Return back to the dark ages when we had landline telephones, vehicles with triangular windows for air vents and high-low clicker buttons on the floor and three television networks (four if you counted PBS), we had orange arrows.
Its about the late 1970s, my father started doing a little bowhunting and then I got one of his bows to shoot, probably about 1980 or ’81. I honestly don’t remember. But I remember shooting in the yard with him and going to our nearest archery-only shop — Lake’s Archery, in a spot in the road no bigger than my right foot. Jimmy Lake ran it, had good gear, was welcoming and knowledgeable, and was funny. Always enjoyed going there.
One thing I recall about those days is the orange Easton aluminum arrows. Orange! Until later on when we started seeing more colors on shafts and fletching, I thought orange arrows with feather fletchings (this was before NAP QuikFletch or plastic vanes, kiddos) was what everyone shot. Either orange or kind of a light green.
Now, they’re back. Easton has announced that a limited run of orange arrows will return in its popular 6MM FMJ line. This makes me smile. Retro throwbacks are a good thing now and then. Here’s the press release about it:
Easton, for a limited time, will produce a 6MM FMJ version in the retro Autumn Orange color finish. The Easton XX75 Autumn Orange shafts were a mainstay in bow quivers from the 1970’s until the late 90’s and any archer from that era will remember shooting this popular shaft.
The limited edition 6MM Orange FMJ shafts are coming off the line at Easton’s Utah factory and are available to ship to dealers now.
The FMJ AO will use the same base carbon-core shaft wrapped with a 7075 aluminum metal jacket used in the current 6MM. The reduced diameter 6MM shaft provides more penetration and accuracy than a standard carbon arrow by adding the kinetic energy and the precision straightness afforded by a metal jacket overlay. The 6MM is sold at a popular price-point where a lot of regular carbon arrows are priced and puts the world’s most advanced hunting shaft within reach of most bowhunters.
• Available in spine sizes: 470, 390 and 320
• Pre-installed 6MM (H) Nocks
• 6MM RPS 8-32 inserts included
• Reduced-diameter 6MM carbon core with 7075 metal jacket
• MSRP: $79.99 per half dozen