SAUNDERS ARCHERY

I bought my first Wrist Rocket in 1967 when I was starting on my quest for the "perfect slingshot". It immediately became my favorite slingshot and the one I shot the most for several years.

When the Falcon I and Falcon II were introduced in 1972, I added them to both my collection and shooting favorites. The Falcons featured Saunders new wear-ever pouch and replaceable plastic prong ends.

The first Saunders U.S. Open Indoor Slingshot Tournament was held in conjunction with the U.S. Open Indoor Archery Championships at Las Vegas, NV on Jan. 19-21, 1973.

I met Chuck Saunders Sr. for the first time at the Sporting Goods Show in Chicago, IL at the McCormick Place in 1974. He was very interested in my slingshot collection and was a great help to me over the years with my slingshot business and slingshot tournament throughout the 70's and 80's.

The Falcon 300 was introduced in 1974 and became one of the main slingshots I used for practice and competion.

In 1976 I attended the Saunders U.S. Open Indoor Slingshot Tournament. I displayed my slingshot collection as part of Saunders slingshot booth at the tournament, participated in the tournament, and met people who were interested in slingshots.

1977 saw the addition of the self-centering pouch to the Saunders slingshots. The folding model Falcon was Saunders new slingshot for 1977. It is an arm brace slingshot that folds for easier carrying.

1981 brought about the SR7 slingshot. It featured a molded handle.

The Falcon 400 was listed in the 1984 Saunders catalog, but unfortunately this slingshot never made it into production. It was an extended fork slingshot and would have been a super addition to my collection.

I missed the 1986 and 1987 catalogs and by 1989 the Falcon 300 had disappeared from the Saunders Archery catalog. I hated to see it gone because it was one of my favorites and a fantastic shooting slingshot. The addition of the Hawk was in the 1988 catalog. It was like the Folding Falcon but without an arm brace. By 1989 the Hawk became the SR7 without an arm brace.

The year 1991 marked 50 years for Saunders Archery. Their catalog for this year is truly a collector item with many comments by Chuck Saunders about his involvement in the sport of archery and the effect it had on his life. Also listed on the outside edges of the pages are the milestones of archery. 1991 featured a couple of new items that would be of great interest to slingshot shooters. One is a Falcon II slingshot set up to be used as a release aid checker for archery and the other is an Archer's Exerciser. The Archer's Exerciser can also be used as a slingshot exerciser. It is made with a Hawk handle and uses high grade latex bands.

The 1993 catalog brought about still another innovation in slingshots with the development of the Double-Eagle slingshot. It features two sets of bands and shoots great. I have had several comments about this slingshot and it's shooting capabilities. Read "You Can Never Have Too Many Slingshots" for more about the Double-Eagle.

In 1994 the release checker was constructed from the Folding Falcon.

I missed the catalogs from 1995 to 1997 and sadly noticed the disappearance of the Double-Eagle slingshot in the 1998 and 1999 catalogs.

I am looking forward to the 2000 catalog. There may be more innovations in this catalog. I will be telling you more about it in future issues.

In 1981 Chuck Saunders came to the Summer Nationals Slingshot Tournament in Toulon. It was exciting to have him attend the tournament. Even thought we had corresponded by mail and telephone several times, I had not seen him since the Las Vegas tournament in 1976.