The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI, pronounced "Sammy") is an association of American manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and components. SAAMI is an accredited standards developer that publishes several American National Standards that provide safety, reliability, and interchangeability standards for commercial manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, and components. In addition, SAAMI publishes information on the safe and responsible transportation, storage, and use of those products. History The origins of SAAMI date back to World War I and the Society of American Manufacturers of Small Arms and Ammunition (SAMSAA). In 1913, the US War Department encouraged the firearms and ammunition industry to establish an organization to share new technology and establish common standards for small arms and ammunition. SAMSAA was officially formed in 1918, however became inactive by the early 1920s. By the mid-1920s the United States was still suffering the shortage of World War I strategic materials including brass, copper, and lead. By 1925, the U.S. Department of Commerce recognized the need for a revival of an organization like SAMSAA and at the same time was encouraging ammunition makers to participate in a product simplification program. This was intended to reduce waste of capital, material shortages, storage and transportation needs. In 1926, at the time of official founding of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturer's Institute, over 4,000 different shotshell loads were on the market. The government sanctioned program- conducted by SAAMI- eliminated more than 95% of them. In metallic cartridges the nearly 350 available loads offered were reduced 70%, often accomplished by reconciling cartridges with multiple names for essentially the same design. In 1928, with market hunting and habitat destruction reducing wildlife populations to record lows, SAAMI funded Aldo Leupold's wildlife studies which resulted in the books An American Game Policy and Game Management. This book became the foundation for modern wildlife management. In addition, SAAMI financially supported the Game Conservation Institute in Clinton, New Jersey, which was the first school providing wildlife management education for state and federal regulators. In 1937, SAAMI was instrumental in gaining support of the firearms and ammunition industry for the passage for the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. This legislation mandated the 11 percent excise tax on firearms and ammunition to be solely used for wildlife restoration and related purposes. In the 1940s SAAMI began publishing a series of informational booklets for educating the public on safe firearm and ammunition use,