356472

[BarryinIN]

OK, what was it for?

I have one, and by the size I always assumed it was a 9mm bullet and used it as such. It actually shoots and feeds pretty well.
But what was the thinking that got it made back when? Was there a need for a 9mm WC/SWC bullet back when there were a lot fewer 9mms in use and even fewer casting for them? At the time, there were only a handful of 9mm molds made, and it was way before heavy 9mm bullets became popular, so I don't see why it should have existed at the time. Add in that nose that's very unusual for a 9mm or any auto still, and it's a mysterious bullet to me.

Or am I missing it's intended use? Was it for something other than 9mm? At 356, I don't know what.

And one more- I've heard it referred to as the Snowball bullet. Who or what was this Snowball?

[Ben]

I just looked at a photo of the bullet. A 140 gr. W/C. Looks to be a very old style.
Some 38 Spec. Colts had tight bores ( and some Smiths....I had one that miked .355 once...a very accurate pistol with .357" bullets ) , might have worked well in one of those ?

Ben

[BarryinIN]

Possible I guess. My only questions there would be that it's an odd shape to use with what would be the only bullet made for those revolvers. I'd think a RN or more standard SWC shape would be what I'd expect.
That, and I have doubts about the topmost groove being a crimp groove. It might be though. Not that it would necessarily have to have one, but it's an odd shape if it is.

I look at it and see an auto design. But that sure doesn't mean it is.

Maybe for .38 Spl Bullseye autos? It would be too long for a S&W 52 but maybe a 1911 conversion? Some .38 Supers were converted to .38 Spl, and that seems a sensible match now that I think about it.

When was the 356472 made?

[beagle]

The 358472 was designed by Mr Snowball but I don't know what his clamn to fame was.

It was designed for the 9mm Luger and was much used back in the 50s when there were loads of shootable Lugers around from WWII.

I have one and have tried it in various 9mm guns. It didn't feed that well for me in the High Power and didn't shoot that well for me in the Blackhawk convertible although it looks like it would make a nice small game load in that gun/caliber combination./beagle

[ElDorado]

The Lyman Ideal Handbook 40, circa 1955, shows a drawing of the 9mm Luger loaded with what looks like a 356472 on page 84. They don't show any load information for it, and they don't mention it by name.

[BarryinIN]

So it was apparently originally intended for the 9mm. That alone answers a lot of what I had wondered.
I'm still curious as to the purpose. The nose shape is so far off from the norm for the caliber it makes me scratch my head. I have read of Lugers modified for Bullseye shooting back then. Perhaps that's the purpose. Seems like a pretty specialized need to start producing a bullet for, but maybe not.

[9.3X62AL]

There was a time in the dim. distant past that Lyman actually catered to shooters and casters to some extent. Hard to believe in this day and age, but the old catalogs seem to bear that out.

[rintinglen]

According to my battered copy of Lyman's Handbook of Cast Bullets Copyright 1958, The bullet was designed by Mr. Robert Snowball of Canada for use in the 9mm Luger. I vaguely recall a long ago article in the Rifleman showing a "Target" Luger, with weird rear sight that extended behind the cannon to match a custom high front sight. I suspect it was for Bullseye competition, back in the days when Canadians had Gun Rights, not priviliges.

[Bent Ramrod]

I think Mr. Snowball was one of Harvey Donaldson's shooting buddies. I recall a picture of the two of them, but can't remember where it was.