This is a bleg for information on 1911-pattern handguns optimized for concealed carry.
Since receiving my most recent death threat, I’ve been carrying a Glock .40 pretty continuously. The .40 is an excellent weapon, but has two drawbacks from my point of view. One is that it has a 5-inch barrel and a relatively wide frame, it’s really designed for external holster carry rather than concealment, and while it can be hidden on a person my size it’s not really comfortable for continuous wear.
The other problem is that it’s not a 1911-pattern .45. Yes, I know, there are arguments for double-action and smaller calibers, but 1911 is what I like and thoroughly understand. That feeling of comfort and confidence is a valuable asset and could make a life-or-death difference in a clutch situation.
Therefore I’m soliciting information on 1911-pattern carry guns. The search specification is this: 1911-pattern .45 with a three-inch barrel, optimized for concealed carry with as few projecting parts to snag clothing as possible. I know of one weapon fitting this spec, the Kimber Ultra II Carry. I’m interested in pointers to functionally similar weapons, reviews, personal experiences, and recommendations. I will entertain offers of sale and would not turn up my nose at used guns in good condition.
Attacks on gun ownership and other philosophical/political diatribes will be considered off-topic for this comment thread and deleted. Yes, I have notified the FBI (which is taking the threat seriously) and the police have my house on elevated watch, but “when seconds count, the police are only minutes away”. If you have nothing concrete to contribute to helping me keep myself alive, keep your lip zipped.
UPDATE: Thanks to all who responded. I found a used, excellent-condition Kimber Ultra Carry II on gunbroker.com for $740, which is a steal considering that all the quotes I’ve heard locally are for $1299 and up. This is the exact thing I decided I wanted, so I am happy.
http://www.parahawg.com/pistols.html
What about something like the Colt Defender?
http://www.impactguns.com/store/098289012166.html
Eric,
The Para-Ordnance PXT LDA probably fits the bill, but it’s pricey. http://www.paraord.com/new/product_pistol.php?id=67
J
I’m sure you’re aware of this site as well, but I thought I’d include it: http://forums.1911forum.com/
Returning to land of the free and home of the brave after an Iraq tour within a DoD “European vacation” I have been diligently researching concealed carry firearms and have settled on the Glock G-36. I love 1911’s, they were my first carry pistol in the Army many moons ago and there is therefore sentimental attachment and implicit trust in the ‘old reliable’. I understand your like, and understanding of the weapon and the concomitant comfort and confidence. But (and there is always a but ) for a pistol that I will carry concealed on my person and stake my life and the lives of bystanders and loved ones on, the more modern, safer, and more idiot-panic/fear-error proof Glock 36 is a better bet.
Even if carried in condition one (and I would not do so in a concealed carry rig) the mechanical requirements of the 1911 (depress grip safety, release manual safety, squeeze trigger) are subject to error in an initial adrenaline rush. With the Glock, if my mouth is dry and my pulse is racing, I may forget to switch on the laser, but no matter wht my grip is like, or if I forget to flip a selector, when I squeeze the back end a round will come out of the front end. My research indicates that the Kimber runs 6.5 x 4.5 inches and weighs 24.8 ounces unloaded. The ugly plastic pistol is comparable at 6.77 x 4.76 inches and 20.11 ounces unloaded. Of course the Kimber carries one more round, so what: 6+1 is enough for two triple tap engagements and a reload. I fully intend to pick up a CC permit and a G-36 with the lasermax insert before I am even over my jet-lag. My $0.02
Lipsey Compact Crusader? Small, inexpensive, good sights.
ESR says: Looks like a winner but they’re out of stock on the item and estimating 5 months’ delay.
I don’t have any specific help personally, but Joel Rosenberg (http://joelrosenberg.livejournal.com/, http://twincitiescarry.com/) & DD-B (http://dd-b.livejournal.com/, http://dd-b.net/) might.
As a somewhat relevant aside, if you spend much time working from a home office, you may also wish to additionally consider a more formidable solution – to be kept at arms reach; a short tactical shotgun like the Mossberg 500/590 (or similar Remington etc): pistol-grip, top-folding stock, 00buck/slug
Sadly, nowadays, finding weapons at good prices is increasingly difficult.
Look here:
http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/
Specifically the Ultra Carry and CDP. I’ve carried a model like this all day (in a Galco paddle holster strongside) and often forgot I had it on. Even my companions didn’t know I was carrying. I just wore an untucked (straight-tail) shirt. A nice shooter also.
Michael in Arkansas
ESR says: Yeah, I think the Kimber Ultra Carry II would be the undisputed winner if (a) I could actually find one for sale, and (b) it didn’t cost over $1100. If I can find one I may just buy it, high price notwithstanding.
springfield armory makes several 1911 models with 3-inch barrels.
+1 on the shotgun idea. no harm in being able to make a fast firepower upgrade for CQB purposes.
ESR says: I’ve got a Mossberg 500. ‘Nuff said.
At the risk of dumping ignorance where it’s not wanted, why not just carry open?
ESR says: I could, it’s legal in PA. And I’ve been carrying pretty openly for the last few days. Thing is it freaks people out. There are stores and restaurants I can’t go to because the management would have a fit of the vapors.
Just a cautious note that the 3″ 45s are pretty finicky. I don’t trust any weapon until it functions perfectly for 500 rounds. I’d urge you to consider sticking with your current sidearm until you’ve proven to yourself that your new sidearm is completely reliable. (I prefer Springfields, if you’re curious).
ESR says: I’m aware of the issue. I think it just means I have to spend more money on either (a) buying a high-end brand where the pistols are generally tuned and reliable out of the box, or (b) having the piece tuned by a gunsmith.
Update on the Para Hawgs: An expert friend of mine who says he’s generally a fan of the Para line alerts me that the savings on the Hawgs are more apparent than real. The problem is you need to have a gunsmith tune them – polish the feed ramp and so forth. By the time you’re done paying for that, you’ve dropped as much cash as you would on a high-end marque that doesn’t require tuning out of the box.
>(I prefer Springfields, if you’re curious).
Is there anything in the Springfield line that matches my search criteria?
Like so many other guns in this format and price range, it seems to be out of stock online, but, of couse, a local gun dealer would probably be able to get you a Springfield.
Another Springfield fan here. The Micro Compact fits the bill very well, in either version (GI or Loaded). The loaded is “melted” and fancy, but the GI shoots just as well. And both love to be fed 230 gr. Speer GoldDot Short Barrel Hollow Point ammo. BTW, the GI model is what I carry daily.
RE: Update on the Para Hawgs
Why does your expert friend claim they “need” tuning? Sure, many guns can benefit from such tweaks, but are they really “needed”?
Hawgs are punchy, accurate and reliable straight out of the box. I’ve never read/heard otherwise.
Just curious……
PS. Yes, the Kimbers are slick operators, very nice indeed, but I have only seen _one_ in recent months, and the price tag made me blanche ;)
Ah, I think you want one of those Hunter suits from Robery Sheckley’s ‘The Seventh Victim’.
I’m leery of 1911’s with barrels less than 4″ in length. A Kimber Compact is a roughly CCO-size gun that gives greater reliability with the shorter Officer’s grip. With Wilson mags, you still get 7+1 of .45 ACP.
Springfield makes their Micro Compact in .45 ACP. http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?version=6
While I have Kimbers and have had great performance out of them, a Springer is going to run 100% right out of the box. A Kimber will need a break-in period. Mine all did.
When I wanted a deep-cover/BUG I considered the EMP and Micro Compact, but felt they were pushing the limits of the technology a little close. I bought a snubby instead.
My EDC is an all-steel 4″ bobtail 1911, and if a 5’4″ female can conceal the thing, anyone can.
I’m currently carrying a Citadel Compact 1911, 3.5″ barrel, in a Crossbreed SuperTuck. I forget I’m carrying it. It took about 100 rounds to break in after I polished the feed ramp and clipped about a turn off the magazine springs. Apparently they had installed a government length spring in them.
Very inexpensive carry gun, shoots very well, not a single hiccup in the last 700 rounds.
HTH, sv
Blake Sobiloff Says: Just a cautious note that the 3″ 45s are pretty finicky. I don’t trust any weapon until it functions perfectly for 500 rounds. I’d urge you to consider sticking with your current sidearm until you’ve proven to yourself that your new sidearm is completely reliable. (I prefer Springfields, if you’re curious).
ESR says: I’m aware of the issue. I think it just means I have to spend more money on either (a) buying a high-end brand where the pistols are generally tuned and reliable out of the box, or (b) having the piece tuned by a gunsmith.
I’ve found that finicky feeds on 1911s are more due to funky ammo or over-gunsmithing. The closer the ammo is to hardball in terms of spec, the better it is. Gold Dot works rather well. I don’t own one at the moment, but I can say that I did enjoy the Springfield GI compact 1911 quite a bit.
I know you were asking for advice on 1911 pattern pistols, but have you considered a Sig-Sauer P220 Carry? .45ACP, short slide, and 3.9″ barrel. And it’s fun to shoot, or at least I think so, and I’m a 1911 fan.
>Why does your expert friend claim they “need†tuning? Sure, many guns can benefit from such tweaks, but are they really “needed�
My friend says that, though he’s a big fan of the Para line in general, the Hawgs are cheaper because they’re not manufactured with as close tolerances as a higher-end brand like a Kimber or Springfield. This, when you buy one, it might need tuning or it might not; you can’t actually know in advance.
>have you considered a Sig-Sauer P220 Carry?
I actually shot the .380 version of that design late last summer (I think it’s the 229) and liked it a lot. If I wanted .380 I’d buy one in a heartbeat. I might recommend it as my wife’s carry gun once her CCW comes through. She’s 5’2″ and slender, .45ACP is a bit too much gun for her to really like.
(No, she hasn’t been threatened by Iranians. But she’s a lawyer who works in the city of Philadelphia, capisce?)
“My friend says that, though he’s a big fan of the Para line in general, the Hawgs are cheaper because they’re not manufactured with as close tolerances as a higher-end brand like a Kimber or Springfield. This, when you buy one, it might need tuning or it might not; you can’t actually know in advance.”
True enough. Fair comment. I personally opt for higher-end hardware myself, but I thoroughly enjoyed running a Hawg without complaint.
It’s interesting to note, however, that with the improvements in both materials and machinery, combined with the increased demand (thanks partly, I suspect, to the advances in ‘shall-issue’ states), we have seen both quality increase and price decrease. You can buy very economical guns of a standard previously reserved for ‘shop’ guns….well….you could until the recent supply/price craziness, but this will pass :)
“No, she hasn’t been threatened by Iranians.”
A threat to you is a threat to her. Don’t develop a blind spot, buddy ;)
ESR says: True. Not directly threatened, I mean.
i’ve fired a sig sauer, i believe a P220. broken-in but un-gunsmithed, it was ridiculously accurate. i still wonder if i should have sprung for one of those rather than the HK USP compact 9mm i own.
Not sure if the STI “Off Duty” would fit your requirements. I don’t know anything about STI, but if Joe Huffman thinks well of them, I’d take that as a good recommendation.
I understand the fondness for 1911-style pistols, and the .45ACP round. I like them, too. A lot of large-caliber pistols don’t fit my hands very well – I have very small hands for a man. Consequently, I tend to lean toward pistols in smaller sizes. Unfortunately, this used to mean a 9mm if you were lucky, and more likely, a .380.
And then my gun dealer handed me the Walther PPS, in .40S&W. http://www.walther-pps.com/
I bought it on the spot.
It’s barely larger than my HK4 .380, yet it packs a huge punch. You can get 3 different magazine capacities, which of course change the grip length slightly. It’s a wonderful little gun – it fits in the side pocket of my Wrangler cargo pants – and I really like the .40 cartridge (first time I’ve ever used it). You might even be able to actually find one available to buy – most of the “macho guys” like to buy great huge guns they can’t comfortably conceal, leaving gems like the PPS for me.
ESR says: Yeah, .40/10mm is a nice caliber with excellent performance characteristics; weren’t for .45ACP it would be my preferred, no question.
I can offer you only what I consider a good source of information for your research: “Gun Tests” magazine, published in hardcopy and . This publication is like “Cosumer Reports” in that it accepts no advertising from makers or sellers of guns or ammo, etc. (except hardcopy or electronic storage media with gun info). GunReports.com is a sister site to “Gun Tests” . I am not familiar with this latter site.
Good luck!
An alternative to traditional locked and cocked .45 carry.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_148_24/ai_64565407/?tag=content;col1
For the past three years, my personal daily carry gun has been a Yost custom Colt Defender:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2007/06/funny-thing-happend-on-way-to-gun-shop.html
Since I acquired it, I added a low profile magwell, so that my meaty hands dont get pinched with fast mag reloads. The magwell gives a tiny bit of extra purchase that leaves my pinkie full supported as well, rather than hanging out in the breeze. I highly recommend adding one, or acquiring a pistol with one from the factory/custom shop (such as several of the small Kimbers).
The defender is small enough to easily conceal in Arizona weather, but not so small I can’t control it well. It is light enough to carry all day every day (and I do, both open and concealed; at least when I’m not carrying my Yost custom Champion, or Fleming custom 5″ 10mm. I love living in Arizona sometimes), but not so light that recoil is a problem with the +p+ loads I shoot.
My wife carries a Kimber aegis, a 3″ 1911 in 9mm, that she also loves.
Both guns shoot very well; into around 4″ from a soft rest and the right ammo at 25 yards, and 2″ at 7 yards; which I consider more than adequate for a 3″ barreled gun.
I will say, I have rarely seen a 3″ 1911 that functions reliably without some degree of custom work; though the models out of Kimbers custom shop in their good years seem to do well; and Springfields custom shop any year.
Oh and anyone who carries a 1911 in other than condition 1, or condition 3, is doing it wrong… and I’m hesitant to include condition 3 in that exception:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2006/10/why-condition-one.html
Oh and here is my guide to choosing a 1911:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2008/02/so-you-want-to-buy-1911-basic-primer.html
Oh and I will second the strong recommendation for STI, they are an excellent company, and they make great guns; though they only recently started offering a 3″ in .45 (they’ve had the 9mm versions for a while).
My experience with the para hogs (four examples, from 6 to 500 rounds each), is that yes, they are finicky about feeding. It seems to be a combination of magazines and bullet profile.
In general I like Paras, but I don’t care for the hawgs. They just don’t seem to feel quite right, and as I said, they’re iffy on reliability. Maybe great, maybe not, it seems to depend on your load and your magazine a lot more than I’d like.
Before I found a satisfactory 3″ 1911, I carried a G-36. I never much liked shooting it. It just doesn’t fit my (admittedly rather HUGE – size 14 ring – hands), but it was reliable, and shot well when I could manage to hold on to it properly.
I used to do a lot of Glock custom work (I’m a part time gunsmith… used to be the shop smith for a class 3 dealer as a side business, now I just work on my own guns and friends guns) and I slicked up that g36 right nice. Beautiful trigger for a Glock, if you don’t mind Glock triggers… the problem being that I DO mind Glock triggers.
I sold it to my friend to help pay for the Defender actually. It’s still his daily carry piece.
Oh and one more thing. In addition to a primary carry gun, I’m a strong believer in pocket guns. My front pocket carries an S&W 340pd all day, every day. It goes in the pocket when I put them on, comes out when I take them off.
The weight is negligible, it doesn’t print, it shoots great, and I ALWAYS have it.
It’s nice knowing that even when I don’t have my primary carry weapon, I have five additional .357″ diameter opportunities to persuade undesirable elements that they should pursue other social interests.
If you’re more the “thin and flat” kind of guy, I used to have a Keltec P3AT as my pocket carry gun, and now my wife uses it. All the same comments apply, except the .380 isn’t quite so severe to shoot (unfortunately it isn’t quite so severe to stop with either, but that’s physics for ya).
My personal favorite is the Para-Ordnance P12. I think it fits all of your criteria.
Shoot, I needed to say one more thing, after my one more thing. The SFSS isn’t an alternative to condition one carry, it IS condition one carry; it just doesn’t look as scary to the uninitiated as having the hammer hanging out in the air.
I like C&SC very much, and I have a couple friends who have and like their SFSS. I’ve shot a couple guns with it installed. Not for me personally, but nifty at any rate.
>Oh and here is my guide to choosing a 1911:
>
>http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2008/02/so-you-want-to-buy-1911-basic-primer.html
Superb! I had picked up a lot of this by observation; seeing it collected so I could get the rest was wonderful.
I hope they catch the bastard soon. But until they do, budget more for target practice. Better to be a bit short of currency than deceased.
ESR, how about a Detonics Combat Master?
http://detonics.ws/weapons/combat-master/
It was the first weapon that came to mind upon reading your requirements.
Personally however, if I were in your position, I would have a high capacity semi-auto 12 gauge loaded with OO buck within reach at all times, something like an SRM 1216 loaded with Winchester Super X shells. I read above that you have a shotgun, but that pump action when in a hurry . . . I don’t know, I would probably end up short stroking it. Here is some info on the 1216:
http://www.srmarms.com/documents/SRM_1216.pdf
I just think that at close range NOTHING beats 12 gauge OO buck shotgun blasts in very rapid succession.
MR
First of all, since you claim to own a “Glock 40”, I don’t think you own one at all, as there is no such model. There are models in .40 caliber (Glock 22, 23, 24, 277, 35), though.
Second, you write that your Glock is too big for you and not very well usable for concealed carry, and you know 1911-style guns better. I think you (a) miss the drill to feel comfortable enough (so, get to the shooting range and train, train, train; ignorance in the matter of drill leaves people and whole armies behind, a good example is the US forces’ reliance on the totally outdated and inferior AR-15-derived rifle designs) and (b) you simply wear the wrong clothes (there are jackets with huge pockets on the in- and outside available, specially developed for concealed carriage of guns, and often seen to be worn by Israeli security personnel).
Probably ESR means he has a Glock .40 (note the extra .). My guess is that he has a Glock Model 22, which is their standard .40 cal pistol, and it is quite a large pistol. It’s also very well-made. Many police departments issue them as a standard service pistol.
Glock does make the pistol in compact and subcompact sizes, models 23 and 27. But I’m sure ESR has his reasons for liking the 1911 .45 ACP.
Forgot to ask; do you have a dog?
ESR says: Nope. I don’t like dogs. Very much cat person.
>Probably ESR means he has a Glock .40 (note the extra .).
Yes. Model 23.
>But I’m sure ESR has his reasons for liking the 1911 .45 ACP.
Several. One is that the stock of a single-stack .45 fits my hand perfectly; the Glock, by comparison, feels a bit like holding bar of soap. Another is that I like the slow-cycle recoil on the .45; I find the fast cycle gas-blowblack recoil on modern nines unpleasant.
Not to be overly pedantic, but a .40 caliber isn’t actually a 9 mm, it’s a 10 mm. ;)
ESR says: I knew that, silly person!
It’s a 3.6″ barrel. Take a look at it anyway. If I were buying a 1911, I’d pick Wilson. They might build it for you in 3″. Check some of the other guns on their site.
http://www.wilsoncombat.com/p_sentinel.asp
I believe Gun Test Magazine really liked the grip on these for carry:
http://www.wilsoncombat.com/p_carrycomp.asp
I don’t like dogs. Very much cat person.
i’m shocked that you’d feel more affinity for an animal that doesn’t come when you call it.
I have nothing but praise for the Para Warthog, after 1000 rounds through it. I use it daily for carry here in MN. I use Corbon +P 200gn for carry and Winchester white box for practice. Getting a holster that fits is IMO key for comfy carry tho I prefer the DeSantis Scorpion 1911 Officers Model Holster YMMV.
>i’m shocked that you’d feel more affinity for an animal that doesn’t come when you call it.
Oddly enough, our cat often does come when called, and is rather good at figuring out what humans want and doing it. A few days ago a photographer came out here to take snaps of me for an AP story on NedaNet and was quite startled when I asked the cat to turn around so her head would face the camera, and she did it.
Our cat’s behavior is not doglike servility, though. She pays careful attention to human hands because she associates them with being petted, and she’s a total friction slut. As a result, you can often fetch her, or get her to move, with hand gestures; I made one that directed her attention towards the photographer. More generally, she’s very social and friendly towards all human beings, not just us; she’s got the “figure out what they want and they’ll pet you” strategy down to a science so exact that she routinely seduces strangers who don’t like cats within minutes.
It’s quite amusing to watch, actually.
>Nope. I don’t like dogs. Very much cat person.
You could always get a big cat. More likely to kill you than an Iranian agent though.
Does the cat bark when strangers come to the house?
I’m thinking that the most likely scenario from local thugs is not a home invasion, it’s a foreign object through your window. Either a rock, bullet, or molotov cocktail, in roughly that order of probability. A carry pistol is not useful in this scenario.
A dog might help.
A rehearsed family fire drill would very much help.
As Eliezer Y. might say, before splashing out on a new toy, shut up and multiply.
>I’m thinking that the most likely scenario from local thugs is not a home invasion, it’s a foreign object through your window. Either a rock, bullet, or molotov cocktail, in roughly that order of probability. A carry pistol is not useful in this scenario.
Good thinking, but I don’t assign this as high a likelihood because of where I live. I’m not going to describe it in detail, but imagine the sort of quiet suburban cul-de-sac where an intruder would stick out like a sore thumb and the neighbors keep an eye on the street. And the cops are on elevated watch, and the approaches are limited, and speed limits on nearby roads are low.
Throwing something through my front window: relatively easy. Not getting busted afterwards: quite hard. After which the FBI would come down on the perp and his friends and their associates, yea, like unto a 30-pound sledge upon an egg crate.
I’m not going to describe the attack scenario that most worries me…but yes, it’s one in which a carry pistol would be useful.
Also, please don’t use this thread to design a better assault-on-Eric plan; SAVAMA and their proxies could read it. If you must run scenarios, email them to me.
Oddly enough, our cat often does come when called
i hope it was clear that my original comment was intended as a purely ironic comment on your own nature.
Also, please don’t use this thread to design a better assault-on-Eric plan
you know your regular commenters far, far too well.
>i hope it was clear that my original comment was intended as a purely ironic comment on your own nature.
Of course. However, you gave me an opening to say something funny and interesting in response if I rhetorically pretended to take it seriously. How could I not?
ESR, have you considered a revolver instead of a pistol? I myself prefer pistols (Glocks and 1911’s, I have very fond memories of firing a Gold Cup at the range long long ago) however, there is a lot to be said for the fact that you are less likely to experience a malfunction whether from faulty ammunition or a plain old jam when in a tight spot, as in if a round is bad all one has to do is squeeze the trigger once again, and revolvers just don’t jam like pistols can.
Take a Colt Python with a 4″ barrel, add Pachmayr grips, load with Cor-Bon ammunition, and you have a pretty formidable weapon in your hand. I fired such a weapon (minus the corbons, we were shooting plain cheap ballpoint ammo) at the range as well, long ago, and remember hitting several bullseyes at 25 yards.
Smith & Wesson’s .460 XVR Magnum Revolver
remember that name.
>ESR, have you considered a revolver instead of a pistol?
Yes. Revolver butts don’t fit my hand well.
I have carried a 1911 as a CCW piece. It’s not my preference, for a variety of reasons, but there’s nothing wrong with it either. If it is what you are comfortable with, then it’s best for you.
I breezed through the other comments. Might have missed one, but did anyone else mention the Kimber Ultra Carry II? They make them in 5 in., 4 in., and 3 in. barrel sizes. I don’t find a difference in concealment between a 3″ and a 4″, but again, if you have the one you like, you will be better served. The Ultra Carry II has the advantage of Crimson Trace lasergrips, worked into pretty cocobolo wood. MSRP is $1100, retail is undoubtedly lower. If you can find one. I don’t know how available they are.
ESR: I’ve handled a Kimber Ultra Carry II and really liked the feel. It would be at the top of my list if I could find one at a decent price.
Wow! Was away from the keyboard for a couple days. We’re supposed to do something in here, aren’t we?! Seems like a lot has happened in between. Let’s delve into the matter to see what we can do:
>If you have nothing concrete to contribute to helping me keep myself alive, keep your lip zipped.
I have something exclusive to offer. Something the FBI and Co. would dream of. An outstandingly unbelievable contribution. Hold your breath… I know in complete details where this threat is coming from, who the guy is, his academic credentials, where he works and for who, his real name, his wife’s real name, his address and his telephone number. I even know his social security number.
Not attempting to terrify you, but Kaveh Dadyar is one of the most dangerous people I know. Of course he’s using a false screen name; his actual first name is “Nima”. His threats are actually quite real. His ever-changing IP on your servers is due to his constantly exploiting other systems and therefore never leaving behind a real trace. The various IPs are probably from innocent people who are completely unaware of his threats. So take care, don’t trust the IPs right away.
You may ask two logical questions:
1- How do you know him?
2- Why don’t you reveal his complete identity?
Due to security reasons, the first question can not be answered right now. Let me just say that he was my boss for a limited period of time back in the early 2008.
I don’t reveal his full identity because I doubt that he too may have tracked my place and identified me. I’m not disarming myself by immediately putting his name on the net.
Some other facts on Nima (Kaveh): [He] has recently been promoted to a senior position in Basij and has a whole thug of devoted ideologues under his complete control. His bunch are not uneducated idiots and this makes them dangerous as hell. He himself has a doctorate degree in an engineering discipline and has a native-like command of English.
I have heard that the specific section of Basij which is in charge of filtering and banning websites is also benefiting from his advice. Glad that you have made precautionary actions. Good news is that, chances are quite low that his bandits physically assault you. They’re mostly techies.
Eric, rest assured! I have all he can be afraid of. Just give me a sign (when you think he’s taking serious action) and we will teach him some lessons for life.
>Eric, rest assured! I have all he can be afraid of. Just give me a sign (when you think he’s taking serious action) and we will teach him some lessons for life.
What’s the dude doing with an SSN if he’s running basij? Is he in the U.S. or Iran?
The people who need to hear this information are the FBI agents I’ve been talking with. Please email me (encrypted) with the details; my PGP key is in the public servers. If at all possible I’d like you to talk with them.
Eric, I posted about this on my blog and asked what people would recommend. I don’t think I phrased it very well, because people left comments on my blog, not yours. So here is what they said (me, I don’t know enough to say much that’s practical).
Hammer said:
Bob said:
Divemedic said:
Not sure how much this helps.
Not attempting to terrify you, but Kaveh Dadyar is one of the most dangerous people I know.
Wow. ESR’s right. This is like a cyberpunk novel,,,
@esr: The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary group that work, ultimately, for the Ayotollah. Steven Ray is 100% correct: if this “Nima” is a Basiji, he is very dangerous, techie or not. You may want to make sure that close members of your family are either similarly armed or at least under the protection of someone who is and knows how to shoot.
The FBI has IT forensics experts on staff. Whatever information you or Steven Ray can provide them will assist them in tracking this individual down.
Stay safe, man.
ESR says: You may safely assume I know what the Basij are. I think they only operate in Iran, but I’m fervently wishing for a turret-mounted M-60 on my roof right about now, you betcha…
Cathy knows how to shoot quite well, too.
Don’t look at me for CCW gun advice, Eric; I like my Glock 27 just fine for that. I will heartily recommend the Comp-Tac IWB holster, however. Works fine, conceals well, stays put (probably better on you than on me!), and the company is great for customer service.
>What’s the dude doing with an SSN if he’s running basij? Is he in the U.S. or Iran?
Oops! I should have said “National identification number”; obviously an Iranian equivalent. Apart from traveling back and forth between Tehran and Beirut to provide Shia Jihadis with necessary education a couple years ago, he basically lives in Iran.
He’s not running the Basij, but one of the top-level employers and a high-rank operation manager. You can easily place him among the ten greatest behind-the-curtain pawns of all paramilitary groups operating in Iran.
>The people who need to hear this information are the FBI agents I’ve been talking with. Please email me (encrypted) with the details; my PGP key is in the public servers. If at all possible I’d like you to talk with them.
Eric, providing you with this very information automatically puts my life in genuine danger (I’m not living inside a cyberpunk novel. I’m a real person facing a real danger) As I told you this guy (fully) knows me and in case he reads this comment (which is not so unlikely) the stakes will be high for me. I should behave conservatively enough to avoid his thugs. Though I was just one of the former 250 staff he possessed in an apparently financial firm back in the early 2008, he has an extraordinarily strong memory and I remember that he could easily call everyone by their name and talked to almost everyone on a regular basis.
I am eager to cooperate with you but you should give me some time to improve my anonymity arrangements and security. Indeed, I can not talk through the phone with any FBI agent. They literally spy on any international telephone call.
His basic mission in the current riots is/was to hunt down dissident bloggers. Based on hearsay, I estimate that his gang has arrested at least 150 individuals within Iran to this date.
I think it will be nice that you write a new post directed at him (his thugs and the like) and give them a hint that WE KNOW YOU, then we can watch and see their response. I think that revealing the name “Nima” is a good way to remind the turd that we know a lot about him. A good way to scare them. [another reference: he lives in “Farmaniyeh” district in Tehran]
BTW: He is one of the hired technical experts at gerdab.ir, a website which aims at hunting down dissidents. Although lots of American and Iranian crackers has tried to deface this site, the efforts have been to no avail yet.
>I am eager to cooperate with you but you should give me some time to improve my anonymity arrangements and security
Yes, we need to both stay safe. Here’s my GPG key. Send me encrypted mail, preferably through Tor, and don’t reveal anything more about yourself here in public. I think I have a way for you to communicate real-time with FBI intel that won’t involve a phone or IM connection the regime can monitor.
Steven, lest there be any doubt whatsoever about where I stand here: even if none of these leads pans out and you permanently disappear into hiding before anything more is accomplished, I will continue to hold you among the greatest heroes and credits to humanity of whom I have ever had the pleasure of making an acquaintance. Keep it up.
>I will continue to hold you among the greatest heroes and credits to humanity of whom I have ever had the pleasure of making an acquaintance.
Oh really? meanwhile (for the record) I sent the boys down the road to raid his house, bust his lame arse, and confiscate his computer. They’ll come back in an hour or two. now that he is a hero, what about making him a legend? Not only should he forget about university, but also may face the death penalty for blatantly insulting the religion of peace and understanding. You could have helped him by deleting that sentence. I see just an ounce of possibility that he can escape our brothers. anyway, rest assured! you will probably
never ever hear about this dickhead again in your entire miserable life except that I may send a piece of his smelly collar to esr at: 6 Karen Drive, Malvern PA 19355.
When I said we are constantly monitoring secret activities of traitors to this country, I was not lying or simply mouthing off like raymond. I actually meant it. Any update to this site including the comment part is included in that set.
His concerns were right. I had him under full virtual inspection 24/7 since his informing esr about the so-called crisis in Iran.
Specially him and a couple more who knew somethings and should have STFU. I have a log of even the most irrelevant key words he has googled. how can I sit and watch as he tries to crash my credibility, ha? tracking down this scum was the easiest hunting I have ever done. I knew his mail(s). Sometimes he merges that stupid nom de plume with his real name ‘Fereydoun’. He recently sent you a letter that never reached you? the boys opened it’s content and then it was not hard to see who this Steven is.
I warn you, douche-bag (cerebral) palsy esr-hole:
any stupid overreaction to this comment will result in some regrettable immediate consequence you can easily guess!
It’s better for all not to drag FBI and Interpol into this shit.
I genuinely hope that you guys can finally find your ever-widening arseholes with all the fingers on your two hands in the daylight; after that you can listen to my challenge to try something harder:
I challenge you all retards, you pathetic American scumbags to show your talent. Bring it on. we are waiting for you at gerdab.ir
UPDATE 1: Here’s the deal—> take down the website and I’ll release him (a Muslim never lies).
UPDATE 2: OK. this is a cyberpunk drivel; albeit a little avant-garde.
I can speak with great fondness of the Springfield Ultra 10 compact. Only thing to watch out for – some of them come factory ported, which makes for an interesting light show. +P ammunition is right out.
Good luck sir.
Eric, just want you to know, some basement troll who happens to be a psychopath has written the above comment and I’m 100% sure that he is an impostor. My name is not Fereydoun and no one has been sent to bust me. The above comment is utterly absurd.
As it’s nothing more than a combination of lies and insults, I suggest you to delete it right away. Based on my knowledge of this man, only the first 2 comments [here] are actually his. The one that he specifically threatens you. I seriously doubt that any other comment written as Dadyar on this blog is actually his. Don’t be fooled by this fucker. He is a copycat troll.
Not only should he forget about university, but also may face the death penalty for blatantly insulting the religion of peace and understanding.
thus demonstrating a peaceful, understanding attitude. no disconnect there.
I owned & carried a Detonics for several years, and it was very reliable and easier to shoot than a full-size 1911. Currently I have a Glock 36, which is similar in size but a generation up in design and function. 45 ACP is the way to go; I’m waiting for the .50 to finally arrive.
after almost40 years of shooting and carrying 1911’s i cannot reccomend them as currently manufactured.
the guns used to be simple , reliable , and functional in a basic sort of way.
now they are mostly a marketing based joke…
anything shorter than 4″ is asking for trouble , i personally would not carry less than a colt LWC of 50’s vintage , anything after that is taking a chance on questionable quality control…
myself , i stay with CZ or H&K because they are serious about their quality…
and 45 acp is not the only game in town , 40S&W has proven itself time and again…
a sig 239 in 40S&W might be worth your checking out as well…
hell , even a RG 38 special is a better choice than a current 1911 tacti-cool toy…
One more comment left over at my place that I thought was interesting. I live in Massachusetts, and it rings true; not sure about Pennsylvania.
ASM826 said:
>Here’s the deal—> take down the website and I’ll release him (a Muslim never lies).
How Cute! Access to http://www.gerdab.ir is now impossible!! Mission Accomplished. You can go fuck yourself, moron!
@ESR: We Iranians regard you as a true here and a lovely man. WE ALL LOVE YOU!! WHAT YOU DO PLACE YOU AMONG THE GREATEST PEOPLE WE WILL REMIND FOR A LIFETIME! ESR IS A HERO!’
ESR says: The true heroes are those who risk their lives every day protesting against the regime. My own hazard is tiny compared to theirs.
Eric,
I have never met you. But through your work I’ve known of you, and read about much of your work since attending school at Iowa State back in the 1990’s. Your throwing down and getting involved in this issue has impressed me tremendously. Everything that has happened over the past few weeks regarding Iran has been very interesting.
In any case I am going to use this event to get heavily into administrating Linux. I bought a quad core server from Dell last week and just download my last CD iso of RedHat 5.4beta this evening. As soon as I get the server I will get up and running Tor full time, unless my service provider AT&T has a problem with it. I will be practicing scripting for administration on two Linux boxes within a week or two.
With regard to weapons, if you are still looking for input, I am small framed and although I have no weapons now I use to shoot quite often when I lived in Ames, Iowa. My most favorite hand gun for combat would be a Glock 10mm, pre ban which means it had 15/16 rounds available, like most high capacity 45s today, almost no recoil, shot like butter. I never owned it because I could not get over the safety design…its just me. I owned a Sig 229 in .40 with a beveled out mag well and tritium sites. After having had a beveled out mag well and tritium sites I cannot overstate that I would definitely get them on every gun I ever owned. The best shotgun I ever owned was a Binelli M1 Super 90, pistol gripped shotgun, pre ban had around 7 to 8 rounds to it when fully loaded with one in the pipe and one on the tray. In order to work the shotgun with the maximum number of rounds possible you have to practice, practice, practice. You can buy tritium ghost rings and speed loaders for it pre ban…not sure what is available any more. I would swear up and down over the Binelli semi automatic too. The quality of it is such that I got rid of a Franchi Spas 12 and two marine coat American made shotguns to get it…it was that great. 5 hulls per second is a lot of fun. I sold ALL of my weapons to go to Silicon Valley and get a job back in 2000…and worked there until late 2002, and we all know what happened to the valley back then. Ahhhhhhhh well. It was worth it while it lasted.
If anyone’s interested, gerdab.ir appears to be running Apache 2.2.3 on CentOS. They have nothing open to the world but port 80 on my last scan with nmap.
Alright – Sig Sauer has their “used gun sales” whenever they introduce a new model, check out Targetmaster (although this is a drive from where you live). Their prices tend to be high. However, the sigs, and I carry a P220 because I’m fat enough to conceal it, are almost 1911 patterned guns. They generally took the good stuff from the 1911 and either used it or improved it.
Targetmaster will try to push Smith and Wessons on you, avoid these like the plague.
I’m rather fond of Smith and Wesson 1911s. In particular I’ve found http://bit.ly/yIPDW to be an excellent CCW. The frame is very light (easy to carry) and the crimson trace grips are a real plus. I picked mine up a new one for around $800 2 years ago.
You might try a 1911 barrel on your snubby. (I hate the fat 1911 grip).
Hello, Eric. Ross (from NYUSFS) here. Just saw this posting and have to admit, it’s kind of shaken me up – it’s kind of weird to think that someone I know has received an honest-to-Ghu death threat.
Anyway, on to your question. I used to have a Para P10 with an alloy frame (which cracked, I might add!). I used it for IDPA loaded with Blazer 230 gr FMJ ammo. I discovered after a while that the rather extreme muzzle blast was making me flinch.
So I traded it away and picked up a ParaOrdnance P12 in stainless steel that I carry sometimes. The grip isn’t the slimmest one, but you know me – short fat fingers, and I still find it comfortable. Mine has a Hogue wraparound grip on it. It’s definitely heavy to carry, with 13 rounds of .45 and being made of stainless steel, but it’s utterly reliable and accurate. I know it’s got a 3.5″ barrel, which is longer than you said you wanted, but it might be worth looking at, anyway.
Best of luck, and please say hello to Cathy for me. BTW, if she’s looking for a carry gun, instead of a .380, try looking at a Kahr K9 (in the words of David Kenik, .380 is a 9mm set to stun). I have one (that has had an action job done by the factory) and it is utterly reliable – even going hundreds of rounds between cleanings I could not make it malfunction. It’s not a high capacity, but the steel frame really lightens the recoil. This one is my normal carry gun.
good news on the find, ESR. a good friend owns a steel-frame kimber with a 5-inch barrel, and we both like it very much. i tend to think it’s a superior shooter to my HK, and i’ve been thinking lately that i should have gone with a 1911 as he did — i had test-fired a pro carry II and was put off by the recoil, which may have been exacerbated by the lighter aluminum frame on that model. i’m thinking my next autopistol purchase will likely be a pro TLE II (i prefer 4-inch barrels, and i’m much more accustomed to .45 ACP now).
at the moment, i’m trying to get my hands on a springfield M1A … and let me tell you, it’s not easy. one local dealer quoted me a 12-month wait time, while no other shop would even speculate. a salesman at one good-sized range-and-retail said it had been eight months since the store had received any rifles from springfield, and the only dealer within my actual city limits virtually refused to take a deposit on the specific model i want, citing the unpredictablity of delivery times. he sent me to gunbroker.com or auctionarms.com — ESR, let me know how your experience on the former goes.
at any rate, either there’s a serious and ongoing manufacturing-capacity problem at the springfield plant, or it’s not just AR-pattern rifles that are in high demand.
sorry; just realized the AR-15 scarcity topic was in the other thread …
>ESR, let me know how your experience on [gunbroker.com] goes.
Very positive, so far. I found what I wanted, monitored the auction intermittently over about two days, and won it at $740 – not much more than half of what the only two dealers I found who had them are quoting for the weapon here in PA. The web interface was easy to use. I had no difficulty contacting the seller or finding a local FFL holder on gunbroker.com’s network to handle the transfer.
The gun hasn’t actually arrived yet. If as represented (probable – the seller has an A+ rating on over 800 transactions) I’ll have gotten a bargain.
I would go with a Kimber ultra light. Get yourself a nice concealed carry holster, I would go with blackhawk or something that would clip in both the belt and the pistol. Add some grips to make your 1911 look mean. Maybe a nice set of skull or Punisher grips.
http://www.e1911pistolgrips.com
Good luck!