This article could be easily based on bias: previous owners Wendy Lazar and Joes Rivas, and now Jose Barreto the current owner of Glendale Industries, are friends of mine. I could just say that the DrillAmerica rifle is the best and be done with it, but I’m going to let you make the decision after listing the pros and cons of each rifle.
Updated July 2025.
Drill and Training Rifles
Daisy and Glendale are not the first to create training rifles, they’ve been around for well over 100 years. Please read The History of Drill and Training Rifles for a very detailed review of rifles strictly used for training.
The Daisy Drill Rifle
This rifle has been around the longest (2003), so Daisy goes first.
Pros. The Daisy Drill Rifle was the first M1903A1 replica to be mass produced on a very wide scale specifically for drill. It is a very durable toy rifle (yes, legally, it is nothing more than a toy). The Daisy began replacing JROTC demilitarized rifles (M1, M14 & M1903) in the mid and late 2000s.
The parts are even interchangeable with a real M1903 rifle. The stock comes in a black resin only. If you damage the stock, scars can be sanded and even filled in. What’s not to like?
Cons. Well, here is a point to not like: rust. The Daisy’s metal parts are bare, just like a real rifle, and are subject to rusting – almost immediately. The schools I work with in Florida, Alabama, and many others store their rifles in rooms that are not air conditioned in the summer and moisture builds up and rust is the outcome.
To fix the rust issue, you then have to disassemble the rifles, sand the rust and oil or paint the metal and then put it back together. Remember, the metal doesn’t just rust where you can see it, that’s why the rifle needs to be taken apart, cleaned, prepped, then a coating applied, and reassembled.
The stock is very slippery. Tape is usually the workaround for this, but it’s still not the best surface for gripping if you don’t want to tape it.
It’s not impossible, but good luck getting parts. While interchangeable with a real 1903, those parts are more expensive. Daisy does have a list of parts, somewhere (I saw the list once years ago), but obtaining the parts is a challenge.
The rifle has never been updated. within the last year (2024/2025), there was a chance of reviewing the stock and other parts, but Daisy has failed to listen to consumers.
The Glendale DrillAmerica M1903 Rifle
The DrillAmerica M1 Garand, designed in 2002 and sold exclusively by Glendale Parade Store, revolutionized the replica rifle industry. Suddenly, there was rifle that looked as professional as a real M1 Garand that was taken apart, it’s metal parts nickel plated, and the stock sanded and oiled. Army and Air Force units, especially those overseas, that needed to travel their host country, could not do so without checking in with the local police to store real weapons overnight. European borders could be crossed with zero paperwork and hassle to march in local parades (yes, I have first-hand knowledge of this during my USAF career).
Pros. The introduction of the DrillAmerica 1903 in 2010 (revisions began in 2012 and continue to today) to the replica industry, the DrillAmerica M1903, in many respects, is like the Daisy, but the DrillAmerica has surpassed the Daisy in recent years.
All of the metal parts are painted black (no rust!) or, and this is a huge plus, the metal parts comes nickel plated! The stock comes with a wood grain-like finish and, another big plus, the upper band comes with a bayonet lug! It is a truly beautiful piece of equipment.
In June of 1015, Glendale began offering a black, brown, and white stock, plus the stocks have reformulated resins to create a virtually unbreakable stock! The original stock was smooth and easy to grip, and refinements have made the stock even better, especially with sweat-drenched hands.
The image at the top of the page is the different versions of the Glendale DrillAmerica 1903 rifle. This is the perfect rifle for your drill team and your color guard – profound, new colors or traditional. Glendale is the only company to give you a choice.
Parts are extremely easy to obtain for all rifles and the customer service Glendale provides is top notch.
Cons. If you damage the wood grain-look stock, you’ve just permanently scarred that layer (it’s a design coating). Initially, some scars can be fixed with a permanent marker, but eventually scars and cuts cannot be fixed to look the same. Of course, you can completely sand down the stock and paint it whatever color you wish (as you can with the Daisy).
Metal parts need to be coated so that they don’t corrode, but this goes for anything you use, care and maintenance are necessary.
What’s DrillMaster’s Choice?
I own one Daisy Drill Rifle, and I like it. It’s a good, solid rifle That I have used for practice. I’ve been working on mine to make it black and gold (did that and gave it away). I used it as my tinker rifle since I cannot physically spin anymore.
I own 23 DrillAmerica rifles, several M1903s, M1s, M1917s, and others. There is no way I would buy more Daisy Drill Rifles. They are too much work and it’s a fight against rust.
Comments 17
Daisy drill rifles made in the USA. Glendale drill rifles are nice but CHICOM-made.
Author
Mr. Welch,
The rifles are not made by the Chinese Communists. The parts for the Glendale DrillAmerica rifles are made in Taiwan and Glendale employees assemble the rifles to fill orders. This keeps the cost of the rifles affordable.
Recently, Glendale has made advancements in stock resin formulation and metal parts and yet the price has remained relatively low. DrillAmerica rifles are the only rifles that have a coating on all metal parts to prevent corrosion. With decent upkeep, a DrillAmerica rifles couple potentially last decades. The different stock colors couples with silver and black metal parts creates personalized rifles with a professional look.
Conversely, the Daisy Drill Rifle has had zero advancement since it was first produced in the early 2000s. None of the metal parts are coated which means the parts will rust within the first year of ownership (here in the humid south, at least) if not rigorously maintained. The Daisy Drill Rifle, while a good rifle, only comes on all-black.
I am glad we have choices.
We have both types in our program. I agree that the Dailey rifles are more challenging to maintain. However, in my limited experience, the Dailey rifles hold up better to the demands of exhibition drill. The hardware on the Glendale rifles often break or strip. Have you experienced this?
Author
I have, sir. The issue is the type of metal. Daisy seems to have gone the route of the same metal type as the real rifle, while Glendale has made every effort to use alternatives to keep the cost as low as possible.
What grit do I use when I sand down the stock on drill America 1903
Author
Start with a low grit to remove whatever you need to and then work your way up. Read my article on shining cheaters to better understand the process of sanding. You won’t go as high in the numbers for sandpaper as you would with the cheaters.
https://thedrillmaster.org/2014/12/23/how-to-shine-your-heel-taps-cheaters/
I own a Drill America rifle, but we use daisy’s at school so I’ve never really worried about rust. Though We have to clean the rifles and can’t find anything online, so I was wondering do we keep scraping off the rust with brushes, or do we have to blue them or add some type of rust prevention?
Author
This is a great question.
There are videos online as to how to blue a rifle and you could do that. I local school here where I live asked a gunsmith how much it would be to break down their rifles, blue them, and then reassemble all of them. The total was over $100 each. If you have specific funding and can run your rifles down to the shop and have them professionally blued, great. It might help to have a disassembling and reassembling party so the cadets can take part in the process and it could also save you a few bucks.
You could try to blue one yourself and if it works, start on the rest. Note, my rifle technician, Matt Pereau, blues one of his rifles and he said it was very difficult.
Lastly, you could keep doing what you are doing and brush the rust off. I also suggest maybe a rust-preventing paint after you eliminate as much rust as possible with a wire brush. Tape off the areas that don’t need painted with that blue painter’s tape and then carefully spray paint the metal parts. You must be very careful not to be to heavy with the paint as it accumulates and drips and that would make the rifle look bad.
Let me know what you choose and how it goes.
DM
Hello im very new to armed exhibition (this is my first year) so as you can imagine im dropping my rifle alot. Most in grass so im not worried about finish. My main concern is in my rotc program we have both rifles. We only practice with the daisies but compete with the drill america rifles because they are shiny and look better. However upon dropping one the screw head that catches to hold the bolt closed went completely under the metal plate it is supposed to catch on and bent the whole reciever outward. These rifles are probably a year or two old. I was wondering if any improvement to the durability was made to the metal. If so im going to purchase a drill america rifle. If not im going for the more durable daisy. Thank you.
Author
Hello Dennis,
To my knowledge, the metal is still the same for the DrillAmerica rifles.
Thanks for the question!
The drillamerica rifle is nice but breaks VERY VERY easily, with our daisies we drop all the time during exhibition but they are hard to break, I MEAN REALLY HARD. But we dropped our drillamericas once and totally snapped two in half. IN HALF!
Author
Hi Jake,
Thanks for the comment. When Daisy first came out with their drill rifle, they had similar problems. Glendale is working to perfect their 1903 DrillAmerica and it will take time.
There’s no better ceremonial rifle and I’m sure that the exhibition aspects of the rifle will catch up quickly.
I just but a drill america rifle I dint even attempt to throw it, it just feels too delicate, or flimsy, but either way it is a nice looking pice of plastic, but I noticed that the top part of the rifle is diffrent from the rest of the stock, its a smooth glossy plastic, and it feels like a hollow shell; REALLY flimzy feel to it. I’ll stick to the daisy rifles we use in rotc I’ve never seen one broken, ive only ever heard of it. Plus they make a nice sound when u hit them right!
Author
Thanks for the comment!
First of all, I have to tell you how much I love this website. I’m a squad leader and exhibition instructor of the Armed Drill team here in Snohomish Company, MCJROTC, and everyone knows to check in here if they have a question about anything drill.
I wanted to ask a question about the balances and weights of the rifle. Snohomish Company has an armory full of the Daisies, and I’m very familiar with it’s balances and weight distribution.
Buying rifles for practicing at home has invariably been a question asked by cadets, as we cannot loan out any of the Daisies from the armory. So, if a cadet wanted to buy the much cheaper Glendale M1903, would their performance with the armory-issue competition rifles be affected if he learned how to spin and drill on the Glendale? Or would it not affect the performance on the Daisy?
Cadet LCpl Machado
Author
C/LCpl Machado,
Thank you for the great question and also, thank you very much for the nice comments! My goal is to help educate and it looks like I’m accomplishing my goal!
Now, on to your question: the fine folks at Glendale have worked to create the best drill rifle available. The DrillAmerica 1903, now available in three colors, was created with painstaking accuracy to make the balance point right at the front of the “lower receiver” (those words are in quotes since it really isn’t a lower receiver, just a representation of one). The Daisy’s balance is very close to the same spot. There shouldn’t be much of a difference, really. There are a couple of cadets at one of the schools where I teach who have DrillAmerica 1903s at home while we drill with the Daisy Drill Rifle at school.
If you were going from a demil M1903 to one of the two drill rifles, then I would say you’d possibly have some troubles since both drill rifles are solid with no “give” whatsoever while a real rifle has some “give” since the stock and other parts have a little “play” in them. That is a tough transition for some.
Please pass along my best to your instructors and teammates!
DrillMaster
Hi, I am part of the armed squad at Daniel Boone High School MCJROTC. We use Daisys for JV/ first year drill and Springfield’s/03’s for Varsity Drill. We have several national championships for armed and unarmed drill. I started learning armed with the daisy and I actually prefer it. In my experience the daisy is the better rifle but I could be wrong. – Cadet Cpt. Bledsoe