Title: Equipment Performance Report: 1999 Autoloading Pistols
Series: N/A
Author: National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
Published: May 2000
Subject: Police weapons
pages:122
bytes: 54KB
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------------------------------
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
National Institute of Justice
Equipment Performance Report:
1999 Autoloading Pistols
May 2000
NCJ 180751
Prepared by:
Alex Sundstrom, Equipment Testing Technician
Published by:
National Institute of Justice
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
Lance Miller, Testing Manager
------------------------------
National Institute of Justice
Julie E. Samuels
Acting Director
Office of Science and Technology
David G. Boyd
Director
Wendy Howe
Program Manager, Standards and Testing
The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center is
supported by Cooperative Agreement #96-MU-MU-K011 awarded by the
U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice. Analyses of test
results do not represent product approval or endorsement by the National
Institute of Justice, U.S. Department of Justice; the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce; or Aspen
Systems Corporation.
The National Institute of Justice is a component of the Office of Justice
Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Bureau of
Justice Statistics, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
and Office for Victims of Crime.
------------------------------
About the National Institute of Justice
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), a component of the Office of
Justice Programs (OJP), is the research agency of the U.S. Department of
Justice. Created by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of
1968, as amended, NIJ is authorized to support research, evaluation, and
demonstration programs, development of technology, and both national
and international information dissemination. Specific mandates of the Act
direct NIJ to:
o Sponsor special projects and research and development programs that
will improve and strengthen the criminal justice system and reduce or
prevent crime.
o Conduct national demonstration projects that employ innovative or
promising approaches for improving criminal justice.
o Develop new technologies to fight crime and improve criminal justice.
o Evaluate the effectiveness of criminal justice programs and identify
programs that promise to be successful if continued or repeated.
o Recommend actions that can be taken by Federal, State, and local
governments as well as by private organizations to improve criminal
justice.
o Carry out research on criminal behavior.
o Develop new methods of crime prevention and reduction of crime and
delinquency.
In recent years, NIJ has greatly expanded its initiatives, the result of the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (the Crime
Act), partnerships with other Federal agencies and private foundations,
advances in technology, and a new international focus. Some examples of
these new initiatives:
o New research and evaluation are exploring key issues in community
policing, violence against women, sentencing reforms, and specialized
courts such as drug courts.
o Dual-use technologies are being developed to support national defense
and local law enforcement needs.
o Four regional National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology
Centers (NLECTC), a Border Research and Technology Center, and three
specialty offices have joined the National Center in Rockville, Maryland,
to form the NLECTC system.
o The causes, treatment, and prevention of violence against women and
violence within the family are being investigated in cooperation with
several agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
o NIJ's links with the international community are being strengthened
through membership in the United Nations (U.N.) network of
criminological institutes; participation in developing the U.N. Criminal
Justice Information Network; initiation of UNOJUST (U.N. Online Justice
Clearinghouse), which electronically links the institutes to the U.N.
network; and establishment of an NIJ International Center.
o The NIJ-administered criminal justice information clearinghouse, the
world's largest, has improved its online capability.
o The Institute's Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) program has been expanded
and enhanced. Renamed ADAM (Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring), the
program will increase the number of drug-testing sites, and its role as a
"platform" for studying drug-related crime will grow.
o NIJ's new Crime Mapping Research Center will provide training in
computer mapping technology, collect and archive geocoded crime data,
and develop analytic software.
o The Institute's program of intramural research has been expanded and
enhanced.
The Institute Director, who is appointed by the President and confirmed
by the Senate, establishes the Institute's objectives, guided by the priorities
of OJP, the Department of Justice, and the needs of the criminal justice
field. The Institute actively solicits the views of criminal justice
professionals and researchers in the continuing search for answers that
inform public policymaking in crime and justice.
------------------------------
About the Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing
Program
The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is
sponsored by the Office of Science and Technology of the National
Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. Department of Justice. The program
responds to the mandate of the Justice System Improvement Act of 1979,
which directed NIJ to encourage research and development to improve the
criminal justice system and to disseminate the results to Federal, State,
and local agencies.
The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is
an applied research effort that determines the technological needs of
justice system agencies, sets minimum performance standards for specific
devices, tests commercially available equipment against those standards,
and disseminates the standards and the test results to criminal justice
agencies nationwide and internationally.
The program operates through the following:
o The Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council
(LECTAC), consisting of nationally recognized criminal justice
practitioners from Federal, State, and local agencies, assesses
technological needs and sets priorities for research programs and items to
be evaluated and tested.
o The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National
Institute of Standards and Technology develops voluntary national
performance standards for compliance testing to ensure that individual
items of equipment are suitable for use by criminal justice agencies. The
equipment standards developed by OLES are based upon laboratory
evaluation of commercially available products in order to devise precise
test methods that can be universally applied by any qualified testing
laboratory and to establish minimum performance requirements for each
attribute of a piece of equipment that is essential to how it functions.
OLES-developed standards can serve as design criteria for manufacturers
or as the basis for equipment evaluation. The application of the standards,
which are highly technical in nature, is augmented through the publication
of equipment performance reports and user guides. Individual jurisdictions
may use the standards in their own laboratories to test equipment, have
equipment tested on their behalf using the standards, or cite the standards
in procurement specifications.
o The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
(NLECTC), operated by a grantee, supervises a national compliance
testing program conducted by independent laboratories. The standards
developed by OLES serve as performance benchmarks against which
commercial equipment is measured. The facilities, personnel, and testing
capabilities of the independent laboratories are evaluated by OLES prior
to testing each item of equipment. In addition, OLES helps NLECTC staff
review and analyze data. Test results are published in consumer product
reports designed to help justice system procurement officials make
informed purchasing decisions.
Publications are available at no charge through NLECTC. Some
documents are also available online through the Justice Technology
Information Network (JUSTNET), the center's Internet/World Wide Web
site. To request a document or additional information, call 800-248-2742
or 301-519-5060, or write:
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
P.O. Box 1160
Rockville, MD 20849-1160
E-mail: asknlectc@nlectc.org
World Wide Web address: http://www.nlectc.org
------------------------------
About the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
System
The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
(NLECTC) system exists to support the Nation's structure of State and
local law enforcement and corrections. The United States has more than
18,000 law enforcement agencies, 50 State correctional systems, and
thousands of prisons and jails. The fragmented nature of law enforcement
and corrections impedes the dissemination of valuable new information,
fosters a patchwork marketplace that discourages the commercialization of
new technologies, and underscores the need for uniform performance
standards for equipment and technologies.
The National Institute of Justice's (NIJ's) Office of Science and
Technology (OS&T) created NLECTC in 1994 as a national system of
technology centers that are clearinghouses of information and sources of
technology assistance and that also attend to special needs, including
technology commercialization and standards development.
The NLECTC system's purpose is to determine the needs of the law
enforcement and corrections communities and assist them in
understanding, using, and benefiting from new and existing technologies
that, increasingly, are vital levers of progress in criminal justice. It is
especially important to note that NIJ/OS&T and the NLECTC system are
the only current programs developed by the Federal Government that
focus solely on the development and transfer of technologies to State and
local law enforcement and corrections.
NLECTC is a program of NIJ, the research and development arm of the
U.S. Department of Justice. The system currently consists of a national
center, four regional centers, and three specialty centers. Also contributing
to the initiatives of the center system is the Office of Law Enforcement
Standards. The centers are colocated with a host organization or agency
that specializes in one or more areas of technology research and
development.
The National Center, located in Rockville, Maryland, is the system's
information hub. Regional centers are currently located in California,
Colorado, New York, and South Carolina. Specialty centers located
around the country deal with border matters (California),
commercialization of law enforcement and corrections technologies (West
Virginia), and forensic science (Florida).
Each center shares roles with the other centers and has distinctive
characteristics. All are focused on helping law enforcement and
corrections take full advantage of technology's rapidly growing capacity to
serve the purposes of crime control and the criminal justice system.
A national body of criminal justice professionals, the Law Enforcement
and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC), helps identify
research and development priorities, thereby influencing the work of the
NLECTC system. In addition, each NLECTC center has a regional
advisory council of law enforcement and corrections officials. Together,
LECTAC and the advisory councils help to keep the NLECTC system
attentive to technological priorities and the needs of law enforcement and
corrections. They help to link the end user with the developer to create
technologies that adequately meet operational requirements and establish
which potential technologies should be pursued for development.
All of the current regional centers have distinctive roles or focus areas,
that, in many cases, are aligned with the expertise of host organizations
and agencies. The centers are currently operated under cooperative
agreements or interagency agreements with host organizations and
agencies whose employees staff the centers.
To receive more information or to add your name to the NLECTC mailing
list, call 800-248-2742 or 301-519-5060, or write:
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
P.O. Box 1160
Rockville, MD 20849-1160
E-mail: asknlectc@nlectc.org
World Wide Web address: http://www.nlectc.org
The following is a list of NLECTC regional and affiliated facilities that
assist NIJ in fulfilling its mission.
NLECTC-Northeast
26 Electronic Parkway
Rome, NY 13441-4514
(p) 888-338-0584
(f) 315-330-4315
E-mail: nlectc_ne@rl.af.mil
NLECTC-Southeast
5300 International Boulevard
North Charleston, SC 29418
(p) 800-292-4385
(f) 843-760-4611
E-mail: nlectc-se@nlectc-se.org
NLECTC-Rocky Mountain
2050 East Iliff Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
(p) 800-416-8086
(f) 303-871-2500
E-mail: nlectc@du.edu
NLECTC-West
c/o The Aerospace Corporation
2350 East El Segundo Boulevard
El Segundo, CA 90245-4691
(p) 888-548-1618
(f) 310-336-2227
E-mail: nlectc@law-west.org
Border Research and Technology Center
225 Broadway
Suite 740
San Diego, CA 92101
(p) 888-656-2782
(f) 888-660-2782
E-mail: brtcchrisa@aol.com
Office of Law Enforcement Standards
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8102
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8102
(p) 301-975-2757
(f) 301-948-0978
E-mail: oles@nist.gov
Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization
Wheeling Jesuit University
316 Washington Avenue
Wheeling, WV 26003
(p) 888-306-5382
(f) 304-243-2131
E-mail: oletc@nttc.edu
National Center for Forensic Science
University of Central Florida
P.O. Box 162367
Orlando, FL 32816-2367
(p) 407-823-6469
(f) 407-823-3162
E-mail: natlctr@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu
------------------------------
About the Office of Law Enforcement Standards
The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) was established as a
matrix management organization in 1971 through a Memorandum of
Understanding between the U.S. Departments of Justice and Commerce
based upon the recommendations of the President's Commission on
Crime. OLES' mission is to apply science and technology to the needs of
the criminal justice community, including law enforcement, corrections,
forensic science, and the fire service. While its major objective is to
develop minimum performance standards, which are promulgated as
voluntary national standards, OLES also undertakes studies leading to the
publication of technical reports and user guides.
The areas of research investigated by OLES include clothing,
communication systems, emergency equipment, investigative aids,
protective equipment, security systems, vehicles, weapons, and analytical
techniques and standard reference materials used by the forensic science
community. The composition of OLES' projects varies depending upon
priorities of the criminal justice community at any given time and, as
necessary, draws upon the resources of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology.
OLES assists law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in acquiring,
on a cost-effective basis, the high-quality resources they need to do their
jobs. To accomplish this, OLES:
o Develops methods for testing equipment performance and examining
evidentiary materials.
o Develops standards for equipment and operating procedures.
o Develops standard reference materials.
o Performs other scientific and engineering research as required.
Since the program began in 1971, OLES has coordinated the development
of nearly 200 standards, user guides, and advisory reports. Topics range
from performance parameters of police patrol vehicles, to performance
reports on various speed-measuring devices, to soft body armor testing, to
analytical procedures for developing DNA profiles.
The application of technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness
of the criminal justice community continues to increase. The proper
adoption of the products resulting from emerging technologies and the
assessment of performance of equipment, systems, methodologies, etc.,
used by criminal justice practitioners constitute critical issues that have
safety and legal ramifications. The consequences of inadequate equipment
performance or inadequate test methods can range from inconvenient to
catastrophic. In addition, these deficiencies can adversely affect the
general population when they increase public safety costs, preclude arrest,
or result in evidence found to be inadmissible in court.
------------------------------
Executive Summary
A firearm is one of the most critical pieces of equipment carried by a law
enforcement officer. It serves as a constant reminder of the unique
responsibility that a police officer has to utilize deadly force when needed
to protect his or her life or the lives of citizens. A firearm that does not
work reliably can result in serious injury or death to the officer, and
possibly to bystanders.
Recognizing that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies today use
autoloading pistols as their issued duty weapon, the National Institute of
Justice (NIJ), through its National Law Enforcement and Corrections
Technology Center (NLECTC) system, recently performed a series of
tests for autoloading pistols. The tests were performed in accordance with
the requirements of the revised version of Autoloading Pistols for Police
Officers, NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A), dated July 1999.
This standard establishes performance requirements and test methods for
pistols used by law enforcement officers as their duty weapon, and is
intended for use in assessing the acceptability of new or reissued
autoloading pistols. (All pistols must be examined and reconditioned as
necessary by a trained armorer or gunsmith prior to reissue.) This standard
does not address specific safety devices, full or partial magazine release,
pistol shot group size, accuracy, sights, or service life (endurance testing).
It is important to note that the test methods and information detailed in
this report address the performance requirements specific to the needs of
the law enforcement community. The data and other information found in
this report should not be interpreted or used for general consumer
purposes (i.e., for use by private citizens in selecting or purchasing
firearms for sporting use or personal protection).
The standard is a general revision of and supersedes NIJ
Standard-0112.02, dated January 1995, and addresses new pistol designs,
calibers (replacing the 10mm with the .357 SIG caliber), revised
procedures for verifying headspace, and general revision of the testing
procedures. NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A) addresses four calibers of
weapons: the 9mm Luger, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. These are
the four calibers that are commonly chosen by law enforcement agencies
as their primary duty weapon. Revision A of NIJ Standard-0112.03
clarifies procedures for test methods and incorporates data collection and
revised reporting requirements.
The requirements of NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A) are very
stringent, as they represent the level of performance required for a pistol
that is fully capable of service use under the demanding conditions and
environments in which law enforcement officers work. NLECTC testing
requires that the samples tested be combat ready directly "out of the box."
In the interest of safety, however, it is recommended that when an agency
purchases new pistols, each pistol should be examined by a qualified
armorer and judged to be combat ready before being issued.
To comply with the requirements of the standard, two representative
samples of a pistol model must successfully pass all informational,
functional, and test requirements defined in the standard. These
requirements are discussed in detail later in this document. There are no
provisions for partial compliance with the standard. However, a model
that fails only one of the testing requirements may be submitted for
retesting to that specific test. But the manufacturer must provide a written
explanation indicating why--in the manufacturer's opinion--the model
failed that portion of the test, as well as what steps will be taken to correct
the problem. Once the model passes the retest, it will be found to comply
with the requirements of the standard. Any significant change in the
construction of the pistol by the manufacturer requires that it be submitted
under a new model designation and tested to all of the requirements of the
standard.
In the summer of 1999, NLECTC contacted the major manufacturers of
autoloading pistols for law enforcement use and requested that they
provide pistols chambered in each of the four calibers specified in the
standard for testing. Eight manufacturers (Colt's Manufacturing Company,
Inc.; Glock, Inc.; Kahr Arms; Kimber Manufacturing, Inc.; SIG Arms,
Inc.; Smith & Wesson; Sturm, Ruger & Company; and Taurus
International Manufacturing, Inc.) agreed to submit a total of 23 pistol
models for testing. The models and calibers tested are detailed in table 1.
NLECTC issued subcontracts to two independent testing laboratories
(H.P. White Laboratory, Inc., Street, Maryland; and United States Test
Laboratory, LLC, Wichita, Kansas) to perform this testing. Both
laboratories submitted proposals that were evaluated by NIJ, the Office of
Law Enforcement Standards (OLES), and NLECTC. Both laboratories
then successfully demonstrated their capabilities to perform testing in
accordance with NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A) by conducting
preliminary tests on two pistols of the same model, which were provided
by NLECTC. Additionally, a representative from either NLECTC or
OLES witnessed all testing described in this report.
Testing was performed between August and October 1999. The pistols
were divided randomly by NLECTC between the two laboratories, so that
each laboratory tested as equal a total number of pistols as possible, as
well as an equal number of pistols in each caliber as possible. Test results
showed that 17 of the 23 pistol models complied with the standard. Three
models failed to comply with two or more of the critical test areas of the
standard and were therefore not eligible for retesting. Two models failed
one of the test requirements. However, each model was eligible for
limited retesting in its respective areas of failure. Both models failed to
comply upon retesting. Another model failed one of the test requirements
(dimensional); the manufacturer elected not to submit the model for
retesting. Summaries of the test results can be found in tables 2 and 3 in
the summary section.
For the purposes of this report, no attempt has been made to rank the
pistols according to their test results aside from compliance and
noncompliance with the standard. Consequently, all models that are found
to comply with the requirements of NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A)
are considered equal. NLECTC recommends that agencies carefully
review the information contained in this report and base their purchasing
decisions on the extent that failure to comply with a specific requirement
limits the pistol's ability to meet the agency's needs. It is a reasonable
assumption that a pistol that complies with all requirements of the NIJ
standard is preferable to a pistol that does not comply with all
requirements of the standard. However, if through a careful assessment of
an agency's operational requirements, it is determined that a particular
requirement of the standard is not essential, then noncompliance with that
requirement need not be a disqualifying factor for a particular model.
Conversely, if an agency desires certain requirements above and beyond
those of the standard (e.g., a magazine with a minimum capacity of 15
rounds, as opposed to the 6-round minimum capacities required by the
standard; ambidextrous safeties; night sights; and accuracy requirements,
such as shot pattern size), a pistol that merely complies with the minimum
requirements of the standard may not be suitable.
When an agency attempts to determine which, if any, of the requirements
of NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A) are not critical to its operational
needs, it is important to recognize the level of skill and expertise needed
to perform adjustments to an autoloading pistol. Individuals who have not
had specific training either as an armorer or a gunsmith should never be
allowed to make modifications or adjustments not specifically authorized
in the manufacturer's literature that accompanies the pistol. Modifications
or adjustments performed by untrained individuals may result in a pistol
that is unsafe to use.
It is NLECTC's desire that this first round of testing will establish an
ongoing voluntary compliance testing program for autoloading pistols,
under which pistol manufacturers will submit other models sold to law
enforcement agencies for testing on a continual basis. NLECTC would
then publish periodic reports detailing new tests, as well as ongoing
updates to the Autoloading Pistol Consumer Product List (CPL), to
include new models tested and found to comply with the standard. To
ensure that this testing program and its resulting reports meet the
requirements of the law enforcement community, NLECTC desires input
and feedback about the usefulness of this standard, the test procedures, or
the equipment performance reports resulting from these tests, and
suggestions for enhancements. Comments and suggestions may be sent in
writing to NLECTC, c/o Autoloading Pistol Compliance Testing Program,
P.O. Box 1160, Rockville, MD 20849-1160; faxed to 301-519-5149; or
e-mailed to asknlectc@nlectc.org, Attention: Testing Manager.
------------------------------
Minimum Performance Requirements, Methods of Testing, and
Commentary
NIJ Standard-0112.03 (Revision A) establishes requirements and methods
of testing for seven broad categories of pistol performance. The discussion
that follows summarizes the specific requirements, briefly describes the
manner in which compliance is tested or determined, and provides an
explanation of the purposes for each requirement. To achieve compliance
with the standard, both sample pistols of the same manufacturer and
model must pass all of the following requirements and tests.
User Information
Requirements: At a minimum, the manufacturer must include with each
pistol information detailing instructions for field disassembly/assembly
and diagram(s) identifying all parts; cleaning instructions; a description of
each safety feature designed into the pistol; a statement on ammunition
known to be beyond the design limits of the pistol; and how a parts list
may be obtained. Manufacturers may supply any other information that
they believe may be needed by the user for proper and safe operation of
their handgun.
Methodology: Compliance is determined by examining the information
provided with each pistol, verifying that all required information is
included and that the documentation is suitable for its intended purpose.
Commentary: This information is essential for the user in order to
properly use and care for the pistol. NIJ Standard-0112.03 changed the
requirements for disassembly/assembly from "complete" to "field," in
recognition of the fact that certain pistols are not recommended to be
completely disassembled by anyone other than a trained armorer or
gunsmith. This provides a line officer to whom the pistol is issued
sufficient information to perform routine or emergency cleaning and
maintenance, but does not go beyond the manufacturer's recommendations
for "field stripping" a weapon.
Visual Inspection
Requirements: The pistol must meet the following visual inspection
requirements:
1.--In the single action mode (if the pistol has a "single action" mode), the
hammer will have sufficient over-travel to ensure achievement of the full
cocked position.
2.--There will be no loose chips, shavings, or filings in the pistol.
3.--The pistol will have no chips, scratches, or burrs. There will be no
sharp edges or corners that could cut the shooter's hand while firing or
during manual cycling of the pistol.
Methodology: Compliance for each of these requirements is determined
by:
1.--Manually operating the hammer and visually confirming the presence
of sufficient over-travel.
2.--Visual inspection of the pistol.
3.--Visual inspection of the pistol.
Commentary: The three visual inspection parameters either affect the
pistol's appearance or performance, or indicate its quality of
workmanship. Sharp edges, chips, or burrs can injure and potentially
disable the shooter.
Dimensional Requirements
Requirements: The pistol must meet the following dimensional
requirements:
1.--The barrel bore dimensions will be in accordance with Sporting Arms
and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) Standards for the
caliber for which the pistol is chambered.
2.--The headspace will be in accordance with SAAMI Standards for the
caliber for which the pistol is chambered.
Methodology: Compliance for each of these requirements is determined
by:
1.--Measuring the barrel bore dimensions and verifying that they are in
accordance with SAAMI specifications. Whenever possible, the preferred
method is to measure the barrel bore dimensions by making a casting of
the inside of the barrel and measuring the bore (land) and groove
diameters and the groove width on the casting, which are measured with a
set of calipers. For barrels that do not have lands and grooves (see the
"commentary" section below), the minimum bore and groove area is
calculated. If the minimum bore and groove area is to be evaluated, then
these dimensions are substituted into a set of mathematical formulas to
calculate that area.
2.--Using commercially available headspace gauges (one sized to the
appropriate tolerance ("go" gauge) and one that exceeds the appropriate
tolerance ("no-go" gauge)), modified to accommodate an unfired primer,
insert the "go" gauge into the chamber and slowly release the slide until it
comes to rest against the gauge. Fire the pistol, which, if the pistol
complies, will detonate the primer. Record the result. Remove the "go"
gauge and repeat the test with the "no-go" gauge; to comply, the primer
should not fire. Record the result.
Commentary: The barrel bore dimensions requirement ensures that the
correct barrel has been fitted in the pistol and that safe operating pressures
are maintained. The barrel complies with this requirement if either the
bore and groove diameters meet SAAMI specifications or the calculated
bore area meets SAAMI specifications. SAAMI specifications, approved
and published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), are
recognized throughout the industry as the preferred firearms
manufacturing standards. To determine compliance, typically the bore and
groove diameters are measured. However, this method is modified
somewhat for certain types of barrels. For example, polygonal bores do
not have traditional lands and grooves, while other barrel designs may
have rifling of some other shape, such as circular segments, which would
make the bore appear to be scalloped edged. In these cases, the minimum
bore and groove area specified by SAAMI must be met to ensure that safe
chamber pressures are maintained. For any of these nontypical bores, new
mathematical formulas are developed based on the unique barrel
geometry, measurements are made of the key barrel features, and these
values are substituted into the formulas to calculate the bore area.
Headspace is measured and verified to SAAMI specifications, as it is
critical to the reliable and safe operation of an autoloading pistol.
Excessive headspace can permit a minimum size cartridge to extend so far
into the chamber that the firing pin will not reach the cartridge to fire it or
to cause case rupture. Inadequate headspace can "jam" the pistol, keeping
it from ejecting a spent casing.
Functional Requirements
Requirements: The pistol must meet the following functional
requirements:
1.--Action. The slide will operate smoothly without binding or sticking
when operated by hand or during firing tests.
2.--Ejection. The ejection mechanism shall eject cases without a hangup
and without hitting the shooter during the ejection test or the firing tests,
except as provided in Sections 4.6 and 4.8.
3.--Trigger.
a.--The single action trigger pull force will be not less than 13 N (3 lbf)
nor more than 36 N (8 lbf) when tested.* (*N, the metric unit or force, is
equal to 0.2248 lbf. For the purpose of this standard, all conversions from
Newton to pound-force for required values and measurements have been
rounded to the nearest 1/4 lbf.)
b.--The double action trigger pull force will be no more than 80 N (18 lbf)
when tested.*
c.--For a pistol employing a striker fire mechanism, the trigger pull force
will be not less than 22 N (5 lbf) nor more than 67 N (15 lbf) when
tested.*
4.--Hammer. When tested, the hammer will operate smoothly without
binding and will not release under an applied load of 46 N (plus or minus)
1 N (10 lbf (plus or minus) 1/4 lbf).
5.--Safety Features. The pistol will have one or more design features to
prevent inadvertent firing. Active (user activated) safety devices, if
provided, will be designed so that the pistol can be made fire-ready by
releasing the safety(s) with the shooting hand. The pistol will not fire
when tested with the safety feature(s) engaged.
6.--Magazine. The magazine will have a capacity of six rounds, minimum,
and will be capable of being released without removing the shooting hand
from the pistol.
Methodology: Compliance for each of these requirements is determined
by:
1.--Operating the slide manually and determining if there is any evidence
of sticking, binding, grittiness, or hesitation.
2.--Firing a full magazine of ammunition and noting any failure(s) to
eject, if any of the ejected rounds struck the shooter in the head or torso,
and if the slide remains open after the last round has been fired. For
rounds that fail to eject properly, the shooter must determine if the cause
can be attributed to faulty ammunition, which is usually manifested
through numerous failures traced back to a specific lot of ammunition.
3.--Measuring the trigger pull force in both single and double action
modes by securely mounting the pistol in a vise or other suitable device
and placing incrementally increasing weights on the trigger until the firing
pin releases.
4.--Operating the hammer and applying the required load in the cocked
position.
5.--Operating the safety features and observing their operation, noting if
they performed as intended.
6.--Loading a magazine to maximum capacity and inserting it into the
pistol and releasing it.
Commentary: Each of the Functional Requirements is addressed
correspondingly:
1.--Action. The slide is a major functioning part of an autoloading pistol.
It must operate smoothly, with no binding. The fit of the slide to the pistol
can be assessed by operating it slowly by hand. Any hesitation or binding
will affect the mechanical operation of the pistol.
2.--Ejection. An autoloading pistol uses a single barrel and a single
chamber. Failure to eject a fired case prevents the loading of a new,
unfired cartridge into the chamber. This renders the pistol inoperable until
corrective action is taken. If the "jam" is of a severe nature and corrective
action cannot be taken quickly, it may result in fatal consequences for the
officer using the pistol. Also, the pistol should be designed so that ejected
casings do not strike the shooter in the head or upper torso, as this could
potentially disable or distract the shooter.
3.--Trigger. If a trigger pull is too "light," or fires the pistol with a
minimal effort, it may present a safety hazard. If the trigger pull is too
"heavy," or requires excessive effort to fire the pistol, it may be difficult
to fire accurately and may indicate malfunctions within the internal firing
mechanism. The test parameters of 3 to 8 pounds for single action and not
more than 18 pounds for double action were determined through
laboratory and field testing, and represent acceptable latitude in design
and manufacturing, while maintaining safety and accuracy for most
shooters.
4.--Hammer. When the internal parts of a pistol's trigger and hammer fit
correctly, the hammer will come to single action full cock and stay there
until a sufficient force (pull) is applied to the trigger by the shooter. This
parameter, generally called "push off," verifies that the single action
cocking surfaces mate properly and that the hammer will not release
prematurely. Laboratory experiments have shown that 10 pounds was a
reasonable load to verify that the full cock hammer notch was properly
fitted to the sear.
5.--Safety Feature(s). The manufacturers of autoloading pistols include in
their design various parts and features that give some degree of safety to
their product. The intent of the standard is not to pass judgment on the
suitability of a particular safety feature, or to determine which feature(s)
are preferable by comparing them to those features found on other models.
The standard requires that a model of autoloading pistol have at least one
safety feature incorporated into the pistol, and that the safety feature
performs as intended by the manufacturer.
6.--Magazine. For law enforcement and corrections duty service, an
autoloading pistol should have at least the ammunition capacity of a duty
revolver (six rounds). If the officer is to realize the benefit of the rapid
reloading potential of a pistol, it must be possible to remove an empty
magazine from the pistol without removing the shooting hand from the
pistol.
Model Qualification Firing Requirement
Requirements: The pistol will fire 600 rounds of commercial ammunition
with no structural or mechanical failures and no more than 5 malfunctions.
Of the five allowable malfunctions, no more than three will be firing
malfunctions (failure to feed, fire, or eject a round) not attributable to
faulty ammunition.
Methodology: Compliance is determined by firing a total of 600 rounds of
ammunition (200 rounds Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) and 400 rounds Jacketed
Hollow Point (JHP)). Before firing, the pistol is examined for defects such
as loose screws, cracks, etc. For pistols with both a single and double
action mode, the first round of each magazine is fired in double action
mode. The first six rounds are fired in 5 seconds. The firing rate for the
remainder of the test must be at least one round every 2 seconds and no
greater than two rounds per second. Increments of 100 rounds must be
fired with no delays except to reload or to determine causes of
malfunctions. All misfires and proper pistol ejections and feeds should be
noted. After each magazine has been emptied, the release mechanism is
checked for easy removal of the magazine. It is also checked for smooth,
easy insertion of the reloaded magazine. The slide is checked to ensure
that it remains in the open position after the last round in the magazine has
been fired. After every 200 rounds, any loose screws are tightened, trigger
pull and headspace are measured, and the pistol is cleaned according to
the manufacturer's recommendations in the provided user information.
If feed or release problems are experienced during the first 50 rounds, the
magazine is replaced with a different one and testing is continued to
determine whether the problems were caused by a faulty magazine. If a
faulty magazine is suspected, it is noted that the magazine was suspect,
identifying it in the report by the number or letter on the bottom of the
plate, and testing is continued from the point testing stopped with the new
magazine.
Should 3 or more misfires occur during the 600-round test sequence, the
primers are examined in the misfired cartridges. If it is obvious that the
misfires are the fault of the pistol (e.g., very shallow or no indentation of
the primer), the pistol has failed to meet the requirements of the standard.
If it is not obvious that the misfires are the fault of the pistol, repeat the
entire firing test as stated above, except that the dimensional
measurements (headspace, trigger pull) need not be made. If the pistol
passes the second 600-round test, it meets the requirements. If 3 or more
misfires occur during the second 600 rounds, and again it is not clearly the
fault of the pistol, the ammunition manufacturer should be consulted to
determine the condition of the misfired ammunition.
Commentary: The firing requirement examines the pistol's ability to fire
FMJ round nose and JHP blunt nose ammunition, which are the most
common types of duty ammunition used. For informational purposes,
headspace and trigger pull are measured after every 200 rounds fired to
determine if any degradation in functional performance has occurred. The
model fails if it has problems feeding, firing, or ejecting rounds that
cannot be directly attributed to faulty ammunition, or if the slide does not
remain in the open position after the last round has been ejected.
As noted earlier in this document, the standard is not an endurance or
service life test that determines how many rounds can be fired before
major component failures occur. It is intended to determine if the pistol
meets basic workmanship, safety, and functional requirements and is
"combat ready," or can be put into law enforcement or corrections duty
service with few or no adjustments by a trained armorer or gunsmith. It
has been established through previous testing initiatives that most
problems become apparent during the first 200 or so rounds fired. The
600-round firing test was established to ensure a sufficient number of
rounds are fired to identify all firing problems, if any are present.
Drop Safety Requirement
Requirements: The pistol is dropped from a height of 4 feet onto a
1-inch-thick rubber mat, backed by concrete. The pistol will not fire
(cartridge with a live primer, but no bullet) during the drop test. Each
pistol is dropped from 7 different positions, with a different part of the
pistol hitting the ground on each drop, for a total of 14 drops. Firing on
any one of the 14 drops constitutes a failure for this test.
Methodology: A magazine is fully loaded with "dummy" ammunition
(live primers, no gunpowder or bullet), inserted into the pistol, and a
round is chambered. The pistol is suspended in a normal firing position
(barrel horizontal and parallel to the floor surface) from a "cradle" made
of string, held by a compressed-air controlled vise mounted to a fixture
whose height can be adjusted incrementally. The lowermost part of the
pistol is raised to a height of 1.22 meters (4 feet) from the surface of the
concrete-backed rubber mat. The pistol is dropped by releasing the jaws of
the air vise. If the primer detonates when the pistol hits the mat, it is
considered a failure. The test is repeated for each of the six remaining
positions:
o Upside down, barrel horizontal.
o On grip, barrel vertical.
o On muzzle, barrel vertical.
o On left side, barrel horizontal.
o On right side, barrel horizontal.
o On the rearmost point of that device, if there is an exposed hammer or
striker; otherwise, on the rearmost point of the pistol. Alternately, a
weight equivalent to that of the pistol may be dropped onto the rearmost
point.
Firing of the primer on any drop constitutes failure of the test.
Commentary: That a pistol may be dropped occasionally is a potential
hazard of law enforcement and corrections service. This could be a result
of the pistol being improperly secured in the holster, a physical struggle
with a combative suspect or arrestee, or any number of other
circumstances. It is a reasonable requirement to expect the pistol not to
discharge when dropped, as this poses a safety hazard to the officer and
anyone in the officer's immediate proximity. This test approximates a drop
from a typical height encountered when drawing or firing the pistol. A
rubber mat is used in consideration of the fact that due to the number of
different drop positions that are required to fully determine if there are
any "weak points" in the pistol design that may cause inadvertent firing, it
may be unrealistic and unreasonable to expect a single pistol to pass seven
consecutive drops onto bare concrete. The use of the rubber mat was
viewed as the preferable alternative to using 14 different pistols for this
test (one for each drop position, each position performed twice), which
would have greatly increased the cost of the test.
Drop Function Requirement
Requirements: After completing the drop safety test, the pistol will fire 20
rounds with no more than 3 malfunctions.
Methodology: After completing the drops specified in the drop safety test,
the pistols are thoroughly examined for any cracks, chips, or other visible
damage, which is noted. For those pistols that passed the drop safety test
without structural damage or damage that will affect the safe and proper
functioning of the pistol, a fully loaded magazine is inserted, a round is
chambered, and the pistol is pointed into a bullet trap or other suitable
device. The ammunition is fired until it has been expended. The magazine
is released (note any sticking or binding), reloaded, and the test is repeated
until 20 rounds have been fired. Any misfires or malfunctions are noted. If
there are more than 3 malfunctions, the 20-round firing test is repeated. If
there are no more than three malfunctions during the repeated firing test,
the pistol meets the requirements of this test.
Commentary: It is a reasonable requirement for law enforcement and
corrections service to expect a pistol that has been accidentally dropped to
still be able to function properly and safely, as an officer's life may
depend on it. Most autoloading pistols intended for law enforcement
service are designed to withstand rough or occasionally improper
handling. This requirement verifies that the pistol has been "ruggedized,"
and will still operate correctly and safely after it has been dropped.
------------------------------
Summary of Test Results
The following narrative provides a summary of the test results for all
pistols tested, noting specific areas of failure. The accompanying tables
(tables 2 and 3) provide a graphic summary of these results.
o User Information: Of the 23 models tested, all complied with the user
information requirements.
o Visual Inspection: Of the 23 models tested, all complied with the visual
inspection requirements.
o Dimensional Requirements: Of the 23 models tested, two failed to
comply with the dimensional requirements. Further discussions with the
manufacturer of one pistol revealed that it was manufactured to military
specifications, which differ slightly from the SAAMI specifications. As
the NIJ standard clearly stated that the pistols would be evaluated to
SAAMI specifications, and participating manufacturers were provided a
copy of the standard in advance of the testing, a request to waive this
requirement was denied by NIJ. The manufacturer declined to submit a
modified version of this pistol for retesting. For the second model that
failed, both pistols' barrel bore and groove areas were determined to be
smaller than the minimum tolerances specified by SAAMI.
o Functional Tests: Of the 23 models tested, all complied with the
functional test requirements.
o Firing Tests: Of the 23 models tested, 18 complied with the
requirements of the firing test, and 5 failed to comply. Of the five that
failed, all experienced the disqualifying condition between shots #201 and
#400. Three of the five that failed were .40 S&W caliber pistols. Three of
the pistols experienced magazine-related failures: The magazine locking
pin broke on one and was unable to keep a magazine secured in the pistol,
and two experienced numerous failures to feed. The other two pistols that
failed did so because they did not comply with the headspace tests taken
after shot #400. One pistol was unable to fire in double action mode after
shot #231 and was unable to complete the test.
o Drop Safety Tests: Of the 23 models tested, 21 complied with the
requirements of the drop safety test, and 2 did not comply. One was
unable to perform the drop test, as the magazine locking pin broke during
the firing test, rendering it inoperable. The other pistol fired the live
primer on drop #2, when the top surface of the slide impacted the rubber
mat.
o Drop Function Test: Of the 23 models tested, 21 complied with the
requirements of the drop function test, and 2 did not comply. One model
was not tested, as it did not perform the drop safety tests due to a
mechanical failure. It is interesting to note that the other pistol that did not
comply was not the same pistol that failed to comply with the drop safety
test. The pistol that failed experienced 5 malfunctions during the 20-round
test.
Compliance
Overall, 17 of the 23 models tested were found to comply with the
requirements of the standard. An analysis of the results by manufacturer
and by caliber is in table 2. The models are listed in the Autoloading
Pistols Consumer Product List.
It is interesting to note that 11 of the 13 (85 percent) 9mm and .45 ACP
pistols tested complied with the standard, while only 6 of the 10 (60
percent) .357 SIG and .40 S&W models complied. It is possible that there
may be a correlation between the fact that the .357 SIG and .40 S&W
caliber models are relatively new to the marketplace, while 9mm and .45
ACP models have a much longer history of use by both law enforcement
and the military. It is hoped that further testing will be performed for all
calibers, which will assist in identifying any further trends of this type.
------------------------------
Glossary
Barrel groove diameter: The diameter of the largest inscribed circle that
can be placed inside the barrel.
Barrel land diameter: The diameter of the largest round rod that will fit
into the bore of the barrel.
Caliber: The size of the ammunition that a weapon is designed to shoot, as
measured by the bullet's approximate diameter in inches in the United
States and in millimeters in other countries. In some instances,
ammunition is described with additional terms, such as the year of its
introduction (.30/06) or the name of the designer (.30 Newton). In some
countries, ammunition is also described in terms of the length of the
cartridge case (7.62mm X 63mm).
Double action: A mode of operation that permits a single pull of the
trigger to cock and fire the pistol. (Also see single action and striker fire
action.)
Firing malfunction: Failure to feed, fire, or eject a round. This is a subset
of a malfunction.
Grip safety: A passive safety device that requires an applied force on the
grip before the pistol can be fired. (Also see safety.)
Hammer spur: Extension of the hammer used to cock the hammer
manually.
Headspace: The distance between the closed breech face of the firearm
and the surface of the chamber on which the cartridge case seats.
Headspace gauge: A device used to facilitate measurement of headspace.
Magazine safety: A passive safety device that prevents firing of the pistol
unless a magazine is in place.
Malfunction: Failure to feed, fire, or eject a round, failure to accept or
eject a magazine, or failure of the slide to remain open after the last round
has been fired (if the pistol is designed to do so).
Minimum bore and groove area: The minimum allowable open or
unrestricted area of the barrel bore as specified by SAAMI Standards.
Misfire: Failure to fire a round. (Also see firing malfunction and
malfunction.)
Model: The manufacturer's designation, which uniquely identifies a
specific design of an autoloading pistol.
Pistol: A handgun that does not contain its ammunition in a revolving
cylinder. Pistols can be manually operated or autoloading. An autoloading
pistol generally contains cartridges in a magazine located in the grip of the
pistol. When an autoloading pistol is fired, the spent cartridge that
contained the bullet and propellant is ejected, the firing mechanism is
cocked, and a new cartridge is chambered. Autoloading pistols can either
be semiautomatic (requiring the trigger to be pulled each time in order to
fire a round) or fully automatic (capable of firing all available rounds in
the magazine with a single pull of the trigger).
Safe action: Striker fire action. (Also see striker fire action.)
Safety: A design feature that prevents inadvertent firing of the pistol by
either blocking or disconnecting the firing mechanism. A safety can be
either active (requiring activation by the user) or passive. A pistol can
have single or multiple safeties.
Single action: A mode of operation that uses the trigger to fire the pistol
only. (Also see double action.)
Striker fire action: A pistol design that employs an internal striker
mechanism to detonate the primer. In operation, the pistol is normally in a
partially cocked condition. Pulling the trigger completes cocking the
action, and then releases the striker mechanism to fire the pistol.
Trigger pull: The force that must be applied to the trigger to fire the pistol.