Upgrade Wonder Finish or buy a Stock or Limited Pro?

[BuckRimfire]

I've had a base-model Witness steel frame Wonder Finish in 10 mm for about 2 years now, with something like 500 rounds through it. Mine has the slide with gripping grooves at both the front and rear, not only under the rear sight as in some of the photos I've seen. It's my only centerfire auto, and really the only centerfire auto I've shot more than a handful of rounds through. (I've got a Ruger Mk II and a half-dozen DA revolvers also, from .22 LR to .44 Mag.) When I first got it, I shot it horribly, but I have gotten it under control to the point that I can make groups @ 25 yards not TOO much worse than my .22s. It helps that the trigger pull has smoothed out noticably with use, and if I concentrate for all I'm worth, I can get it to break without disturbing the sights more than is typical for me.

I've been drooling over the nicer Tanfos since day one. Of course, I'd *like* one of each, but realistically, I'll be getting zero or one. I'd like to stay with models that can use the mags I already have, if possible. Since I'm most used to shooting DA revolvers, I tend to look seriously only at the DA models, which is a bit pointless, since I have little intention to do anything other than slow-fire punch paper with it (I would keep the WF for possible backwoods carry). "Why 10 mm?" would be an obvious question for range use, to which I would only lamely answer "load fewer calibers" and "I like weird."

So, finally, my questions: I'm fairly happy with the accuracy of the WF gun, but I'm sure it could be better. What can be done to tune up the trigger in this gun, and how much difference would you expect between doing that and buying a Stock I for my purposes? What more do you get for moving up to a Limited Pro? And finally, am I a fool for not switching to an SA trigger?

[Nealio]

From what you describe, it sounds like the Match would be a great gun for you. If you have a DA gun already, then I would get an SAO gun. The Match gives you the longer slide and barrel like a Limited pro, but with a SA trigger. You get better sights (which could be part of your accuracy issues), and you could get a holster that fits both. As far as the SA goes, its all the same parts between a standard witness and a Stock I. All you need is some polish on some key areas to smooth it out. Add a lighter hammer spring and a longer firing pin and you can get the DA down to a smooth 6.5 lbs, with the SA being more like 3.

[johnbu]

Search here for a steo by step diy trigger job.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=193360&page=1

Polish, polish, polish. You will need a dremel or similar to help w that.

Change the plunger spring to "click pen" spring.

Get the Henning hammer spring kit (I use the 13#) and his extended firing pin.

The click pen spring us free, the other stuff is quite reasonable. So for little $ and a few hours of your labir, the trigger will astound you.

Edited January 22, 2015 by johnbu

[Nealio]

I would just cut 1-1.5 coils off the plunger spring.

[Prov1x]

I would just cut 1-1.5 coils off the plunger spring.

Do this, the click spring thing sucks and leaves the trigger very mushy with a faint reset. Just cut 1 to 1.5 coils, which isn't a lot, it will make a difference but still leave you with a positive reset.

[gennaro]

If you don't want to cut your original plunger spring , Henning has lighter plunger springs available along with a bunch of other trigger parts to help you achieve your personal goals.

You may want to be a bit careful with his Tanfoglio Last Defense guide rod. ( It kinda does look cool though. )

Best of luck.

Edited January 22, 2015 by gennaro

[BuckRimfire]

No thanks on the Last Defence, but that reminds me, I did install the Hennings cone fit guide rod, and a 20 pound Wolff recoil spring.

I also got a 6 pound spring which I used with 140 grain tcfp lead bullets over 4 grains of Trail Boss. Those made a neat kitten-tickling load. I only had a little sample pack of those bullets, but I'll get more eventually. They were fun to shoot, and a hell of a lot less distracting than full-on 10 mm!

I have zero gunsmithing experience, so tearing into the trigger myself is a little uncertain. I'm not unwilling to getting a few punches, but only to do things that are nearly idiot-proof. I'll read the trigger job link above, but not sure if I'll be able to judge how tricky it is. I certainly don't like things that tend to fly apart and spray parts around the room! Otherwise, the cost of hiring out the gunsmithing would be weighed against just getting a new pistol with the desired characteristics...which obviously would be more expensive, but then: two guns!

Beyond the trigger issues, are there thought to be significant differences in the mechanical accuracy (i.e. when in a Ransom Rest) between the various models, or are the upgrades primarily to shoot and reload faster? I know my barrel doesn't lock up completely tight in the slide (at the muzzle). It takes a bit of force to move it up off the bottom of the hole in the front of the slide, but how precisely it returns to that position between shots, I couldn't guess.

Edited January 23, 2015 by BuckRimfire

[Steve Moneypenny]

I would just cut 1-1.5 coils off the plunger spring.

I would just cut 1-1.5 coils off the plunger spring.

Do this, the click spring thing sucks and leaves the trigger very mushy with a faint reset. Just cut 1 to 1.5 coils, which isn't a lot, it will make a difference but still leave you with a positive reset.

I second the cut a coil or two, that whole clicky pen spring thing is a bit dumb to me, hell the pens don't work why the hell would you trust the spring to make your gun run.

The Elite series has match grade barrels in them, my Stock 1 shot 1" at 20 yards all day with various types of ammo, my 10mm or RIA clone won't come close to that accuracy.