One of the first things new gun owners notice when they are looking to purchase their first firearm is the seemingly endless number of caliber options to choose from in the ammunition aisle. Those who are familiar with firearms and shooting know that there are many different calibers available for rifles, pistols and shotguns, with just as many different uses for each of them. There are also new calibers being developed to meet a variety of specific needs.
It is important to know this type of information because it is the new gun owners who seek out knowledgeable shooters to guide them in the right direction. This is especially true when these new gun owners are deciding on their first firearm and ammunition purchase. To understand how cartridges become standardized, it is important to know the correct terminology.
Wildcat Cartridges
Wildcatters are individuals who take existing cartridges and modify them to develop new rounds. These new rounds are referred to as “wildcat” cartridges. Wildcat ammunition is best described as custom-made rounds by an individual or groups of people that are not commercially mass produced.
A wildcat cartridge starts with a “parent” cartridge—an established cartridge that is modified or changed to create a new cartridge. This can be done in several ways, such as necking up or down the throat of the case, changing the shoulder angle, or shortening the original case. Often the reason why a new cartridge is developed is to fill a void the parent cartridge is lacking.
If a wildcat cartridge becomes popular and a major ammunition company decides to produce it commercially it could become standardized. When a major ammunition company decides to turn a wildcat cartridge mainstream, the company usually partners with a gun manufacturing business to produce a firearm that is chambered in the new caliber. After all, it would be difficult to commercially produce a caliber if there was no firearm from which to shoot it
Many of the popular calibers we shoot today started out as wildcat cartridges. Some of these popular calibers are .243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem., 6.5 Creedmoor, .22-250 Rem., and the hard hitting .454 Casull (shown). It is hard to believe that these very popular calibers would not exist if it were not for wildcatters.
SAAMI
Before a cartridge is deemed to be a standard cartridge, it must be approved by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, or SAAMI, which sets the acceptable and safe cartridge pressures. SAAMI sets the range between the lowest pressure to the highest acceptable and safe cartridge pressures. It is very important to remember that SAAMI pressures are recommendations and not law. That means that there are commercially produced ammunition that could be above or below safe SAAMI recommendations regarding pressures.
Before an ammunition manufacturing company or a firearms manufacturing company can get a wildcat cartridge standardized, it must go through the SAAMI approval process. There are several reasons why a company would want to get a wildcat cartridge standardized. The first and foremost reason is safety. SAAMI sets the acceptable pressures that should prevent serious bodily harm or death.
Another reason why a company would seek to get a wildcat cartridge standardized is reliability of that cartridge. This gives gun manufacturers a “roadmap” to producing firearms for a new caliber. This means that when SAAMI sets the range of acceptable pressures, the gun manufacturers know the pressures that their product needs to withstand.
The last reason for standardization is for consistency. This allows for ammunition to be used interchangeably between ammunition manufacturers. This lets consumers know that there should not be compatibility issues between different manufacturers of the same caliber.
Actual cartridge and chamber drawing, courtesy SAAMI.com
Standardization Process
There are four steps that a wildcat cartridge must go through for a cartridge to become standardized. This is done through a formal submission and review process. To begin this process, a company must be a member of SAAMI. Only members can submit proposed cartridges.
Step 1: Proposal & Sponsoring Company
A company such as an ammunition manufacturer, gun manufacturer or a formal group must be a member of SAAMI to start the process. The first thing a member must do is submit a proposal for cartridge standardization. The company that is submitting the proposal must provide all pertinent reference materials and proof of testing. This is done for validation that the proposed cartridge is safe to shoot.
Step 2: Technical Committee Review
The member that is submitting the proposal for cartridge standardization must submit a submission packet to SAAMI’s technical director. This packet must contain all the technical details. This information should include the new cartridge specifications such as case overall length (COL), case length (CL), length of neck (if applicable), degree of shoulder angle, etc.
The proposed cartridge is then reviewed by the Joint Technical Committee (JTC). After a thorough review, the JTC then votes on the proposed cartridge. This is the step where the proposed cartridge is approved or rejected.
Step 3: Board of Directors Approval
If the proposed cartridge passes the JTC approval process, it proceeds to the Board of Directors for approval. The Board of Directors then reviews everything that has been submitted and the recommendations from the JTC. The Board of Directors can either approve the new design, reject the new design, or send it back to the JTC for further documentation.
Step 4: Publication of Standard
Once the new cartridge design is approved by the Board of Directors, it becomes a SAAMI approved standard cartridge. After official acceptance, a “summary document” of the new cartridge design is posted on SAAMI’s website. Additionally, a technical drawing and specifications (measurements and angles) are published in the latest edition of the official American National Standards for ammunition.
There are several steps and a lot of work that goes into standardizing cartridge designations. Next time that you are at the range and are shooting your favorite caliber, think about what it took to get that round of ammunition from the drawing board to the shelf where you bought it. This process is a significant reason why shooting a very safe sport.
Everything revolves around safety. If you are aware of SAAMI standard pressures, whether you are buying a box of ammunition or reloading your own, you are taking the steps to stay safe. Remember, when it comes to shooting, firearms and ammunition, safety trumps everything.
