Dimensional Food Can Standards

NAME	DIMENSIONS	Total Capacity, avoir oz. of Water at 68degF	No. 2 Can Equivalent
6Z	202 x 308	6.08	0.295
8Z Short	211 x 300	7.93	0.386
8Z Tall	211 x 304	8.68	0.422
No. I (Picnic)	211 x 400	10.94	0.532
No. 211 Cylinder	211 x 414	13.56	0.660
No. 300	300 x 407	15.22	0.741
No. 300 Cylinder	300 x 509	19.40	0.945
No. I Tall	301 x 411	16.70	0.813
No. 303	303 x 406	16.88	0.821
No. 303 Cylinder	303 x 509	21.86	1.060
No. 2 Vacuum	307 x 306	14.71	0.716
No. 2	307 x 409	20.55	1.000
Jumbo	307 x 510	25.80	1.2537
No. 2 Cylinder	307 x 512	26.40	1.284
No. 1.25	401 x 206	13.81	0.672
No. 2.5	401 x 411	29.79	1.450
No. 3 Vacuum	404 x 307	23.90	1.162
No. 3 Cylinder	404 x 700	51.70	2.515
No. 5	502 x 510	59.10	2.8744
No. 10	602 x 700	109.43	5.325
The capacity of a 16-oz. glass jar is approximately No. 303 tin can.
The capacity of a No. 2.5 glass jar is approximately the same as the No. 2.5 tin can.

Explanation of Dimensional Food Can Standards

Metal can sizes used in industry in the U.S.A. are derived from nominal outside dimensions. Measurements are made of the empty round can before seaming on the packers' end.

While such dimensions may be expressed in inches, the custom is to use a conventionalized method in which three-digit numbers are used to express each dimension. The first digit indicates the number of whole inches in a dimension, and the second and third digits indicate the fractional inches as sixteenths of an inch. Thus:

303 x 406 means 3-3/16 x 4-6/16 inches
307 x 512 means 3-7/16 x 5-12/16 inches
603 x 700 means 6-3/16 x 7 inches

The first three-digit number describing a round can indicates the diameter measured across the outside of the chime on the seamed end. The second three-digit number indicates the overall height of the can with one end on.

In stating the dimensions of oval, obround, or obrotund cans, outside dimensions are used, the dimensions of the opening stated first, followed by the height. Thus, there will be three sets of figures: the first two being the long and short axis of the opening. Their interpretation in inches and sixteenths of an inch is the same as with round cans. An oval can might have the size given as 402 x 304 x 612, which would mean that the oval opening was 4-2/16 x 3-4/16 inches and the height was 6-12/16 inches.

In the table below the "No. 2 Equivalent" indicates the number of No. 2 cans equal to each of the cans designated in Column 1.

202 Can and End Specifications