SAAMI Pressure Table: Maximum Average Pressure for Every Cartridge

By Cole Harlan, Editor·Checked Nov 9, 2026·How we verify·Editorial standards·Corrections

SAAMI pressure table: MAP by cartridge

188 rows: 9 rimfire (Z299.1), 39 pistol and revolver (Z299.3), 132 rifle (Z299.4), 7 shotshell lengths (Z299.2) and 1 from SAAMI’s June 22, 2026 public introduction of 5.56 Commercial. The rimfire, pistol/revolver and rifle rows are every cartridge in the Section II transducer calibration table of each standard. We read each figure from the SAAMI PDF itself on Nov 4, 2026, Nov 5, 2026 or Nov 9, 2026; each CSV row shows its own date. Every row has an anchor, for example #308-winchester. Cartridges with a GunReleases ammo guide link to it.

Filter cartridges

Rimfire (Z299.1): 9 rows

Pistol and revolver (Z299.3): 39 rows

Rifle (Z299.4): 132 rows

Shotshell (Z299.2): 7 rows

5.56 Commercial (public introduction): 1 rows

How to read the table

• MAP is a maximum average pressure. It is the figure SAAMI’s standard uses for the cartridge, measured by transducer in a SAAMI test barrel. Where SAAMI prints no transducer pressure (.250 Savage and other older cartridges), the MAP cell says Not established instead of guessing.
• psi/100. The SAAMI tables print pressure divided by 100 (for example 350 for 9mm Luger). The MAP (psi) column is that printed number times 100, and the next column keeps the printed number. MPLM and MPSM are shown the same way, in psi. Crusher figures are printed in CUP/100; we show them times 100, in CUP.
• Two kinds of empty cell. Not established means SAAMI itself prints N/E or says crusher or piezo pressures are not established. Not yet verified means we did not read the figure cleanly enough to publish it. We check every MPLM and MPSM against SAAMI’s own formula (see below) and leave a figure that does not fit as Not yet verified.
• Shotshells are one row per gauge and shell length. Z299.2 prints separate tables for lead shot, slugs and buck. The printed MAP for a given gauge and length is the same across those tables, so we show one row. For shotshell and 5.56 Commercial rows the MPLM, MPSM and CUP cells are Not yet verified.
• +P is its own row. SAAMI lists 9mm Luger +P, .45 Auto +P and .38 Special +P as separate cartridges with their own MAP.
• Test barrel length. Z299.4 says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in (610 mm) except those on its exception list (PDF p. 255): 7.62x39, 30 Carbine, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer and 44 Remington Magnum at 20 in, and 277 SIG Fury, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM’R, 350 Legend and 400 Legend at 16 in. 5.56 Commercial uses the 20.000 in (508.00 mm) V&P test barrel drawing in SAAMI’s public introduction. Pistol, revolver and rimfire test barrel lengths are read from each cartridge’s test barrel drawing; where we have not read the drawing, the cell says Not yet verified. For revolver cartridges the drawing shows a solid barrel and a vented barrel; we list the solid length and note the vented one. Shotshell test barrels are in Section III of Z299.2 and are Not yet verified.
• This is not load data. MAP describes a standard and its test method, not a recommendation for any rifle, pistol or handload. Check your firearm maker’s manual and the ammunition maker’s page.

MAP, MPLM, MPSM and MEV: what SAAMI’s pressure terms mean

These are SAAMI’s definitions from Z299.4, Section I, Explanation of Pressure Terminology (PDF pp. 21–22).

• Basis. The data “is based on a Maximum Average Pressure for each cartridge and a Coefficient of Variation of 4%.” SAAMI says the pressures “are calculated based on a sample size of ten (10).”
• MAP, Maximum Average Pressure. “The recommended maximum pressure level for loading commercial sporting ammunition.” It sits two standard errors below the MPLM “in order to assure there is a 97.5% probability that the Maximum Probable Lot Mean pressure is not exceeded.”
• MPLM, Maximum Probable Lot Mean. The MAP plus two standard errors. SAAMI’s worked example: with a MAP of 50,000 psi, MPLM = 50,000 psi + [(50,000 psi × .04)/√10] × 2 = 51,266 psi, “rounded to 51,300 psi.”
• MPSM, Maximum Probable Sample Mean. “The maximum expected average pressure that may be observed in the testing of product subsequent to its manufacture and is not intended for use as a loading control point.” It sits three standard errors above the MPLM. In SAAMI’s Figure 1 the example MPSM is 53,200 psi.
• MEV, Maximum Extreme Variation (Max E.V.). The population standard deviation times 5.16 (“table constant for sample of 10 at 99.0% confidence level”). In the example, 2,000 psi × 5.16 = 10,320 psi, “rounded down to 10,300 psi.” We do not list MEV per cartridge.

The coefficient of variation is set per standard. Z299.4 (rifle) and Z299.1 (rimfire) state 4%, and Z299.1 states 10% for .22 WMR (Z299.1 PDF pp. 11–12). Z299.3 (pistol and revolver) states 5% (Z299.3 PDF p. 15), so its MPLM and MPSM sit a little further above MAP. We use those percentages only to check our reading, not as the source of any figure shown.

CUP vs psi: why the two columns don’t convert

SAAMI recognizes two pressure-measuring systems (Z299.4 PDF p. 23). The older copper crusher system compresses a copper cylinder. SAAMI “has adopted the pressure units designation of ‘Copper Units of Pressure’ (abbreviated CUP) for this system. This designation applies only to values obtained using the particular crushers, tarage tables and methods outlined in this Standard.” The piezoelectric transducer system reads an electrical charge from a transducer in the chamber. Its unit is “pounds per square inch” (psi), a designation that “applies to values obtained with transducers and methods as outlined in this Standard.”

The two are different measurements, not two names for one number. We do not convert CUP to psi. We show only what SAAMI prints in each column. Where a cartridge has both, the two figures are separate columns of SAAMI’s table and are not meant to be swapped.

SAAMI vs CIP

SAAMI is the U.S. standards body. Europe’s C.I.P. publishes its own pressure tables. See C.I.P. cartridge tables (TDCC). C.I.P. per-cartridge values: Not yet verified. We do not list them.

Not included yet

• Shotshell test barrel length: Not yet verified. It is in Section III of Z299.2 and we have not read it. Gauges 10, 16 and 28 are not listed because we have not read them from Z299.2.
• 5.56 NATO: not listed. SAAMI says there is no publicly available standard for “5.56 X 45” and its variants such as “5.56 NATO”, so it is not a Z299 cartridge. 5.56 Commercial is listed above. See 5.56 vs .223 for what SAAMI says about 5.56 Commercial and .223 Remington chambers.
• Velocity: SAAMI’s velocity columns are left out on purpose. This table is pressure and test barrel only.
• .218 Bee and .250 Savage: .250 Savage has a crusher MAP but no transducer MAP, so its MAP cell says Not established. For .218 Bee, Section II prints N/E but Section I prints a transducer MAP of 350 (psi/100); the .218 Bee row keeps the Section I MAP, and its MPLM and MPSM are Not yet verified.
• Other pressure data: proof-load pressures, maximum extreme variation per cartridge and C.I.P. figures are not shown.

Method

• Source. The SAAMI PDFs linked in the table, as published on saami.org. The cartridge list and the MAP of every rimfire, pistol/revolver and rifle row come from the Section II “Transducer Calibration: Increments and Ranges” table of each standard, on all its pages. MPLM, MPSM and crusher figures come from Section I (Velocity and Pressure Data) and are shown only when Section I’s transducer MAP for that cartridge equals the Section II MAP. The 87 rows that have a GunReleases ammo guide, the shotshell rows and the 5.56 Commercial row were first read by hand on Nov 4, 2026 and Nov 5, 2026: MAP from Section I, checked against Section II; shotshells from Z299.2 Section I; 5.56 Commercial from the cover page of the public introduction.
• Consistency check. Each MPLM and MPSM is compared with the value SAAMI’s formula gives (MPLM = MAP + 2 standard errors, MPSM = MPLM + 3 standard errors, sample of 10, with the coefficient of variation the standard states). A printed figure more than 1 (in psi/100 or CUP/100) from that is left Not yet verified.
• No changes. Nothing is rounded or estimated. The only conversion is psi/100 × 100 = psi (and CUP/100 × 100 = CUP).
• Counts. 174 of 188 rows have a MAP in psi; 161 have MPLM and MPSM; 79 have crusher figures; 85 say crusher pressures are not established. 16 rows have at least one Not yet verified cell.
• Licence. Our compilation is CC BY 4.0. The standards belong to SAAMI.

How we check these figures: How we track, editorial standards and corrections.

Download the data

saami-map.csv has one row per cartridge with the MAP in psi, the printed psi/100 figure, test barrel, source PDF URL, PDF page and section, the checked date, and then MPLM, MPSM, crusher MAP, MPLM and MPSM in CUP, the row anchor and a value_status column. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.

How to cite this table: GunReleases.com, SAAMI Pressure Table: MAP by Cartridge (CC BY 4.0), The Release Desk, November 9, 2026. https://gunreleases.com/data/saami-map/

Related

• SAAMI interchangeability chart
• Ammo hub
• 9mm ammo guide
• 6.5 Creedmoor ammo guide
• 5.56 and .223 ammo guide
• 12 gauge ammo guide
• 20 gauge ammo guide
• .410 bore ammo guide
• .218 Bee ammo guide
• .250 Savage ammo guide
• .17 HMR ammo guide
• 7mm-08 ammo guide
• .280 Remington ammo guide
• .270 WSM ammo guide
• .300 WSM ammo guide
• .338 Win Mag ammo guide
• 6.8 SPC ammo guide
• 357 SIG ammo guide
• .30-30 Win ammo guide
• .35 Whelen ammo guide
• .375 H&H Magnum ammo guide
• 45-70 Government ammo guide
• 6mm Creedmoor ammo guide
• .22 Hornet ammo guide
• .257 Roberts ammo guide
• .260 Remington ammo guide
• .300 Remington Ultra Mag ammo guide
• .22-250 Remington ammo guide
• .220 Swift ammo guide
• .284 Winchester ammo guide
• 8mm Mauser (8x57) ammo guide
• .303 British ammo guide
• 5.56 vs .223
• 9mm vs .45 ACP
• All GunReleases data

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.1-R2026 (rimfire)
2. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.2 (shotshell; 2015, R2019, approved PDF dated 2025-09-23)
3. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.3-2022 (centerfire pistol and revolver)
4. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 (centerfire rifle)
5. SAAMI: SAAMI public introduction: 5.56 Commercial (5.56 COMM), issued June 22, 2026
6. C.I.P. (Europe): cartridge tables (TDCC)

Last checked 2026-11-09.