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REA Express

AmbroseAmbrose Member Posts: 3,164 ✭✭✭✭
edited August 2018 in General Discussion
While eating lunch today, I noticed a FedEx truck go by and it got me thinking of delivery outfits that are no more and one of them was REA. At the factory where I worked (over 30 years ago), REA would sometimes make deliveries at the receptionist's desk. There was something REA called "silver bullet service". Along with the package, the driver would drop off a silver colored cartridge. The receptionist was afraid of them and also afraid to throw them away. I asked if I could have them and she was glad to get rid of them. I assumed they would be plated plastic or some such but they were actually nickel plated .45 Colt cases with nickel plated .45 ACP 230 gr. hardball bullets seated in them! The headstamp was "Hi Yo REA away". There was no powder and no flash hole: I think there was a dummy primer (no anvil; no pellet). I drilled a flash hole, loaded them with 10 gr. of Unique & 250 gr. cast bullets and shot them in my Ruger Blackhawk.

Anybody here remember those?
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    Bubba Jr.Bubba Jr. Member Posts: 8,197 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When I worked in Chicago at the world's largest textile manufacurer for laundries, while I was going to school up there, we had an REA driver come in every day. Little short Greek guy by the name of Gus Geonopolis (spelling?). Funny guy. The truck he drove was an early 50's Ford panel truck. This would have been in 1967, close to the end of REA.

    Joe
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    pawnee66pawnee66 Member Posts: 223 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    For the younger folks, REA = Railway Express Agency.
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    JunkballerJunkballer Member Posts: 9,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ambrose
    The headstamp was "Hi Yo REA away". T
    Interesting... but how did all of that fit on a case head [?]

    "Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee

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    Ditch-RunnerDitch-Runner Member Posts: 24,576 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think ( been too long ago [:I] ) I bought one for my rail road fan son on ebay some time ago .
    times were a lot different when a company passed out bullets as business cards [:D]
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    EVILDR235EVILDR235 Member Posts: 4,398 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have seen early Ruger 22 auto pistols at gun shows that were shipped in REA wooden boxes years ago.

    Jose.
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