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Posted: 7/25/2014 8:35:26 PM EDT
[#1]
Just buy whatever electronic caliper is on sale for 20 bucks.
I have several electronic and one dial, and they are all precise/accurate enough for reloading. The dial calipers have a problem collecting debris on gear tracks and IMO, are not as robust as electronic calipers. On the other hand, dial calipers with a needle are easy to see at a glance than electronic when looking at dozens of readings. Otherwise, buy what you want to use. I'd get stainless steel as they cost just as much as reloading branded plastic calipers. |
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Posted: 7/25/2014 8:39:12 PM EDT
[#2]
RCBS dial
It was real cheap when I bought it. |
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Posted: 7/25/2014 8:57:54 PM EDT
[#3]
Brown and Sharpe dial, Mitutoyo digital.
The Brown and Sharp was part of my tools years ago, it's still accurate to .001 I just had it calibrated last year. The Mitutoyo digital was part of some reloading equipment I bought a couple of years ago, at first I was skeptical of the accuracy of digital calipers but this one has proved to be as accurate as my calibrated dial caliper and quicker to use. |
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Posted: 7/25/2014 9:55:28 PM EDT
[#4]
Title asks about micrometerss.... Then the post asks about calipers.
Poster is indeed confused. 
But for the record: My mics are Starrett, Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharp and Etalon. My calipers are Starrett, Brown & Sharp, Mitutoyo, Helios, and {gasp!!!!} Harbor Freight. I also use other TESA & Interrapid Height gages and indicators. Note: While working as the shift lead at an ISO9000-9001-9002 facility as a joke I started sending a $14.99 set of HF calipers for the monthly calibration test cert. - They always passed. 18 months later it wasn't a joke anymore. BUT the HF calipers do have cheaper electronics which tend to eat batteries fairly quickly. Part of our cert testing had the inspector remove the batt and take a voltage reading and if below a set level they issued a new battery. Yup - ask to borrow a tool, and after the proper dirty look I'll hand you my HF calipers. 
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Posted: 7/26/2014 1:54:08 AM EDT
[#5]
It matters if you view your tools as a lifetime investment. I have Starrett dial and Mitutoyo digital calipers. Not cheap. I also have a set of Lyman plastic calipers that if used correctly are accurate enough for most tasks. The deal with using calipers is that feel is everything. You must develop a feel for the three types of standard objects you might measure, the cube, the cylinder, and the sphere.
If I could only have one tool, it would be my Starrett No. 120A-6 dial calipers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002254I?pc_redir=1405953414&robot_redir=1 Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 7/26/2014 3:13:28 AM EDT
[#6]
Up until a few years ago I used a vernier caliper that I had bought at a pawn shop in '83.
As I got older and the eyes had problems seeing the scale, I switched over to a dial that I got from harbor Freight. They are cheap and surprisingly accurate for the price. |
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Posted: 7/26/2014 3:42:23 AM EDT
[#7]
I have a machine shop, so I use Mitutoyo dial calipers and a Starrett micrometer, both analog.
OP, for your purposes, a set of digital or dial calipers would be fine to start with. You don't need a name brand, most off-brands are decently accurate. If you're really concerned about calibration, a 1" gage block costs less than half of what a top brand pair of calipers does. I don't bother with digital, because I see no benefit, and you have to change out batteries. A micrometer, by the way, only adjusts over a 1" span - they are different from calipers, but are usually accurate to around 0.0001". They are two different tools - I recommend getting both, eventually, but for 99% of your purposes, calipers will serve you just fine. 
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Posted: 7/26/2014 4:28:21 AM EDT
[#8]
Starrett caliper (because it's what I bought when I was working as a press mechanic 30 years ago...)
Browne & Sharpe micrometer, because the ones I've used work really well. Both analog. |
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Posted: 7/26/2014 4:38:42 AM EDT
[#9]
I'm using the HF calipers as well. If things work, why get caught up in something more expensive if there is no need.
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Posted: 7/26/2014 4:46:00 AM EDT
[#10]
HF for reloading.
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Posted: 7/26/2014 5:34:43 AM EDT
[#11]
I've got a Harbor Freight Chinese Micrometer - I never use it - I don't know anybody who uses a Micrometer for reloading but I'm sure there is someone out there doing it
For reloading I use Dial Calipers mostly. When not using dial I use my 1990s Fowlers because they work. 
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Posted: 7/26/2014 7:53:26 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm using the HF calipers as well. If things work, why get caught up in something more expensive if there is no need. ESPECIALLY when ALL OF THEM are made in China. |
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Posted: 7/26/2014 9:45:48 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I I don't bother with digital, because I see no benefit, and you have to change out batteries. A micrometer, by the way, only adjusts over a 1" span - they are different from calipers, but are usually accurate to around 0.0001". Wait till your eyes start to have problems. The nice large digits are a lot easier to read. Micrometers rely on very precise screw threads. Calipers normally use a rack and pinion arrangement with gear driven dial indicator. Newer electronic ones use very precise patterns on a circuit board. Photo etching can be very very precise. While very few micrometers go more than one inch at a time (I have a 2.54 inch tucked away but it only goes to 1/1000) a set of micrometers goes as large as you care to spend money on. Anything over about 4 inch (actually 3 to 4 inch range) gets VERY expensive. Micrometers over one inch normally come withe a standard 1 inch smaller than the max measurement so you can set 'zero. A set will have a standard for each unit over 0 to 1 inch. The ultimate calipers have a dial indicator built into the anvil end and can go to painful precision. Often valid at a single temperature if you want absolute measurements (object and caliper stable at the 'cal' temp). |
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Posted: 7/26/2014 1:04:44 PM EDT
[#14]
I have some old mitutoyo mic's, but I rarely break them out, as I have a brown and sharpe digital calipers which are pretty nice, as well as two cheapies that I use for headspace gauges and bullet comparators, that way I can leave them set up.
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Posted: 7/26/2014 3:58:28 PM EDT
[#15]
Thanks for the advice guys!!!!!!! I want the micrometers to measure the neck, and the calipers to measure COAL... I want to create a wildcat or two down the road so they will come in handy for that.... I want to manually make the cartridge, then send a dummy round to a barrel company for a custom barrel... Maybe a 6.8SPC necked down to 6.5, .243, or .224..... or even opened up to 7MM..... Other thoughts to come......
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Posted: 7/26/2014 6:40:31 PM EDT
[#16]
 I use one I got from Midway that sell for around $20 if you catch it on sale. Shown here with the Hornady headspace gauge attached. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/479704/hornady-lock-n-load-headspace-gage-5-bushing-set-with-comparator As a reloader the inexpensive digitals are all you need. Of course the machinists that reload will naturally use a machinist quality caliper, they can't help it.
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Posted: 7/26/2014 11:02:57 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I use one I got from Midway that sell for around $20 if you catch it on sale. Shown here with the Hornady headspace gauge attached. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/479704/hornady-lock-n-load-headspace-gage-5-bushing-set-with-comparator As a reloader the inexpensive digitals are all you need. Of course the machinists that reload will naturally use a machinist quality caliper, they can't help it.
I resemble that remark!!...;) Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 7/27/2014 12:46:19 AM EDT
[#18]
As far as calipers, I got dial caliper (Chinese) from a fairly decent varmint gun guy (in other words, I overpaid). But it really did the job just fine. Recently, my brother gave me a new digital caliper (Chinese) from Harbor Freight, it works great, too.
As far as micrometers, I have two Mitotoyus, one for inside (neck measurements) and one for outside (which I seldom need). The other useful item I have are blade feeler gauges, which I got for about 3 bucks many years ago for the lost art of setting the distributor point gap. Now, they help me get a rough setting on my neck turning tool (I lathe the necks of Lapua cases in three successive settings until achieving my ideal 0.0086" neck metal thickness, ). The Mitotoyu Micrometer then tells me how close I am to 0.0086."
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Posted: 7/27/2014 10:04:03 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I resemble that remark!!...;) Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I use one I got from Midway that sell for around $20 if you catch it on sale. Shown here with the Hornady headspace gauge attached. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/479704/hornady-lock-n-load-headspace-gage-5-bushing-set-with-comparator As a reloader the inexpensive digitals are all you need. Of course the machinists that reload will naturally use a machinist quality caliper, they can't help it.
I resemble that remark!!...;) Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile I have some very precise measuring tools for my machine shop. 'Better than' works fine. I did sell off a 48 inch glass scale height gauge though. 48 inch tall and better than 1/10,000 over the whole thing. The vernier was SO easy to read. I still have an old B&S 24 inch 1/1000 vernier height gauge. Cost all of about $15 when one of the companies I worked at went all digital in the machine shop. I do use cheaper digital calipers now a lot for every day reloading tasks. I try to check them about once a year with gauge block stacks. |
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Posted: 7/27/2014 10:31:38 AM EDT
[#20]
I personally like dial for reloading.
I am a machinist and use calipers on a daily basis. I have worked in aerospace where measuring tools need to pass calibration tests. Believe it or not the HF type/quality calipers pass inspection as well as the best most expensive ones. The difference is the cheap ones will ware more rapidly and are not as well built. That being said, IMO for the "normal" person who will be using them for reloading you may as well get the HF (cheap) ones. They are as accurate as any and you can buy many replacements for the same $ as one "high quality" one. Then consider we are all humans and occasionally drop things and the cheap ones look even better. Trust me. If you want to destroy a dial or digital caliper just drop it on to concrete once. Or tell a 5 year old to "hold these and don't drop them" don't ask. 
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Posted: 7/27/2014 11:08:46 AM EDT
[#21]
That is why I like Mitutoyo digital for a production environment. Mine have hit the deck a few times and still work flawlessly.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 7/27/2014 3:27:41 PM EDT
[#22]
My reloading bench has Starrett dial calipers (old set of 0-9"), Starrett mics (0-1" and 1-2"), and some cheap Chinese digital calipers because one of my friends can't figure out dials.
We were instructed to take our own personal measuring equipment home last year because my employer was having a hard time keeping up with calibration. They purchased some 45 sets of measuring tools for every machine, so that they could access the tools any time to verify it is in date. That means that my good stuff is available for reloading. :D Chinese tools might be fine for limited home use, but I can feel the difference when I'm measuring things between good stuff and cheap stuff. They wouldn't fly in a job environment for sure. |
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Posted: 7/27/2014 3:33:06 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just buy whatever electronic caliper is on sale for 20 bucks. I have several electronic and one dial, and they are all precise/accurate enough for reloading. The dial calipers have a problem collecting debris on gear tracks and IMO, are not as robust as electronic calipers. On the other hand, dial calipers with a needle are easy to see at a glance than electronic when looking at dozens of readings. Otherwise, buy what you want to use. I'd get stainless steel as they cost just as much as reloading branded plastic calipers.  Yuck. I bought a Franklin armory digital caliper. Cannot leave battery in it or it will be dead next time I need it.For reloading, get a $30 dial caliper. |
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Posted: 7/27/2014 4:15:53 PM EDT
[#24]
I don't use a digital caliper; mine is an analog dial caliper (from Lyman). I zero it every time I take it out of the box. The Franklin digital caliper, like the one in dryflash3's post, is quite accurate and allows for a manual zero, which is a VERY important thing when making measurements in the 1/10,000" range. My wife uses one for jewelry work, and it's been great for her. In about 4 years, she's had to change the batteries once. With that said, the electronics in that unit are not "NASA quality," so the member who posted that his batteries died quickly is probably reporting exactly his experience. For $20, a "precision digital measurement device" is probably pretty much an oxymoron.
When and if I need a real micrometer, I'll be getting a mid-range precision ANALOG unit, and I plan to spend at least $100. |
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Posted: 7/28/2014 4:48:50 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yuck. I bought a Franklin armory digital caliper. Cannot leave battery in it or it will be dead next time I need it.
For reloading, get a $30 dial caliper. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Just buy whatever electronic caliper is on sale for 20 bucks. I have several electronic and one dial, and they are all precise/accurate enough for reloading. The dial calipers have a problem collecting debris on gear tracks and IMO, are not as robust as electronic calipers. On the other hand, dial calipers with a needle are easy to see at a glance than electronic when looking at dozens of readings. Otherwise, buy what you want to use. I'd get stainless steel as they cost just as much as reloading branded plastic calipers. Yuck. I bought a Franklin armory digital caliper. Cannot leave battery in it or it will be dead next time I need it.
For reloading, get a $30 dial caliper. And if you watch ebay you can get a decent caliper for that price, last B&S I picked up were $35 shipped |
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Posted: 7/28/2014 5:36:41 AM EDT
[#26]
I have a set of Starret Calipers. I like them a lot. Very accurate, I try to keep them in the hard plastic box when not in use and cringe when I see I had left them out.
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Posted: 8/5/2014 11:43:03 PM EDT
[#27]
I use dial calipers because that's what I had in my toolbox before I even considered reloading. Apparently I got started in reloading very cheap. I stumbled across a post in a S&W forum earlier today where people were telling a guy he'd have to drop about $900 to get started, I spent less than $150 on my initial setup! Anyways, I have Mitutoyo and Grizzly calipers. The Mitutoyo's were a gift, I had no idea they were a good brand. The Grizzly calipers work just fine and have held up very well over the past 10yrs. Just get yourself a cheap caliper, dial or digital, and you'll be fine for reloading. If you can afford to spend the money on really good ones, go for it, but it's not necessary.
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