Most of the militia are designated as Musket-men and carry reproductions of either the English Brown Bess or 1873 Trapdoor Springfield Rifles. The Guards will fire on the march during parades and events, like on Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day, firing salutes using black powder blanks. As members of the Rhode Island Historic Militia, we participate annually in live fire qualification and competition at a local gun range to qualify for state shooting badges. Even firing smooth bore muskets, which are known to be inaccurate, the Kentish Guards are always in the running to win the Governor’s Cup each year and have done so on a consistent basis. Firing muskets is always a crowd favorite in parades, with many spectators cheering us on to fire!