Table of British Screw Threads

British Thread Nominal Size/ Threads Hex Head Width comment

Designation Outside Diameter per Inch Across Flats
1/8 BSW 0.125" 40
3/16 BSW 0.1875 24
1/4 BSW 0.25 20 0.438 - 0.445"
5/16 BSW 0.3125 18 0.518 - 0.525
3/8 BSW 0.375 16 0.592 - 0.600
7/16 BSW 0.4375 14 0.702 - 0.710
1/2 BSW 0.5 12 0.812 - 0.820
9/16 BSW 0.5625 12 0.912 - 0.920
5/8 BSW 0.625 11 1.000 - 1.010
3/4 BSW 0.75 10 1.190 - 1.200
7/8 BSW 0.875 9 1.288 - 1.300
1" BSW 1.0" 8 1.468 - 1.480
3/16 BSF 0.1875" 32
7/32 BSF 0.2187 28 non-preferred
1/4 BSF 0.25 26 0.438 - 0.445"
9/32 BSF 0.2812 26 non-preferred
5/16 BSF 0.3125 22 0.518 - 0.525
3/8 BSF 0.375 20 0.592 - 0.600
7/16 BSF 0.4375 18 0.702 - 0.710
1/2 BSF 0.5 16 0.812 - 0.820
9/16 BSF 0.5625 16 0.912 - 0.920
5/8 BSF 0.625 14 1.000 - 1.010
3/4 BSF 0.75 12 1.190 - 1.200
7/8 BSF 0.875 11 1.288 - 1.300
1" BSF 1.0" 10 1.468 - 1.480
0 BA 6.0 mm, 0.2362" 25.4
1 BA 5.3 mm, 0.2087" 28.2
2 BA 4.7 mm, 0.185" 31.4
3 BA 4.1 mm, 0.1614" 34.8
4 BA 3.6 mm, 0.1417" 38.5
5 BA 3.2 mm, 0.126" 43.0
6 BA 2.8 mm, 0.1102" 47.9
7 BA 2.5 mm, 0.0984" 52.9
8 BA 2.2 mm, 0.0866" 59.1
9 BA 1.9 mm, 0.0748" 65.1
10 BA 1.7 mm, 0.0669" 72.6
1/16 BSPP 0.3041" 28
1/8 BSPP 0.383" 28
1/4 BSPP 0.518 19
3/8 BSPP 0.656 19
1/2 BSPP 0.825 14
5/8 BSPP 0.902 14 non-preferred
3/4 BSPP 1.041 14
7/8 BSPP 1.189 14 non-preferred
1" BSPP 1.309 11

One source in the U.S. for British fasteners and tools is Metric & Multistandard Components Corp. in Hawthorne, NY,
(Tel) 914/769-5020, with branches in Burr Ridge, IL and Dallas, TX.
Robert E. Reilly, P.E.

Reference Bibliography
1. Kent's Mechanical Engineer's Handbook, 11th ed. (1936), Wiley
2. Machinery's Handbook, 14th ed. (1951) and 23rd ed. (1988), Industrial Press
3. Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, 8th ed. (1978) McGraw-Hill
4. Standard Handbook of Fastening and Joining, (1989) McGraw-Hill
5. Tool Engineer's Handbook, 1st ed. (1949) McGraw-Hill
6. Metric & Multistandard Components Corp. sales catalogue, copyright 1977

Author's Note:
After this article was published in the Classic Jaguar Association newsletter, another member from the U.K. responded
by letter and stated that the hex sizes were originally governed by the commercially available steel hex bar stock sizes,
in the days before automated screw machines, when nuts and bolts were cut from hex bar stock.