An Aside – Holsters and Mag Pouches, section I – Of course, with such a dedication to Woo’s film must come proper housing for the GBBs. Cage’s character in Face/Off – a suave and affluent international terrorist – wasn’t shy on this critical issue, and the camera work highlighted a dual-gun top-grain leather holster at the small of his back. Also highly sought after by akimbo-GBB enthusiasts, such a piece of kit has been cited to be available through both Bell Charter Oak (BCO) Holsters and Black Hills Leather – with even the suggestion that Castor Troy may have been supplied with a simple custom stitched set of left and right-handed standard hip/belt-slide holsters….
But as with the GBBs themselves, I also wanted to be a bit more unique in my dedication project. Instead of a set of hip holsters, I wanted to go with a set of under-the-shoulder holsters; with the choice between that and a set of thigh rigs being made easy by the stated “Suite Battle” needs for concealed carry.
To this end, there are also many options available. Uncle Mikes (a division of GunMate), BagMaster, as well as many “generic” makes of modular ballistic nylon holsters typically have shoulder rigs available. These can either be specifically configured for a dual-gun setup or have its off-side accessory purchased separately by the end-user – and can readily accommodate an ambidextrous or left-side-specific holster. Such affordable rigs have even been seen on the Sliver Screen, with the latest and most memorable example being in Denzel’s Oscar-winning Training Day. Cost should range between $40 to $80. For those who prefer leather, Galco International, a well-known and well-respected maker of leather holsters and police duty accessories (they are the innovators of the world-famous Miami Classic rig), can be contracted through various authorized retail outlets to build a dual-pistol shoulder holster system to your tastes. Typical cost should be in the $150 range. And in much the same manner, many custom leatherworkers also offer such systems. In the UK, fellow enthusiast Mulder has had such a system built by Holsters International (http://www.holstersinternational.com/index.htm -- also offering some very interesting rigs for shotguns and even SMGs ), custom-to-order for around £130, for a pair of M9/92F-type GBB replicas, which is quite reasonable. I took the latter route, with my desire for a true high-end leather rig taking me to Mernickle Custom Holsters of Mission, BC, Canada.
Of competitive Cowboy Action/Western Fast Draw gear fame (their rigs for such events are some of the world record-holders’ favorites), Mernickle’s SH9 Dual-Gun Dual-Mag Carry System retails at $200 for plain black-dyed natural leather, $350 fully hand-carved. A 6 to 8 week lead-time, being that these are custom-built rigs, is absolutely necessary, and should go into your planning. It’s an exceptionally well-crafted modern shoulder rig, and is featured in Guns Magazine, February, 2003.
Highly adjustable using chrome hardware, this rig should fit everyone and anyone between 5 ft. 9 inches tall to well over 6 ft. 3 inches – provided that the individual is of a reasonable frame. Being of comparatively lower riding position than a typical horizontal-carry shoulder rig due to the interposition of the twin friction-fit magazine pouches, this rig actually carries the pistols more at the bottom of the ribcage rather than truly under the shoulder. With a cross-draw technique being the most effective and quickest manner of extracting the GBBs (the thumb-snaps are designed and reinforced to disengage in a one-motion during draw, suitable for real-world use), it is essential for the user to practice, practice, and practice his or her draw motion for a smooth and menacing presentation. Concealability is excellent – even with a full-sized Government Model such as the Springfields, a sports jacket is all that’s required to keep this rig out-of-view, making for an excellent “Suit Battle” piece of kit. Thanks to the weight of the magazines in the rig as well as its vest-wear design, this item is relatively shift-free under most normal non-gravity-defying circumstances. For those requiring a more secure hold of their rig, an adjustable leather tie-down is provided, standard, on each side, which can easily be removed via the same adjustment mechanism seen on the rest of the rig’s hardware. Of course, two full-sized 1911-.45s with two spare mags is definitely no lightweight set to tote around. Fortunately, the ultra soft leather of the SH9 rig, combined with its wide load-bearing straps, easily distributes this weight evenly and comfortably along the user’s shoulders and chest. With two spare mags, the single-stacker, 15-round (each) BB-capacity WA 1911s are basically up to the “firepower” level of just about any of the current skirmish-capable GBB pistols. But unfortunately, since I am not as sure of a shot as Dirty Harry and as I do not enjoy a perpetual supply of rounds as in the case of Rambo, I’m rather forced into the awkward situation of trying to compensate for the relatively low BB capacity of the WA single-stackers in terms of a viable skirmish load-out.
In this respect, the Uncle Mike’s Quad Case is perhaps the WA single-stacker user’s best friend.
Offering a 2x2 formation of mags that are securely retained via a polymer plastic insert and height-adjustable retaining flaps, this item essentially becomes the equalizer that WA single-stacker users can rely on to even the skirmish field. With two of these Quad Cases giving the single-stacker user a viable carry option for 8 spare mags, the specter of meeting up with someone toting 4 spare mags for their high-capacity WA double stacker or KSC Glock 17/18C is no longer something to be dreaded. Add to this stack a set of two Mernickle Performance Series Concealed Carry PS23 High-Ride Double Magazine Pouches, all mounted on their own 1 and ¾ inch PB1 Double-Thickness Dress Belt (reinforced for concealed carry so as to be completely twist/flex free) – all in plain black leather – and the result is the ability to carry (with the shoulder holster’s mag pouches included) a total of fourteen spare single-stacker 15-round mags both in style and with a definite eye towards practicality. And that should be enough of a load-out for just about any skirmish situation…..
I’ve now got more than enough ammo to feed the two hand cannons at my side. But what’s not satisfied, as it turned out, was my thirst for bringing this project truly over the top. Woo’s screen-characters are known to literally ditch their pistols when they run out of ammo – otherwise known as “the New York Reload.” This is something that’s been picked up not only by Hollywood as a quick reload method (i.e. The Matrix) but is also something that even videogame characters such as Jack Slate in Namco’s Dead to Rights has figured out. When the going gets tough, the tough simply pulls out more pistols. Reloading is for beat cops on the Department’s budget – and is almost gauche for the bullet-dodging hero or the swinging international terrorist! Well, seeing as I’m not filthy rich, I could not afford to simply ditch my $1,400 set of GBBs out of the need to quick reload in a desperate situation. So what’s a boy to do but to get more GBBs? =) With the above consideration in-mind, I thought it would be more fitting to pay tribute to Face/Off in a more traditional sense. No, no golden pistols, but definitely, something that’s more true to the over-the-top look of the Springfields in that film, and definitely something that’s carried at the small-of-the-back. And before I even started looking for another set of pistols, I wanted to be sure that an appropriately fancy and high-quality holster could be found for them. Luckily for me, a fellow GBB enthusiast, fluffybunny, had been clued-in on a custom leatherworker out in Savage, Montana, by the name of JC Rankin. Holsters and Mag Pouches, redux – After initial contact and numerous detailed e-mails firming up specific requirements for the rig, Rankin delivered an absolutely stunningly beautiful rendition of his mh-11 Spec-Ops Double Back-Draw holster in hand dyed black leather. A full custom handmade piece, this holster also required a lead-time of about 4 weeks for construction and delivery. But trust me, patience is indeed a virtue, and definitely, the wait was well worth the final product. Beautifully cut and assembled, this piece has all the visceral appeal that climbing into the cockpit of a baseball-stitched Audi TT holds. The aroma from simply opening the package was intoxicating, and the feel of the leather can only be said to be heavenly. For some two-hundred and fifty odd dollars, this is, IMHO, the most distinctive and best looking double behind-the-back holster that you can purchase.
Trust me, had the armorer of Woo’s film known about this piece he definitely would have called upon Rankin to dress Castor Troy. Even my wife, who’s usually put off by my airsoft gear, marveled at the beauty of this exquisite holster. The only consideration to be had is one of sizing. This isn’t something that can be worn by everyone. Rankin himself cautioned that if I’m less than 5’8” tall, and less than about 28-30 inches wide at the waist, this rig may not fit comfortably or properly. This is due to the design of the holster, which gives a higher ride than that is seen with the on-screen Castor Troy piece. Rankin’s use of the traditional “pancake” design allows the GBBs in this holster to ride much closer to the body – increasing concealability under that thousand-dollar Armani jacket you have on. Long known to be of benefit for such purposes in the real-steel world of undercover detectives and vice-squad officers, it’s no surprise that “the pancake” is king in terms of offering a body-hugging fit. The Rankin mh-11 allows for better concealability for real-world carry-use, but more importantly, it also allows the wearer to actually sit down without cracking his tailbone, as would have undoubtedly happened with Castor’s low-slung pouches…. For those individuals meeting the minimum measurements, a pair of full-sized Government .45s will come to rest next to one’s kidneys, offering a secure and low-profile nest for your hand-cannons. If you’re shorter or slimmer, Rankin kindly suggests pairing this holster with a set of smaller pistols – at least considering the move down to a 4-inch, “Officer’s”-sized 1911. Sure, Castor’s rig may look nicely low-slung and sexy, but practicality will demand otherwise, and Rankin’s mh-11 is designed for real-world use, instead of just Hollywood fanfare. That, of course, is just fine for skirmish-play purposes. What better to fit into this holster than a set of true high-end, custom-build GBBs?
And that’s precisely the third option for creating a Face/Off tribute…getting a professional airsoft gunsmith to undertake your commission.
As an added and totally unexpected detail touch – befitting his constant striving for “a head above the rest” customer service – Clarence also inscribed the names of each Twin into their polished barrel bushings, letting not only the close-range opponent know from whence their demise originated, but also adding a distinctive profile to possibly the only boring angle of these pistols.
Up top, a matte bead-blasted treatment was given to the slides to minimize reflected glare. Adjustable BoMar three-dot sights were fitted, which, along with my later revision to the “Combat Pyramid” rear blade as well as highlight of the front dot, allowed for both a better sight picture as well as maintains congruence and continuity between the two pairs of GBBs. A high-polished metal chamber cover adds a bit of shine to this area and again lends the detail touch to tie-up the whole of the GBB with the proper .45 caliber, hybrid exhaust warning text. As with most modern combat autos of the 1911-.45 genre, the ejection port is cut low and flared back.
The frame itself was not overlooked either cosmetically or functionally. Patience and expert skill were lovingly blended together for these frames, which took Clarence a labored 6+ hours to complete, each, just for the re-checkering. For those horror stories I’ve heard of claimed “tuners” who couldn’t take the time to even properly adjust sear spring tension, this truly shows the disparity of dedication and workmanship……..
Starting with a traditional round trigger guard Sheriff metal frame, Clarence cross-drilled the grip chassis and polished its sides to match the finish of the slide’s profile. Meanwhile, a bead-blasted finish was preserved to match the underbelly of the dustcover and trigger guard to the finish seen above the slide. And just atop the trigger on the right is inscribed a variant of the traditional Springfield Armory stamping, with custom matching serial numbers of “DR 0001” for Sinister, and “DR 0002” for Dexter. As with the barrel bushing lettering, this was a detail that Clarence “gifted” me as an extra and unexpected personal touch.
Wrapping around the bottom is a Sheriff replica Wilson Combat “Speed Chute” type mainspring housing integrated full flared magwell. High-polished to match the main control surfaces, this part also was expertly fitted to minimize any gaps or other incongruous mating. The level of fit is so highly detailed that it even puts the work of high-dollar custom shops, such as Sheriff’s own full-build pieces – which has been known to occasionally show large gaps in this area – to shame. Along the mainspring housing, Clarence also saw fit to re-checker the flat backstrap at 30 LPI to further insure a high-friction grip which, as you could see in a previous photo, really allows a fine “bite” into your hands regardless if you’re wearing a velvet glove or a leather gauntlet.
The control surfaces, including both the high recurve beavertail grip safety and the ambidextrous “tactical narrow” thumb safeties were each high-polished to a mirror finish. Of note are the special “squared” nature of the thumb safeties’ leading edges, which was a profile that was thoughtfully carried over to the CL-special bead-blasted extended narrow slide stop and was further aesthetically reinforced by a unique “squared” plunger-tube. Even the Springfield-type, bearing steel hammer did not escape Clarence’s careful eye, with both side profiles high-polished, maintaining only its blued surface on the upper and rear aspects to tie-in with the necessarily black sight assembly.
The magazine release button also did not escape overhaul. A bead-blasted finish extended mag release was drafted for use, and the surface was deeply checkered to insure positive engagement. Meanwhile, the trigger itself remained a typical Sheriff replica of the Wilson Combat/Videki 3-hole type, with Clarence’s magical trigger job giving this piece almost no pull, and literally hair-trigger actuation. Further spicing up the internals are an increased rate mainspring and reinforced hammer strut, which in combination with the highly skeletonized and lightened bearing steel hammer, works in concert with the expert trigger job to drastically decrease lock time and increase overall cyclic rate. Helping even more to insure a positive cycle is a custom increased-rate recoil spring, set to 130%, that positively returns each cycle to-lock. Shock absorption, meanwhile, is handled by Clarence’s custom-fitted proprietary buffer.
To
increase power output, in addition to a high-rate mainspring,
Clarence installed his typical super-extended polished
steel firing pin and mated that to a Sheriff floating/rocket
valve. Combined with the set recoil spring rate, this
system is capable of producing again near WA double-stacker
levels of objective power output (using higher-powered
Taiwanese “Green Gas” or true H[C]FC22) while still maintaining
sufficient gas efficiency to finish off a full mag’s worth
of BBs and provide positive last-round lock-open.
OK, you idiot, now you have four pistols but only 2 hands…… So one begs the question – with such a high-quality set of GBBs at the small of my back, why even bother with the set under my arms?
As anyone who has skirmished with me can readily report, I hate to get caught with my pants down. Even for my regular skirmishes, I pack no less than 3 sidearms on my person. Now considering that The Twins are necessarily tuned to a knife’s edge, and further sports within their metal bodies an exacting and demanding set of 6.03 mm tightbore inner-barrels, one’s got to take some practical precautions in case the errant malformed BB or some dirt and grime manages to jam-up the low-tolerance, precision-mated parts. And that’s where the Springfields under my arms come in to play. They serve as a pair of imminently ready and ultimately reliable (due to their less rigorous performance tuning) backups. And although I do not ever plan to “movie ditch” The Twins, the real-world consideration of possibly having one or both of them fail during a skirmish is one that neither I or Clarence can ignore or deny as practical skirmish gamers. Sure, holstering The Twins and transitioning to the Springfields under my arms may take a bit of time – but that’s still better than field-stripping the GBB to clear a hard-jam during the heat of a skirmish battle. After all, GBB 1911s aren’t exactly always responsive to “tap-rack-bang.” The black-and-chrome Springfields under my arm are like the AK47s of the assault-rifle world – their looser tolerances confer to them the ability to function regardless of the situation. And that in and of itself lends them significant value when the going gets really tough.
External
Links: AirsoftZone “Clothing and Gear” Forum thread regarding double shoulder holster rigs. AirsoftZone “Custom Guns” Forum thread on the topic of the Face/Off GBBs. My BB-IPSC review, with the all-important “Additional References” section in the third sub-post. If you’re looking for information on upgrading your WA 1911-type GBB, please do not overlook the references cited within that post. Take the time to read them, it’ll be well worth it. There’s a virtual treasure chest of information there from many of the leading names in the GBB enthusiast community, not reading through these references is to, IMHO, elect ignorance! Friend and fellow enthusiast MMZ_Cee’s excellent rear-of-frame disassembly guide. He just started on this route 2 months ago (as of 02/2003), and look at what he can already achieve! This is a fine example of just how simple and elegant the WA 1911s/2011s are to work on – don’t be afraid to try! Best used in conjunction with the three other resources listed below…. From the GoIAO hobbyist website, an article by JPNet, friend and noted fellow enthusiast. Covers, IN DETAIL through five (5) picture-filled pages, the complete assembly and re-assembly details of a WA double-stacker. This article, combined with the references listed in the above BB-IPSC full-review as well as the following set of URL links, should be more than sufficient to serve as a complete guide to the assembly/disassembly as well as tuning and maintenance of your WA 1911-type GBB of either single or double-stacker genre. Also, combine with the two posts immediately following (as well as MMZ_Cee’s guide above) for best help in troubleshooting the critical rear-of-frame internals. Troubleshooting of the rear-of-frame mechanicals. Sear/hammer strut/trigger bow inter-relationship. Taken from an AirsoftPlayers Forum thread. Combine with above JPNet GoIAO article and MMZ_Cee’s guide for best effect. AirsoftZone post, in which I helped Booya dissect the finer aspects of mainspring housing removal and mainspring replacement. Combine with above JPNet GoIAO article, plus the above-referenced AirsoftPlayers thread and MMZ_Cee’s guide for best effect. Arnie’s UK airsoft Forum, post regarding how to remove the WA rear main blowback assembly from the slide. Also, it details how to properly match slides for the different replicas for fit and function. Critical read. AirsoftZone Forum post, regarding nozzle replacement detail steps, along with a picture-linked guide for rear sight assembly matching. Yet another AirsoftZone Forum post addressing the issue of grip and grip plate retrofitting on stock WA single and double-stacker 1911 clones. Again to clarify the issue of slide profile and dust-cover length with regard to slide fit, an AirsoftRetreat Forum thread. Fellow enthusiast jbl/JBL’s excellent dissection of the WA GBB gas-evolution cycle. Highly recommended read! Same as above, but with parts-number references. Still an excellent read and an alternative-format presentation. Taken from the AirsoftPlayers Forums by fellow enthusiast Janissary. DolphiN#1’s excellent two-gunning article. Mobius Strip’s three-part Western Arms 1911-type GBB tuning and maintenance guide. With this guide-in hand and combined with the references I’ve given in the above “External Links” as well as those resident in the “BB-IPSC” review that I cited, it’s easy for just about anyone to not only properly maintain, but also troubleshoot and even upgrade and tune their WA 1911s. This has been recently updated (essentially re-written) by Mobius Strip, and is well-worth revisiting and re-reading! Mobius Strip’s famous and now classic “A Tribute to Face/Off” project. Further screencaptures form Face/Off http://www.AirsoftSurgeon.com - Clarence Lai’s masterpiece clinic in the Airsoft Mecca of Hong Kong. Custom work on GBB pistols (and more) at its best. Mernickle Custom Holsters, British Columbia, Canada. Source of my excellent SH-9 Dual Gun, Dual Mag shoulder rig carry system as well as the outstanding dress pistol belt and beautifully decorative magazine pouches. High-end true custom leatherworkers. Rankin Saddlery & Leatherworks, Savage, Montana, USA. JC Rankin, Sr., hand crafts each piece of high end leather accessory with unequaled beauty. Home of my mh-11 Spec-Ops double Back-Draw holster. IMHO, there’s no comparison between his true custom work and the lesser double-backdraw holsters out there (i.e. Black Hills Leather and Bell Charter Oak). This is the holster that had “Castor Troy known about, he would have undoubtedly chosen due to its ultra-high quality and superior cosmetics. CarbonCreations. John Cato’s patented carbon-fiber woven grip panels for pistols. Custom made to-order, anything from traditional 1911-.45s to Berettas; silver, red, blue, gold/yellow and even nickel-interweaves are possible with a number of different surface finishes, as are custom settings of trademark medallions. Sidney L. Ryan, custom engraving and scrimshaw. Combines modern techniques with a traditional look to give quality artwork at affordable prices. Airsoft
retailers - Springfield Armory, USA. If you want the real-steel, this is the place to go to start your research and shopping. Dedications: First and foremost, I’d like to thank my mate, Mobius Strip of the UK. Without his inspiration and undying love for the gold Face/Off pistols, I would most likely have never undertaken this project – and who, without his teaching, guidance, and friendship, I would likely have never stepped down the road of WA 1911/2011 modifications. Also not to be forgotten are my good friends Tony and JPNet, without whose often very long letters discussing our beloved WA 1911s – and even real-steel – I would not otherwise have come to appreciate these pieces so much. And certainly, within this first section, I should thank my lovely wife, Sara, who tolerated the infiltration of many pieces of hardware into our modest living areas. Also to thank is my friend The Alchemist (ex-cmcodeking) of AirsoftOhio, who first seriously proposed the idea of a street-dress “Suit Battle”-scenario airsoft skirmish, which finally served the impetus to kick me into action. Hopefully, sometime this coming year, we’ll get such a scenario going! On the retail front, the guys at AirsoftToys (US) and Wargamers' Shop (HK) both deserve a shout-out for their most timely and most professional handling of some issues I had with the GBBs serving as donors to my duo-tone Springfields; the same thanks go out to the guys at DEN Trinity (HK) who worked with me to locate alternatives to certain parts that were not available. And, of course, a warm “thank you” goes to fellow hobbyist fluffybunny of AirsoftOhio, who introduced me to the works of JC Rankin, Sr, the custom leatherworker who in turn deserves his own special note here in making the stunning double behind-the-back holster; JC, your level of service borders on that only my clothiers and tailor comes even remotely close to. Sid Ryan and John Cato also both receive my thanks for their finely crafted custom grip panels – Sid specifically for his wonderful ink work on The Twins’ scrimshaw panels, and John for his working so carefully for me to make the custom cuts that I specified. Last but not least, a big thanks go out to my good friend and artisan, Clarence Lai, who so finely crafted Dexter and Sinister to my exacting specifications and countless demands. Face/Off
and the represented characters are copyrights of: Paramount
/ Touchstone Pictures
|
In
Conclusion: Would Castor Troy be proud to carry
this load-out? 
