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Good Calipers?

S

sch2046

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 19, 2011
427
10
53
Sunbury, OH
I have the Franklin Arsenal, and they are terrible, they are the electronic version. I will get different lengths on a known object multiple times.

Question is, what are a good set of calipers, I dont mind paying up for good ones.
thanks
Sean
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I have a set of Lyman digital that are over ten years old and they have served me well. I've tried 3 different calipers when trying to measure head space/overall length to the ogive and get different readings every time on the same piece being measured. Went to an RCBS precision mic for HS and it works a butt load better for measuring HS.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

thanks guys. I appreciate the help. I need a new one, the Franklin is terrible.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

If you're a professional machinest get Mitutoy or Starret. If you're just a reloader any of the Chinese made 6" dial or electronic calipers sold by the reloading companies is fine.

Without a hint of how much variation your Franklin Chinese digital is showing it's impossible to appraise what might be wrong. Generally, if it's changing by ten thou or more, you probably have a defective tool. If it's much less than ten thou, the problem may well be your method - precision measurement does demand good technique! And battery powered tools do require good batteries, sooo....?

ALL of the Chinese calipers appear to be made by the same company so the label (and price) doesn't matter. Harbor Freight Tools often have them on sale for $10-12 (dial and digital) and they are identical to the much more costly reloading 'brand names'.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

Go to a Pawn Shop and buy a Starret or Mitutoyo Dail not electronic calipers, whatever the asking price is dont over 60%, I got one of each, my Starrets are in my toolbox at work and get used n abused, the Mits I use for reloading, either way my Grandchildren will get them, and I don't have any yet. There is no such thing as presicion consumer grade electronics, you get what you paid for, disposable Chinese junk, good ole fashion mechanical calipers and reloading scales should last more than a lifetime.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you're a professional machinest get Mitutoy or Starret. If you're just a reloader any of the Chinese made 6" dial or electronic calipers sold by the reloading companies is fine.

Without a hint of how much variation your Franklin Chinese digital is showing it's impossible to appraise what might be wrong. Generally, if it's changing by ten thou or more, you probably have a defective tool. If it's much less than ten thou, the problem may well be your method - precision measurement does demand good technique! And battery powered tools do require good batteries, sooo....?
It is more than ten thou and has to be defective. I an going to the dial not electronic and either the sterret or mit. I don't mind paying for the quality, especially when I think about the possible variation I am getting out of my rounds.

ALL of the Chinese calipers appear to be made by the same company so the label (and price) doesn't matter. Harbor Freight Tools often have them on sale for $10-12 (dial and digital) and they are identical to the much more costly reloading 'brand names'. </div></div>
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I have a inexpensive digital caliper that I bought off Amazon in college. It is repeatable to within 0.001", I assume this is good enough for reloading purposes. I'll update with the specific brand when I get home and pull it out.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I've got a couple Dillon dial calipers that seem to work well. I do have to make sure that the dial is zeroed correctly. Tends to be a little twitchy.

A really good riflesmith I know recommended that I get an electronic Mitutoyo like he uses. When I find the spare change for one, I probably will. Although I probably will choose the dial version.

Richard
 
Re: Good Calipers?


It's funny, over time I have purchased the cheapest digital calipers I could find that will display to at least 0.0005" and all of them measure and agree perfectly with one another AND my old 6" and 8" Starrett and Mitutoyo dial calipers. IMO most folks with inconsistent readings do not keep their calipers clean enough to use their calipers correctly or have marginal batteries installed. Just replace the batteries they are cheap. I buy the cheapest ($0.15-$0.25 each) batteries I can on the card in bulk and use a good DVM to check the batteries with. In every case where the digital caliper display is fading or slow to read the batteries have failed and test 1.4vdc or less. Replace you batteries, keep them clean and in the case and you should have no problems using even the cheapest $15 digital calipers.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

"There is no such thing as presicion consumer grade electronics, you get what you paid for, disposable Chinese junk,..."

My experience and precision Jo blocks dispute that. I have two Swiss made pro-grade vernier calipers that cost the equivelent of about $120 today. I also have two 6" Harbor Freight dial calipers and one HF digital, all for less than $15. They all vary a little but none is off more than a thou and it seems the prioe hardly matters. Price DOES buy long term reliability - unless we drop them on concrete, then they are all trash - but at a cost differential of some 12-15 chink calipers for one Mitutoyo or 15-20 for a Starret, the service life hardly seems to matter. Certainly not for the light use a reloader will put them too.

Anyone needing precision accuracy better than one thou had better be using a micrometer anyway, not a caliper of any brand. IMHO.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I have Mitutoyo. Being less of a Luddite than Cobra, mine are of the digital variety. Easier to read leads to fewer mistakes... for me, at least. Dial are fine, though.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

In my opinion Starrett is ok. On the top of my list is Mitutoyo and Brown and Sharps. I have had some quality control problems with Starrett. ( dial needles touching the face on 2 different sets.) But they are nice and it is what I keep in my box and reloading bench (they are work provided)
 
Re: Good Calipers?

Buy once cry once. Get a Starrett or Brown & Sharpe and you will never regret it. Also invest in a gauge block to check for accuracy on occasion. In my younger days I worked in a shop fabricating package direct drive high pressure gas compressors. The drive shaft alignment had to be within very tight tolerances or it would fly apart. Only tools we used were either Starrett or Brown & Sharp in checking alignment. Store them in a case and keep them clean and well lubricated.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

"Buy once cry once. Get a Starrett or Brown & Sharpe and you will never regret it."

You'll cry twice - or more - if you drop that costly thing on a concrete floor; it will die just as quicky then as a less expensive model.

Buying high dollar calipers instead of the more common Chinese models sold by all reloading companies won't provide a reloader anything but bragging rights.

Calipers of any brand or type are only reliable to a thou; if you need anything finer than that, get a micrometer.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

When my cheap Chinese calipers (I forget the brand, they are all the same) went on the fritz and started flashing all numbers and would not turn off or measure anymore, I decided that like most things in my life, I'm going to get something that is well made and use it for the rest of my life. I ended up with a Mitutoyo and expect that it will not let me down like the cheap junk did.
 
Re: Good Calipers?

Same for me, got tired of the Chinese crap and also got a Mitutoyo set. Couldn't be happier and wish I had done it years ago.

Check ebay for the best price.

BnC
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I have had my Mitutoyo calipers for several years. I haven't dropped them on the floor yet. I guess it would suck if they did. As a result, I try not to. I avoid reloading drunk, which seems to help. I admit, I once charged an entire tray of 308 rounds, carefully hand weighing each charge only to drop them on the floor.

I have avoided mistakes like dropping calipers on the floor and loading a chargemaster with powder with the drain valve open. I have learned from the mistakes of others, I guess.

I measure OAL and COAL to the thou with my Mitutoyos. Don't know how I would do it with a micrometer. Admittedly, measuring distance to the lands is fraught with danger, and I am usually +/- 3 thou on that measurement. But for a loaded round, I am usually consistent down to about half a thou (which is what my Mitutoyos read to).
 
Re: Good Calipers?

"Don't know how I would do it with a micrometer."

I do.
grin.gif
 
Re: Good Calipers?

I run a set of Mitutoyo .001 per rev dial calipers. Worked as a machinist for 4 years. Thats what the made us buy. There are a lot of good calipers out there. The hornady calipers came with the set i bought. They are accurate, just not as smooth.
 
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