Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Tanfoglio CZ clones

What are some opinions with regard to quality etc of the Tanfoglio CZ 75 clones built for Springfield Armory, EAA, and the ones sold under their own name, here by IFG?

The only one I've shot was a Springfield P9 Compact 40 S&W , this was around 1993. It shot really well to 25 yards and I tried to talk the guy out of it. Unsuccessfully I might add. Struck me as a really good CZ 75 clone.

Over the years I've had one EAA Witness, and one CZ 75. Within that small sample nothing I saw or experienced made me think the Tanfo was any lesser quality than the CZ though I didn't have them at the same time to compare side by side. The current full-sized mult-caliber Tanfoglio frame is sized to double-stack 45 ACP so it's not as handy as the CZ though.

I have one of the poly framed EAA Tanfoglio pistols in 9mm. Absolutely zero issues with it. It's very easy to shoot well and the build quality is very good.

The Tanfoglio steel frame guns are generally pretty decent. Like CZ, they're usually better finished on the outside than they are on the inside, but are typically good to very good shooters. They all need trigger work, whether Tanfo or CZ. I would not consider the Tanfoglio guns to be inferior to CZ in general, and in the competition models they aren't really clones; Tanfo went down the competition road before CZ did, and built their own line of competition guns (including different frames, slides, and barrels) and competiton parts. CZ built their Shadow and Shadow 2 in response to the success of the Tanfo competition guns.

One comment about frame size - with some of the 9mm and .40 pistols imported by EAA, you could end up with either a large frame or small frame, and if you're ordering it you may not be able to know which until it arrives. (Yes, that's a weird situation.) In the competition models, you're pretty much stuck with the large frames in the US. In Europe you can get the same guns in small frames. That seems to have been a choice by the importer, for no rhyme or reason I can tell.

BTW, both EAA and IFG are just importers of the Tanfoglio brand. IFG is more recent, but each have some models that the other doesn't.

I've had steel frame Tanfo pistols in .45, 10mm, and most recently 9mm. All have been good shooters, although I'd not recommend the 10mm for normal use of full power 10mm loads. My 45 and 9mm pistols were/are exceptionally accurate.

Do be prepared to spend some $$ on improving the trigger though. IIRC, I've got about $350 into improving the trigger in my Stock II, and that's with doing most of the work myself. You can get a really good trigger for that kind of money though; mine is at ~5.5 lb double action and 2 lb single action, and smooth like oiled glass.

If you want something a little better than the standard model but don't want to pay for the competition models, I think the "Elite Match" series is a pretty good buy and worth considering.

I've had a couple and think they're good guns.

I bought the EAA Tanfoglio Witness (like the CZ-75) back in the 1990s. It has never jammed or failed in any way. Not a pretty gun, but reliable and accurate. The trigger isn't great, as there's a bit of creep in the break of mine, but it's more than good enough.

Thanks to all for their responses. Reason I was asking was, I've had a (Tanfoglio) Springfield P9 in .40 S&W since late 80's or early 90's. I haven't done much with it, it's just been a range toy. Why'd I get it? It was waved in front of me, it's a gun, price was good, I had some money in my pocket. Anybody here that doesn't know that story? Show of hands please.

Anyway, too big for warm weather concealed carry, cold weather, I prefer a 1911 .45 or a 4 inch N frame in .41 or .44 mag. Knocking around on the farm on a tractor, quad or horse, I much preferred my Glock 20, pretty good 100 yard smack without all the places to get dirt and dust in that a revolver has.

So now, I may be getting into some competitive pistol stuff when all this schitt settles down so I might have to get a new gun for that....right? I see Tanfoglio has some factory tuned competition guns out there at fairly reasonable prices. I've always had a sense this one I've had is a pretty solid, quality item, it's never given me any grief, but then, it's always been a range toy. I seem to remember putting a new trigger return spring or something in it 25 years ago or so, but don't remember specifically...I have a vague recollection of ordering a spring from EAA or maybe Wolfe. Thing is, you never see/hear much about them. I really wanted to get some opinions from some of you guys to inform the decision making process. Thanks again.

I have the EAA version in 45 "Witness MATCH ELITE". mine is stainless frame and slide, every other one I have seen was a 2 tone. trigger is better than my CZ's but nothing like a good 1911 trigger. I have noticed at my local gun stores not as many around as there used to be. A gun I'LL never sell

If you’re looking at one for competitive shooting I’d start at www.benstoegerproshop.com (Disclaimer: They’re local to me and I’m affiliated with them.)

They’ve got everything you’ll need, pistols-parts-hardware, and the guy who does Ben’s trigger jobs works there too.

You can shoot that gun in competition and not be undergunned. After some experience you may look to upgrade.

The early witness pistols have a integral front sight milled in the slide while newer ones have an interchangeable sight. I turned one of these into an Open Class gun for fun.