User:Ahenry131313/sandbox

Rifles
Rifles can be made out of both wood and plastic. Some people prefer plastic because they are all the same weight and size, unless you order a bigger or smaller one. Others prefer wood because they're heavier and more durable. They are all exactly the same. Some people prefer wood because it is less slick and they can weight it the way they want to.

Plastic Rifles
Usually rookies, people new to color guard, will use plastic rifles. They tend to be a little more forgiving and easier to handle. Some people may not like plastic rifles because they can become slick and hard to handle, either when its raining or just from the sweat from the users hands. Some plastic rifles come with a manufacture guarantee that they will not break under “normal usage.” Because most are made out of a material called polyethylene, this makes the rifle sturdy and harder to break, the material can also be colored so that different teams can use different colored rifles. Sometimes, though, the material can warp after several bad drops which can lead to a bad spin while the rifle is in the air. Plastic rifles may also start to smell after prolonged use, some say that after a long time it will tend to smell like sweat because of the performers hands.

Wooden Rifles
Wooden rifles can be hard to use because they are all slightly different and may not be weighted the same, this is why people that are more familiar with rifles use them and not usually rookies. Most wooden rifles are made of either poplar or aspen wood. It is recommended to tape wooden rifles as to keep the ends protected and make it more durable, the tape can also be used for cosmetics. Electrical tape is the first choice of most winter guards because you can get the tape in whatever color is desired to match the show. Water is the main antagonist to wooden rifles, it can destroy a rifle and make it completely not usable, but if cared for properly and used correctly they can last for a long time.