Saunders Archery
Saunders Archery is a family-run American manufacturer founded in 1965 that designs and produces archery accessories, arrow points, targets, and the Wrist-Rocket® slingshot line in Nebraska, selling direct-to-consumer via sausa.com and through approved wholesale dealers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersColumbus, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Saunders Archery does
Saunders Archery Company (legal entity: Saunders Archery Co) is a privately held, family-run American manufacturer of archery equipment and wrist-braced slingshots, founded in 1965 by C.A. and Phyllis Saunders in the basement of their Chicago apartment. The company designs and produces its products in Nebraska, operating manufacturing plants in Columbus and Papillion, with plastic components for Wrist-Rocket slingshots made in an ISO 9001 certified facility. Its portfolio spans the Wrist-Rocket® slingshot line (Pro-X, Falcon-X, Wing, Falcon-2, Double-Eagle, Hawk, SR-7), arrow points (Bludgeon, Combo, Bullet, Field, Target, Glue-On), bow accessories (Vudu dampeners, Hyper-Glide cable slides, arm guards, rests, finger tabs, KWIK-LOK, Brush Offs), patented SACO dueling targets, training aids (Firing-Line, BEST-SHOT, Power Pull, Trap Builder), and consumables (bands, ammo, adhesives, Vu-Lube).
The company's revenue model is anchored on one-time consumer product sales through its DTC e-commerce site sausa.com (free standard shipping on US orders over $100) and an approval-based wholesale program for dealers and organizations, with no subscription or recurring pricing layer. Products are priced from $3.95 (entry-level accessories) up to $459.95 (premium SACO targets), targeting a horizontal mix of archery enthusiasts, bowhunters, slingshot users, preppers, clubs, camps, and educational institutions (notably the National Archery in the Schools Program). Leadership transitioned to the second generation — Chuck Saunders (CEO) and Tom Saunders (President), with Gene Saunders also contributing — and the company operates without external investors, parent entities, or disclosed funding rounds.
Saunders Archery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Saunders Archery
- Legal name
- Saunders Archery Co
- Website
- https://sausa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Saunders Archery is a family-run American manufacturer founded in 1965 that designs and produces archery accessories, arrow points, targets, and the Wrist-Rocket® slingshot line in Nebraska, selling direct-to-consumer via sausa.com and through approved wholesale dealers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Saunders Archery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Archery Equipment
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Archery Equipment & Accessories Retail (CRAMAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Shooting Sports Equipment Retail (Targets, Clay, Range Gear, Hearing/Eye Protection) (CRAMAKAG), Hunting, Shooting Sports & Archery Retail (CRAMABAK)
Keywords
Where Saunders Archery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Columbus
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Saunders Archery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct consumer sales through e-commerce website with free shipping on orders over $100. One-time purchase model for archery equipment, slingshots, accessories, and tools.
- Wholesale/Distribution: Wholesale accounts for dealers and organizations to purchase products for resale. Saunders approves wholesale accounts before activation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level archery accessories and tools |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range training equipment and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium targets and slingshot sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumables and replacement parts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Saunders Archery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Saunders Archery Company designs, manufactures, and sells a portfolio of archery equipment and wrist-braced slingshots, including arrow points, bow accessories, training aids, targets, slingshot models, and consumables. All products are manufactured in Nebraska, USA, with plastic components produced in an ISO 9001 certified facility. The company sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce site sausa.com, with additional wholesale distribution through approved dealer accounts.
Product overview
Saunders Archery Company is a family-run American manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of archery equipment and wrist-braced slingshots. The product portfolio centers on the Wrist-Rocket® slingshot line (established 1954) and includes archery points, targets, equipment accessories, tools/training aids, and consumables. Key product lines include multiple slingshot models (Pro-X, Falcon-X, Wing, etc.), arrow points in various styles (Combo, Bullet, Field, Bludgeon), target systems (SACO dueling targets, Spin-Trap), bow accessories (Vudu dampeners, Hyper-Glide slides), and training equipment (Firing-Line, Power Pull, BEST-SHOT tuning stands). All products are proudly manufactured in the USA, specifically in Nebraska, with plastics made in an ISO 9001 certified facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wrist-Rocket®: Wrist-braced slingshot brand introduced by Saunders in 1954. The first mass-produced wrist-braced slingshot, now a flagship product line including models like Pro-X, Falcon-X, Falcon-2, Double-Eagle, Hawk, Wing, and SR-7.
Products and services
- Wrist-Rocket® Slingshots The flagship wrist-braced slingshot product line, first mass-produced in 1954, featuring multiple models including Pro-X, Falcon-X, Falcon-2, Wing, Double-Eagle, Hawk, SR7, and Folding Falcon. Includes both flatband and tubular band options, designed for recreational shooting and outdoor use.
- No-Twist™ Bow Stringer A recurve bow stringer tool designed to allow safe stringing and unstringing of recurve bows without twisting the bow limbs. A foundational product that remains in the catalog and remains preferred among archers.
- SACO Dueling Targets Patented dueling archery targets (Twin Paddle and Six Paddle configurations) with a unique cam and dampener design, designed for light draw bows and arrows. Used in national school archery programs (NASP), camps, and fundraising events, priced from $295.95 to $459.95.
- Archery Arrow Points A range of arrow points including Bludgeons, Combo points (standard, bulge, custom glue-in, screw-in), Bullet points, Field points, Target points, Glue-On points, and Broadhead adapters. All manufactured in the USA and used for target practice and hunting applications.
- Archery Tools and Training Aids Training equipment and bow maintenance tools including the Firing-Line release trainer ($129.95-$164.95), Power Pull trainer ($41.95-$98.95), BEST-SHOT paper tuning stand ($84.95), Trap Builder ($58.95), BLADE GRIPPER broadhead wrench, Forked Horn Bow Square, and Fletching Strippers.
- Bow Accessories and Equipment Bow accessories including Vudu string dampeners, Hyper-Glide cable slides, arm guards, arrow rests, finger tabs, KWIK-LOK arrow holders, and Brush Offs deflectors. Designed to improve bow performance and archer comfort.
- Slingshot Accessories and Ammo Replacement power bands (flat and tubular), steel ammo, Clod-Poppers clay ammo, and slingshot accessories including Color Guard clips, Gems band clips, and Endurance sleeves. Priced from $7.95 to $49.95.
- Vu-Lube™ Lubricant Super slick bow, band, and rail lubricant made in the USA, formulated for slingshot bands and crossbow rails to reduce friction and wear.
- Wild-Shot Slingshot Target Backstop A slingshot target backstop with a netting system designed for safe and effective practice, including a SACO Stand for dueling targets. Priced at $149.95.
Quantifiable outcome
- Wrist-Rocket Pro generates shockwaves with double-tapered flatbands that pull easier and shoot faster than conventional designs
Companies that use Saunders Archery
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Saunders Archery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Saunders Archery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Saunders Archery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cabela's: Iconic outdoor and hunting retailer (now owned by Bass Pro) carrying archery points, slingshots, and training tools; overlaps with Saunders in hunting and recreational shooting accessories at significantly larger scale.
- Bass Pro Shops: Massive U.S. outdoor retailer carrying archery accessories, slingshots, targets, and hunting gear as part of a broader hunting/fishing/camping portfolio; competes with Saunders on consumer mindshare and pricing across overlapping accessory SKUs.
- Dick's Sporting Goods: National sporting-goods retailer carrying archery accessories, targets, and slingshots as part of a much broader assortment; competes with Saunders on convenience, price, and shelf presence for entry-level archery consumers.
Direct peers
- Gold Tip: Manufacturer of arrows and arrow components serving hunters, target archers, and 3D shooters; competes with Saunders in the points/arrow-component category and shares the same pro-shop and dealer distribution.
- 3Rivers Archery: Specialty archery retailer with a strong traditional bowhunting focus, selling broadheads, arrow components, targets, and archery tools; comparable to Saunders in product mix and target customer base (bowhunters and traditional archers).
- Easton Archery: Established manufacturer of arrows, points, and archery components widely used by competitive archers and bowhunters; comparable in component-level manufacturing and archery-channel distribution, with broader product depth.
- Champion Traps & Targets: Manufacturer and retailer of shooting-sports targets and range gear; directly comparable to Saunders' SACO Dueling and Spin-Trap target lines for both archery and slingshot shooting applications.
- Lancaster Archery Supply: One of the largest dedicated archery pro shops in the U.S., selling archery equipment, points, accessories, targets, and training aids across both DTC e-commerce and a physical superstore; directly competes with Saunders across nearly every archery-accessory category.
- Field Logic (Rage Broadheads / Muzzy): Manufacturer of broadheads, arrow points, and targets (Rage, Muzzy, Dead Ringer); competes with Saunders' Combo, Field, and Bludgeon point lines and also sells target systems directly into the hunting/archery channel.
Emerging players
- Barnett Crossbows: Specialty crossbow and archery equipment brand selling accessories and consumables (strings, broadheads, quivers); adjacent competitor in the archery-accessories category with some overlap on target and accessory buyers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Saunders Archery social profiles
Digital presenceSaunders Archery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Saunders Archery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Saunders Archery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Saunders Archery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Saunders Archery
What does Saunders Archery do?
Saunders Archery Company designs, manufactures, and sells a portfolio of archery equipment and wrist-braced slingshots, including arrow points, bow accessories, training aids, targets, slingshot models, and consumables. All products are manufactured in Nebraska, USA, with plastic components produced in an ISO 9001 certified facility. The company sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce site sausa.com, with additional wholesale distribution through approved dealer accounts.
Is Saunders Archery a public or private company?
Saunders Archery is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Saunders Archery founded?
Saunders Archery was founded in 1965. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Saunders Archery based?
Saunders Archery is headquartered in Columbus, United States, in the North America region.
How does Saunders Archery make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Distribution.
Who are Saunders Archery's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops and Dick's Sporting Goods. Direct peers are Gold Tip, 3Rivers Archery, Easton Archery, Champion Traps & Targets, Lancaster Archery Supply and Field Logic (Rage Broadheads / Muzzy). Barnett Crossbows is listed as an emerging player.
Does Saunders Archery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Saunders Archery.
What industry is Saunders Archery in?
Saunders Archery's product category is Archery Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAKAB, Archery Equipment & Accessories Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMAKAG, Shooting Sports Equipment Retail (Targets, Clay, Range Gear, Hearing/Eye Protection). Its NAICS code is 45911.