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best calipers, preferably digital

parkerg31

parkerg31

Private
Minuteman
Jun 3, 2018
90
23
Which calipers are you guys using? Ive been using the RCBS dial calipers, but I dropped them and they will not hold zero now. Thanks in advance
 
I use the Mitutoyo and really like them (smoother and need zeroed less), but I have compared the measurements several times to the ones I have from Harbor Freight and they are just as accurate. Big difference is Mitutoyo measures to .0005 while Harbor Freight to .000, so slightly more precise.
 
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I bought a mitutoyo 6" about a year ago . I think they cost $100 - $120 . I'm still on the first set of batteries . I was putting batteries in my other cheap calipers 3 or 4 times a year . I would buy these again .
 
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Good set of Mitutoyo or Starret are what I'd go with with , IF you have to have digital. I had 3 digital sets from different companies any none of them matched each other exactly. I pulled out my Dial Mitutoyo and I feel like they are way more repeatable.

All of my sets were a decade old though, from the machine shop.. Maybe thats why none matched up.. But I love my dial ones. They have yet to let me down, and are just as precise.
 
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7036504

These serve me well
 
rulellis said:
I use the Mitutoyo and really like them (smoother and need zeroed less), but I have compared the measurements several times to the ones I have from Harbor Freight and they are just as accurate. Big difference is Mitutoyo measures to .0005 while Harbor Freight to .000, so slightly more precise.
Click to expand...

I have the Mitutoyos as well and I have a couple of those HF calipers as well. Honestly, the HF have measured just as accurately, aside from the half ten-thousandth resolution. I've had them for a several years and I'm still on the original battery. The only downside is I have to re-zero the HF occasionally. I'll find the HF drift a little bit every now and then, like I return to zero and the display is reading -0.001" or 0.001". The Mitu has held zero every single time I've used it.
 
Like most everyone else said, I’m also using the Mitutoyo. However, I’ve heard a lot of really good things about the iGaging stuff. If I didn’t already have the Mitutoyo, I would 100% try them before buying the Mitutoyo.
 
Not sure if the mits do it but the igaging are all usb capable of feeding excel directly if you need that capability for brass sorting and such. Igaging is also mad in USA if I remember correct, based near where I grew up in San Clemente California.
 
I went through 2 sets of Chinese calipers before buying a Mitutoyo and wish I had done it sooner. You might also look at getting a micrometer as well. It gives you much better resolution for stuff like neck and case body diameters.
 
I went with mitutoyo when I saw them on sale for 80 something bucks at msi viking a year or two back. I also have the igauging absolute.

The igauging are good (sooooo much better than the hornadys before, the mitutoyo just feel more solid in every way.
 
Mitutoyo battery seemingly lasts forever. I bought a set of hornady dial calipers as a backup so I wouldn't have to interrupt a reload session with a trip to the pharmacy for a batt, however I haven't had to change my Mitty's batt yet, and I've had it for almost a year.

Cheap-o digi's burn through a battery in less than a few months for me.
 
Definitely can’t go wrong with mitutoyo I have a 6”, 8”, and a 12” set plus mics but I’ve never really been into the digital ones all mine are dial except for a 0-1” digital mitutoyo mic
 
I own Starrett, but Mitutoyo are less expensive and just as good. In a machining environment, the coolant proof models are well worth the extra cost.
 
parkerg31 said:
Which calipers are you guys using? Ive been using the RCBS dial calipers, but I dropped them and they will not hold zero now. Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I have 3 set of iGaging Absolute calipers. All are very smooth and consistent and accurate.
3 pairs are set up each for a task (plain, Ogive measurement, Shoulder measurement) and makes it easy.
And 3 sets are about the same price as 1 set of Mitutoyos.
 
Damn I've been using a couple of POS on EBay. They're probably at least 10 years old. The mechanical one stays out in the loading shed. I should get some good ones I guess.
 
Mitutoyo’s are excellent, this is a great place to buy them as well (https://www.msi-viking.com) I am not associated with them in any way other than having bought from them in the past. Also, if you are loading anything larger then .308 I would strongly recommend getting the 8” over the 6”. They are a little more expensive but it makes gripping them much, much easier when you are measuring longer cases, etc.
 
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The best is just barely good enough.
I have Mitutoyo, both digital and dial. Lots of fake ones on ebay so buy from a distributor.
 
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Having used the cheap dial and digital calipers in the early years when I thought they were “good enough “. Really noticed a difference when I finally got a digital Mitutotoyo and have no use for the others now days.
 
Rlandry said:
The best is just barely good enough.
I have Mitutoyo, both digital and dial. Lots of fake ones on ebay so buy from a distributor.
Click to expand...

For what we are doing, the cheap ones work just fine. I have Starrett and a cheap pair that I used to use just for measuring case length. There is very little difference in measurements.
 
Mitutoyo 6" mechanicals, 6" digitals and 12" mechanicals here (for your 14.5mm and 20mm shooters). You can never verify enough if you have any doubt. Most would serve you well as long as the measurement is repeatable.
 
For quality machinist tools pick Starrett, Brown &Sharpe, Or Mitutoyo. For digital measuring tools I always defer to Mitutoyo.
 
I use the cheap digital one from Home Depot for reloading. Reads the same as my $200 Mitutoyo I use in my shop.
 
The thing that I notice between the cheap ones and my Starrett calipers is that the Return To Zero is more consistent
 
I've had a Craftsman 6" Dial Caliper for so long, it's about ready to collect social security. Not a thing wrong with a good quality dial caliper, and look Ma no batteries to go tits up on ya when you need it......

You can still find fine used Craftsman on Fleabay for around $50-$60. Or you can buy new from Amazon: A Fowler 6" dial caliper is under $60.
 
Would recommend a Mitutoyo IP67 ratings offer full protection against dirt and dust. It also offer temporary protection against the effects of immersion in water at depths between 15cm and 1 meter.
Mitutoyo
0 to 150mm Range, 0.01mm Resolution, IP67 Electronic Caliper
Stainless Steel with 40mm Stainless Steel Jaws, Accurate to 0.001mm
msc-logo-mini.JPG
Part #: 86487592
Mfr Part #: 500-752-20
Big Book Page #:1748
 
If your real careful with your tools spend as much as your comfortable with.
If you tend to be rough on equipment get a harbor freight set for $10 on sale.
 
Only adding my Mitutoyo vote because they have worked super well and because it is one of my relatively few happy deal stories I can share. Friend worked in test and gauging at Lake City back when they actually had QC a couple years back. All their measuring tools get calibrated regularly, and then tossed after some fairly short timeframe. So: he picked these up from the to-be-surplussed pile (allowed). I get them, for free. And, he put them in the To Be Calibrated box so I got them in perfect condition and they were coddled in use, so were like new.
 
I have used many digital calipers, dial calipers and even vernier calipers.

25 years ago Mitutoyo digital was about as good as it got and more expensive than most dial calipers.

15 years ago cheap Chinese calipers started to show up with varying levels of quality, mostly ok.

Today, some Chinese are both cheap and good. Some are still bad.

I bought a Harbor Freight set last year that was gritty and RTZ wasn't consistent. After reading a lot of good reviews on Amazon I bought two pair of $17 or $19 dollar digital calipers and they are as good or better than any Mitutoyo I've used.

One thing about any set of calipers is if you drop them on a hard surface and the jaws bend, they are fucked. When I buy a spare that never seems to happen so when I have good, cheap and a spare, I'm happy.
 
Like flyer above I own 2 sets of the Amazon models @ around 20-20+ each. And both measure consistantly with each other and hold zero. I did however buy an Igage ball micrometer and stand. So I'll leave the jury out on the less expensive calipers but add a + 1 for the Igage micrometer. FWIW, lg

@ one point I will probably buy the Mitutoyo calipers.
 
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