Gunner Quinn
Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and this time, we’re on the range with one of the many, many options in European American Armory Corp.’s Witness2311 lineup. This is the Girsan Witness2311 Hunter, and it’s an option that handgunners and hunters have been asking for. Watch our video above to see it in use on the range.
When EAA Corp. launched its Witness2311 line in 2023, company CEO Keith Bernkrant promised that, eventually, consumers would be able to pick and choose their double-stack, M1911-style designs in a range of popular barrel lengths, chamberings and sight configurations. True to his word, the line now has compact, standard and long-barreled models, as well as options in 9 mm Luger, .45 ACP and 10 mm Auto. Optic-ready slides are available, as well as guns with a prominent set of target sights. And this mix-and-match combination has given consumers a great option in the form of the Witness2311 Hunter.
This longslide, double-stack, M1911-style handgun is unique in its class, and it gives handgun hunters and fans of the 10 mm Auto a potent, capable platform that squeezes out every last ounce of capability from the popular powerhouse cartridge. The Hunter model is equipped with a 6” barrel, which provides a bit of extra room to gain more velocity, and thus more power, out of fired 10 mm loads. The added sight radius on this gun also allows for more precise, steady aiming, as the overall length of the platform measures in at just over 9.5”.
A very nice set of target sights, dubbed the “Supersight” by EAA, makes as much use as possible of this length, providing a clear, blacked out, vertical rear sight that can be adjusted for windage and elevation simply by turning the setscrews in the sight body. For those looking to mount an optic, an optic-ready version of the Hunter is also available and features a milled section of slide accommodating red-dot sights of the Shield pattern.
Of course, one of the highlights of the Witness2311 design is its widened frame that accommodates a double-stack magazine. The name “2311” is a play on the 2011 design made famous by Staccato, updated with “23” for the year EAA launched this line. Like the original 2011, the frame is a hybrid design that incorporates a polymer grip, while the metal at the top of the frame is configured more like a conventional M1911. A metal mainspring housing with deep checkering, along with an extended beavertail thumb safety, makes this look and feel more like the M1911, despite the polymer. The grip accommodates U.S.-made magazines from Checkmate that hold up to 15 rounds of 10 mm Auto.
Weighing in at just about 2 lbs., the Witness2311 Hunter isn’t exactly a lightweight, but when you’re dealing with 10 mm Auto power, it’s nice to have a bit of weight to soften the recoil. The impulse from the cycling 6” slide was comfortable, and the gun ran reliably with a number of 10 mm loads. We especially appreciated the M1911-style control layout, particularly the mirrored manual safety levers on the frame. Inserting fresh magazines was a breeze, thanks to the huge magazine well funnel, and we also found EAA’s skeletonized hunting trigger to be serviceable and up to the task for game-getting. If you’re a fan of the 10 mm Auto and are looking for a new hunting handgun, the Witness2311 Hunter is worth a look.
EAA Girsan Witness2311 Hunter 10 Specifications
Manufacturer: Girsan (Turkey)
Importer: European American Armory Corp. (EAA)
Action Type: recoil-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
Chambering: 10 mm Auto
Slide: steel; Black Cerakote finish
Frame: steel and polymer
Barrel: 6″ steel
Magazine: 15-round detachable box
Sights: fully adjustable target-style rear, post front
Overall Length: 9.7″
Width: 1.63″
Weight: 30.4 ozs.
MSRP: $1,028
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