First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

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Canuck
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First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Canuck »

I headed to Calgary, AB friday morning to attend the championship weekend events of the Stampede Grand Trap Shoot. I brought along my Ithaca 4E Knick and two flats of AA Extra-Lite 1oz(1180 fps) #7 1/2's to shoot the Knick with and also threw in a few flats of Remington Gun Club and Federal Top Gun to use in my Citori + should the weather turn wet. I am not about to drag my nice old Knick through the rain!
As it turned out the weather co-operated and I was able to put the Knick through it's first ever registered shoot since purchasing it and I suspect maybe first ever period given I'd be surprised in it's 70th year of existence it has fired more than a few hundred rounds.
Prior to this shoot I have only had the Knick out twice, once at Xmas break when I shot 4 rounds of trap through it to test it out and back in May for an afternoon where I shot one round of practice trap and a friend another through it. The sum total of 150 rounds through it since purchasing it.
I stepped onto my station, post 5 to start the first of the 200 singles targets for yesterdays event and took a minute to clear my head of thoughts about where the gun would shoot in relation to my shooting style etc.,etc, loaded the gun and awaited my turn.
When it came my turn I put the gun to my shoulder and cheek in one motion, settled on my hold point, changed my focus to a soft focus above the barrel and called my long drawn out version of "pull" without the p...
I got a hard right and my eyes shifted to the leading edge of the target and when I saw the blurred red bead pull through the target I snapped the trigger and the target disappeared completely from view. I thought for a second I'd lost sight of it until I saw the thick black cloud to the left of my muzzle as I continued my follow through and realized I had completely vaporized the target. That is how it went for nearly every bird I connected with afterward. Talk about a confidence booster seeing this gun ansolutely pulverize the White Flyer targets.
By the end of the two 100 target sub events I had managed to put a couple 25 straights :wink: on the board to help offset a few 23's and a :oops: 22 ending with 188x200 for a 94.0 average with the old girl in her debut shoot.
Today the morning starts off with the Championship doubles followed by the Handicap Championship. Of course I'll have to shoot my Citori + for the doubles event but weather permitting the old 4E Knick will be coming out for the handicap. My handicap is 25.5yds. I'm anxious to see how the AA Extra-Lite 7.5's perform through the Knick from back there and how I perform with her from there as well.
As a side note. A fellow shooter I know approached me at the shoot and said "I have an old Ithaca single bbl for sale but "shall remain nameless" said it's too much $, would you like to take a look at it? I know you collect them" Off I went and discovered he had an all original 4E Knick that had been well used but very well cared for and we struck a deal. Fortunately I had brought my Knick with me in a double case and left the shoot at the end of the day with a pair of 4E Knicks in the case. I'll take a pic of the pair in the case together to post later.
For now here is a few pics from the AHEIA Calgary Firearms Centre with the Calgary backdrop on the trap fields and my 4E Knick awaiting yesterday mornings start.
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Last edited by Canuck on Sun Jul 12, 2026 8:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Jeff S »

Nice shooting Frank, and that’s a beautiful gun. Congratulations on adding yet another Ithaca to your always expanding collection.
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by DarylC »

I've always thought the Ithaca's were one of the better looking SBT's. Nice shooting Frank.
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by eightbore »

Never attend a trapshoot without your checkbook and extra checks.
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Canuck »

eightbore wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2026 5:21 pm Never attend a trapshoot without your checkbook and extra checks.
I carry a small amount of cash and limit myself! 8)
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Canuck »

Day 2, first ever time trying the Knick for caps. Started out strong posting a 25 from my assigned 25.5 yd handicap. Was three stations deep into the second 25 when I dropped two targets back to back and killed any chance of a putting a 50 or more straight together. I ended with a 94 x 100 from 25.5 and again I shot AA Extra-Lite 1oz 7.5's.
I am amazed by the performance of the load/choke combo. A majority of the targets I hit were as hard hit inkballed as if they were shot from the 16 and it was the first gun I've owned out of many that shooting long yardage trap seemed almost effortless. The swing and pointing characteristics combined with hitting exactly where I'm looking just blew my mind. I even got a little option money back, enough to cover half a flat of AA's! :lol:
Next weekend we have our combined Provincial Championships and Western Zone Shoot and the Ithaca and I will be teamed up on the line in Edmonton. :wink:
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Jeff S »

Nice shooting!
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Stan Hoover »

Excellent shooting Frank!

Me and Shane took our Knick’s to the line on July 4, it was the first time in awhile, but they break targets with ease when the shooter does their part.

I have not shot a great amount of different trap guns by any means, but it is very hard to find a better looking Trap gun than the (King of Trap Guns)
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Re: First Registered Trap Shoot With The 4E Knick

Post by Canuck »

Stan Hoover wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2026 9:07 pm Excellent shooting Frank!

Me and Shane took our Knick’s to the line on July 4, it was the first time in awhile, but they break targets with ease when the shooter does their part.

I have not shot a great amount of different trap guns by any means, but it is very hard to find a better looking Trap gun than the (King of Trap Guns)
Agreed!
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