SAAMI

SAAMI, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, is a North American industry association that develops and publishes voluntary safety and interchangeability standards for firearms and ammunition. It includes member companies from the United States and Canada and serves as a coordinating body for technical specifications and testing practices intended to promote safe and compatible products. The organization emphasizes reliability, safety, and standardization across products and processes used in manufacturing, distribution, and testing.

The core activity of SAAMI is the creation and maintenance of cartridge and chamber specifications, including dimensional drawings, case capacity expectations, primer pocket layout, and the maximum allowable pressure for each cartridge. The standards define measurement methods and reporting formats for pressure data, typically using pounds per square inch (psi) and copper units of pressure (CUP). They also specify test procedures, instrumentation, and acceptance criteria used by laboratories and manufacturers when evaluating ammunition and firearms.

While SAAMI standards are voluntary, they are widely adopted by ammunition makers, firearm manufacturers, reloaders, and retailers. Compliance data is used by regulators, labs, and consumers to assess safety, compatibility, and performance. The standards help prevent overpressure conditions that could damage firearms or cause injury and support consumer information and product labeling. SAAMI periodically updates its standards to reflect new technologies and industry consensus.