30 Super Carry SAAMI Approved

Last week, the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) announced that 30 Super Carry has been accepted for SAAMI standardization. This is the organization at the forefront of promoting firearm safety by creating standards that ensure safety, reliability, and interchangeability of firearms, ammunition, and components.

30 Super Carry was introduced earlier this year by Federal Cartridge Company with a 100-grain bullet traveling at a velocity of 1,250 fps, a 115-grain bullet traveling at a velocity of 1,150 fps, and a Maximum Average Pressure of 52,000 psi.

Federal 30 Super Carry cartridges, two whole, and five expanded — According to Federal, 30 Super Carry has better terminal performance than a 380 Auto and as much muzzle energy as a 9mm Luger. (Image: Field & Stream)

As Federal describes it,

With the new 30 Super Carry Cartridge, personal defense users won’t have to choose between a smaller platform with reduced bullet performance or a larger platform to carry more rounds. The 30 Super Carry has better terminal performance than a 380 Auto and as much muzzle energy as a 9mm Luger, all with a .313-inch projectile. Users will see performance like 9mm Luger with slightly less recoil and additional magazine capacity.

“At Federal, we are once again excited to have a new cartridge approved by SAAMI,” said Jesse Whiteside, Federal’s Senior Director of Product Management. “This shows the 30 Super Carry meets the strict standards set forth by the organization. With SAAMI’s standards published for the 30 Super Carry, it will help expand this excellent personal defense cartridge to be used in more firearm platforms across the industry.”

Federal currently offers the 30 Super Carry in a 100-grain HST Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) load in a 20-count box. The load is also available in the American Eagle 30-Super Carry 100-grain, Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) load in a 50-count box.

Federal 30 Super Carry 100-Grain 20-round box

SAAMI allows free access to technical data and drawings for the cartridge and chamber designs, which are posted in the Information and Specifications section of the organization’s website. All cartridge and chamber drawing documents are contained within the ANSI/SAAMI Standards and can be found on www.saami.org. The New SAAMI Cartridge Cartridge/Chamber Designs and Revisions for the new cartridge can be viewed here: https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Public-Introduction-30-Super-Carry-2022-06-30.pdf.

30 Super Carry SAAMI standard diagram of cartridge — The documents for Federal’s 30 Super Carry SAAMI standards are now published and avialable to the industry and the public. (Image: SAAMI)

SAAMI was founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government and tasked with creating and publishing industry standards for safety, interchangeability, reliability, and quality, as well as coordinating technical data. SAAMI’s Technical Committee, which consists of firearm and ammunition industry experts, reviewed the new cartridge submission over a period of about six months. The official cartridge name, maximum cartridge and minimum chamber dimensions, pressure limits, test equipment, and other characteristics are all considered and scrutinized during the process.