Calipers

[Fotheringill]

BTW- I learned this from someone who spent a few decades as a US buyer for Chinese manufactured goods.

You give them the specs and they will manufacture the product for the agreed upon wholesale price at whatever QC adherence you set. So it is up the buyer to set the quality of the product, from shoes to electronic measuring devices.

 

[Sniper338]

Oh i agree about that- most chinese stuff is like that. You go to the chinese middleman and say i need calipers, he says would you like a new design or put your brand on our already done model? 3 days later you can have a million of them for $5ea. What i was asking is where can you get the mitutoyo with the goofy name on it or whatever? Whoever makes them for mitutoyo will damn sure sell the exact model with a different color stripe on it. The harbor freight ones, while the same as 100 other models, are not the same as any top brand. I have mitutoyo but would love to have a chinese copy or 3

Mititoyo is japan.. not chinese, so not likely a chinese copy haha

 

[Sniper338]

Seems like Iguage is the way to go best bang for the buck. That video is informative.

 

[JimSC]

I keep meaning to buy a nice Starret or Mitutoyo, they are not that expensive. However I am still using a set I bought for 15 dollars at Harbor Freight back 15 years ago that refuse to die. I have the if it working and producing satisfactory results why replace attitude I guess, either that or I am cheap bastard

Ive been fighting the batteries going dead on electronic ones, drives me nuts.

I go though maybe 2 sets a year on my el cheapo, I bought a card with ten batteries on it a few years back and four batteries are still in the blisters

 

[Rsadams]

Mititoyo is japan.. not chinese, so not likely a chinese copy haha

I think he was asking if there's a decent knock off of the good ones from Japan... Which would probably be from China...

 

[Rsadams]

I keep meaning to buy a nice Starret or Mitutoyo, they are not that expensive. However I am still using a set I bought for 15 dollars at Harbor Freight back 15 years ago that refuse to die. I have the if it working and producing satisfactory results why replace attitude I guess, either that or I am cheap bastard



I go though maybe 2 sets a year on my el cheapo, I bought a card with ten batteries on it a few years back and four batteries are still in the blisters

5 years here with my harbor freight ones and changed the batteries once I think , I bought a second set a few years ago for a backup and haven't got to them yet.... For the price you can get them on sale there hard to pass up...

 

[JimSC]

Accuracy would definitely matter if I were neck turning for a tight necked chamber. If I ever go that route I will make sure I factor in a good set of calipers in the barrel cost. For non tight necked rifles I think my cheap one will do the job, they are just used for measurement comparisons for the most part. If you want to see how accurate your set is just measure some bullet shanks. Mine measure .001 short for measurements less than 1.000 inch

 

[6MMsteve]

Mitutoyo makes calipers in Brazil also... not quite the quality of the japan models, even though the same company... also the knockoffs are nowhere near as smooth in opoeration good Mitutoyos from Japan slide like glass

 

[Ccrider]

I have a cheap Harbor Freight and an expensive electronic Mitutoyo. Both serve their purpose. However, I would not be without the Mitutoyo. Feel, fit and finish is noticeably better.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I don't care for the digital measuring instruments. I have used them but only very high end ones that I cannot afford. It is a personal thing. I just don't trust the digitals to provide me accurate readings. I have had some that gave me bad readings.
My go to calipers are dial type. I check them often against my gauges for my micrometers. When high precision is required, I only use micrometers. But for checking loading depth and such, my dial calipers are my go to. Even though my eyes require me to use magnifying glass or goggles with light to see the exact position of the pointer.

 

[6MT]

I started out with the cheapo digital units. Pretty quickly I came to the conclusion that if I wanted accurate results, I needed to up the ante. I use a digital Mitutoyo unit now.

 

[gunnermhr]

Accuracy would definitely matter if I were neck turning for a tight necked chamber. If I ever go that route I will make sure I factor in a good set of calipers in the barrel cost. For non tight necked rifles I think my cheap one will do the job, they are just used for measurement comparisons for the most part. If you want to see how accurate your set is just measure some bullet shanks. Mine measure .001 short for measurements less than 1.000 inch

You really need to be using a ball micrometer for necks and a regular micrometer to measure bullets. A caliper just isnt accurate enough, no matter who makes it

 

[BenPerfected]

Keep in mind what this tool is and its limitations. Calipers are not a tool made to measure as precisely as is a micrometer. Even expensive ones don't compare with a decent mic and the cheap digital calipers today can hold about the same as expensive ones. I believe in buying quality and I have Mits, Starretts, as well as B&S calipers, too. For me, and what I use calipers to do, the cheaper ones have proven to be more than sufficient.

The same rule applies to cheap and high end calipers. Basically, if what you need is to be within a thou or so, calipers are great. If you need better, it's time to use a good quality micrometer. Don't cut corners on the mic and keep them in calibration...Check them regularly using mic standards to measure. Best to do so with different length gages and at 68-72°. If you have standards, use them to check your calipers and against your mics. If you don't have them...http://www.starrett.com/metrology/p...-tools/micrometers/Micrometer-Standards/S234C

When you check your calipers, do so at different places along the blades. It'll likely be a bit different at middle that the ends. This difference is the biggest difference in cheap and high end calipers.

For reloading, these calipers are hard to beat. 4.5 ️ with 1200+ reviews on Amazon
by iGaging
iGaging IP54 Electronic Digital Caliper 0-6" Display Inch/Metric/Fractions Stainless Steel Body

 

[JimSC]

You really need to be using a ball micrometer for necks and a regular micrometer to measure bullets. A caliper just isnt accurate enough, no matter who makes it

I am measuring the outside of the necks, not the brass thickness with the calipers, a regular micrometer would work as well. I measure outside of the neck after sizing, seat the bullet, measure the outside of the neck again and subtract the OD of the bullet from the OD measurement. That's how I check neck tension, but if I wanted to know neck thickness I could subtract bullet diameter from the OD and divide by two. I don't neck turn my cases yet. Key word being yet.

AS far as accuracy goes all I am doing is comparisons here. Does it really matter if the out side of that neck is .275 or .274 inches? I have at least 3 sizes of neck bushings on hand when I start load development so no worries there. Target diameter and .001 plus and minus to see which gives me the best SD's and groupings

I will buy a good set one day, maybe even in the near future. I am looking at upgrading some of my bench equipment this summer. I started with a arbor press and Wilson dies and love the feel it gives me in seating

 

[D-4297]

Retired tool & die guy , and I still have Mit manual digital O.D. mic's , along with Mititoyo manual digital Depth Mic's to 6" . Brown & Sharpe Dial caliper for serious checks , and a thirty year old Mit Dial caliper for quick stuff . Buy quality once . IT will outlast most of us .

 

[gunnermhr]

AS far as accuracy goes all I am doing is comparisons here. Does it really matter if the out side of that neck is .275 or .274 inches? I have at least 3 sizes of neck bushings on hand when I start load development so no worries there. Target diameter and .001 plus and minus to see which gives me the best SD's and groupings

Yes it does, if I'm using a .265 neck it makes all the difference in the world. Now you're talking .0001's .001 doesn't cut it

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Yes it does, if I'm using a .265 neck it makes all the difference in the world. Now you're talking .0001's .001 doesn't cut it

...and bushings are not the way you change loaded round od. Sorry. The bullet is still the same size and the brass is still the same thickness. Some need to take a step back from the keyboard, the calipers and micrometers. Stuff posted on the internet is here for eternity.

 

[Steve Ladino]

Ive been fighting the batteries going dead on electronic ones, drives me nuts.

Low temps effect battery life with mine as well as performance. Mine are not high dollar.

 

[JimSC]

...and bushings are not the way you change loaded round od. Sorry. The bullet is still the same size and the brass is still the same thickness.

Nowhere did I say I could and why the personal attacks?

Some need to take a step back from the keyboard, the calipers and micrometers. Stuff posted on the internet is here for eternity.

should I crawl under my press and watch the ram kick back and forth also?

Thank the Lord for the ignore feature on this forum

 

[JimSC]

Yes it does, if I'm using a .265 neck it makes all the difference in the world. Now you're talking .0001's .001 doesn't cut it

did you miss this post ? I am not shooting BR or LRBR, at least not yet. When the time comes

Accuracy would definitely matter if I were neck turning for a tight necked chamber. If I ever go that route I will make sure I factor in a good set of calipers in the barrel cost. For non tight necked rifles I think my cheap one will do the job, they are just used for measurement comparisons for the most part. If you want to see how accurate your set is just measure some bullet shanks. Mine measure .001 short for measurements less than 1.000 inch