A veteran-owned Maine company is helping shooters spend less time securing targets and more time on the range.
Time on the range is valuable. Whether it is a recreational shooter fitting in a few hours of practice, an instructor working with students or a range managing multiple lanes, unnecessary setup can quickly eat into that time.
That is the problem Ben and Julie Berry set out to solve with TargetTack®, a reusable target fastener designed to make hanging and changing targets faster and easier.
The veteran- and family-owned Maine company developed TargetTack after Ben experienced a familiar frustration while shooting a turkey target with his compound bow. The staples he used to secure the target to a bag wouldn’t hold, and pulling arrows repeatedly pulled the target away.
Julie encouraged him to find a better solution.
Ben began researching the problem and talking with military, hunting and shooting contacts. He realized that while many aspects of shooting had evolved, target retention was still largely dependent on staples, tape and improvised methods.
The result was TargetTack.
Designed for Reliability
Ben’s military experience played an important role in the product’s development.
“Anything that was put into our hands in the military had to be reliable and had to work every time.”
After multiple design iterations with industrial designers and input from family members, the Berrys developed a TargetTack featuring a serrated shaft designed to hold securely in a variety of target backers. An ergonomic head provides a firm, low-profile grip on paper targets.
TargetTacks are made from American-sourced medical-grade polycarbonate with a UV inhibitor and are designed for durability, weather resistance and repeated use. Multiple lengths are available for different backstop materials, including cardboard, plastic and foam.
For shooters, the goal is simple: spend less time dealing with targets and more time shooting.
An Opportunity for Ranges and Retailers
The product’s potential extends beyond individual shooters.
For ranges and training facilities that regularly change targets, TargetTack can help streamline target changes, reduce staff intervention and minimize lane downtime.
That also makes the product a practical accessory for FFL retailers. TargetTack can be demonstrated in-store, used by range staff or bundled with paper targets and other shooting accessories.
The Berrys have also emphasized maintaining healthy dealer margins and developing long-term relationships with retailers.
“We want to make sure the margins are there for the retailers so everybody is getting a win.”
More Than a Target Fastener
The Berrys have continued expanding the concept beyond simply securing paper.
An integrated eyelet allows additional accessories to be attached, leading to the development of the TargetTack Snap System™. The modular system can be used for applications such as lane identification, target identification, range notices and other visual information.
The system can also accommodate a wind indicator for training purposes and offers potential sponsorship and advertising applications without adding unnecessary clutter to the shooting environment.
An American-Made Family Business
American manufacturing has been part of TargetTack’s story from the beginning.
The Berrys worked with STEAMfruit in Maine during product development and later established manufacturing through a family-owned business partner in California. They continue to pursue opportunities to expand domestic manufacturing capabilities.
“We believe in things being American made. It’s not just about us. It’s about the community we live in and the whole shooting sports industry.”
What began as a family project has grown into a business serving shooting-sports customers domestically and internationally. The product line has also expanded to include practice targets designed for pistol and precision-rifle training.
Making More Time for Shooting
At its core, TargetTack is about more than hanging a target.
It is about giving shooters more time to train, instructors more time with their students and ranges more efficient ways to manage their lanes.
For the Berrys, shooting sports are also about bringing families together and passing along skills, discipline and responsibility.
“We’re putting good products in good people’s hands to let them have some fun, while training with purpose.”
TargetTack’s future includes additional products, new applications for its modular fastening technology and continued expansion into firearms ranges, training facilities and retail channels.
The idea behind the company remains straightforward: identify a common problem, develop a practical solution and make the shooting experience a little more efficient.
Sometimes innovation isn’t about changing the firearm. Sometimes it’s about spending less time setting up and more time shooting.
Click Here To Learn More About Target Tack
