The DrillMaster iDrill Rifle!

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Drillmaster shows you how to make your own rifle out of wood and gives you the free patterns for an M1 Garand or M1903!

Drillers: Adopt the Colorguard Rifle Toss

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You can see that the rifles in this picture (Glendale DrillAmerica M1s) are rotating on the X and Y axes due to poor technique Remember, colorguard (color guard) = a marching band color guard. What’s the difference between a colorguard rifle toss and a military Driller’s rifle toss? Nothing. The mechanics are the same. “We Drillers catch differently.” Yes, I’m …

The Coast Guard Silent Drill Team

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Here are some highlights from the Drill Team’s performance during navy Fleet Week in Boston Massachusetts. Could it be that the team changed their movements after going to shoulder with their rifle because of my critique during at the Joint Service Drill Competition (JSDC12)? I don’t know, but I very much more appreciate this routine! Whatever the reason, enjoy the …

Bayonet, Bayonet, Who’s Got the Bayonet?

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The DrillMaster Bayonet is for the M1 Garand and M1903 rifles, it is a real bayonet, but the blade tip is rounded, it does not have a sharp edge and has welds for extra stability- there is also an unwelded version. Armed drill has a certain amount of danger; drilling bladed ups the ante considerably. The DrillMaster Bayonet is a ‘safer’ …

Fitness and the Driller

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Certain demands are placed on Drillers for each kind of routine they may march: solo, tandem, and drill team. With a solo performance, it’s all about the Driller and his/her capabilities With a tandem routine, the pressure is halved With a drill team performance the pressure is somewhat diminished Does this mean that Drillers on a team can relax and …

Drill Styles and a Winning Canadian Performance

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Each time I look at drill from another country, the first thought that goes through my  mind is, “Man, that’s weird!” Having said that, I do appreciate watching and learning from other nations. By no means am I going to pinpoint definitions here, but maybe we could loosely define drill styles by country: “British Style“- The British influence is far-reaching: …

No Drill Please, We’re British

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Actually, the original title doesn’t have the word “drill” in it… For those in the American military drill world who have yet to acquaint themselves with military drill and ceremonies outside of the United States of America, allow me to introduce you to Britain’s Air Training Corps Banner Drill Competition. While it may seem odd (as I noted in the …

Competing with “the Best of the Best of the Best”

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There is no way anyone can train an individual or group of individuals to be the “best of the best of the best” and it doesn’t matter what word you use instead of “best.” What does that even mean, anyway?  “He’s really excited and has no clue why we’re here.” Says Will Smith’s character in the original Men in Black …

The Color Guard Every Left On

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How many times has your color team come across a situation where if you entered in reverse order, the team would be correct when finally posted? These pictures may help to illustrate the issue: In this picture, the team probably entered correctly: single file with the American flag in front, but they had to turn to the right which places …

Drill Team Training: Ripple Lines

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Drill team training: Ripple lines (not dominoes, they fall once and that’s it) can be fun and exciting during a drill team’s routine. However… Please use imagination during the design process! Here are some tips for a ripple line, armed or unarmed. What is a ripple? For military drill purposes, it is an action that begins at one point and …