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UNSAFE ARMS AND AMMUNITION COMBINATIONS

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET

UNSAFE ARMS AND AMMUNITION COMBINATIONS

The discharge of ammunition in a firearm that is not designed to shoot that ammunition can be dangerous and can result in serious injury or death to the user and/or bystanders, as well as damage to the firearm. This unsafe condition is caused by an excessive build-up and/or release of high-pressure gas in a firearm's chamber, barrel and/or action beyond which the firearm is designed to withstand. Therefore, in the interest of safety, you should use only ammunition of the caliber or gauge designated by the firearm manufacturer for use in that firearm. Markings indicating the correct caliber or gauge of ammunition to be used in a firearm are usually found on the firearm's barrel, frame or receiver.

One way to verify that you are using the correct ammunition is to check the head stamp on the ammunition to confirm that it matches the caliber or gauge markings placed on the firearm by the firearm's manufacturer. Some types of ammunition do not have markings on the head stamp of the cartridge. In that case, check the original ammunition packaging to determine its caliber. If you have any doubt about the caliber of the ammunition, you should not use the ammunition until you have it examined by a qualified person who can determine its caliber. Remember just because a round of ammunition can fit into a firearm's chamber, barrel or action does not mean it is safe to use that ammunition in the firearm.

Due to the availability of many different shapes and sizes of ammunition and firearms, there are countless unsafe ammunition-firearm combinations such that a comprehensive list of unsafe combinations is neither feasible, nor practicable. Below is a list of some unsafe combinations that are well known because of somewhat similar chamber and ammunition dimensions.

If the caliber or gauge is not clearly marked on the firearm, or if it appears the original markings on the firearm have been altered or modified in any way, do not use the firearm as serious injury or death could result to the user and/or bystanders, as well as damage to the firearm.

Similarly, SAAMI has not published voluntary recommended practices or procedures for re-chambering of firearms. It is possible the re-chambering of a firearm may not have been done properly or may not have been properly marked on the firearm. If the caliber or gauge marking is missing or altered in any way, you should not use the firearm. You should instead have the firearm examined by a qualified person to determine what caliber or gauge ammunition can safely be used in that firearm.

RIMFIRE

   

In Firearms Chambered For

Do Not Use These Cartridges

 

22 WRF

22 BB
22 CB

22 Short

22 Long

22 Long Rifle

22 Long Rife Shot

 

22 Winchester Magnum

22 BB
22 CB

22 Short

22 Long

22 Long Rifle

22 Long Rifle Shot

 

22 Winchester Automatic

22 BB.
22 CB

22 Short

22 Long

22 Long Rifle

22 Long Rifle Shot

   

5mm Remington RF Magnum

22 BB
22 CB

22 Short

22 Long

22 Long Rifle

22 Long Rifle Shot

22 Winchester Automatic

25 Stevens Long

5mm Remington RF Magnum

SHOTGUN


In Shotgun Chambered For

Do Not Use These Shells


10 Gauge

12 Gauge

12 Gauge

16 Gauge

12 Gauge

20 Gauge

16 Gauge

20 Gauge

20 Gauge

28 Gauge


In Shotgun Chambered For

Do Not Use These Centerfire Metallic Cartridges


410 Bore

Any


Shotshells of a given nominal length should not be fired in a gun the chamber of which is shorter than the fired cartridge length, e.g. a 3" (75mm) shell fired in a 2 ¾" (70mm) chamber.

CENTERFIRE PISTOL & REVOLVER


In Firearms Chambered For

Do Not Use These Cartridges


9mm Luger (Parabellum)

9mm NATO (Military)

40 Smith & Wesson

9x18 Makarov


9mm Winchester Magnum

9x18 Makarov


9x18 Makarov

9mm Luger

38 Automatic

38 Super Automatic

380 Automatic


9x23 Winchester

38 Super Automatic

380 Automatic


32 H&R Magnum

32 Long Colt


32 Smith & Wesson

32 Automatic

32 Long Colt

32 Short Colt


32-20 Winchester

32-20 High Velocity


357 Sig

9mm Luger


38 Automatic

38 Super Auto +P*

9mm Luger


38 Super Auto +P

9mm Luger

9x18 Makarov


38 Smith & Wesson

38 Automatic

38 Long Colt

38 Short Colt

38 Special

9x18 Makarov


38 Special

357 Magnum

380 Automatic


38-40 Winchester

38-40 High Velocity


44-40 Winchester

44-40 High Velocity


45 Automatic

38-40 Winchester

44 Remington Magnum

44 Special

44-40 Winchester


45 Colt

38-40 Winchester

44 Remington Magnum

44 Smith & Wesson Special

44-40 Winchester

454 Casull

 

45 Winchester Magnum

45 Automatic

454 Casull

+P ammunition is loaded to a higher pressure, as indicated by the +P marking on the cartridge case headstamp. This ammunition is for use only in firearms specially designed for it and so recommended by the manufacturer of the firearm.


CENTERFIRE RIFLE

 
In Rifle Chambered For
Do Not Use These Cartridges
 

6mm Remington (244 Rem)

250 Savage

7.62x39


6.5mm Remington Magnum

300 Savage


6.5x55 Swedish

7mm BR Remington

7.62x39

300 Savage


6.5x06 A-Square

7.62x39


6.5x08 A-Square

7.62x39


7mm Express Remington

7mm Mauser (7x57)

270 Winchester

30 Remington

30-30 Winchester

300 Savage

308 Winchester

32 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


7mm Mauser (7x57)

7.62x39

300 Savage

30-30 Win


7mm Remington Magnum

7mm Express Remington

7mmMauser (7x57)

7mm Weatherby Magnum

8mm Mauser


7mm Remington Magnum

270 Winchester

280 Remington

303 British

308 Winchester

35 Remington

350 Remington Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


7mm Shooting Times Westerner

30-06 Springfield

30-40 Krag

350 Remington

300 Winchester Magnum


7mm Weatherby Magnum

7mm Express Remington

7mm Mauser (7x57)

7mm Remington Magnum

8mm Mauser

270 Winchester

280 Remington

303 British

308 Winchester

35 Remington

350 Remington Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


7mm-08 Remington

7.62x39


8mm Mauser (8x57)

7mm Mauser (7x57)

35 Remington


8mm Remington Magnum

338 Winchester Magnum

350 Remington Magnum

358 Norma Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


17 Remington

221 Remington Fireball

30 Carbine


17-223 Remington

17 Remington

221 Remington Fireball

30 Carbine


220 Swift

7.62x39


223 Remington

5.56mm Military

222 Remington

30 Carbine


240 Weatherby Magnum

220 Swift

225 Winchester


243 Winchester

7.62x39

225 Winchester

250 Savage

300 Savage


25-06 Remington

7mm BR Remington

7.62x39

308 Winchester


257 Roberts

7.62x39

250 Savage


257 Weatherby Magnum

25-06 Remington

25-35 Winchester

6.5mm Remington Magnum

284 Winchester

7mm-08 Remington

7mm Mauser

7.62x39

308 Winchester

300 Savage

303 Savage

307 Winchester

30-30 Winchester

32 Winchester

32-40 Winchester

35 Remington

350 Remington Magnum

356 Winchester

358 Winchester

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


264 Winchester Magnum

270 Winchester

284 Winchester

303 British

350 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


270 Weatherby Magnum

25-06 Remington

270 Winchester

284 Winchester

7mm-08 Remington

7-30 Waters

30 Remington

30-30 Winchester

308 Winchester

300 Savage

303 Savage

307 Winchester

32 Winchester

32 Winchester Special

32-40 Winchester

35 Remington

35 Remington Magnum

356 Winchester

358 Winchester

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


270 Winchester

7m Mauser (7x57)

7.62x39

30 Remington

30-30 Winchester

300 Savage

308 Winchester

32 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


280 Remington

7mm Mauser (7x57)

7.62x39

270 Winchester

30 Remington

30-30 Winchester

300 Savage

308 Winchester

32 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


284 Winchester

7mm Mauser (7x57)

300 Savage


30-06 Springfield

7.62x39

8mm Mauser (8x57)

32 Remington

35 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


30-40 Krag (30 Govt)

303 British

303 Savage

32 Winchester Special


300 Holland & Holland Magnum

8mm Mauser (8x57)

30-06 Springfield

30-40 Krag

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


300 Savage

338 Winchester Magnum


300 Weatherby Magnum

338 Winchester Magnum


300 Winchester Magnum

8mm Mauser Rd. Nose Magnum

303 British

350 Remington Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


303 British

30-30 Winchester

32 Winchester Special


303 Savage

30-30 Winchester

32 Winchester Special

32-40 Winchester


308 Winchester

7.62x39

300 Savage


338 Winchester Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


338-06 A-Square

35 Remington


340 Weatherby Magnum

350 Remington Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester

444 Marlin


348 Winchester

35 Remington


358 Shooting Times Alaskan

7mm Shooting Times Westerner

338 Winchester Magnum

8mm Remington

350 Remington

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester

41 Long Colt


378 Weatherby Magnum

444 Marlin

45-70 Government


375 H&H Magnum

375 Winchester

38-55 Winchester


38-55 Winchester

375 Winchester

41 Long Colt


416 Rigby

416 Remington


416 Weatherby Magnum

416 Remington

416 Rigby

45-70 Government


45-70 Government

454 Casull


460 Weatherby Magnum

458 Winchester



Text and Pictures Copyright 1998 © SAAMI
 

© 2009 Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.