My suggestion would be that the rifles would be unloaded but that they have pistols holstered as side arms in case some stupid person required being shot to death.
Common sense means that if you are shouldering arms, a display of strength, you should be able to act appropriately.
Excellent suggestion. And if they didn't have loaded pistols before, they certainly should have them now.
But this is Obama's America. I wouldn't be surprised if the guards were ordered to exchange their rifles for wooden poles.