When you start practicing more with various color guard equipment, you’ll probably find you have a favorite. Mine? The color guard rifle, 100%. 💜
Learning to spin rifle is usually the next step after getting comfortable with flag. It’s one of the “weapon” pieces of equipment, along with sabre and a few others.
Transition from flag to rifle is a very unique process, because you have a decent idea of where to start, but the technique is pretty different. The rifle is smaller, heavier, wooden and spins differently.
Whether you buy one yourself, or borrow it from your team, different details of your rifle will depend on the team’s customs. There might be preferred colors, size or brand, so talk to your staff before making any choices.
When you receive it, it should be in one piece, so you can just use screws, electrical tape or glue if pieces crack or break. However, you’ll probably have to wrap certain pieces in electrical tape, which is more you can discuss with staff or teammates.
When learning different tricks or tosses on rifle, you’ll hear certain parts/areas of the gun be referred to with certain names. Some of them I’ve already listed, but a few are less obvious.
Parts and key points on color guard rifle
- The wooden “gun” base (consisting of a tip, neck and butt)
- The bolt
- The strap
- The swivels
- Electrical tape
- Screws (Securing the bolt and swivels/strap)
Familiarizing yourself with these different names will help you when it’s time to get your hands on the equipment. You’ll learn how to work every part of the gun as you explore rifle technique. Each part of your gun plays an important role in spinning, even though it’ll all seem a bit awkward at first.
It’s a little hard for me to explain what everything does on your rifle, because there isn’t one set way to spin. That may seem a little overwhelming, but with training and confidence, you’ll be able to tackle more challenges.
A lot of people are scared that rifle is more injury-prone, but by staying focused and trusting your technique, the worst that’ll happen will be some jammed fingers and bruises. Injuries can happen, like concussions and fractures, but they’re not common.
Why I love rifle so much
I started guard in 2020, so our team wasn’t as full-out as it is now. We didn’t have a full show, we rarely had rehearsals and we never spun rifle. The following year, things were closer to normal, and I began my rifle journey.
I felt I was kind of thrown into weapon, but I’m thankful for it now. It was an important step in my guard career, and rifle ended up becoming my favorite piece of equipment. 😎
Starting rifle was a huge adjustment for me, but I always thought it was cool. It’s a whole new aspect of guard to explore and I’d recommend really giving it a try.
