New Product Highlight: Girsan Witness2311 CMX
This new 2011-style pistol from EAA looks just like the top-shelf alternatives, but only costs a third as much.
PPT Editor. Marine vet, hunter, and long-range shooter. Articles in 10+ major publications
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If you want a 2011-style pistol, you have options. Manufacturers of fine firearms have you covered even if you want to use one as your EDC pistol – just be prepared to spend $2,000, $3,000, or more to get one.
Unless you take a shine to the very budget-friendly Girsan Witness 2311 CMX brought to the U.S. by EAA. Then you’ll only have to pay a fraction of those prices.
Girsan Witness2311 CMX Specs & Features
Specs
- Caliber: 9mm
- Action: Semi-automatic, single action
- Capacity: 17+1
- Optic-Ready: Yes (RMSc)
- Barrel Length: 4.25”
- Overall Length: 8”
- Weight: 26 oz
- Country of Origin: Turkey
- MSRP: $999
Features
- Firing-pin-block safety instead of grip safety
- Directly milled for RMSc optics
- Bull barrel
At first blush, this looks like your average 2011 or double-stack 1911. Cue weight-saving cuts on the slide, a skeletonized hammer, heavy barrel (tapered, in this case), and 4.5-pound single-action trigger.
There are some key differences, though.
Did you notice there’s no grip safety? That’s because Girsan opted for an internal firing-pin block to keep grip dimensions smaller and avoid failures to fire caused by suboptimal hand position in defensive situations.
The Witness2311 CMX still uses standard Check-Mate 2011 magazines, but this feature reminds me of the more duty- and carry-focused Staccato HD P4 we reviewed.
The magazine well is flared, though it’s fairly tame for the 2011 world. That keeps the pistol’s profile a little bit slimmer for concealed carry.
Three-dot sights look pretty basic, but the slide is cut for RMSc optics and the frame rail is ready for your pistol light of choice.
Best of all, this pistol checks in under a grand. EAA lists an MSRP of $999 for the Girsan Witness2311 CMX.
There’s also a new Witness2311 CMXX, which features a compensator. That one’s available in 9mm, 10mm, and .45 ACP for an MSRP of $1,149.
We recently reviewed the Girsan 2311 Match, and came away genuinely impressed.
It was accurate, pleasant to shoot, and didn't suffer a single malfunction in 500 rounds. Sure, the fit and finish wasn’t on par with Staccato, but neither was the price.
What do you think of the new Girsan Witness2311 CMX? Let us know below. Looking for something at the other end of the price spectrum? Check out our Kimber 2K11 Review!