Overview
European American Armory, in collaboration with Turkey's Girsan, has been importing a new series of double-stack 1911s, dubbed the Witness 2311 line, for the past couple of years. Originally just offered in polymer-framed variants, which we've reviewed, EAA for 2025 shifted gears and began to market a pair of guns with alloy frames.
We had both of these interesting pistols on hand, so the obvious thing to do in a review was to bundle them together.
For full disclosure, EAA sent Guns.com these two pistols for review purposes. All testing was done using one example of each gun, both of which have been under evaluation since late January 2025.
Shared Specs & Features
As these two pistols are extremely similar except for the frame material and top half, we'll avoid duplication by covering the shared specifications and frame-based features.
This leads to identical specs, with the only differences being in overall weight (the Match X is lighter) and sight radius (due to the Match X's compensator). Also, we found a negligible difference in average trigger pull weight between the two pistols.
Specs:
- Overall length: 8.75 inches
- Barrel length: 5 inches, tapered bull barrel on Match or ported with integral compensator on Match X
- Sight radius: 6.36 inches on Match, 5.6 inches on Match X (due to comp)
- Overall width: 1.59 inches at the widest point over the controls, slide is 0.91 inches.
- Overall height: 5.8 inches to the top of the sights with a flush-fit magazine
- Magazine capacity: 17+1 double-stack OEM flush fit, 20+1 round extended (ships with both)
- Trigger pull: 4.2 pounds Match single action (10-pull average as tested), 3.9 pounds on Match X
- Frame material: Steel with polymer grip insert on Match S, aluminum with polymer on Match X
- Weight, with empty 17-round OEM magazine, no optic: 41 ounces Match, 35.2 ounces Match X
- Weight, loaded/equipped: 54.9 ounces Match, 49 ounces Match X ("heavy" with 20+1 rounds of Federal 147-grain Hydra Shok JHP, Holosun 407K red dot, and Surefire X300T light mounted)
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MRD Optic Footprint: Direct-milled modified Shield RMSc (J-Point)/Holosun K
The single-action skeletonized trigger is described by EAA as "enhanced" and "tuned" to no more than 4.5 pounds. We found them to have a kind of gritty take-up to a crisp break, and a short reset straight out of the box. Breaking out the trigger gauge, the Match S broke at 4.2 pounds on average, while the Match X came in at 3.9 pounds.
A compilation video of those triggers in break and reset:
It should also be noted that these guns are supportable, with Atlas and Cheely, among others, making triggers, while EGW's ignition kit and Wolff/Wilson Combat springs are on the table. Plus, as mentioned, CoSaint has a whole in-shop customization program for these pistols. As these guns run $900-$1,000, putting another $500-$1,000 into them to make them genuinely nice still puts you at way less cost than an out-of-the-box Staccato.
Now, let us address the differences between the two models.
Standard Variant: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Match S
Comped Variant: EAA Girsan Witness2311 Match X
Shooting Comparison
We ran slightly over 2,000 factory-loaded rounds across the pair, including ammo from Blazer, Federal, Winchester, and S&B in everything from light 115-grain FMJ target loads to 150-grain Action Medal competition loads. Self-defense ammo included 115, 124, 135, and 147-grain JHPs. In all, we suffered three stoppages, all failure to ejects, two of them stovepipes, while under 500 rounds deep in the testing process. The gun likes to run wet and clean.
In short, these guns were a treat to shoot. They pointed well, were dependable, and were set up instinctively to take the guesswork out of achieving solid results on the range.
They were both accurate in testing as well. They should. EAA ships these guns complete with a factory test target shot offhand – not in a fixture – at 15 yards.
These guns hunger for the range and are a joy to shoot. It was easy to repeat the factory test and eat the heart of just about any target at 15.
Pros & Cons of series
Pros
- Accurate
- Reliable
- Use a common direct-milled optics footprint
- Have great iron sights
- Use a common magazine series
Cons
- Spare mags are expensive, at $60 a pop
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Being a double-stack 1911, the grip may prove challenging to some shooters
Best Pick for You
These guns are meant to be shot. We put well over 2,000 rounds through the pair in the past several months, and unlike on some pistol reviews, it never felt like work. They are loaded with features, the best of which is being inherently accurate.
When it comes to choosing between the two models, keep in mind that the compensated Match X is louder and more aggravating to clean, but is also lighter in the hand. My wife, who is 5-foot-4 and has small hands, enjoyed shooting it on the range and had no issue with recoil.
Thus:
On balance, the Match S tends to run a few dollars cheaper, is more traditional in layout, and is no slouch when it comes to accuracy or reliability.
You could always get 'em both.
