---
type: "thread"
name: "#3-48 UNC"
designation: "#3-48 UNC"
series: "unc"
series_name: "Unified Coarse (UNC)"
system: "unified"
size_label: "#3"
tpi: 48
pitch_in: 0.020833
pitch_mm: 0.5292
basic_major_dia_in: 0.099
basic_major_dia_mm: 2.5146
basic_pitch_dia_in: 0.0855
basic_pitch_dia_mm: 2.1717
basic_minor_dia_in: 0.0764
basic_minor_dia_mm: 1.9406
tap_drill: "#47"
tap_drill_dia_in: 0.0785
tap_drill_dia_mm: 1.9939
tap_drill_thread_pct: 75.7
clearance_normal_drill: "#33"
tensile_stress_area_sqin: 0.004865
tensile_stress_area_sqmm: 3.139
internal_class_assumed: "2B"
standard: "ASME B1.1 (reference values based on the ASME B1.1 system; not a compliance claim)"
verified: "August 1, 2026"
url: https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/3-48
---

# #3-48 UNC Thread — Dimensions, Tap Drill & Clearance

The tap drill for #3-48 UNC is #47 — 0.0785 in (1.994 mm) — which leaves 75.7% thread engagement with a cut tap. Basic pitch diameter is 0.0855 in (2.172 mm) and basic minor diameter is 0.0764 in (1.941 mm). Tapped-hole figures on this page assume a class 2B thread; drill sizes for 50–85% engagement are in the tap drill table below.

- **Series**: Unified Coarse (UNC)
- **Designation**: #3-48 UNC
- **Threads per inch**: 48
- **Tap drill**: #47
- **Standard**: ASME B1.1 (reference values based on the ASME B1.1 system; not a compliance claim)

## Basic Thread Dimensions for #3-48 UNC

| Property | Inch | Millimetre |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic major diameter | 0.0990 | 2.515 |
| Threads per inch | 48 | — |
| Pitch | 0.0208 | 0.529 |
| Basic pitch diameter | 0.0855 | 2.172 |
| Basic minor diameter | 0.0764 | 1.941 |
| External thread root diameter | 0.0742 | 1.885 |
| Sharp V thread height (H) | 0.0180 | 0.457 |

_Basic dimensions are the theoretical values before any tolerance class is applied._

## Tap Drill Sizes for #3-48 UNC

Cut taps, from 50% to 85% thread engagement. The shop default is 75% — a #47 drill.

| Thread % | Target hole Ø (in) | Target hole Ø (mm) | Drill | Drill Ø (in) | Drill Ø (mm) | Actual thread % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 50% | 0.0855 | 2.172 | #44 | 0.0860 | 2.184 | 48.0 |
| 60% | 0.0828 | 2.103 | #45 | 0.0820 | 2.083 | 62.8 |
| 65% | 0.0814 | 2.068 | #46 | 0.0810 | 2.057 | 66.5 |
| 70% | 0.0801 | 2.034 | #46 | 0.0810 | 2.057 | 66.5 |
| 75% (default) | 0.0787 | 1.999 | #47 | 0.0785 | 1.994 | 75.7 |
| 80% | 0.0773 | 1.963 | 5/64 | 0.0781 | 1.984 | 77.1 |
| 85% | 0.0760 | 1.930 | #48 | 0.0760 | 1.930 | 85.0 |

_Target hole Ø is the theoretical hole for the stated engagement. The drill column is the nearest size in the standard number/letter/fractional/metric index, and actual thread % is what that real drill produces._

## Clearance Hole Sizes for #3-48 UNC

The through-hole a #3-48 UNC fastener passes freely, not the tapped hole.

| Fit | Drill | Hole Ø (in) | Hole Ø (mm) | Use |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close | #37 | 0.1063 | 2.700 | Located joints, dowelled assemblies |
| Normal | #33 | 0.1142 | 2.901 | General assembly — the default |
| Loose | #30 | 0.1299 | 3.299 | Slotted or adjustable joints, weldments |

_Clearance holes per ISO 273 (metric) and ASME B18.2.8 (inch)._

## Thread Class Limits for #3-48 UNC

Manufacturing limits for classes 2B, 3B, 2A, 3A. A gauge reading outside these bands is a reject, not a judgement call.

### External thread (bolt / screw) limits

| Limit | Class 2A (in) | Class 2A (mm) | Class 3A (in) | Class 3A (mm) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Major Ø max | 0.0983 | 2.497 | 0.0990 | 2.515 |
| Major Ø min | 0.0938 | 2.382 | 0.0945 | 2.400 |
| Pitch Ø max | 0.0848 | 2.154 | 0.0855 | 2.172 |
| Pitch Ø min | 0.0825 | 2.095 | 0.0837 | 2.126 |
| Pitch Ø tolerance | 0.0023 | 0.058 | 0.0017 | 0.043 |
| Minor Ø max | 0.0712 | 1.808 | 0.0719 | 1.826 |
| Minor Ø min | 0.0689 | 1.750 | 0.0702 | 1.783 |
| Allowance | 0.0007 | 0.018 | 0.0000 | 0.000 |

### Internal thread (nut / tapped hole) limits

| Limit | Class 2B (in) | Class 2B (mm) | Class 3B (in) | Class 3B (mm) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Major Ø max | 0.1050 | 2.667 | 0.1043 | 2.649 |
| Major Ø min | 0.0990 | 2.515 | 0.0990 | 2.515 |
| Pitch Ø max | 0.0885 | 2.248 | 0.0877 | 2.228 |
| Pitch Ø min | 0.0855 | 2.172 | 0.0855 | 2.172 |
| Pitch Ø tolerance | 0.0030 | 0.076 | 0.0022 | 0.056 |
| Minor Ø max | 0.0845 | 2.146 | 0.0845 | 2.146 |
| Minor Ø min | 0.0764 | 1.941 | 0.0764 | 1.941 |
| Allowance | 0.0000 | 0.000 | 0.0000 | 0.000 |

## Tensile Stress Area of #3-48 UNC

| Property | in² | mm² |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tensile stress area | 0.00487 | 3.14 |

The effective cross-section used to size a #3-48 UNC fastener against a load. Multiply it by the material's allowable stress — the area itself carries no strength assumption.

## Other Thread Pitches in the Same Size as #3-48 UNC

A #3 fastener is not always #3-48 UNC. These are the other standard pitches cut on the same nominal size.

| Thread | Series | Pitch | Tap drill |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [#3-56 UNF](https://shopmath.org/threads/unf/3-56.md) | Unified Fine (UNF) | 56 TPI | #45 |

## Sources and Method for #3-48 UNC

### Basic dimensions

- **Source**: NBS Handbook H28 (1969) Part I §§6-7 (public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105); normative modern reference ASME B1.1; series membership: Series membership: threadlib UIS_thread.csv (BSD-3-Clause); cross-checked against NBS H28 (1969) Part I Table 2.21; clearance holes: ISO 273 (metric) and ASME B18.2.8 (inch) via FreeCAD FeatureHole.cpp (LGPL-2.1+), cross-checked against bd_warehouse clearance_hole_sizes.csv (Apache-2.0)
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: NBS H28 (1969) Part I, Table 2.21 (public domain); cross-checked against FreeCAD CAM thread tables (LGPL-2.1+) — 1064 checks passed at 0.0001 in

### Tap drill sizes

- **Source**: Machinery's Handbook %-thread formula (geometry-derived); nearest-standard-drill-to-75% rule verified at 36/39 published chart rows in docs/research/data-sourcing.md §3.4
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: Wikipedia Unified Thread Standard, preferred cutting tap drill size columns (CC BY-SA 4.0) — 36/39 published UNC+UNF rows reproduced

### Class limits

- **Source**: NBS Handbook H28 (1969) Part I §§6-7 (public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105); normative modern reference ASME B1.1
- **Method**: computed
- **Verified against**: NBS H28 (1969) Part I, Table 2.21 (public domain); cross-checked against FreeCAD CAM thread tables (LGPL-2.1+) — 1064 checks passed at 0.0001 in

### Formulas

**Tap drill hole diameter, inch threads**

```text
hole Ø  =  D − (%thread ÷ 100) × (1.29904 ÷ n)

  D = basic major diameter (in)
  n = threads per inch
```

_1.29904 = 2 × 0.64952, twice the engaged thread height per side on the 60° Unified profile._

**Actual thread engagement of the chosen drill**

```text
%thread  =  (D − drill Ø) × n ÷ 1.29904 × 100
```

_The drill column rounds to a real drill; this is the engagement that drill actually leaves._

**Tensile stress area, Unified inch threads**

```text
At  =  0.7854 × (D − 0.9743 ÷ n)²
```

_ASME B1.1 / NBS H28 form. Reproduces the stored value exactly for this thread._

### Assumptions

- The headline tap drill assumes 75% thread engagement, the general shop default. Every engagement from 50% to 85% is in the tap drill table — change the assumption and the number moves.
- Tap drill figures are for cut taps. Drill diameters are nominal; a worn or run-out drill cuts oversize and reduces engagement further.
- Tapped-hole figures assume a class 2B internal thread, the general-purpose fit.
- Dataset scope: Le = 1D for UNC/UNF, 9P for UNEF — determined empirically against H28 Table 2.21, resolving data-sourcing.md open item 5. EXCLUDED: form (roll) tap drills, class 1A/1B limits, class 1AR allowances, constant-pitch UN series.

**Data last verified**: August 1, 2026

## Common Questions About #3-48 UNC

### What is the tap drill size for #3-48 UNC?

The tap drill for #3-48 UNC is #47 — 0.0785 in (1.994 mm). That leaves 75.7% thread engagement with a cut tap.

### What is the pitch diameter of #3-48 UNC?

The basic pitch diameter of #3-48 UNC is 0.0855 in (2.172 mm). For a class 2B thread it runs 0.0855 in (2.172 mm) to 0.0885 in (2.248 mm).

### What is the minor diameter of #3-48 UNC?

The basic minor diameter of #3-48 UNC is 0.0764 in (1.941 mm). That is the theoretical root of the internal thread, not the drilled hole size — see the tap drill table for the hole to drill.

### What is the thread pitch of #3-48 UNC?

#3-48 UNC has 48 threads per inch, a pitch of 0.0208 in (0.529 mm).

### What size clearance hole does a #3-48 UNC fastener need?

close fit #37 (0.1063 in (2.700 mm)), normal fit #33 (0.1142 in (2.901 mm)), loose fit #30 (0.1299 in (3.299 mm)). The normal fit is the general-assembly default.

### What is the tensile stress area of #3-48 UNC?

The tensile stress area of #3-48 UNC is 0.00487 in² (3.14 mm²). Multiply it by the fastener material's allowable stress to get a load.

## Related pages

- Smaller in Unified Coarse (UNC): [#2-56 UNC](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/2-56.md) — tap drill #50
- Larger in Unified Coarse (UNC): [#4-40 UNC](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/4-40.md) — tap drill #43
- All Unified Coarse (UNC) sizes: [Unified Coarse (UNC) thread chart](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc.md)
- Every thread series: [Screw thread reference](https://shopmath.org/threads.md)
- Cross-series chart: [Tap drill chart](https://shopmath.org/charts/tap-drill.md)

---

*Source: [ShopMath](https://shopmath.org/threads/unc/3-48) — data verified August 1, 2026. Reference data; verify against the governing standard before manufacture.*