I am about to receive my Hornady LNL OAL gauge to find out the ogive of my rifle. Need an accurate caliper that's not going to put me in bankruptcy. Your input is greatly appreciated.
Good caliper
- Thread starter perazzisc3
- Start date
Re: Good caliper
I just got this Mitutoyo in on Sat, $120, probably dont need to spend that much though.
I just got this Mitutoyo in on Sat, $120, probably dont need to spend that much though.
Re: Good caliper
I am trying to get knowlegable input and experiences with good accurate calipers. It appears a very large number of calipers currently on the market are made in China and are inaccurate pieces of crap.
I am trying to get knowlegable input and experiences with good accurate calipers. It appears a very large number of calipers currently on the market are made in China and are inaccurate pieces of crap.
Re: Good caliper
"It appears a very large number of calipers currently on the market are made in China and are inaccurate pieces of crap."
It may be that your information sources are inaccurate pieces of crap.
I have some 5 Chink calipers, dial and digital, and every one is as accurate as a caliper is supposed to be, that's +/- about a half thou or better of pure accuracy and that's as precise as any reloader needs. Using Hornady's Case "Headspace" and bullet seating devices don't "need" to be even that good, all you're going to need is good repeatability and I can assure you any caliper made will do as well for that work as the operator's skill allows. It appears the various reloading companies agree with me; Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, MidwayUSA calipers I've seen appear to have been made in the same Chineese shop as my H.F. calipers but they cost a LOT more than my H.F.s did.
Those who avoid buying Chinese stuff had best not look at the 'made in' tags on their TVs, computers, printers, routers, cameras, cell phones, hand and power tools of all brands, nuts/bolts and nails, etc.
"It appears a very large number of calipers currently on the market are made in China and are inaccurate pieces of crap."
It may be that your information sources are inaccurate pieces of crap.
I have some 5 Chink calipers, dial and digital, and every one is as accurate as a caliper is supposed to be, that's +/- about a half thou or better of pure accuracy and that's as precise as any reloader needs. Using Hornady's Case "Headspace" and bullet seating devices don't "need" to be even that good, all you're going to need is good repeatability and I can assure you any caliper made will do as well for that work as the operator's skill allows. It appears the various reloading companies agree with me; Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, MidwayUSA calipers I've seen appear to have been made in the same Chineese shop as my H.F. calipers but they cost a LOT more than my H.F.s did.
Those who avoid buying Chinese stuff had best not look at the 'made in' tags on their TVs, computers, printers, routers, cameras, cell phones, hand and power tools of all brands, nuts/bolts and nails, etc.
Re: Good caliper
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Edds</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't know of any brand other than Starrett that are made in the U.S.A., and some of theirs are imported. I have a Starrett 120A-6 dial caliper that I've used for many years. </div></div>
+1 ... I have a Starrett analog, it's accurate, never needs batteries, and made in the USA.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Edds</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't know of any brand other than Starrett that are made in the U.S.A., and some of theirs are imported. I have a Starrett 120A-6 dial caliper that I've used for many years. </div></div>
+1 ... I have a Starrett analog, it's accurate, never needs batteries, and made in the USA.
Re: Good caliper
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: perazzisc3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">would you trust the chinese made for measuring ogive? </div></div>
You're talking about two completely different gauges as if they were one.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: perazzisc3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">would you trust the chinese made for measuring ogive? </div></div>
You're talking about two completely different gauges as if they were one.
Re: Good caliper
I have a 20 dollar caliper from harbor freight. accurate to .0001" +/- .00005" and i've checked it against my machinist buddy's calibration blocks. it holds true and keeps it's zero from day to day. some people feel that if you arent' buying "the best" you are not getting what you pay for. I'm a bit more frugal than that and have more brains than money. to each his own though...yeah, i long to have one of the "better" calipers some day but right now i have 2 kids worth of education and other priorities for my money. besides...accuracy to .0001 is like pissing in the wind unless your are machining something. IMO, there's more variance in the runout of your cartridges, your chamber shape, variance in the barrel and other environmentals that make a bigger impact to your impact than how deeply seated the bullet is and it's relationship to the lands of your rifle.
I may have gotten lucky with my chinese made HF caliper...but it was 20 bucks WELL spent.
I have a 20 dollar caliper from harbor freight. accurate to .0001" +/- .00005" and i've checked it against my machinist buddy's calibration blocks. it holds true and keeps it's zero from day to day. some people feel that if you arent' buying "the best" you are not getting what you pay for. I'm a bit more frugal than that and have more brains than money. to each his own though...yeah, i long to have one of the "better" calipers some day but right now i have 2 kids worth of education and other priorities for my money. besides...accuracy to .0001 is like pissing in the wind unless your are machining something. IMO, there's more variance in the runout of your cartridges, your chamber shape, variance in the barrel and other environmentals that make a bigger impact to your impact than how deeply seated the bullet is and it's relationship to the lands of your rifle.
I may have gotten lucky with my chinese made HF caliper...but it was 20 bucks WELL spent.
Re: Good caliper
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JasonB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 20 dollar caliper from harbor freight. accurate to .0001" +/- .00005" and i've checked it against my machinist buddy's calibration blocks. it holds true and keeps it's zero from day to day. some people feel that if you arent' buying "the best" you are not getting what you pay for. I'm a bit more frugal than that and have more brains than money. to each his own though...yeah, i long to have one of the "better" calipers some day but right now i have 2 kids worth of education and other priorities for my money. besides...accuracy to .0001 is like pissing in the wind unless your are machining something. IMO, there's more variance in the runout of your cartridges, your chamber shape, variance in the barrel and other environmentals that make a bigger impact to your impact than how deeply seated the bullet is and it's relationship to the lands of your rifle.
I may have gotten lucky with my chinese made HF caliper...but it was 20 bucks WELL spent.</div></div>
which model do you have?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JasonB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a 20 dollar caliper from harbor freight. accurate to .0001" +/- .00005" and i've checked it against my machinist buddy's calibration blocks. it holds true and keeps it's zero from day to day. some people feel that if you arent' buying "the best" you are not getting what you pay for. I'm a bit more frugal than that and have more brains than money. to each his own though...yeah, i long to have one of the "better" calipers some day but right now i have 2 kids worth of education and other priorities for my money. besides...accuracy to .0001 is like pissing in the wind unless your are machining something. IMO, there's more variance in the runout of your cartridges, your chamber shape, variance in the barrel and other environmentals that make a bigger impact to your impact than how deeply seated the bullet is and it's relationship to the lands of your rifle.
I may have gotten lucky with my chinese made HF caliper...but it was 20 bucks WELL spent.</div></div>
which model do you have?
Re: Good caliper
I use a Franfort Arsenal Digital. Holds true and is about $25 online. Frankfort also makes Dial calipers for around $35.
I use a Franfort Arsenal Digital. Holds true and is about $25 online. Frankfort also makes Dial calipers for around $35.
Re: Good caliper
I think calipers are one of those things people don't need to spend a lot of money on, I have a 20 dollar dial caliper that is accurate to .001 in or better, is repeatable and always returns to zero, I don't need more than that.
I think calipers are one of those things people don't need to spend a lot of money on, I have a 20 dollar dial caliper that is accurate to .001 in or better, is repeatable and always returns to zero, I don't need more than that.
Re: Good caliper
"would you trust the chinese made for measuring ogive?"
IF I understand what you mean by "measuring ogive", I do; that is perhaps the least critical need for pure accuracy any reloader will ever do. Measureing to the bore diameter on a bullet ogive isn't highly precise and all we need is to find a dependable reference point for seating depth anyway.
Anyone strarting by saying he's going to seat his bullets with a precise jump of 3 tho, etc, is kidding himself until he's actually done the experimental work to determine what his rig needs. Even then, a properly developed load will have a range of good seating, often around 8-10 wide which we should strive to seat in the middle of, so agonising over 1-2 thou of variation is meaningless. Your new Hornady tool's bushings will control where on the ogive you reference, it has nothing directly to do with the caliper you may use.
None of the various reloading brands "make" their calipers/mics, they just have the maker put a company label on them. And it sure seems they all buy from the same maker that Harbor Freight does and HF sells them for $10-12 when on sale, which is a lot of the time.
One thousanth of an inch is written .001", not .0001".
"would you trust the chinese made for measuring ogive?"
IF I understand what you mean by "measuring ogive", I do; that is perhaps the least critical need for pure accuracy any reloader will ever do. Measureing to the bore diameter on a bullet ogive isn't highly precise and all we need is to find a dependable reference point for seating depth anyway.
Anyone strarting by saying he's going to seat his bullets with a precise jump of 3 tho, etc, is kidding himself until he's actually done the experimental work to determine what his rig needs. Even then, a properly developed load will have a range of good seating, often around 8-10 wide which we should strive to seat in the middle of, so agonising over 1-2 thou of variation is meaningless. Your new Hornady tool's bushings will control where on the ogive you reference, it has nothing directly to do with the caliper you may use.
None of the various reloading brands "make" their calipers/mics, they just have the maker put a company label on them. And it sure seems they all buy from the same maker that Harbor Freight does and HF sells them for $10-12 when on sale, which is a lot of the time.
One thousanth of an inch is written .001", not .0001".
Re: Good caliper
+1 ... I have a Starrett analog, it's accurate, never needs batteries, and made in the USA.
+ another 1. I have had this for over 6 years with no problems and still does the job. Buy quality once...
+1 ... I have a Starrett analog, it's accurate, never needs batteries, and made in the USA.
+ another 1. I have had this for over 6 years with no problems and still does the job. Buy quality once...
Re: Good caliper
"+<span style="font-style: italic"> another 1. I have had this for over 6 years with no problems and still does the job. Buy quality once..."</span>
Not an argument, your premise is okay but I think your comparision is off a bit by suggesting the Chink stuff is deficent in practical servicability. My first Chink 6" dial caliper was a Midway; it's now some 15-18 years old and I've had "no problems" with it. In fact, the Midway was so good I jumped on the HF stuff the first I saw them looking identical to my Midway but for half the price. Now have several HFs, a couple are ten years old, and none have given any problems due to being cheep. Reloaders really don't use those tools very much compared to a professional mechinest.
I do a little bit of mechinest work and it's nice to have a caliper at each location for quick measuring. And, since I can have a dozen or more for the cost of just one Starrett, I don't much care if one does crap out on me!
"+<span style="font-style: italic"> another 1. I have had this for over 6 years with no problems and still does the job. Buy quality once..."</span>
Not an argument, your premise is okay but I think your comparision is off a bit by suggesting the Chink stuff is deficent in practical servicability. My first Chink 6" dial caliper was a Midway; it's now some 15-18 years old and I've had "no problems" with it. In fact, the Midway was so good I jumped on the HF stuff the first I saw them looking identical to my Midway but for half the price. Now have several HFs, a couple are ten years old, and none have given any problems due to being cheep. Reloaders really don't use those tools very much compared to a professional mechinest.
I do a little bit of mechinest work and it's nice to have a caliper at each location for quick measuring. And, since I can have a dozen or more for the cost of just one Starrett, I don't much care if one does crap out on me!
Re: Good caliper
The Harbor freight one has been perfect for me. Sometimes they run it on sale and you can get it for under 10$.
The Harbor freight one has been perfect for me. Sometimes they run it on sale and you can get it for under 10$.
Similar threads
