Saturday Movies: F-Class Rifles, Gear Choice, and Reloading

Today’s Saturday movie showcase features eight videos about F-Class marksmanship, gear selection, and reloading methods. The 2025 NRA F-Class National Championships take place next week at the Winnequah Gun Club range in Lodi, Wisconsin. The F-Class Nationals start on August 2nd and run through August 9th. There are two divisions: F-Open and F-TR. The F-Class Championships have two segments, Mid-Range and Long Range. The Mid-Range competition runs August 2-5, while the Long Range competition is scheduled for August 6-9. Competitors can register for the 2025 F-Class Nationals through the NRA Shooters Portal. Learn more about the range at Winnequahgunclub.org.

WICKED WINDS — At Ben Avery with 18-30 mph Winds

Long-range F-Class shooters will tell you that the winds can be the biggest challenge in a match. And things can get pretty wild at times as the Ben Avery range in Phoenix, site of the 2022 NRA F-Class National Championships. In this video, shooters fight through extremely strong 18-30 mph winds at 600 yards. In these kind of extreme conditions, a major unexpected gust can send your bullet off-target.

Wind-Reading for Long-Range Competition

In this excellent video Keith Glasscock, who has finished second overall at multiple F-Class Nationals, explains how to read the wind and even predict wind changes in cycling conditions. Keith notes that you should look at environmental features and mirage, not just wind flags. Keith is one of America’s best wind gurus — he was a team wind coach and he has finished second three times in F-Open division at the F-Class National Championships.

F-0pen rifle at the Berger SW Nationals at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, AZ.

Load Development Procedures for F-Class — Seating Depth

In this video, 2023 NRA Mid-Range National Champion John Masek (aka “F-Class John”) explains how he does load development in an efficient and reliable manner. He specifically focuses on testing for optimal seating depth. With 318,000 views, this is the most-watched video on F-Class John’s popular YouTube channel. Viewers have praised this video: “This was a great video, really appreciate the explanation about how you bracketed the jump and why you chose the closest.”

Front Rest Options for F-Open (and Benchrest) Competition

If you are shopping for a front rest, definitely watch this comprehensive 42-minute video from start to finish. This is probably the most informative video about premium shooting rests available on YouTube. Top F-Class shooter and video-maker F-Class John covers a wide selection of front rests, with some observations about coaxial bipods as well. John covers the impressive new SEB NEO-X, the easy-to-transport SEB Mini-X, the excellent Rodzilla Rest, the innovative 21st Century Hybrid Rest, the sleek Italian Lenzi Rest. At the end of the video John reviews the very affordable Caldwell Fire Control Rest ($269.99 on Amazon), explaining how it can be a decent choice for shooters on a limited budget.

Reloading for F-Class — Interview with Erik Cortina

In this Precision Rifle Network video, Erik Cortina of Team Lapua-Brux-Borden covers the reloading process for his F-Class rifle. All phases of reloading are noted — brass prep, annealing, primer seating, precision powder measuring (to the kernel), and bullet seating. Erik also talk about load testing and use of barrel tuners. Erik produces the EC Barrel Tuner which is used by many top competitors.

Trigger Trio — Evaluation of Three Trigger Types for F-Class Rifles

In this video, F-Class John evaluates three triggers that are popular with F-Class competitors: Bix’N Andy, Flavio, and TriggerTech Diamond. John talks about the pros and cons of each trigger type and offers advice for mounting and pull-weight adjustment. The Italian Flavio triggers are sold by Bruno Shooters Supply, Bix’N Andy triggers can be purchased from Bullet Central, and the TriggerTechs are offers by MidwayUSA and Area 419.

F-Class Shooting at Bisley Range in the United Kingdom

F-Class competition is popular around the world, and the UK is a major center of F-Class shooting in Europe. The Bisley range is justly famous, with a long heritage of shooting competitions. This video features the European F-Class Championship held at Bisley in 2015.

Building a Modern F-Open Stock for Competition

In this video, our friend F-Class John explains the process for building two custom laminated stocks for his F-Open rifles. John selected handsome, highly-figured African hardwoods, which were then laminated into layers with purple-tinted heart-wood and dark Wenge wood stringers in the middle. The stock-maker then sliced the wood into layers (1:02) and then glued the layers together (1:40). After final cutting, the stocks are shown at 2:00, and then the video shows how the stocks received their final finish. Both stocks are fitted with the R.A.D. recoil-reduction system. See the bedding at 19:00 and the fully finished rifles at 19:12 with barreled actions fitted.

Here is another beautiful F-Open stock, on the firing line at Ben Avery, Arizona with a SEB Mini front rest. Note the metal side-bars on the front of the forearm. These metal fittings extend the stock’s “wheelbase” while also lowering the rifle’s center of gravity.