[1][2] The origins of SAAMI date back to World War I and the Society of American Manufacturers of Small Arms and Ammunition (SAMSAA).

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.

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.

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.

[1][3] 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.

[1][3] In the 1940s, SAAMI began publishing a series of informational booklets for educating the public on safe firearm and ammunition use, handling, and storage.

By establishing the NSSF as a separate organization, SAAMI was able to focus on its mission of publishing technical standards for firearm and ammunition safety, interchangeability, reliability and quality.

[1][6] In 2005, SAAMI was accredited as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with Consultative Status at the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

[9][3][6] The SAAMI Logistics and Regulatory Affairs Committee (SLARAC) is responsible for keeping members up to date on changes to transportation and storage regulations.

SAAMI is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

[12] There are two internationally recognized sporting arms and ammunition standard setting organizations, SAAMI and Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives (French for "Permanent international commission for testing portable firearms") commonly abbreviated and referred to simply as “C.I.P.” SAAMI and C.I.P.

The copper crusher is in limited use due to the increased efficiency of measuring pressure with a piezoelectric transducer-based data acquisition system.