioned and shot well though.

apparently YOU don't know what you're doing.

[elroy]

I DO know what I'm doing and even though I have carried a 1911 in Condition 1 for years, I would NEVER suggest it for a beginner.

This might be a fine gun for experienced shooters like yourself, but IMHO there are better choices for the novice.

[Seismic Sam]

And having never heard of an EAA before, you aren't really familiar with the kinds of guns out there. The gun is heavy because they come in 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10mm, and 45 ACP, and they're all steel and damn strong at that.

Hmmm, my memory must be going on me again, because I don't remember any decocking lever on a 1911 or a Browning Hi-Power either....

[Special Projects]

I have remorse for trading my Witness away, one of the best out-of-the-box shooters I've had.

[LarryFlew]

What can you say besides HUH?

[sgruenhagen44]

I DO know what I'm doing and even though I have carried a 1911 in Condition 1 for years, I would NEVER suggest it for a beginner.

This might be a fine gun for experienced shooters like yourself, but IMHO there are better choices for the novice.

Why? how is cocked and locked with a 1911 anymore dangerous than a glock or any other gun for that matter? If anything the glock would be more dangerous than the 1911 cuz it has no safety at all.

[Ron Burgundy]

Why? how is cocked and locked with a 1911 anymore dangerous than a glock or any other gun for that matter? If anything the glock would be more dangerous than the 1911 cuz it has no safety at all.

Someone will be along shortly to post a diagram of all three Glock safeties.

[elroy]

And having never heard of an EAA before, you aren't really familiar with the kinds of guns out there.

I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I said that I had never seen, nor shot one. It was, in fact, the first SA/DA that I have seen/shot that didn't have a decocking lever.

In fact I AM familiar with many of the kinds of guns out there, I just don't profess to be an expert on all of them and haven't had the privilege of shooting them all. Yet.

[elroy]

Someone will be along shortly to post a diagram of all three Glock safeties.

Beat me to it.

Both carry methods have their place and I myself have regularly (at one time or another) employed them. Having said that, I would never suggest a 1911 for a self-defense weapon for a beginner. Not because it is more dangerous, but because it is more complicated. The same holds for a SA/DA IMHO.

[FJ540]

If you train with the 1911, there's nothing more complicated about using it. Or are you saying most people are too stupid to sweep off the safety as they bring their thumb down onto the grip and should use a gun which has no protection from accidental firing if something were to get inside the holster - as somehow that's safer?

I forget who was telling me about it, but Saturday there was discussion of someone who'd shot themselves in the calf as the draw string on their jacket got in between the trigger guard and their holster with a glock. That wouldnt've happened with the 1911 and it's 2 safeties.

IMO, a safety prevents the trigger from operating the weapon. Say all you want about the drop prevention qualities of the glock design - if you put anything in the trigger guard, it's going to fire.

[Ron Burgundy]

Say all you want about the drop prevention qualities of the glock design - if you put anything in the trigger guard, it's going to fire.

That's my favorite part!

[sgruenhagen44]

Why? how is cocked and locked with a 1911 anymore dangerous than a glock or any other gun for that matter? If anything the glock would be more dangerous than the 1911 cuz it has no safety at all.

Someone will be along shortly to post a diagram of all three Glock safeties.

haha I already though about that too.

[LarryFlew]

I'm sorry I wasn't more clear. I said that I had never seen, nor shot one. It was, in fact, the first SA/DA that I have seen/shot that didn't have a decocking lever.

WOW, No SIG, CZ, Canik, Taurus, Beretta, Ruger and on and on and on. Almost every brand out there makes an SA/DA with safety that needs to be either carried condition one or de-cocked manually which we did for hundreds of years before the recent advent of de-cockers?

WItness makes some great competition guns as well as regular guns.