doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bogardus duck club Illinois

A friend has two shotguns made by W & C Scott, a 16 gauge and a 12 gauge that has the inscription Bogardus duck club on the rib. I think I remember an article in one of the shotgun magazines, either the Double Gun Journal or Shooting Sportsman that stated That W&C Scott manufactured 10 shotguns and sent them to the Bogardus duck club in Illinois because he used one of their shotguns in pigeon shooting competition. Can anyone give me information on this article? Thank you.Randy

I know that I have seen listings for a “Bogardus Gun Club” model made by W&C Scott. Adam Bogardus did shoot Scott guns during his career and perhaps was sponsored by them hence the named model. I can’t recall seeing a “Bogardus Duck Club”, though. Looking through my new DGJ I & R I also didn’t see an article referencing such a gun but under W&C Scott there is a full column of references to DGJ articles that could be gone through. As for here, there are some “search engine masters” (I’m not one.) who could perhaps find a mention or past discussion for you. Let’s hope.

Both he and I think we have read such an article of where W and C Scott sent 10 shotguns to the duck club, they’re being a couple of 10 gauges 216 gauges and the rest 12 gauges of Damascus barrel hammer guns. I know they had a Bogardus grade, I think as the article said stemming from this gift to the club

https://www.shotgunworld.com/threads/help-with-id-of-a-w-c-scott-shotgun.504806/

Short history on Bogardus
https://mchistory.org/research/articles/adam-bogardus-world-champion-wing-shot

I've never seen confirmation that he actually had a gun club. He did however have several indoor glass ball shooting ranges (one on S. Clark St., Chicago) and the Bogardus Hot Springs Shooting School



They are not uncommon
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...-gun--london--12-ga.cfm?gun_id=101982533

https://stevebarnettfineguns.com/archive-16/wc-scott-bogardus-gun-club-sxs-hammer-gun-12-gauge

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ne-out-and-try-it--.cfm?gun_id=101631070

Thank you so much, Drew. But it begs the question of why a gun manufacture in Britain would have a graded shotgun named after an American trap and pigeon shooter.

The US was a very big market for Scott in the late 1800's, particularly before the large tariffs were imposed (I think by McKinley??). Scotts were often seen in the pigeon match results where gun makers were reported.

While never having read the above mentioned article(s) I have read a considerable amount on Bogardus, and his shooting matches against other renowned wing shots of the era. I scanned quickly through my copy of Capooth's excellent tome The Golden Age of Waterfowling yesterday afternoon, which has more info about famous duck clubs than any other resource I am aware of. But, I found no reference to a Bogardus Duck Club. I could have overlooked it easily, as i was really looking for a picture of Bogardus which might help me home in on some information to help you out, but I found none.

An excellent image of Capt. Bogardus from another fine book I own that speaks off his exploits, Live Pigeon Trap Shooting by Cyril Adams.




Your friend may indeed have two very desirable guns, due to provenance. I hope you can help him confirm that.

Best, SRH

Matt is correct. Look at the beginning of this document
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D8QkBDo-KIQYk2G8lkE-kHLUybB5NJzBahX_eFKEyuY/edit?tab=t.0
The McKinley Tariff was 1890 and the most popular Live Bird guns until about 1895 were by Scott and Greener.
In 1895, Mr. Will K. Park, Gun Editor for Sporting Life began to aggressively promote American maker's guns in a series of editorials.


Feb. 16, 1895 Sporting Life (Spelling is as written)
During the past three years on visits to such sporting clubs as Larchmont, Carteret, Tuxedo and Riverton, we have noted the peculiar fact that out of 20 or 30 guns on the grounds at one time there will possibly be one gun of American manufacture. All the others are “Crown Grade Grenier's,” “Premier Quality Scott's,” “Purdy's” and other foreign makes.
The remarkable state of affairs, which is not creditable to American manufacturers, would indicate that there is something lacking on their part. We know that men with “hobbies” are willing to spend much money to gratify their “hobby;” but we are not willing to concede, if only from a patriotic sense, that American manufacturers are unable to satisfy their countrymen's “hobby” in guns.

Tariffs, a terrible idea in 1890, a terrible idea in 2025. Some things don't change.

cept, using temporary tariffs as leverage in negotiating tariff equity with foreign trading partners is a wonderful idea...