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Reference / Paper · 2025

ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 — Centerfire Rifle Ammunition (Voluntary Industry Performance Standards)

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The current edition of SAAMI's American National Standard for centerfire rifle sporting ammunition (approved 10 February 2025; this file is SAAMI's revision of 27 April 2026). 400 pages: pressure and velocity standards, test-barrel and test-equipment specifications, cartridge and chamber drawings, and the headspace-gauge section. Cited by the 450 Bushmaster dive; the 2015 edition (ansi-saami-z299-4-2015-centerfire-rifle) stays in the Library because older dives quote its page numbers.

Author
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI)
Year
2025
Type
Reference / Paper
Pages
400
Credit
Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, Inc., Newtown CT (saami.org). Free download from SAAMI.
  • saami
  • z299.4
  • centerfire rifle
  • pressure and velocity
  • cartridge drawings
  • chamber drawings
  • headspace
  • ansi standard

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ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 — Centerfire Rifle Ammunition (Voluntary Industry Performance Standards)

American National Standard SAAMI Z299.4-2025 Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Centerfire Rifle Ammunition for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers Jump to the Table of Contents www.saami.org Jump to the Table of Contents SAAMI Z299.4 – 2025 Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Centerfire Rifle Ammunition for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers Sponsor: Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. Voting Members: Ammo Inc. Beretta USA Corporation Browning Arms Company Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC Federal Cartridge Company Fiocchi of America, Inc. Glock, Inc. Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. Hornady Manufacturing Company Kahr Arms North American Arms, Inc. Northrop Grumman / New River Energetics O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. Olin Corporation/Winchester Division Q, LLC Savage Arms, Inc. SIG SAUER INC Smith & Wesson Corp. St. Marks Powder, Inc. Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Taurus Holdings, Inc. True Velocity Ammunition, LLC Weatherby, Inc. Associate Members: Bachstein Consulting, LLC FN America, LLC Nosler, Inc. Norma Precision USA Quantum Ammunition, LLC Supporting & Affiliate Members: AAC Ammunition Armscor Cartridge Inc. Atlas Development Group, LLC Barnes Bullets, LLC Black Hills Ammunition, Inc. Blackpowder Products, Inc. (d/b/a Bergara USA) Bristol Ridge Precision, LLC Capstone Precision Group CZ-US Holdings, inc. Daniel Defense, LLC Defender Ammunition Company Doubletap Ammunition, Inc. Dynamic Research Technologies, LLC Geissele Automatics General Inspection, LLC Henry Repeating Arms H-S Precision, Inc. Approved February 10, 2025 Just Cause Solutions, LLC Kent Cartridge, America Liberty Ammunition Oehler Research, Inc. PCB Piezotronics, Inc. Prospector Training, LLC ROAM Sierra Bullets LLC Southern Ballistic Research, LLC d/b/a SBR Specialty Cartridge Inc. (d/b/a Atlanta Arms) The Hunting Shack Inc. (DBA: HSM) Tippman Arms Co., LLC Traditions Performance Firearms TXAT LLC Vairog USA Wilson Combat Jump to the Table of Contents Abstract In the interests of safety and interchangeability, this Standard provides pressure and velocity performance and dimensional characteristics for centerfire rifle sporting ammunition. Included are procedures and equipment for determining these criteria. Jump to the Table of Contents American National Standard Approval of an American National Standard requires verification by ANSI that the requirements for due process, consensus, and other criteria for approval have been met by the standards developer. Consensus is established when, in the judgment of the ANSI Board of Standards Review, substantial agreement has been reached by directly and materially affected interests. Substantial agreement means much more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimity. Consensus requires that all views and objections be considered, and that a concerted effort be made toward their resolution. The use of American National Standards is completely voluntary; their existence does not in any respect preclude anyone, whether they have approved the standards or not, from manufacturing, marketing, purchasing, or using products, processes, or procedures not conforming to the standards. The American National Standards Institute does not develop standards and will in no circumstances give an interpretation of any American National Standard. Moreover, no person shall have the right or authority to issue an interpretation of an American National Standard in the name of the American National Standards Institute. Requests for interpretation should be addressed to the secretariat or sponsor whose name appears on the title page of this standard. CAUTION NOTICE: This American National Standard may be revised or withdrawn at any time. The procedures of the American National Standards Institute require that action be taken to reaffirm, revise, or withdraw this standard no later than five years from the date of approval. Purchasers of American National Standards may receive current information of all standards by calling or writing the American National Standards Institute. Published by Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. www.saami.org Copyright © 2025 by Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. All rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America Jump to the Table of Contents Note: This foreword is not part of SAAMI Z299.4-2025 Foreword The development of this voluntary industry performance standard was initiated under the auspices of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI). A Products Standards Task Force was established by the Institute in 1975 and charged with the drafting of this and other standards with their subsequent periodic revisions. The material presented provides the commercial manufacturer of factory-loaded ammunition with pressure and velocity performance and dimensional characteristics. Included are procedures and equipment for determining these criteria. For the purpose of this standard a commercial manufacturer is defined as one who produces ammunition by fabricating component parts from raw materials as opposed to remanufacture with parts originally made by others. This standard for Centerfire Rifle Sporting Ammunition was first published in 1979 and periodically updated until this revision in 2025. Changes in the standard with each revision include minor adjustments of velocities, the addition of new load offerings, updating of recommended equipment sources and the latest procedures for reporting reference ammunition assessments. Many of the drawings contained in this standard have been revised to reflect a change in the method used to calculate reference, or driven, dimensions which resulted in no or small (mostly ≤.0003” / 0.001mm) adjustments. Specific details on drawing revisions can be obtained by contacting the SAAMI Office. Suggestions for improvement of this standard are welcome. They should be sent to: [email protected]. SAAMI’s criteria for obtaining consensus on all proposed standards is a majority of the consensus body casting a vote (counting abstentions) and at least two-thirds (2/3) of those voting approve (not counting abstentions). The consensus body for this standard consisted of the following individuals and their respective affiliations. Interest Category Expert Expert Name Buford Boone Earl Griffith Expert General Interest James E. Hamby Randy Bimson General Interest Gentry Boswell General Interest Government Ken Kees Jason Armstrong Government Lowell Johnson Government Mark Greene Government A. Scott Patterson Producer Producer Producer Producer Testing Laboratory Testing Laboratory Testing Laboratory User User User User Adelar Garcia Raymond Gross Melissa Maze John Miller Dan Gubernat Jennifer Long Matt Rixham Jennifer Floyd Samuel Perry Jeromey Schroeder Cody Walton Affiliation Boone Ballistics Individual, Retired Chief Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Association of Firearms & Tool Mark Examiners Retired Firearm Design Engineer, Journeyman Gunsmith and Avid User Individual, Retired US Air Force General Officer, Competitive Shooter, Avid User Individual, Retired Ammunition Engineer and Avid User The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Firearms & Ammunition Technology Division Department of Homeland Security (DHS) –National Armory National Institute of Justice (NIJ) - Office of Technology and Standards Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Ballistic Research Facility Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos (CBC) Manson Precision Reamers PCB Piezotronics, Inc. DEWESoft, LLC United States Army Research Laboratory Dayton T. Brown, Inc. NTS Technical Systems Arkansas State Crime Lab Birmingham Proof House Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I – CHARACTERISTICS PAGE Cartridges and Chambers Full and Abbreviated Names ......................................................................................1 Velocity & Pressure Velocity Data Interpretation .......................................................................................5 Factors Affecting Pressure Measurements..................................................................6 Explanation of Pressure Terminology ........................................................................8 Explanation of Pressure Measuring Systems ............................................................10 Velocity & Pressure Data..........................................................................................11 Bullet Type Abbreviations ........................................................................................29 Primer Primers and Primer Pockets ......................................................................................30 Cartridge and Chamber Drawings 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge ................................................................................31 6mm Creedmoor .......................................................................................................32 6mm GT ....................................................................................................................33 6mm Remington........................................................................................................34 6.5 Creedmoor...........................................................................................................35 6.5 Grendel ................................................................................................................36 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge.....................................................................................37 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum..............................................................38 6.5-284 Norma ..........................................................................................................39 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum ....................................................................................40 6.5x55 Swedish ........................................................................................................41 6.8 True Velocity Composite ....................................................................................42 6.8 Western ...............................................................................................................43 6.8mm Remington SPC ............................................................................................44 7mm Mauser (7x57)..................................................................................................45 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge .................................................................................46 7mm Remington Magnum ........................................................................................47 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .........................................................48 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum ...............................................................................49 7mm Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................50 7mm Winchester Short Magnum ..............................................................................51 7mm-08 Remington ..................................................................................................52 7 x 64 Brenneke ........................................................................................................53 7.62 x 39 ...................................................................................................................54 8mm Mauser (8x57)..................................................................................................55 9.3 x 62 .....................................................................................................................56 17 Hornet ..................................................................................................................57 17 Remington............................................................................................................58 17 Remington Fireball ..............................................................................................59 204 Ruger..................................................................................................................60 218 Bee .....................................................................................................................61 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge ....................................................................................62 22 Creedmoor ...........................................................................................................63 i Return to the Table of Contents CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS 22 Hornet ..................................................................................................................64 22 Nosler ...................................................................................................................65 22-250 Remington ....................................................................................................66 220 Swift ...................................................................................................................67 221 Remington Fireball ............................................................................................68 222 Remington..........................................................................................................69 222 Remington Magnum ..........................................................................................70 223 Remington..........................................................................................................71 223 Winchester Super Short Magnum ......................................................................72 224 Valkyrie .............................................................................................................73 243 Winchester .........................................................................................................74 243 Winchester Super Short Magnum ......................................................................75 25 Winchester Super Short Magnum ........................................................................76 25-06 Remington ......................................................................................................77 25-20 Winchester ......................................................................................................78 25-35 Winchester ......................................................................................................79 250 Savage ................................................................................................................80 257 Roberts ...............................................................................................................81 257 Roberts +P .........................................................................................................81 257 Weatherby Magnum ..........................................................................................82 26 Nosler ...................................................................................................................83 260 Remington..........................................................................................................84 264 Winchester Magnum ..........................................................................................85 27 Nosler ...................................................................................................................86 270 Weatherby Magnum ..........................................................................................87 270 Winchester .........................................................................................................88 270 Winchester Short Magnum ................................................................................89 277 SIG Fury ............................................................................................................90 28 Nosler ...................................................................................................................91 280 Ackley Improved ...............................................................................................92 280 Remington..........................................................................................................93 284 Winchester .........................................................................................................94 30 Carbine .................................................................................................................95 30 Nosler ...................................................................................................................96 30 Remington AR .....................................................................................................97 30 Thompson Center.................................................................................................98 30-06 Springfield ......................................................................................................99 30-30 Winchester ....................................................................................................100 30-40 Krag ..............................................................................................................101 300 AAC Blackout..................................................................................................102 300 HAM’R ............................................................................................................103 300 Holland & Holland Magnum ...........................................................................104 300 Norma Magnum ...............................................................................................105 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge .................................................................................106 300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .........................................................107 300 Remington Ultra Magnum ...............................................................................108 300 Ruger Compact Magnum .................................................................................109 300 Savage ..............................................................................................................110 300 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................111 ii Return to the Table of Contents CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS 300 Winchester Magnum ........................................................................................112 300 Winchester Short Magnum ..............................................................................113 303 British...............................................................................................................114 307 Winchester .......................................................................................................115 308 Marlin Express .................................................................................................116 308 Winchester .......................................................................................................117 32 Winchester Special ............................................................................................118 32-20 Winchester ....................................................................................................119 325 Winchester Short Magnum ..............................................................................120 33 Nosler .................................................................................................................121 338 Federal .............................................................................................................122 338 Lapua Magnum ................................................................................................123 338 Marlin Express .................................................................................................124 338 Norma Magnum ...............................................................................................125 338 Remington Ultra Magnum ...............................................................................126 338 Ruger Compact Magnum .................................................................................127 338 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum ..........................................................128 338 Winchester Magnum ........................................................................................129 340 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................130 348 Winchester .......................................................................................................131 35 Remington..........................................................................................................132 35 Whelen ...............................................................................................................133 350 Legend .............................................................................................................134 356 Winchester .......................................................................................................135 358 Winchester .......................................................................................................136 360 Buckhammer ....................................................................................................137 370 Sako Magnum ..................................................................................................138 375 Holland & Holland Magnum ...........................................................................139 375 Remington Ultra Magnum ...............................................................................140 375 Ruger................................................................................................................141 375 Winchester .......................................................................................................142 376 Steyr .................................................................................................................143 38-40 Winchester ....................................................................................................144 38-55 Winchester ....................................................................................................145 400 Legend .............................................................................................................146 405 Winchester .......................................................................................................147 416 Remington Magnum ........................................................................................148 416 Rigby................................................................................................................149 416 Ruger................................................................................................................150 416 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................151 44 Remington Magnum ..........................................................................................152 44-40 Winchester ....................................................................................................153 444 Marlin...............................................................................................................154 45-70 Government ..................................................................................................155 450 Bushmaster.......................................................................................................156 450 Marlin...............................................................................................................157 458 Lott ...................................................................................................................158 458 Winchester Magnum ........................................................................................159 470 Nitro Express ...................................................................................................160 iii Return to the Table of Contents CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS 500 Nitro Express 3”...............................................................................................161 Miscellaneous Dummy Cartridge – Gun Functioning ....................................................................162 Dummy Cartridge – Display ...................................................................................163 Tolerance – Bullet Weight ......................................................................................164 SECTION II - PROCEDURES Velocity and Pressure Procedure: Velocity & Pressure Testing ................................................................165 Velocity & Pressure Barrels: Qualification ...........................................................172 Velocity & Pressure Barrels: Mounting in Receivers ............................................173 Procedure: Use of Piston Hole Gauges ..................................................................174 Procedure: Piezoelectric Transducer Calibration...................................................175 Transducer Calibration: Increments and Ranges ...................................................179 Transducer Calibration: Equipment Interconnection .............................................184 Transducer Calibration: Least Square Line Computation .....................................185 Firing Test: Equipment Interconnection ................................................................187 Reference Ammunition Use ..........................................................................................................................189 Secondary Reference Ammunition .........................................................................191 New Lots .................................................................................................................192 Identification Protocol ............................................................................................196 Periodic Assessment ...............................................................................................197 SECTION III – EQUIPMENT Equipment: Velocity & Pressure Testing .......................................................................201 Copper Crushers Usage of Crusher Cylinders in Pressure Testing ....................................................203 Sample Tarage Tables .............................................................................................204 Crusher Cylinders: Dimensions - .146” x .400” ....................................................206 Crusher Cylinders: Dimensions - .225” x .400” ....................................................207 Gas Checks Equipment: .146” and .206” Gas Checks...............................................................208 Equipment: Gas Check Tools – Seating and Knockout .........................................209 Pistons & Piston Holes Equipment: Pistons and Piston Holes ....................................................................210 Equipment: Piston Hole Gauges ............................................................................217 Piston Oil – Piston and Gas Check .........................................................................219 Headspace Gauges Headspace Gauges ..................................................................................................220 Reference Ammunition Equipment: Reference Ammunition Supply ..........................................................231 Equipment: Reference Ammunition Order Procedure ...........................................232 Miscellaneous Supplier Contact Information .................................................................................233 Equipment: Schematic Layout of Velocity Screens ..............................................234 Equipment: Universal Receiver Collar and Test Barrel ........................................235 iv Return to the Table of Contents CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS Universal Receiver Test Barrel: Installation of Pressure Transducers ..................237 Equipment: Transducer Calibration Fixture Plug with O-ring Seal ......................240 Transducer Location and Selection Criteria ...........................................................241 Standard V&P Test Barrels - General Procedures for Dimensioning Chambers ................................................................242 Procedures for Measuring Barrel Length ................................................................243 Standard Velocity and Pressure Test Barrels 6mm Advanced Rifle Cartridge ..............................................................................244 6mm Creedmoor .....................................................................................................245 6mm GT ..................................................................................................................246 6mm Remington......................................................................................................247 6.5 Creedmoor.........................................................................................................248 6.5 Grendel ..............................................................................................................249 6.5 Precision Rifle Cartridge...................................................................................250 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum............................................................251 6.5-284 Norma ........................................................................................................252 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum ..................................................................................253 6.5x55 Swedish ......................................................................................................254 6.8 True Velocity Composite ..................................................................................255 6.8 Western .............................................................................................................256 6.8mm Remington SPC ..........................................................................................257 7mm Mauser (7x57)................................................................................................258 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge ...............................................................................259 7mm Remington Magnum ......................................................................................260 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .......................................................261 7mm Remington Ultra Magnum .............................................................................262 7mm Weatherby Magnum ......................................................................................263 7mm Winchester Short Magnum ............................................................................264 7mm-08 Remington ................................................................................................265 7 x 64 Brenneke ......................................................................................................266 7.62 x 39 .................................................................................................................267 8mm Mauser (8x57)................................................................................................268 9.3 x 62 ...................................................................................................................269 17 Hornet ................................................................................................................270 17 Remington..........................................................................................................271 17 Remington Fireball ............................................................................................272 204 Ruger................................................................................................................273 218 Bee ...................................................................................................................274 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge ..................................................................................275 22 Creedmoor .........................................................................................................276 22 Hornet ................................................................................................................277 22 Nosler .................................................................................................................278 22-250 Remington ..................................................................................................279 220 Swift .................................................................................................................280 221 Remington Fireball ..........................................................................................281 222 Remington........................................................................................................282 222 Remington Magnum ........................................................................................283 223 Remington........................................................................................................284 223 Winchester Super Short Magnum ....................................................................285 v Return to the Table of Contents CENTERFIRE RIFLE SAAMI VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS TABLE OF CONTENTS 224 Valkyrie ...........................................................................................................286 243 Winchester .......................................................................................................287 243 Winchester Super Short Magnum ....................................................................288 25 Winchester Super Short Magnum ......................................................................289 25-06 Remington ....................................................................................................290 25-20 Winchester ....................................................................................................291 25-35 Winchester ....................................................................................................292 250 Savage ..............................................................................................................293 257 Roberts .............................................................................................................294 257 Roberts +P .......................................................................................................294 257 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................295 26 Nosler .................................................................................................................296 260 Remington........................................................................................................297 264 Winchester Magnum ........................................................................................298 27 Nosler .................................................................................................................299 270 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................300 270 Winchester .......................................................................................................301 270 Winchester Short Magnum ..............................................................................302 277 SIG Fury ..........................................................................................................303 28 Nosler .................................................................................................................304 280 Ackley Improved .............................................................................................305 280 Remington........................................................................................................306 284 Winchester .......................................................................................................307 30 Carbine ...............................................................................................................308 30 Nosler .................................................................................................................309 30 Remington AR ...................................................................................................310 30 Thompson Center...............................................................................................311 30-06 Springfield ....................................................................................................312 30-30 Winchester ....................................................................................................313 30-40 Krag ..............................................................................................................314 300 AAC Blackout..................................................................................................315 300 HAM’R ............................................................................................................316 300 Holland & Holland Magnum ...........................................................................317 300 Norma Magnum ...............................................................................................318 300 Precision Rifle Cartridge .................................................................................319 300 Remington Short Action Ultra Magnum .........................................................320 300 Remington Ultra Magnum ...............................................................................321 300 Ruger Compact Magnum .................................................................................322 300 Savage ..............................................................................................................323 300 Weatherby Magnum ........................................................................................324 300 Winchester Magnum ........................................................................................325 300 Winchester Short Magnum ..............................................................................326 303 British...............................................................................................................327 307 Winchester ........................................................................