Bob in WI
Silver $$ Contributor
Op is looking to upgrade from cheap calipers
Best calipers for reloading
- Thread starter Jerry Snyder
- Start date
Be careful. Counterfeit brands are common. Buy from an official store sponsored by the manufacturer. They are not cheap but they will last a lifetime.
prone.life
Silver $$ Contributor
I have Mitutoyo and Starrett, they're both great. If you want authentic Mitutoyo calipers I would stick to MSC, McMaster, TSI or Grainger. I find 8" calipers to be the sweet spot for me but ymmv. For sits and giggles I have a 0.100" Mitutoyo rectangular gage block to check my calipers against; both my Mitutoyo and Starrett calipers are still accurate after 10+ years.
I have Mitutoyo dial calipers that I've used for years. It is the kind that go 0-.10 -.20 each revolution.
So, I decided to get something new, bought a set of Lyman, but wanted something better too and bought a Fowler, both are dial.
The Lyman are a bit rough doesn't always like to "0" but are okay certainly good enough for most reloading imo. The Fowler's are much smoother very nice.
I also have one of the Harbor Freight digital and believe it or not they are holding up quite well and seem to be correct. These are the same ones Midway was selling.
Don't buy the cheap dial calipers at Harbor Freight, I bought a 4 inch just to have, do good.
I just missed a Starrett digital on eBay because I forgot about the auction. I have Starrett tools but cannot justify the price for their calipers, when they are probably made in China too.
So, I decided to get something new, bought a set of Lyman, but wanted something better too and bought a Fowler, both are dial.
The Lyman are a bit rough doesn't always like to "0" but are okay certainly good enough for most reloading imo. The Fowler's are much smoother very nice.
I also have one of the Harbor Freight digital and believe it or not they are holding up quite well and seem to be correct. These are the same ones Midway was selling.
Don't buy the cheap dial calipers at Harbor Freight, I bought a 4 inch just to have, do good.
I just missed a Starrett digital on eBay because I forgot about the auction. I have Starrett tools but cannot justify the price for their calipers, when they are probably made in China too.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Aside from a set of Lyman labeled dial calipers that my ogive comparator lives on, all my other sets are Mitutoyo, even vernier. But the rule of thumb is take away a zero and that's the trusted accuracy of the tool.
I have a nice set of Starrett thickness gauges. A seller on eBay was selling Starrett thickness gauge leaves, so I bought some to use as spacers.
Lee Whitsel
Silver $$ Contributor
Not in this case I bought 1 of there digital calipers ate batteries so fast I gave up on it a piece of junk. Saw on here where some guy was a electronic wizzard and he tested the H.F. one like I bought and claims it is so cheap it takes 14 times more electric charge from the battery than a much better quality brand. Never buy there ever again for a caliper.
ELR LVR
Silver $$ Contributor
I gotta say after Using Tesa, Mitutoyo, B&S, I def like my B&S the most
they are always spot on
Tesa is very nice too but for some reason cost more
(dont know if its true but I heard TESA is made by B&S anyway)
Point being Tesa or B&S, samey same as far as quality, function, smoothness
Mitutoyo's are "nice" and get the job done, but not as smooth and silky as B&S
I also have 2 Mitutoyo Digitals I use and one of them seems to be affected every time I turn on the lathe
and will read wacky numbers, I have to zero it every single time, sometimes 3 times before taking a measurement, even with new battery in.
So I kinda dont really like digitals just because they can introduce little frustrations
A Dial caliper you can see if its working right
Actually the only use I see for digital is creating a new zero point up the caliper
or converting to MM quickly
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Any cheaper caliper I have used, was either not smooth or broke too soon
Most places list B&S / Tesa for $200 plus but
you can get B&S for $120 at MSC - worth the money
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Highly recommend getting a gauge block of some sort to accurately zero your caliper as it can be off a few though when the dial is centered up
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I much prefer using dial calipers, as I find every time I want to use battery operated stuff, it needs a new battery, that always torques me a little.. They're close enough for the girls we go with in reloading, things like neck walls, case head expansion, pocket depths, shud really be done with a mic or indicator anyway. I can rezero a dial and trust it, digital, always have a doubt about it. I have digital ones, don't use them a lot, same with mics, prefer the old style, as after the first measurement, I know where to look for the answer on them, what the old mark was, and/or how much variance I have, as quick as I do on a digital.
Personally I dislike dial calipers the most
Get crud or grit in the rack on the back and there goes your accuracy. As others have said. Batteries last a lot longer on better quality digital verniers. I always keep a spare battery in the box. When your talking accuracy. . .they use the same method as a digital readout on a lathe or mill so if that's good enough to build your gun it's probably good enough to measure stuff at the loading bench. Added bonus is you can flick between metric and imperial and also zero at any measurement. Really handy if your just trying to compare shoulder bumps or bearing surface lengths on a quantity of items.
A set of proper vernier calipers is the most reliable and robust option.
Just as with bench vises, I'm not sure what you gain by spending more on calipers nowadays. I have a B&S dial caliper my Dad got back in the '50s or '60s and it's no better at measuring than the cheapo dial caliper I got for maybe $20 from Grizzly a few years back. Finish is nicer on the B&S but they'll both measure to about half a mil.
If I need more than that, I'll use my B&S mike...
If I need more than that, I'll use my B&S mike...
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I have heard of people looking at the pics and seeing genuine Mitutoyo yet they receive a knock off set
I only buy from a reputable Mitutoyo dealer
I have had igaging, and other cheap chinese digital and some have been consistent some haven't, none have been as consistent as the mitutoyo's and the mitutoyo have a smoothness and feel that allow them to be consistent and repeatable
dgeesaman
Gold $$ Contributor
The best price you’ll get on non-knockoff Mitus is from MSI Viking. Prices went way up this year already. Starrett, Brown and Sharpe, and a few other premium brands are equally great but usually more expensive. (I also have a set of Fowlers and I find the electronics to be a step down)
eBay sellers may be selling knockoffs or don’t even know if their stuff is genuine.
Used is similar - how well do you trust the seller?
Mine came from MSI Viking and if I had to get another set I’d go there again. If I was considering anything less than genuine Mitutoyos I’d just buy iGaging brand instead. Chinese cost but at least they’re honest.
"How do you know????" Gauge blocks are a good way to find out.
Even the mechanical parts of a dial caliper can wear some and not be as "accurate" as one might think.
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