10 Companies Join SAAMI—A Positive Development for Firearms Enthusiasts

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has recently expanded its membership with the addition of ten new companies. This development represents significant growth for the organization, which was established in 1926 at the federal government's request to develop and maintain technical standards for firearms, ammunition, and related components.

The new member companies include Bachstein Consulting, Christensen Arms, Daniel Defense, Dynamic Research Technologies, HSM, Just Cause Solutions, Liberty Ammunition, General Inspection, Oehler Research, and Q Inc. These organizations have joined at various membership levels, including voting, affiliate, and supporting statuses.

This expansion of SAAMI membership brings valuable benefits to firearms enthusiasts, particularly in an era marked by continuous innovation in cartridge development. Each of these companies contributes additional expertise to SAAMI's already substantial knowledge base.

SAAMI's primary role involves establishing specifications for firearms and cartridges that meet or exceed necessary safety standards—a complex task that requires extensive technical knowledge. The organization follows a rigorous, engineering-driven protocol for accepting or standardizing products, with a minimum review period of three months.

The standardization process begins when voting or associate SAAMI members submit a new cartridge and corresponding firearm chamber for evaluation. Testing must be conducted at facilities equipped with SAAMI-compliant ballistics equipment to determine pressure and velocity parameters for new designs, following the organization's strict protocols.

Submissions must include sufficient quality ammunition for testing, and the cartridge design must be commercially manufacturable. Additionally, proof ammunition must be provided to allow armorers, gunsmiths, and manufacturers to verify that firearm designs can safely handle the pressure. Dummy loads are also required to ensure proper functioning.

When a cartridge is officially submitted to SAAMI's Technical Office, the documentation is converted to the organization's standard format and distributed to the entire Joint Technical Committee (JTC). The committee reviews the materials, questions the designer or company, and may seek additional input from other sources as needed.

After the minimum three-month review period (which may extend longer when additional information is required), the JTC votes on the submission. Cartridges endorsed by the committee advance to the SAAMI board of directors for final approval. Without board objections, the cartridge receives official SAAMI acceptance.

This comprehensive process allows industry experts ample time to thoroughly examine new cartridge and chamber designs. The involvement of numerous experienced engineers in the review process helps ensure that approved designs operate safely and effectively. The addition of ten new companies to SAAMI's membership therefore represents a welcome expansion of the available expertise, ultimately benefiting all firearms enthusiasts.