Calipers

N

ninosdemente

New member
I am looking to purchase a caliper for reloading.

For now, want to use it to load 30-06 but I do have empty .380 brass I fired once that I saved for when I purchase a press. Now that I recently acquired a Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit, will eventually use for the .380 as well. I do have the dies for the 30-06 not for the .380. Also have the Lyman 50th edition and Nosler 7 (included in kit).

Is there one that works satisfactory and will last a good time? Looking to spend less than $100 if possible but will go up to $150 if necessary.

Are there any advantages of dial vs digital other than the obvious easy to read screen?

I am new to reloading and still have to get a tumbler, trimmer, bullet puller. I did read the sticky "For the New Reloader: Equipment Basics -- READ THIS FIRST". Came across the section where the person had bought a caliper at Harbor Freight. Any thoughts on this one?

Thanks in advanced.
 
ninosdemente said:
I am looking to purchase a caliper for reloading.



For now, want to use it to load 30-06 but I do have empty .380 brass I fired once that I saved for when I purchase a press. Now that I recently acquired a Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit, will eventually use for the .380 as well. I do have the dies for the 30-06 not for the .380. Also have the Lyman 50th edition and Nosler 7 (included in kit).



Is there one that works satisfactory and will last a good time? Looking to spend less than $100 if possible but will go up to $150 if necessary.



Are there any advantages of dial vs digital other than the obvious easy to read screen?



I am new to reloading and still have to get a tumbler, trimmer, bullet puller. I did read the sticky "For the New Reloader: Equipment Basics -- READ THIS FIRST". Came across the section where the person had bought a caliper at Harbor Freight. Any thoughts on this one?



Thanks in advanced.
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I use the harbor freight ones without any issues.


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You can also go on Amazon and search for digital calipers and you should be able to find any number of decent ones for $25 or less. And if you have Prime it will ship for free.
 
I have been looking at amazon as I do have prime and have been looking at Cabelas. As I have seen various prices not sure if lower price equals to lesser quality or flimsy compared to other mid priced calipers.

I try to not go based on reviews as I have been fooled before but I know it doesn't apply to all items sold on amazon. I figured I asked here as I will get more of an honest answer.
 
Get good ones.

I have two (at home). One mechanical and the other digital.

I use the mechanical for odds and ends, bullet length for trim checks.

The digital is used for the shoulder bump back and Ogive bullet seating.
 
I started out with a digital and found it was accurate enough but it tended to burn up batteries so I went to bass pro and bought a dial caliper made by Lyman. I have used them both side by side and they both read the same, I seem to trust the dial more. Just me.
 
I have an old dial caliper from Midway, had it for years. I also have a good 1"Mike that I use for bullets and anything else that needs a really accurate measurement. The old dial caliper is really accurate for a 30.00 deal. I wouldn't even try the cheap digital ones. I have a dig. scale, I wouldn't use it if I didn't have check weights, it's squirrely.
 
The one I bought from Amazon had a different brand name but was otherwise identical to this: https://www.amazon.com/OROROW-Preci...ronic+Digital+Gauge+Stainless+Vernier+Caliper

I just looked them up on Amazon and I paid $17 for them. The one, above, is $13. They have worked well so far. They give repeatable reading to 1/1000 inch which is good enough for verifying bullet diameters and case length. For anything more demanding than that, I break out the micrometers so that I can get down to 1/10,000 inch - if the fact that bullet is 0.2236 inches in diameter is meaningful.
 
I've had and still have both. The digital one is easier to read (kinda fool proof) but I got tired of the battery change a couple times a year. No accuracy problems.
I personally like the dial calipers better for the ease of no batteries and no problems with it either.
Both are cheaper end ones and both read within .001 of all but one of my Starrett micrometers, though I have thought about seeing if I could get the micrometers checked as they are old.
 
I have a Frankford Arsenal set of digital calipers that would eat a couple of batteries per year and I was always having to check the zero and many time resetting it that I used for years. I had a job that provided a Pittsburgh set of digital calipers. They are not the same as the ones I have seen from Harbor Freight but the readings carry to an extra digit. There is a different feel than the Frankford Arsenal brand - a lot tighter. I rarely have to zero the Pittsburgh.

My Franklin Arsenal have ended up in my work toolbox and the Pittsburgh are on my loading bench. I only have to be within a tenth at work, not a ten thousandth.
 
Mitutoyo dial calipers. Wish I had skipped the digitals and just gone with this the first time.
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What turtlehead said. I had a cheap one a long time ago.

I now have only Mitutoyo for my measuring instruments and NO digital. I do not trust them.
 
Unless you plan to shoot benchrest and intend on setting national records, a $30 set of calipers are all you'll ever need. I bought a set of digital calipers from one of those "fly by night" tool trucks that set up at cheap motels, then disappear never to be seen again. Paid some where around $30. Had them checked by a QC manager at a place I do outside contractor work for on occasion. He came up with 1.001 reading on a 1.000 test block, 2.002 on a 2.000 test block, but very repeatable. I tried them on his test blocks, and got dead on accuracy. Very typical as there can be minor differences person to person. Close enough for what I do. If you have the money, sure, buy a $100 set, but for me, it's not needed.
 
Thank you all for your input very much. At the moment am planning on reloading for bench rest shooting for the 30-06 and .380.

It seems not many people like the idea of the digital due to quick battery consumption. I guess it can be very annoying when having to reset to zero.

I have also looked up in Cabela's who have some for less than $35 for digital and dial calipers. Would any of you guys get one of those?
 
For reloading, dial calipers are just fine. The only real benefit that digital calipers have is when you want to easily convert a metric measurement to an Imperial number and it's not like I've ever had to do that in my 10 years of machining, so...

Check out Fowler. They're not a top of the line like Starrett or Mitutoyo, but they are pretty darn good for the money and I hear their customer service is great. In fact, I've been thinking about getting one of their 0-1" digital micrometers for a while now.

This one looks pretty good and it's well within your price range:
https://www.amazon.com/Fowler-Stain...500358255&sr=8-1&keywords=Fowler+dial+caliper
 
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