reloading calipers

[waveslayer]

I have a Frankford Arsenal calipers that I got for 20 bucks... should I invest in some more expensive ones? And should I still consider just digital ones? I know my current caliper is off by 100th of an inch.

[cory]

I've got the Hornady ones and I love them. I would like to eventually like to get a really nice pair, but if I'm only going to use it for reloading I can't justify the cost.

[joker31]

I have Mitutoyo's left over from when I was an intern at a machine shop (20+ years old, some of the first digi's) they work awesome and are worth the money if you want the best.

[waveslayer]

Is it worth the 80 dollar difference for the Mitutoyo's?

[wheelguner]

[joker31]

Mits are great but overkill unless your trying to squeak out the last bit of accuracy, trying to win a bet or you can find a used set that you trust weren't dropped a million times. Mine have lasted over 20 years and I own several cheapy ones that keep getting replaced because they break ( I let guests use the cheapy ones) So if its an investment or a gift go for the mits, if not just a middle of the road set are perfectly fine. Mine were free btw, My first GI Bill paid for them.

[waveslayer]

Point well taken! I just ordered some more bullets! I won't sweat the small stuff.

[frank]

I bought the digital calipers from Harbor Freight 15 years ago when I started reloading. I wasn't expecting much, but they were on sale for $10. I took them to work and compared them to the Mitutoyo that I used there. The cheap HF calipers were dead on at all readings. 15 years later, they are still working perfectly. The only negative that I could give on them is that they tend to eat batteries quicker than expected. I still see them on sale for $20 all the time in their ads. I've been meaning to pick up a back-up set.

[Whelenon]

I was the Quality guy for a machining operation that has some very tight tolerances. I highly recommend the 6" Digital Mitutoyo for general gunsmithing and reloading the Mitutoyo is my go to caliper. For precise measurements you get what you pay for, I bought mine off e-bay for $75. New they're around $125-175.

I would also recommend a 1" or 2" gauge block. It's nice to do a quick calibration if need be.

[mongoosesnipe]

Mitutoyo are the best hands down but if your getting all you your loads to with in 1/100th of an inch overall length your a rock star and have nothing to worry about

I have an 8 inch 0.01mm/0.0005" resolution mitutoyo caliber and a analog mitutoyo micromiter that I keep in my desk for precision work such as fitting parts together in my reloading room and in my garage I have a few pair of the cheapest plastic analog calibers money can buy the fractional inch side is a pain in the ass but the metric scale is accurate to 0.05mm which is all you need and more for reloading for a semiautomatic rifle

If your going to start bench rest shooting and sorting bullets by diamiter and sorting by wieght to the tenth of a grain for the purposes of group shooting you may need more precise instruments but when you have said instruments you will find a limit to the usefull ness as stated above you can watch the 0.0005 resolution fluctuate its caused by flex in the material as well as the tools you can get a 0.001 reading consistently pretty easily but if you want to get to the next step you have to be careful about the pressure you apply to the caliber as more pressure will give you a different reading, basically the tools become so accurate that they bring human error back into the factor...

[wheelguner]

basically the tools become so accurate that they bring human error back into the factor...

That belongs on a T-Shirt for sale at a machinist's or any other TechyGeek convention!!!!!!