d_c_i Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Did the color guard ever use real rifles when they marched? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Did the color guard ever use real rifles when they marched? Thanks! Yes. Many Drum Corps guards continued to use actual military weapons through the 1960s. Typically, these were either Springfield or M1 rifles, weighing between 10 and 11 pounds, depending on whether the bayonet was attached. And yes, they did spin and toss, though not quite so high. See the chapter, "Why the Guns?" by Shirley Stratton Dorritie in Vol. 2 of The History of Drum and Bugle Corps for a very comprehensive summary of the development of color guard from the American revolution to the present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Don't forget the Enfields! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCImonkey Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Did they ever go off? Talk about incentive not to drop your toss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skevinp Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Cadets used them in a Christmas show years ago but someone shot their eye out so they had to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 If you listen to some of the early 70's recordings you can hear the snap of the straps on the guns. Sure they didn't do as complicated moves as they do now but there was a whole lot of precision back then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Don't forget the Enfields! You are correct, Crunchmeister. There were Enfields on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 (edited) Did they ever go off? Talk about incentive not to drop your toss? The rifles carried were never loaded. ( although in the Sr. ranks, truth be told, it was not totally unheard of for the marcher carrying the Corps rifle in competition in the Honor Guard section to sometimes be loaded. ) Edited August 12, 2012 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasgroh Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Don't forget the Enfields! ...lots of conjecture on these weapons, the British .303 was the one I came up with on a google search, they weighed 8.8 lbs unloaded. The much more familiar M1 Gerand (the predecessor to my army M-14) had a bit more heft at 9.5 lbs unloaded. BITD spinning these things was a chore, but extremely doable (I personally was in an exhibition unit with 4 Texas ROTC dudes spinning our M-14's...*that* was interesting!)...just refer to the Marine Silent Drill Team and you'll see state-of-the-art for handling the Gerand...drum corps that *did* spin didn't go that far, but did the gig well, indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasgroh Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 The rifles carried were never loaded. ( although in the Sr. ranks, truth be told, it was not totally unheard of for the marcher carrying the Corps rifle in competition in the Honor Guard section to sometimes be loaded. ) I could see that as a matter of pride for vets guarding the US colors...rounds, no doubt, were not chambered?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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