EAA Witness Steel Mag Problems

[fofive]

I purchased an EAA Witness Steel .45 ACP full size about a week ago, the gun fires and feeds reliably and is really accurate right out of the box. This is a brand new gun as far as I can tell, pulled it out of a blue plastic tanfoglio bag covered in smelly grease. The problem I'm having is that this gun is advertised to have a capactiy of 10+1 but if I actually load 10 rounds into the magazine I can't fully insert the magazine unless the slide is locked back. As far as the magazine itself goes, the only identifying marks on it are K45 and the numbers under the corresponding "windows" to show how many rounds are in the magazine.

There are windows for 4, 7 and 10 rounds so I know the mag was designed to hold 10 at least. The magazine can be fully inserted with 10 rounds in it but I have to use so much pressure to seat the mag it's just a bit scary and if I try to use the mag release to drop the mag afterwards it just feels "bad" like it's shaving metal off or something and I have to press really hard. This is my first tanfoglio so I'd like to get some opinions from tanfo owners on what the cause could be before I bother contacting EAA as I've heard their CS can be less than stellar. I've disassembled the gun and found no defects, removed the grips and found no obstructions. I also disassembled the magazine and found nothing to indicate any problems with it. Any help is much appreciated, thanks in advance!

P.S. I'm looking for a set of the factory wood grips, I had considered the hogue overmolded grips but I don't want to have to do all that sanding and fitting and the factory wood grips are a bit expensive considering what I spent on the gun already. I had expected rubber grips but received the plastic grips instead.

[jmbaccolyte]

I'm using the K-10 and K-40 mags and they don't like being loaded to full capacity either, especially when new. But I figgure, so what? I load 12 instead of 14. If I was a high speed competition guy, it would bother me, I guess, but I'm old and slow so it doesn't. I just practice slide-lock reloads a little more and call it good. The single stack 1911 in .45 works really well and only loads 7 or 8 with standard mags.

The only problems I've had with EAA Corp. customer service was at the height of the most recent ammo/components/parts shortage and all that happened was that they lost my order for 3 magazines.

I have the plastic grips on my Match, they fit me pretty well, rubber would probably be more comfortable, but considering the quality I received for the amount I paid for this pistol, it seems like a great bargain to me compared to other platforms.

I have 6K rounds total rounds through my Match with no failures to feed (FTF) or eject since I polished the feed ramp a little at approximately 2K rounds, and only very few FTF before that.

Just my two cents worth, but I'd shoot it and replace the recoil spring every 3K rounds and the extractor and extractor spring every 8K rounds and spend my money on reloading components. I understand that people get upset about different things and the things that piss you off may not bother me and vice-versa, but in my opinion, the Tanfos are one of the great deals of our era.

[Nealio]

The stock 10 round .45 mags are a serious PITA to get 10 rounds into.

I run the Henning H-500 pads (which gives a little extra wiggle room) so I can get 10 in and seat the mag without having to stomp on it..

Just my two cents worth, but I'd shoot it and replace the recoil spring every 3K rounds

I replace mine every 10K. Probably could go 15K. This isn't a 1911....

[jmbaccolyte]

Nealio- Its good to know that the recoil springs last that long. The one I changed out at 4K rounds seemed much lighter (when I changed it) than it had been when I put it in the pistol.

I bought the Sprinco for the 10mm loads as you suggested in an earlier post, but I'm still running Henning's guide rod with the milder loads. Are you getting 10K rounds on the recoil springs because you're using the Sprinco with them (even on the milder loads)?

... This isn't a 1911....

Are you making fun of my name? We haf laws about dat.

[fofive]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Wow I was hoping to not have to spend any extra money to make my gun reach it's listed capacity, a $30 base pad is a bit much considering all I want is for my 10 round magazine to actually hold 10 rounds and be functional. I'm guessing these are the newest production mags for this gun and contacting EAA would just be swapping this "bad" mag for another identical one with the same problem? I've seen a few threads on here mentioning shaving down the follower legs, after I go hassle the retailer a bit to see if I can get a new mag gratis I may consider trying that out. At least that way I'll have a backup mag should anything go wrong lol.

So far I've really enjoyed shooting this gun, it's very controllable, only having shot a .45 once before buying this gun I was a bit worried it would be a recoil monster like the compact 1911 I had tried out previously but I was pleasantly surprised by just how tame the tanfoglio was. All I need now is to find a good IWB holster, preferably something for appendix style carry though pretty much anything IWB that's a good fit with solid retention will do. I've heard finding a good CCW holster for this gun can be a bit of a hunt so any recommendations would be awesome. Thanks again.

[fofive]

lol I'm not trying to sound cheap (which I am) but I bought this gun for CCW and the occasional back yard target practice with my buddies, I can't justify spending $30 to add weight and length to my gun just to make it function as advertised.

[jmbaccolyte]

I understand that you're bothered that EAA Corp told you the mags hold 10 rounds and its really hard to get 10 rounds in them. But does it really matter whether you have seven or ten rounds in your magazine? I have carried a 1911 with seven round mags without feeling inadequate. Just bring an extra magazine or two and get on with it.

As for the magazine base pads that Nealio suggested costing $30, well, Henning's stuff is expensive, but its all top quality.

And about the cost of pistols (and shooting) these days: My Tanfoglio Match only cost me about $600, but I spend more than that on ammo each year and I reload (fifty rounds of .40 costs me a little under $7 and I buy my bullets). If you're really cheap, cast your own bullets out of wheelweights (before the progressives ban lead alloy wheelweights because supposedly they aren't good for the environment- CA has already done that and mandated zinc wheelweights which don't work for casting bullets). By casting your own bullets, you can shoot for $3 a box or so depending on what you can get the wheelweights for, if you don't count your labor.

Edited November 5, 2013 by jmbaccolyte

[kneelingatlas]

Just trim a 1/4" off the back leg of the follower and you'll be good to go.

[Nealio]

Nealio- Its good to know that the recoil springs last that long. The one I changed out at 4K rounds seemed much lighter (when I changed it) than it had been when I put it in the pistol.

I bought the Sprinco for the 10mm loads as you suggested in an earlier post, but I'm still running Henning's guide rod with the milder loads. Are you getting 10K rounds on the recoil springs because you're using the Sprinco with them (even on the milder loads)?

... This isn't a 1911....

Are you making fun of my name? We haf laws about dat.

I didn't realize your username was referencing John Moses until now..

I haven't shot enough 10mm to change my recoil spring on that gun yet. On my 9mm I think I changed it at 10k the first time then at 8K (only because I wanted to try the 6lb, then figured I'd would throw in a new 8lb when I was done experimenting). The .45 just got a new 10.75 at the beginning of the summer, so its got a ways to go.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Nealio

[kneelingatlas]

I didn't realize your username was referencing John Moses until now..

Was jmbacolyte already taken???

[jmbaccolyte]

Nealio- Its good; just trying to be funny.

Kneelingatlas- When I was taking Sunday school classes (a really long time ago), I think that "accolyte" was the common spelling. At least I believe it was, in the religion that I was raised in.

Everyone- The username wasn't intended to be sacrilegious, just meant to imply that I have vast respect for Mr. Browning's accomplishments.

The CZ/Tanfoglio platform fits my hands really well and oddly enough, the ergonomics kind of resemble those of the Browning High Power. I know that J.M.B. didn't design all of the B.H.P, but I think he started the design before he died. My Tanfo Witness Match is a really sweet pistol (especially for the price) and I shoot it more than the 1911 these days, partly because I collected truly once fired .40S&W brass from LEO qualifications for many years. If I find a quality 1911 in .40S&W (especially with an aluminum or polymer frame and a barrel with a integral feed ramp) that fits in my budget, then I may switch back, but for now I mostly shoot the Witness Match for fun and carry the full size Polymer and use the same magazines for both pistols. Life is good as the ads say.

Edited November 6, 2013 by jmbaccolyte