Action shooters love heavy pistols because they do not flip far upwards during long shooting strings. This is why double-stack magazines are also in demand, as they increase the magazine capacity in addition to the mass. Unfortunately, steel is not only heavy, but also expensive to manufacture and process. Turkish manufacturer Girsan is now adding the Witness 2311 Match X model to its already well-established double-stack models from the Witness 2311 series, a combination of a stainless steel five-inch barrel and slide on an aluminum frame. The pistol, which is suitable for competition out of the box, holds 20+1 9mm Luger rounds and 17+1 rounds with the shorter magazine that is flush with the grip. Although the 2311 Match X comes from the factory with an open rear sight, it also has a pre-milled cut for an RMSc Red Dot sight and a match trigger optimised for competitions. In addition, the barrel is fitted with an integrated compensator just before the muzzle to minimise muzzle rise. The Girsan pistols were presented at the SHOT Show organised in January at the stand of EAA, the American importer. The EAA Girsan Witness 2311 Match-X is quoted there with a list price of 1,069 US dollars for the USA; the street price will remain below the $1,000 mark and thus also significantly below other match pistols on a double-stack 2011 platform.
The second newcomer from Turkey is the compact but still 13-round Girsan MC14T X in .380 ACP. The pistol, which is equipped with a steel slide and a 4.5-inch tip-up barrel, no longer needs to be racked to be ready to fire. The cartridge can also be unloaded without racking the slide, which should please not only customers with hand problems, but also female customers. The choice of six color combinations, including black/cherry or gold, certainly contributes to this. The barrel of the new X version features a naturally non-functional spiral fluted outer surface. Prices in the USA start at $519 for the MC14T X, with the gold-colored MC14T Lady version priced at $639.
It is not yet clear if and when the new Girsan pistols will find their way onto the European market. Information is available from the US importer EAA.
