Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives
Encyclopedia
The Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives (Permanent International Commission for Firearms Testing - commonly abbreviated as C.I.P. or CIP) is an international organisation whose members are 14 states, mainly European.
The C.I.P. safeguards that every civil firearm
and all ammunition
sold in C.I.P. member states are safe for the users.
To achieve this, the firearms are all professionally proofed
at C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses before they can be sold to consumers. The same applies for cartridges, at regular interval, cartridges are tested at the C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses.
is stamped in every successfully tested firearm. The C.I.P. does not test any further aspects regarding the correct functioning of the tested firearm. For example aspects like the correct cycling of cartridges etc. are not part of the proofing process.
Primarily orientated towards the proof houses and manufacturers, the C.I.P. independently assesses, approves and publicizes manufacturer's data such as ammunition and chamber dimension specifications, maximum allowed chamber pressures, caliber nomenclature, etc. All this C.I.P. established data can be accessed by everyone.
Technical procedures describing how to perform proofing are also established by the C.I.P. and updates to the various test methods are issued in the form of "decisions". These decisions can also easily be obtained by everyone involved.
The C.I.P. formally distributes established data and decisions to the member states through diplomatic channels for publishing in their official journals. After official publication C.I.P. established data and decisions obtain(s) undisputable legal status in all C.I.P. member states.
Governmental organizations, like military and police forces and other firearms bearing public power agencies, from the C.I.P. member states are legally exempted from having to comply with C.I.P. rulings. This does not automatically imply that all firearms and ammunitions used by governmental organizations in C.I.P. member states are not C.I.P. compliant, since those organizations often choose to self-impose the relevant C.I.P. standards for their service firearms and ammunition.
) by decree of Maximilian I of Habsburg on the 12th of September 1501, a little later in London
(England
), and in the 17-th century in Liège (Belgium
). At that time, proofing was executed by "proofers" at public places. All firearms of reputable brands were proofed this way. Proof test
ing is compulsory in Belgium since the decree of Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
dated May 10, 1672. The Liège Proof House was created at this occasion. Progressively, national proof houses were set up in other countries and proof mark
s were introduced.
In 1914, the director of the Liège Proof House in Liège, Mr. Joseph Fraikin (director from 1908 to 1946), was the originator of the creation of the Permanent International Commission for Firearms Testing (C.I.P.).
The C.I.P. has progressively established a set of uniform rules for the proofing of firearms and ammunitions to ensure the reciprocal recognition of the proof mark
s of each member states.
A convention between the 13 member states was signed in 1969, ratified and converted into law in each signing state, so that the rules can be enforced to assure that every firearm and cartridge on the market has successfully passed the compulsory proofing and approval.
These member states have a total population
of 529 million people.
Most recent member state:
The United Arab Emirates
became a member state on 9 April 2008. Local companies like Caracal International L.L.C.
and ADCOM Manufacturing will benefit of a local proof house.
Former C.I.P. member state:
(formally dissolved in 1992)
The Permanent International Commission, confirming that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is no longer in existence, declared during the XXII Plenary Session that the proof marks of the Proof House at Kragujevac
will no longer be recognised by the C.I.P. Member States with effect from 30 September 1992.
The main aims of the C.I.P. are as follows:
After the proof test and if successful, two or three proof marks are always applied to the main (highly stressed) parts of the arm, namely the barrel, the chamber (when not part of the barrel) and the locking mechanism. A serial number indicating the year of proofing is also marked on these parts. In case a firearm was voluntary successfully tested at a higher than the normally required proof-test pressure superior proof marks are applied on the relevant parts.
Only after that, the arm is released to the manufacturer or importer who can sell it or deliver it, if already sold.
principles in case of quality problem. In a sense, C.I.P. is a pioneer in terms of quality control techniques since it came into force long before the creation of ISO 9000
.
Since this very beginning, C.I.P.’s concern is only related to arms/ammunition safety from the user's point of view. Thus C.I.P. is only interested in chamber pressures and not interested in the velocity achieved by the projectiles. As a result, the compulsory ammunition safety control tests by the manufacturers themselves and their approval by the proof houses are only pressure related. The dimensional checking of the ammunition, as described in the C.I.P. Decisions, Texts and Tables, is left to the manufacturers themselves. Headspace is not checked, even on rimless cartridges with taper. The view is that in the very unlikely case (according to the current quality standards) the cartridge is too long, once pressed by the bolt, the pressure will rise too high causing rejection. If it is too short, firing will fail also causing rejection.
The manufacturers make velocity measurements however. These measurements are made during production for obvious quality control with respect to the user's expectations relative to the product and its purpose.
One exception is arising due to the market introduction of lead free shotshell ammunition loaded with steel pellets instead of more traditional lead based pellets. Due to environmental regulations, hunters in Europe are required to use lead loaded ammunition carefully. For instance, in France, they cannot fire in the vicinity of a pond. In fact, the laws are so complex that some hunters in Europe prefer not to risk getting into problems for firing lead pellets at wrong places, so they opt for steel pellets in all situations. This makes that manufacturers need to market new types of lead free shotgun ammunition loaded with steel pellets. The Vickers hardness test
VH1 must be below 100 but even so, steel is known to wear the barrel excessively over time if the pellets velocity becomes too high leading to potentially harmful situations for the user.
As a result, the measurement of the pellets velocity is also an obligation for shotshell gauges 12, 16 and 20 in both standard and high performance versions. The pellets velocity must be below 425 m/s, 390 m/s and 390 m/s respectively for the standard versions.
, given that their products cannot be legally sold in C.I.P. member states, in the interests of safety most Proof Houses afford those parties opportunity to batch test their ammunition to ensure that the associated chamber pressures and velocities are within acceptable standards. By so doing it removes the potential for weapons being damaged, thereby injuring the user or innocent bystanders. Previous tests of this nature in the past have indicated the poor standards adopted by some of such parties and the lack of uniformity between rounds of ammunition.
. The civilian organisations C.I.P. and SAAMI use less comprehensive test procedures than NATO, but NATO test centres have the advantage that only a few NATO chamberings are in military use. The C.I.P. and SAAMI proof houses must be capable of testing hundreds of different chamberings requiring lots of different test barrels, etcetera.
For all other small arms ammunition for use in "non-NATO Chamber" weapons, NATO has chosen to conform to the procedures as defined by the current C.I.P. legislation.
.
Official C.I.P. decisions regarding pressure are specified in the unit bar
.
The bar is no SI
unit like the pascal
, nor is it a cgs unit, but it is accepted for use with the SI
by NIST
. The bar is widely used in descriptions of pressure because it is only about 1% smaller than "standard" atmospheric pressure
, and is legally recognized in countries of the European Union
.
Conversion between the units bar and the in firearm pressures context more appropriate SI unit Mpa is however easy since 10 bar = 1 Mpa.
If there is any contradiction between the new decisions and successive past decisions adopted at Plenary Session meetings, the most recent decisions prevail. If there is any contradiction between English or German language versions and the French original text, the latter prevails.
Prof. Marc Pirlot ir. Dr.
c/o Ecole Royale Militaire
Dep. Weapon systems and Ballistics (ABAL)
Avenue de la Renaissance, 30
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
The C.I.P.’s Head Office is established at the same address.
although operating differently. SAAMI is a manufacturer's association. In contrast to C.I.P.’s decisions the recommendations of SAAMI have not the force of law.
These two main ammunition standards organisations are cooperating in an effort to unify their rules, though there are still hard at work to solve differences between their rules. These differences consist of varying chamber dimensions and maximum allowed chamber pressures. There are also technical variations in the way chamber pressures are measured giving different results.
(named "channel sensor") made by the Swiss company Kistler
that requires drilling of the cartridge case before firing the proofing cartridge in a specially made test barrel. SAAMI uses another type of Piezoelectric sensor
(named "conformal sensor") mostly made by the US company PCB Piezotronics
that does not require prior drilling of the cartridge case but the sensors are more expensive to use, since each cartridge calibre needs its special transducer. For shotshell ammunition, the technical variations are easier to solve since only one type of Piezoelectric sensor
(called "tangential sensor") is available from the PCB Piezotronics and Kistler International companies to be used without drilling without variations amongst SAAMI and C.I.P. rules.
Under SAAMI proof test procedures, for bottlenecked cases the centre of the transducer is located 0.175 inches (4.4 mm) behind the shoulder of the case for large diameter (0.25 inches (6.4 mm)) transducers and 0.15 inches (3.8 mm) for small diameter (0.194 inches (4.9 mm)) transducers. For straight cases the centre of the transducer is located one-half of the transducer diameter plus 0.005 inch (0.127 mm) behind the base of the seated bullet. Small transducers are used when the case diameter at the point of measurement is less than 0.35 inches (8.9 mm).
The difference in the location of the pressure measurement gives different results than the SAAMI standard.
article.
). In this system every manufacturer has to set aside a batch (also named "lot") of ammunition they consider to be of very good quality and representative of what they need to produce later. This batch is sent to the C.I.P. proof houses and to SAAMI approved centers where "reference firings" are performed. The results of the reference firings are recorded and published. A number of these reference cartridges are distributed among all C.I.P. proofing houses and SAAMI approved centers for later use. Then, when a new ammunition batch (lot) arrives to be tested, the proof-house or shooting range fire a set of 20 reference cartridges to see how they behave with the local equipment and with the current atmospheric conditions. Results are then compared to the reference values as published and correctors (delta values) are computed. Then, the current batch (lot) ammunitions are fired and the correctors are applied on the measured value giving a result "comparable" to the reference itself. This procedure is very accurate, almost not disputable but more complex to perform than the procedures used up to now by C.I.P. and SAAMI. It requires the use of a computer connected to the measuring instruments.
(inexhaustive list)
The C.I.P. safeguards that every civil firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
and all ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
sold in C.I.P. member states are safe for the users.
To achieve this, the firearms are all professionally proofed
Proof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
at C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses before they can be sold to consumers. The same applies for cartridges, at regular interval, cartridges are tested at the C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses.
Proof process
The standard proof of firearms consist of firing two overloaded cartridges producing 25% more chamber pressure than the C.I.P maximum pressure limit for the same cartridge in its commercial version. For pistol, revolver and rimfire cartridges the standard proof is performed with overloaded cartridges that produce 30% more chamber pressure than the C.I.P maximum pressure limit for the same cartridge in its commercial version. Voluntarily testing beyond the C.I.P. maximum pressure limit is also possible for consumers who intend to use their firearms under extreme conditions (hot climates, long strings of shots, etc.). A proof markProof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
is stamped in every successfully tested firearm. The C.I.P. does not test any further aspects regarding the correct functioning of the tested firearm. For example aspects like the correct cycling of cartridges etc. are not part of the proofing process.
Primarily orientated towards the proof houses and manufacturers, the C.I.P. independently assesses, approves and publicizes manufacturer's data such as ammunition and chamber dimension specifications, maximum allowed chamber pressures, caliber nomenclature, etc. All this C.I.P. established data can be accessed by everyone.
Technical procedures describing how to perform proofing are also established by the C.I.P. and updates to the various test methods are issued in the form of "decisions". These decisions can also easily be obtained by everyone involved.
The C.I.P. formally distributes established data and decisions to the member states through diplomatic channels for publishing in their official journals. After official publication C.I.P. established data and decisions obtain(s) undisputable legal status in all C.I.P. member states.
Governmental organizations, like military and police forces and other firearms bearing public power agencies, from the C.I.P. member states are legally exempted from having to comply with C.I.P. rulings. This does not automatically imply that all firearms and ammunitions used by governmental organizations in C.I.P. member states are not C.I.P. compliant, since those organizations often choose to self-impose the relevant C.I.P. standards for their service firearms and ammunition.
History
Firearm safety tests were made compulsory at the beginning of the 16-th century, for instance in Styria (AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) by decree of Maximilian I of Habsburg on the 12th of September 1501, a little later in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), and in the 17-th century in Liège (Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). At that time, proofing was executed by "proofers" at public places. All firearms of reputable brands were proofed this way. Proof test
Proof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
ing is compulsory in Belgium since the decree of Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
Maximilian Henry of Bavaria
thumb|154 px|Maximilian Heinrich of BavariaMaximilian Henry of Bavaria was the third son and fourth child of Albert VI, landgrave of Leuchtenberg and his wife, Mechthilde von Leuchtenberg. In 1650, he was named Archbishop of Cologne, Bishop of Hildesheim and Bishop of Liège succeeding his uncle,...
dated May 10, 1672. The Liège Proof House was created at this occasion. Progressively, national proof houses were set up in other countries and proof mark
Proof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
s were introduced.
In 1914, the director of the Liège Proof House in Liège, Mr. Joseph Fraikin (director from 1908 to 1946), was the originator of the creation of the Permanent International Commission for Firearms Testing (C.I.P.).
The C.I.P. has progressively established a set of uniform rules for the proofing of firearms and ammunitions to ensure the reciprocal recognition of the proof mark
Proof test
A proof test is a test wherein a deliberately over-pressured round is fired from a firearm in order to verify that the firearm is not defective and will not explode on firing. The firearm is inspected after the test, and if it is found to be in sound condition, then it is marked with a proof mark...
s of each member states.
A convention between the 13 member states was signed in 1969, ratified and converted into law in each signing state, so that the rules can be enforced to assure that every firearm and cartridge on the market has successfully passed the compulsory proofing and approval.
Member states
The current (2008) C.I.P. member states are:These member states have a total population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 529 million people.
Most recent member state:
The United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
became a member state on 9 April 2008. Local companies like Caracal International L.L.C.
Caracal pistol
The Caracal pistol is a series of semi-automatic pistols manufactured by Caracal International L.L.C. a subsidiary of Tawazun Holding from the United Arab Emirates. Newly arrived on a competitive market, the Caracal pistol series are the first pistols made in the United Arab Emirates.In 2007,...
and ADCOM Manufacturing will benefit of a local proof house.
Former C.I.P. member state:
(formally dissolved in 1992)
The Permanent International Commission, confirming that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is no longer in existence, declared during the XXII Plenary Session that the proof marks of the Proof House at Kragujevac
Kragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
will no longer be recognised by the C.I.P. Member States with effect from 30 September 1992.
Precepts and aims
The C.I.P. Convention has the following major precepts:- There is reciprocal acceptance of each country’s proof marks, certifying the identity of the firearms and the satisfactory performance of the tests performed in accordance with the pre-set regulations;
- Tests are standardised to guarantee safety and their application methods;
- At least one state-controlled national Proof House exists in each country;
- Every member country enacts a law which makes it compulsory to perform the tests according to the methods, limits and procedures established by the Convention.
The main aims of the C.I.P. are as follows:
- To select test pressure barrels to measure firing pressure and define the measurement procedures for use by official Proof Houses to determine pressure generated by test cartridges and the commercial cartridges fired by hunting, sport and defensive firearms and in machine tools;
- To establish the kinds of procedures to be followed in the official tests used for firearms and machine tools to guarantee every degree of safety;
- To adopt the most modern measuring techniques for the arms and ammunition testing procedures;
- To encourage standardisation of chamber and cartridge dimensions, testing methods and ammunition testing procedures;
- To examine laws and regulations issued by member states regarding official tests for firearms and ammunition;
- To declare which countries act in accordance with standard tests and publish a schedule of the proof marks applied by the official testing centres of these countries;
- In accordance with the above, to retract declarations when necessary, and modify the schedule when conditions are no longer valid.
Relations with manufacturers and internal functioning
The C.I.P. is an organisation whose members are state authorities but the operations of C.I.P. and its decisions are fully delegated to professional people active in the firearms industry. This includes all the proof house directors and their collaborators, ammunition manufacturers, machine manufacturers, gunsmiths, ballistic specialists and so on. Two sub-commissions exist within the commission itself. The first sub-commission deals with the definition of measuring methods and determine the acceptable values while the second sub-commission defines and express the conditions for new uniform rules. Working parties within these sub-commissions are also created each time a subject needs to be discussed and experts on the subject are invited to participate in relevant meetings. They meet as often as considered necessary at various places to work on the subject they have been assigned to and report to their sub-commissions. After that, the C.I.P. votes in Plenary Sessions on submitted sub-commission proposals, resulting in decisions and publish them. This implies that all decisions made by C.I.P., although enforced by law after publication, are the result of a cautious consensus between sensible and knowledgeable people in this field.Firearms proofing
Small arms manufacturers and importers within the C.I.P. member countries are obliged to request one of the accredited Proof Houses to perform the proofing of all arms they manufacture or import. No small arm can be put on the market in any of the C.I.P. member states without prior successful proofing in an accredited proof house according to the C.I.P. decisions.After the proof test and if successful, two or three proof marks are always applied to the main (highly stressed) parts of the arm, namely the barrel, the chamber (when not part of the barrel) and the locking mechanism. A serial number indicating the year of proofing is also marked on these parts. In case a firearm was voluntary successfully tested at a higher than the normally required proof-test pressure superior proof marks are applied on the relevant parts.
Only after that, the arm is released to the manufacturer or importer who can sell it or deliver it, if already sold.
Ammunition approval
The C.I.P. also enforces the approval of all ammunition a manufacturer or importer intends to sell in any of the C.I.P. member states. The ammunition manufacturing plants are obliged to test their products during production against the C.I.P. pressure specifications. A compliance report must be issued for each production lot and archived for later verification if needed. The cartridge boxes must also be stamped with a C.I.P. approved number to allow quality/safety traceability according to ISO 9000ISO 9000
The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
principles in case of quality problem. In a sense, C.I.P. is a pioneer in terms of quality control techniques since it came into force long before the creation of ISO 9000
ISO 9000
The ISO 9000 family of standards relates to quality management systems and is designed to help organizations ensure they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders . The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, and available through National...
.
Since this very beginning, C.I.P.’s concern is only related to arms/ammunition safety from the user's point of view. Thus C.I.P. is only interested in chamber pressures and not interested in the velocity achieved by the projectiles. As a result, the compulsory ammunition safety control tests by the manufacturers themselves and their approval by the proof houses are only pressure related. The dimensional checking of the ammunition, as described in the C.I.P. Decisions, Texts and Tables, is left to the manufacturers themselves. Headspace is not checked, even on rimless cartridges with taper. The view is that in the very unlikely case (according to the current quality standards) the cartridge is too long, once pressed by the bolt, the pressure will rise too high causing rejection. If it is too short, firing will fail also causing rejection.
The manufacturers make velocity measurements however. These measurements are made during production for obvious quality control with respect to the user's expectations relative to the product and its purpose.
One exception is arising due to the market introduction of lead free shotshell ammunition loaded with steel pellets instead of more traditional lead based pellets. Due to environmental regulations, hunters in Europe are required to use lead loaded ammunition carefully. For instance, in France, they cannot fire in the vicinity of a pond. In fact, the laws are so complex that some hunters in Europe prefer not to risk getting into problems for firing lead pellets at wrong places, so they opt for steel pellets in all situations. This makes that manufacturers need to market new types of lead free shotgun ammunition loaded with steel pellets. The Vickers hardness test
Vickers hardness test
The Vickers hardness test was developed in 1924 by Smith and Sandland at Vickers Ltd as an alternative to the Brinell method to measure the hardness of materials. The Vickers test is often easier to use than other hardness tests since the required calculations are independent of the size of the...
VH1 must be below 100 but even so, steel is known to wear the barrel excessively over time if the pellets velocity becomes too high leading to potentially harmful situations for the user.
As a result, the measurement of the pellets velocity is also an obligation for shotshell gauges 12, 16 and 20 in both standard and high performance versions. The pellets velocity must be below 425 m/s, 390 m/s and 390 m/s respectively for the standard versions.
Handloaded ammunition
Although the same approval rules do not apply to hand loadersHandloading
Handloading or reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges or shotgun shells by assembling the individual components , rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded cartridges...
, given that their products cannot be legally sold in C.I.P. member states, in the interests of safety most Proof Houses afford those parties opportunity to batch test their ammunition to ensure that the associated chamber pressures and velocities are within acceptable standards. By so doing it removes the potential for weapons being damaged, thereby injuring the user or innocent bystanders. Previous tests of this nature in the past have indicated the poor standards adopted by some of such parties and the lack of uniformity between rounds of ammunition.
NATO use of C.I.P. legislation
The NATO military alliance uses a NATO specific recognized class of procedures to control the safety and quality of firearms ammunition called NATO EPVAT testingNATO EPVAT testing
NATO EPVAT testing is one of the three recognized classes of procedures used in the world to control the safety and quality of firearms ammunition....
. The civilian organisations C.I.P. and SAAMI use less comprehensive test procedures than NATO, but NATO test centres have the advantage that only a few NATO chamberings are in military use. The C.I.P. and SAAMI proof houses must be capable of testing hundreds of different chamberings requiring lots of different test barrels, etcetera.
For all other small arms ammunition for use in "non-NATO Chamber" weapons, NATO has chosen to conform to the procedures as defined by the current C.I.P. legislation.
C.I.P. Decisions, Texts and Tables
The C.I.P. Decisions are updated, modified and published every one or two years in the form of a Comprehensive Edition of Adopted C.I.P. Decisions, Texts and Tables in the form of binders, CD-ROM or downloadable in Portable Document FormatPortable Document Format
Portable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
.
Official C.I.P. decisions regarding pressure are specified in the unit bar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
.
The bar is no SI
Si
Si, si, or SI may refer to :- Measurement, mathematics and science :* International System of Units , the modern international standard version of the metric system...
unit like the pascal
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
, nor is it a cgs unit, but it is accepted for use with the SI
Si
Si, si, or SI may refer to :- Measurement, mathematics and science :* International System of Units , the modern international standard version of the metric system...
by NIST
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
. The bar is widely used in descriptions of pressure because it is only about 1% smaller than "standard" atmospheric pressure
Atmosphere (unit)
The standard atmosphere is an international reference pressure defined as 101325 Pa and formerly used as unit of pressure. For practical purposes it has been replaced by the bar which is 105 Pa...
, and is legally recognized in countries of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Conversion between the units bar and the in firearm pressures context more appropriate SI unit Mpa is however easy since 10 bar = 1 Mpa.
If there is any contradiction between the new decisions and successive past decisions adopted at Plenary Session meetings, the most recent decisions prevail. If there is any contradiction between English or German language versions and the French original text, the latter prevails.
Director of the permanent office
Officially appointed on February 9, 2007 (Belgian official journal 2007-03-09):Prof. Marc Pirlot ir. Dr.
c/o Ecole Royale Militaire
Dep. Weapon systems and Ballistics (ABAL)
Avenue de la Renaissance, 30
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
The C.I.P.’s Head Office is established at the same address.
Conflicting industry standards
The American equivalent of C.I.P. is the SAAMISporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute
The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute is an association of American firearms and ammunition manufacturers...
although operating differently. SAAMI is a manufacturer's association. In contrast to C.I.P.’s decisions the recommendations of SAAMI have not the force of law.
These two main ammunition standards organisations are cooperating in an effort to unify their rules, though there are still hard at work to solve differences between their rules. These differences consist of varying chamber dimensions and maximum allowed chamber pressures. There are also technical variations in the way chamber pressures are measured giving different results.
Ammunitions approval differences
C.I.P. almost exclusively uses one type of Piezoelectric sensorPiezoelectric sensor
A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical charge.-Applications:...
(named "channel sensor") made by the Swiss company Kistler
Kistler Group
Kistler Group is a Swiss company that specializes in the development and manufacture of sensors, transducers and electronics for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. The holding consist of 25 subsidiaries and over 50 technical bureaus in 21 countries.-History:The company was founded...
that requires drilling of the cartridge case before firing the proofing cartridge in a specially made test barrel. SAAMI uses another type of Piezoelectric sensor
Piezoelectric sensor
A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical charge.-Applications:...
(named "conformal sensor") mostly made by the US company PCB Piezotronics
PCB Piezotronics
PCB Piezotronics is a manufacturer of piezoelectric sensors.The name "PCB" is abbreviation for "PicoCoulomB" which is technical terminology defining an electrical charge of the type generated by the piezoelectric sensors they manufacture. "Piezotronics" combines the science of Piezoelectricity and...
that does not require prior drilling of the cartridge case but the sensors are more expensive to use, since each cartridge calibre needs its special transducer. For shotshell ammunition, the technical variations are easier to solve since only one type of Piezoelectric sensor
Piezoelectric sensor
A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect to measure pressure, acceleration, strain or force by converting them to an electrical charge.-Applications:...
(called "tangential sensor") is available from the PCB Piezotronics and Kistler International companies to be used without drilling without variations amongst SAAMI and C.I.P. rules.
Proof test differences
Under C.I.P. proof test standards a drilled case is used and the piezo measuring device (transducer) will be positioned at a distance of 25 millimetre (0.984251968503937 in) from the breech face when the length of the cartridge case permits that, including limits. When the length of the cartridge case is too short, pressure measurement will take place at a cartridge specific defined shorter distance from the breech face depending on the dimensions of the case.Under SAAMI proof test procedures, for bottlenecked cases the centre of the transducer is located 0.175 inches (4.4 mm) behind the shoulder of the case for large diameter (0.25 inches (6.4 mm)) transducers and 0.15 inches (3.8 mm) for small diameter (0.194 inches (4.9 mm)) transducers. For straight cases the centre of the transducer is located one-half of the transducer diameter plus 0.005 inch (0.127 mm) behind the base of the seated bullet. Small transducers are used when the case diameter at the point of measurement is less than 0.35 inches (8.9 mm).
The difference in the location of the pressure measurement gives different results than the SAAMI standard.
Unsafe combinations and possible chamber and ammunition dimensional conflicts
Finally, some cartridges with possible chamber and ammunition dimensional conflicts, similar to the unsafe combinations, are listed in the Delta L problemDelta L problem
The delta L problem is a condition that occurs regarding certain firearms chambers and their practical incompatibility with ammunition made for the corresponding chambering....
article.
Reference cartridges system
In order to solve the problems of conflicting industry standards, efforts are currently made to produce a notion regarding "reference cartridges" similar to the system used by NATO armies (NATO EPVAT testingNATO EPVAT testing
NATO EPVAT testing is one of the three recognized classes of procedures used in the world to control the safety and quality of firearms ammunition....
). In this system every manufacturer has to set aside a batch (also named "lot") of ammunition they consider to be of very good quality and representative of what they need to produce later. This batch is sent to the C.I.P. proof houses and to SAAMI approved centers where "reference firings" are performed. The results of the reference firings are recorded and published. A number of these reference cartridges are distributed among all C.I.P. proofing houses and SAAMI approved centers for later use. Then, when a new ammunition batch (lot) arrives to be tested, the proof-house or shooting range fire a set of 20 reference cartridges to see how they behave with the local equipment and with the current atmospheric conditions. Results are then compared to the reference values as published and correctors (delta values) are computed. Then, the current batch (lot) ammunitions are fired and the correctors are applied on the measured value giving a result "comparable" to the reference itself. This procedure is very accurate, almost not disputable but more complex to perform than the procedures used up to now by C.I.P. and SAAMI. It requires the use of a computer connected to the measuring instruments.
C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses
The testing and proofing of firearms and ammunition in the C.I.P. member states is performed at these C.I.P. accredited Proof Houses:- Proof Houses
- Beschussamt FerlachFerlachFerlach is the southernmost town in Austria, about 17 km south of the Carinthian capital Klagenfurt. It is situated in the Rosental/Rož Valley of the Drava River, at the northern slope of the Karawanken mountain range...
, Beschussamt WienViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
- Beschussamt Ferlach
- Proof House
- Banc d’Epreuves de LiègeLiègeLiège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
- Banc d’Epreuves de Liège
- Proof House
- Banco de Pruebas de Chile, SantiagoSantiagoSantiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
- Banco de Pruebas de Chile, Santiago
- Proof House
- Czech Proof House for Arms and Ammunition (Český úřad pro zkoušení zbraní a střeliva), PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
- Czech Proof House for Arms and Ammunition (Český úřad pro zkoušení zbraní a střeliva), Prague
- Proof House
- The Proof House of Finland, RiihimäkiRiihimäkiRiihimäki is a town and municipality in the south of Finland, about north of Helsinki and southeast of Tampere. It is somewhat of a railway junction, since the railway tracks going from different parts of the nation to Helsinki merge there. Sako, Ltd...
- The Proof House of Finland, Riihimäki
- Proof House
- Banc Officiel d’Epreuves de Saint-ÉtienneSaint-ÉtienneSaint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
- Banc Officiel d’Epreuves de Saint-Étienne
- Proof Houses
- Beschussamt HannoverHanoverHanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Beschussamt KielKielKiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Beschussamt KölnCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Beschussamt MellrichstadtMellrichstadtMellrichstadt is a town in the district Rhön-Grabfeld, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated 17 km southwest of Meiningen, and 13 km northeast of Bad Neustadt. It town includes the following villages: Bahra, Eußenhausen, Frickenhausen, Mühlfeld, Sondheim im Grabfeld und Roßrieth....
, Beschussamt MünchenMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Beschussamt SuhlSuhl- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...
, Beschussamt Ulm-JungingenUlm-JungingenUlm-Jungingen is a borough of Ulm in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg with a population around 3,200.- History :Historians suppose that the first settlers arrived circa 700. The ending "ingen" insinuates that Jungingen, like its namesake to the west near the river Neckar, has an alemannic...
- Beschussamt Hannover
- Proof House
- Banc d’Epreuves de Hongrie, BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
- Banc d’Epreuves de Hongrie, Budapest
- Proof House
- Banco Nazionale di Prova per le Armi da Fuoco Portatili e per le Munizioni Commerciali, Gardone Val TrompiaGardone Val TrompiaGardone Val Trompia is a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is bounded by other communes of Marcheno and Sarezzo. It is located in the Trompia valley. It is well-known for being the base of the major small arms manufacturers FAMARS and Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta....
(BS)
- Banco Nazionale di Prova per le Armi da Fuoco Portatili e per le Munizioni Commerciali, Gardone Val Trompia
- Proof Houses
- ProofHouse for the proof of small arms, KlimovskKlimovskKlimovsk is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located south of Moscow and south of Podolsk. Population: The area of Klimovsk is .Klimovsk was founded in the first half of the 19th century as a village of Klimovka , which was close to Moscow–Serpukhov–Tula road...
, ProofHouse for civil and service arms, Ijevsk, ProofHouse "Test", KrasnozavodskKrasnozavodskKrasnozavodsk is a town in Sergiyevo-Posadsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Kunya River northeast of Moscow and north of Sergiyev Posad. Population:...
- ProofHouse for the proof of small arms, Klimovsk
- Proof House
- Konštrukta Defence, a.s., LieskovecLieskovecLieskovec may refer to:* Lieskovec, Humenné District in Slovakia* Lieskovec, Zvolen District in Slovakia...
- Konštrukta Defence, a.s., Lieskovec
- Proof House
- Banco Oficial de Pruebas de Armas de Fuego de EibarÉibarEibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country of Spain. The city was chartered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1346...
- Banco Oficial de Pruebas de Armas de Fuego de Eibar
- Proof House
- unknown
- Proof Houses
- The LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Proof House, The Birmingham Proof HouseBirmingham Proof HouseThe Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House was established in 1813 by an act of Parliament at the request—and expense—of the then prosperous Birmingham Gun Trade. Its remit was to provide a testing and certification service for firearms in order to prove their quality of construction, particularly in...
- The London
Testing equipment providers
The following companies provide equipment to C.I.P. facilities to perform this type of testing:(inexhaustive list)
- Deby & Co, Ltd (Belgium)
- HPI (Austria)
- Kistler InternationalKistler GroupKistler Group is a Swiss company that specializes in the development and manufacture of sensors, transducers and electronics for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. The holding consist of 25 subsidiaries and over 50 technical bureaus in 21 countries.-History:The company was founded...
- PCB PiezotronicsPCB PiezotronicsPCB Piezotronics is a manufacturer of piezoelectric sensors.The name "PCB" is abbreviation for "PicoCoulomB" which is technical terminology defining an electrical charge of the type generated by the piezoelectric sensors they manufacture. "Piezotronics" combines the science of Piezoelectricity and...
(United States) - Prototypa (Czech republic)
- Sabre (England)
- Stas (Italy)
See also
- AmmunitionAmmunitionAmmunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
- NATO EPVAT testingNATO EPVAT testingNATO EPVAT testing is one of the three recognized classes of procedures used in the world to control the safety and quality of firearms ammunition....
- Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' InstituteSporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' InstituteThe Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute is an association of American firearms and ammunition manufacturers...