The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute®(SAAMI®) is reminding industry members that the registration deadline is approaching for its 2026 Ballistics Conference being held Sept. 15–17 in Baltimore at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court located in Baltimore's scenic inner harbor. An optional site visit is scheduled for Sept. 17 to demonstrate ballistic test equipment, including a tour of the testing laboratories of U.S. Element Space & Defense in Belcamp, Md.
The conference is designed to serve as a training workshop and discussion forum addressing a range of topics relevant to small arms ammunition and firearms design, ballistic laboratory/test facility operations, methods and related equipment and materials.
A two-day technical seminar and training course anchor the agenda, which also will feature a day for product demonstrations and a facility tour of the testing laboratories at Element U.S. Space & Defense.
Important Deadlines
- Aug. 24 - Submission of information and visit clearance form for international attendees ends.
- Aug. 25 - Hotel room reservations for reduced rates ends.
- Aug. 28 - Submission of registration ends.
The final planned agenda is also posted to the Ballistics Conference page of the SAAMI website and will be helpful for those making their plans to attend.
This will be the sixth biennial SAAMI Ballistics Conference, and this year's event coincides with a major milestone for SAAMI — the celebration of the organization's 100thAnniversary.
Who should attend?
The conference will be of special interest to small arms ballistic laboratory technicians, ammunition and firearm designers and test engineers, test facility managers and civilians, law enforcement and military who utilize the SAAMI standards in the manufacture or qualification of ammunition and firearms.
"The 2024 SAAMI Ballistics Conference provided an outstanding opportunity to connect with industry experts and learn about the latest advancements in ballistic testing, standards and technologies. The presentations and discussions offered practical insights that I was able to bring back to our organization, helping to strengthen our understanding of industry best practices and current challenges. Beyond the technical content, the networking opportunities were invaluable and fostered meaningful connections with professionals across the ammunition and firearm industry. The conference was well worth attending, and I look forward to participating again in 2026." — Matt Rixham, General Manager at Element U.S. Space & Defense.
"The 2024 SAAMI Ballistics Conference proved to be the singular best source for current trends and technology in U.S. ammunition development and testing." — Buford Boone, FBI (ret.)
Conference presentations will include:
- PCB Ballistic Pressure Sensor User's Training and Practical Workshop
- Propellants — the science, selection and use considerations
- Legal considerations of test recordkeeping to mitigate product liability risk
- The FBI Terminal Ballistics Method
- Measuring pressures in next generation cartridge designs
- Advanced video analysis software
See the full agenda here.
SAAMI strives to keep its ballistics conferences pertinent to the sporting arms and ammunition and firearm manufacturing community. If there are specific topics you would like to see covered at this conference or future events, or if you are interested in presenting, please include that information with your RSVP or to provide those ideas directly to Alan Serven, Senior Director of Technical Affairs, at aserven@saami.org.
Interested in being a sponsor of the SAAMI Ballistics Conference and having access to the highly-targeted audience of attendees? Reach out to aserven@saami.org.
RSVP to saamiballisticsconference@saami.org if you wish to receive the further communications on this important industry conference.
Any other questions can be addressed to saamiballisticsconference@saami.org.
This event is presented by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, Inc.
Hosted by Element U.S. Space & Defense