EAA Witness Pavona for Women

[roknHS]

My gal friend has seen these advertised in several of my shooting magazines over the last few months. She is willing to give one a try if they are a reliable, quality firearm. I know this particular model is a new offering from EAA, supposedly designed just for women. I don't have any experience with EAA products and I don't have any shooting friends that know much about their products. Is there anyone here on NWF that may know about the company and their products from first hand experience?

My gal is petite, 105 lbs with small hands and has all the same complaints about gun companies making guns for guys that just don't work well for women. She has a Bursa Thunder 9 Pro 9mm that she struggles with. The grip is too large and the slide spring is too stiff. We are hoping this Pavona design has been tweeked enough to make it easier to grip and easier to charge for a small woman. She could care less about the rainbow of color offerings. Her choice would be a black frame, stainless slide model in 9mm. She just wants something that is comfortable to hold and operate.

The Pavona is set up just the way she likes...........Hammer, DA, SA, safety, etc. She has never liked the striker fired type semi-auto's.

I hope some of you have knowledge about EAA and can share some experience............Thanks in advance.

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[xxerexx]

I can't comment on the grips.

However regarding EAA in general they had issues with their mags that would cause feeding issues with jhp. They fixed their full capacity sized mags awhile back. I'm not sure if they've fixed their small mags since then.

If it's just for plinking then it's definitely a good option if it fits her. In my experience they're fun to shoot and accurate. Otherwise see if EAA can verify they have updated smaller capacity mags and they won't have any feeding issues with jhp.

 

[roknHS]

I can't comment on the grips.

However regarding EAA in general they had issues with their mags that would cause feeding issues with jhp. They fixed their full capacity sized mags awhile back. I'm not sure if they've fixed their small mags since then.

If it's just for plinking then it's definitely a good option if it fits her. In my experience they're fun to shoot and accurate. Otherwise see if EAA can verify they have updated smaller capacity mags and they won't have any feeding issues with jhp.

I hadn't heard of the magazine feed problems. Much of what I've found on the various forums around the internet has been good.......very little bad. The Tanfoglio designs seem to be well done and good quality. Specifically, the Witness line, of which the Pavona is a compact version, has a good following and is not considered to be a cheap, foriegn import.

I would liked to have had more information from people with first hand experience before I commited to try this new EAA offering. However, it seems I'm going to end up as a "beta" test..........I've asked a dealer on Gun Broker to order the Black Frame/Chrome Slide Pavona for me. So, in a couple of weeks I will know if I'm satisfied or disappointed. My girl friend is sure she will be happy with this one because the ads say it is designed with her in mind.............we'll see.

 

[spookshack]

From what I understand, is that the Witness compact and Pavona are identical in frame size. So, if you gal can grip a witness compact comfortably , then all is good with the Pavona. If not, then it might be a bust for her.....

Not sure if you have seen this short vid or not, but I'll go ahead post a link to it anyway:

Be sure to update us on how things go with the Pavona. Good luck!

 

[roknHS]

From what I understand, is that the Witness compact and Pavona are identical in frame size. So, if you gal can grip a witness compact comfortably , then all is good with the Pavona. If not, then it might be a bust for her.....

Not sure if you have seen this short vid or not, but I'll go ahead post a link to it anyway:

Be sure to update us on how things go with the Pavona. Good luck!

Thanks for the video link. We have seen that one..........the main reason my girl said "that has to be the one".
Maybe some others here will benefit from seeing it.
I will be sure and let you know, good or bad, how the Pavona works out. That little sales rep gal from EAA doesn't look very big does she? It seems to be just about right for her small hands........and she worked the slide very easily. Maybe they've got a winner in the making for our female shooting partners.

 

[xxerexx]

I hadn't heard of the magazine feed problems. Much of what I've found on the various forums around the internet has been good.......very little bad. The Tanfoglio designs seem to be well done and good quality. Specifically, the Witness line, of which the Pavona is a compact version, has a good following and is not considered to be a cheap, foriegn import.

I would liked to have had more information from people with first hand experience before I commited to try this new EAA offering. However, it seems I'm going to end up as a "beta" test..........I've asked a dealer on Gun Broker to order the Black Frame/Chrome Slide Pavona for me. So, in a couple of weeks I will know if I'm satisfied or disappointed. My girl friend is sure she will be happy with this one because the ads say it is designed with her in mind.............we'll see.

You can check out the eaa/tangfoglio section of Brian Enos's forums for the history. They released the fixed full sized (made by mec-gar) mags a couple years ago. This is for the large framed witnesses.

Unless the pavona is based of off the small frame tangfoglios if you run into feedings problems you could buy a full sized 17 round mag to try.

If buying straight from EAA they shouldn't have any of the old ones left. Just in case you can ask em if they say K9 on it and have a black follower.

If it is based off of the small frame then the mags should feed great.


In my experience (Witness compact and elite match) fmj feeds great in any of the mags and jhp feeds great in the new full sized mags and was not at all reliable in the old full sized or the compact.


On the ammo side of things. If you have some already try some 124gr .355", at least for fmj that seems to the sweet spot for the normal rifled 9mm witnesses.

 

[roknHS]

We received the Pavona yesterday. It is very nice looking....... black composite frame, chrome slide. The quality reminds me of the Bersa Thunder Pro, very good. The trigger pull is very light. The best trigger I've felt. I would say 4 1/2 to 5 pounds....really light for a pistol. The grip is perfect for small hands. No effort to reach for the trigger. The slide works easily. The sights are very nice......rear has two white dots, front is a red dot. There is no decock function. Safety lever engages when pushed up. Slide lock lever is forward on the frame as you would expect. A dot on the rear of the slide and a dot on the rear of the frame are lined up, then the slide lock lever is pushed out and removed for the seperation of the slide from the frame. Looks like a stainless steel barrel.......might be chrome. The magazine button drops the magazine easily. This comes with only one magazine however.
The gun is shipped in a nicely padded and lined plastic case. Included is the Pistol, one magazine, gun lock, a really nice cleaning kit with brass and nylon brushes, bore mop, patch loop, take apart cleaning rod and it all fits in the hollow cleaning rod handle........totally cool set-up.
My gal wanted a quick test run so, I cleaned the barrel and loaded 5 rounds in the clip. She fired 4 no problem and the 5th was a failure to feed. I pulled the slide back a little to inspect the failure and then the round chambered easily. Don't know what that was all about. It was Bosnian import 9mm, 115gr, fmj. I'll have to run some more rounds before I'll have a feel for the function. Could be it needs a little break in.
I can't speak to the accuracy as I didn't shoot the pistol myself.......she hit the target 3 out of 5 shots so, that's not bad.
I'm super busy with spring work right now so, it could be a few day before I get a chance to run some rounds through the Pavona and do a more thorough evaluation.
My initial impression is good. This pistol is tuned and tweeked to suit a woman's size and strength. That is what I was looking for.
I will be back with a report when we get a chance to put more rounds through it.

 

[roknHS]

Still in a rush to get spring farm work done, Haven't had a chance to shoot the Pavona again.................I e-mailed the dealer (Volunteer Firearms, Altamont TN.) to tell him I received the Pavona and thank him for his good service. Told him the gun looked great and fit the lady shooter perfectly. Mentioned the failure to feed issue, he responded his sister had purchased one and had encountered a few of those problems initially. She now has 300 trouble free rounds through it and has used a variety of different types of ammo. Sounds like it needs a break-in period to get things smoothed out. Maybe another week of crazy here at the ranch and then I'll get a chance to run some more rounds and see if I have any more failures.
Later...........

 

[roknHS]

I got a chance to run about 50 rounds through the Pavona yesterday afternoon. Started with the Bosnia import 9mm's. First two clips had a failure to feed on the last round. Switched to my handloads, 5.5gr of Unique and 115gr X-treme bullets............no failures of any kind. So, the Pavona is somewhat ammo sensitive. I noticed the ejected brass from the Bosnia rounds were all over the place. Evidence the cartridges are probably not the highest quality. The Bersa Thunder Pro eats them fine but, they definitely make the Pavona hickup.

The Pavona is really sweet to shoot. I'm admittedly a lousy shot with a pistol. This unit makes me look goooood. The SA trigger pull is so sweet (the DA is also very good), I had no problem drilling the center of the target at 30ft. I love the way it shoots. It is a very good quality machine, looks fantastic and functions flawlessly with quality ammo.
I have large hands and even though it is a compact, I had no problem with the grip. It feels natural in your hand and again.............what a sweet trigger.

This would be a very good cantidate for a concealed carry weapon for either a man or woman........I wouldn't recommend the Fandango or Pink color frame for the guys but, this Charcoal scheme with the black frame and chrome slide is a great unisex choice.

My gal loves the fit and feel of this pistol and that was what the goal was. She has no problem working the slide. For her, it seems to be the perfect choice. I'm very pleased with it and enjoyed taking it for a test drive.

 

[spookshack]

My gal loves the fit and feel of this pistol and that was what the goal was. She has no problem working the slide. For her, it seems to be the perfect choice. I'm very pleased with it and enjoyed taking it for a test drive.

At the end of the day, that's all that matters....

 

[roknHS]

We now have a couple hundred rounds experience with the Pavona. It is a very good quality firearm and the function is rock solid........it will hick-up with a limp-wristed shooter, like most semi-autos. We had to change the "Weaver" arm position my gal likes to use by making sure here right arm is extended straight with no bend. That cured the limp-wrist issue. With good shooting technique, the Pavona will shoot all the ammo brands I have with no problem.
I didn't realize how much a limp-wristed hold on a semi-auto pistol affects the function till my shooting buddy demonstrated how to make his Glock hick-up with an improper hold.
I believe EAA has done a fine job designing the Pavona to be female friendly. No complaints here.............

 

[spookshack]

Glad to hear that the Pavona is still doing great for you guys.

 

[spookshack]

http://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/eaatangfolio-witness-pavona-polymer-9mm-gun-made-women/

 

[Sensorguy]

Just purchased one form my wife based partially on this thread. Her hands are too small for an LCR, she has to rotate her hand to the right and the recoil bruise the big bone in her thumb.
The Pavona fits her well and she can reach the trigger easily. She can also work the slide, cocking the hammer reduces the amount of effort perceptibly (have not used a force gauge to measure it). I took the gun out yesterday to give it a whirl. It fits good in my hand, recoil feels low for 9mm. The gun is accurate. If you have smaller hands, I would suggest at least considering i.he Pavona. The gun is not as small as I anticipated when I ordered it so carrying concealed is not as easy as and LC9 as can be seen the the attached photo.

 

[roknHS]

The more you use the Pavona, the better you will like it. They really are a fine handgun. I have a lot of experience with mine and it continues to impress me. It is very user friendly in so many ways. For the money, I think the Pavona is hard to beat. If mine disappeared tomorrow, I'd order another one the next day.
My very petite (105lb) girl friend loves to shoot with it and so do I.

 

[NoFlinch]

.....I wouldn't recommend the Fandango or Pink color frame for the guys .....

That's really a silly statement to make.

Do they make these in Raspberry? I LOVE raspberry colored guns

OK,OK. HOPEFULLY you know I'm kiddin'.

I've been searching for a good 9 for women, so appreciate this info.
Thanks.

 

[RicInOR]

Still time to buy one for holiday giving.

http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/35007/la-femme-pavona/

 

[Ccchas]

"There is no decock function."

With no de-cocker how would the double-action trigger ever come into play? Manually lowering the hammer with a chambered round seems unsafe.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Looks like a pretty CZ-75 compact. Polymer frame, but Weight: 30.4 ounces means this will not be easy for a petite lady to carry. For the price, a full size or compact Beretta Px4 Storm may be a better choice.