[marksg]

Just wondering what calipers you prefer, digital ,dial, brand.

I've got both and tend to go to the easier digital first, but use the dial also.

[morrow]

I personally like dial so I don't have to mess with batteries. Any cheap caliper will do as long as it's repeatable. Those are more than good enough for anything you're doing with reloading, including precision shooting. They're also better for taking abuse since they cost less.

Expensive ones like Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharpe, Starrett, etc. are great and all, but way overkill for reloading.

[Para Cassatt]

I have only had my digital one for a few months so I'm using it quite a bit to try it out. I like both and my favorite is the Starrett I use at work. It just feels good to me. At home both are Lymans.

[gahunter12]

Have a Frankford Arsanel Digital Caliper. I would have said it has been great and served me well, but I started having problems with it last weekend. I noticed after loading 1000 rnds of 45 acp that my rounds were .005. Normally my 45acp rnds measure 1.260, but all were measuring 1.255". That had me scratching my til I decided to measure my dummy round that I keep in my dummy bin. It also measured 1.255", and my bullets measured .447". I zeroed my calipers numerous times and ran them in and out numerous times. Finally they corrected themselves. I'm also looking for a new set also. I may go ahead and pay the money for a good set. If it will last me years instead of months like the last 3 calipers I have it will be worth it.

[cfullgraf]

I use a dial caliper in the shop, no batteries.

In the reloading room, I have a solar powered digital. Also no batteries. It is great in the well lit reloading room but left something to be desired when used out on the production floor where the light was not so good.

I have several battery powdered digital that get used occasionally. I find the economically priced units hard on batteries so I keep the batteries out of the calipers which makes them less convenient to use.

[wrench]

Dial caliper here, no batteries to go dead.

[Mac Sidewinder]

I use digital - batteries don't bother me. As long as there is no flex in the jaws and you can get repeatable measurements. I bought a cheap (inexpensive) one from Frankford Arsenal and it works just fine.

Mac

[FROGO207]

Quite a few years back I was able to purchase a set of Mitutoyo dial calipers for a really great price. So they have always been rugged and accurate. No need to bother with electronic style ones and like said no battery woes.:)

[Fishslayer]

Centech digital. $10 from Harbor Freight with coupon. It has an auto off feature. Don't rally need any more accuracy than that for reloading.

[Jdillon]

Back in my college days worked fabricating direct drive gas compressors for the oil field. Lining up the direct drives was a very delicate operation and we had a large wooden tool chest filled with Starrett tools to accomplish the task. Kind of spoiled me. I use a Starrett dial caliper and B&S digital and both work great. Buy once, cry once.

[marksg]

I've run into the same problem gahunter12 had. I usually check with the dial to make sure they both read the same,but the digital is easier and a little faster for me.

[medalguy]

I like .45 caliper. Oh, right....... I second the Starrett dial calipers. They are high quality and will last a lifetime as long as you take care of them. I still have a Starrett I bought for my business back in 1977.

If you want to check the accuracy of a caliper, be sure to get a couple of gage blocks, say 1 inch and 3 inch to verify the accuracy of your instrument. We all worry about a thousandth but how often do any of us verify the calipers we use? I check mine every three months, or any time I think there could be an error in measurement.

[marksg]

Never even thought of that medalguy, my duh. Know anywhere to get them at a good price?

[mgmorden]

I actually prefer old-school vernier calipers. No batteries to worry about changing and just seems less fragile than a dial. Plus that's what I learned to use in my physics lab in college and so that being my first exposure to a caliper, the preference just stuck.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aMZNvGQo5xo/T6yZ-u-L_qI/AAAAAAAAA2I/hQPVtes-x6Q/s640/IMG_20120511_004653.jpg

[coalman]

I prefer digital. But, once the batteries died I did not want to pay to replace them. Dial now. Works.

[1SOW]

Harbor Freight 6" with auto shut-off. Batteries last a loooong time and are cheap. Reads to rounded off 5 ten thousandths. Zero's at any position. Under $12 when on sale, like every month or so.

[Naterater]

I have to say DIAL. I own both and I get a better "feel" with the dial. It's easy to comprehend accurately without a digital display, and you can SEE how much deviation there is visually instead of subtracting and adding numbers.

Frankford Arsenal 6" Dial
Frankford Arsenal 6" Digital

[Otto]

I use a Mitutoyo Digimatic. The battery lasts 20,000 hours (3.5 years) of continual normal use.
Mitutoyo also has solar powered calipers for a couple of hundred.
Digital calipers have the ability of measuring in both in inches and millimeters.

[Sport45]

I've got a couple of 6" dial calipers. One is branded Midway and the other Lyman. Also have a few Harbor Freight digital calipers. The dial models cost about $20 each and the digitals $10. They all do what I want but I usually grab a digital because the dial calipers keep walking off with my sons.

I used to have a Starrett, but accidently knocked it off the bench one day. I prefer to buy the cheaper models now because it doesn't hurt so much if I mess them up or they walk off.

Except for the Starrett all calipers mentioned above were made in China. All of the calipers mentioned are plenty accurate for a reloading bench.

[kingmt]

I have used digital for years. $10 from HF. They work great.

[dragon813gt]

CenTech digital from Harbor Freight. I don't what you're doing if you kill the batteries in it. I also have a General dial caliper. It's all plastic and one that is in my tool bag every day for use at work. Measures in mm so I have to do conversions. My micrometer is not digital as well.


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[Walkalong]

I have a Brown and Sharp and Mitutoyo dial calipers, and a Harbor freight digital caliper. The HF will do 99% of reloading needs, and it is also easy to read with old eyes.

[beatledog7]

Digital, like my scale. Being able to zero in any position is why.

[Sport45]

A dial will zero at any position too. At least all of mine have.

[Blue68f100]

I prefer the dial Starrett's #120 I have had for decades. I have a set of HF calipers too, they work just fine but not near as smooth as the Starrett's. Most any will work since you don't need ultra precision for reloading.

[SlowFuse]

Cfullgraf, what brand is the solar version you have. That sounds like a great trade off for someone wanting digital but not having the hassle of battery replacement.

[Toml]

My Starrett digitals retain zero, turn on at the slightest movement and auto-off, can be rezeroed in any position, and convert from British to metric units with the push of a button.

I was having a problem with the Frankfort dial caliper maintaining zero, so I replaced it. Didn't get rid of it mind you, it may be handy if the battery in the Starretts dies.

I also have a Starrett 1" Vernier micrometer caliper, but the digital caliper has mostly retired it.

[jcwit]

I use both digital and dial, have both in Starrett & Mitutoyo and Harbor Freight. Batteries are no problem as we keep plenty of extras, they are the same size as is used in a lazer pointer aka kitty toy. Very, very inexpensive thru E-Bay. Ten for $ .99 with free shipping seems to be quite affordable.

[Jdillon]

Marksg:

Check Amazon for gauge blocks. They have a good selection at various prices. I have a set of Mitutoyo that I purchased from that site.

[Striker Fired]

Being a machinist by trade I've had them all and will take the digitals anyday. Batteries going dead ? huh? I use my Brown and Sharp EVERY day ALL day and I have to replace the batteries about every two years, and that is just because I figured it's time,not because it's dead. I had a Starret for 7 years(it had issues with heat when placed on a machine), then a Mitituyo for another seven or eight(dropped it,:cuss:), got the B &S. I had a dial at first and others here at work have them, some have issues with grit getting into the rack and jumping teeth(mine did badly,not all) so I don't bother with them,they are good though. The old standbye manual scale type,always accurate but hard to read when lighting isn't right, but you can always count on them.

[Wil Terry]

I actually prefer old-school vernier calipers. No batteries to worry about changing and just seems less fragile than a dial. Plus that's what I learned to use in my physics lab in college and so that being my first exposure to a caliper, the preference just stuck.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aMZNvGQo5xo/T6yZ-u-L_qI/AAAAAAAAA2I/hQPVtes-x6Q/s640/IMG_20120511_004653.jpg
BINGO !!!!!
AND they never wear out.

[RandyP]

For MY reloading needs my Harbor Freight digital is plenty accurate enough. About $10 or so. I get the coin batteries off flea-bay for about $2 for a ten pack. - battmanaz.

For those who require or simply enjoy more precision there are many pricier options, both manual and digital.

[dab102999]

Pretty much everone on here is correct. I still even have the plastic pair that I got with my first reloading set up. but after a lot of years being a diemaker I would have to say you get what you pay for. As far as digital I don't like them. I have a pair and still have the orignal batterie laying in the box 20 years later. The reason I don't like them is I don't trust them. Don't know why, just dont. Now as far as reloading goes I know my luck and that is the time that I would need them is the time the batterie would be dead. Or all coroded. So that is why I like dial. SPI is a good brand also, besides Mytitoyo, Starrett, B&S and so on. Go to the tool sites. MSC direct, travers, and so on and see what they have on sale. Also if you know the price of a good pair hit the pawn shops and don't be afraid to offer them 1/2 or less that they have a pair for sale for. Because they gave even less then that.

[kingmt]

Mine are good to half of a thousandth & is never more then that with a measurement. If so I wipe them off & check again. You be surprised how think dust is. I replaced a pear about 2 years ago that I had over 10 years. A buck a year is pretty good. I drag them around all over the place. They bounce in my truck, get handed to the kids to go measure bolts or whatever, & probably even to the wife. The only thing better about dial calipers is quick referance points drawen on the face to measure between max & min. Since there is no need to know the measurement you just make sure it is between the lines.

[Walking Dead]

Tesa digitals just because I'm a high roller like that.

[James2]

Prefer dial calipers.

[jcwit]

I never understand the "I don't trust the digital's", but then you trust the digital readouts on the mill's and other machines.

They all work the same.

[cfullgraf]

Cfullgraf, what brand is the solar version you have. That sounds like a great trade off for someone wanting digital but not having the hassle of battery replacement.

It is a Mitutoyo Digimatic Solar, Model number CD-S6"P.

It works great as long as the solar panel is directed towards the light source. Not really an issue in a well lit reloading room but you do learn to work around its limitations.

On packaging machinery, I found I could take a measurement in the bowels of the machine, not move the jaws and bring the caliper out to a light source. After turning the caliper on, i would close the jaws and get my measurement. The numbers were usually adequate for what I needed.

But, yes, I get the benefits of a digital caliper without constantly changing batteries.

On the subject of batteries, at work, we had a Starret digital micrometer. We used it infrequently, once every several months or so. It would kill the batteries between uses so I would remove the batteries when not actively using the micrometer. So, the bargain priced calipers are not unique to the short battery life issue.

On the other hand, I have a digital read out for one of my drill presses. It is the same kind of technology as the digital calipers. I have left it on for months at a time and the battery lasted several years. Go figure.

[Mac45]

Have a Starrett dial.

[Damon555]

I have a dillon dial caliper that I will never part with.

[4895]

I jus use a stick fer me measurin'

[bergmen]

I learned a long time ago, as a youngin', from my journeyman machinist father to not go cheap on precision tools. He insisted on Starret for everything and sometimes had to save for awhile to get what he needed or wanted. I have mostly Starret as well but I chose Mitutoyo for my digital calipers.

Had them for years (3 sets, 0-6", 0-8" 0-12") and have never had a battery go dead as of yet. But I wear battery operated watches, use a battery operated cell phone and battery operated cameras. Never thought to consider manual windup versions of those.

One of the great advantages of the digitals is instant metric-inch conversions at the push of a button.

Dan

[Gik-tal]

have used the Harbor Freight digital for years would not want to be without it.

[marksg]

thanks jdillon,
i should have thought of that too, lol

that be a willa er a hickry stick 4895?

[Fishslayer]

I have a Brown and Sharp and Mitutoyo dial calipers, and a Harbor freight digital caliper. The HF will do 99% of reloading needs, and it is also easy to read with old eyes.

Place I used to work had a drop dead sexay Mitutoyo digital. Apparently it didn't have an auto off feature cause the other techs were always coming over to borrow my $10 Centech. :D

Don't know where everyone's getting the short battery life thing. IIRC the set on my bench lasted around 2 years or so...

[steelerdude99]

I actually prefer old-school vernier calipers. No batteries to worry about changing and just seems less fragile than a dial. Plus that's what I learned to use in my physics lab in college and so that being my first exposure to a caliper, the preference just stuck.


Like mgmorden, I too prefer vernier calipers. I have an old Helios vernier caliper that's good to 1/1000". You subdivide each 1/10" into four separate ranges and then subdivide that 25/1000" range by picking which of 25 segments lines up best on the ruler. Pretty accurate from 0-6" for inside and outside measurements. The only better measure I have a micrometer. A micrometer is way "overkill" for overall length (OAL) and a micrometer does not work outside its range (e.g. 0-1", 1-2", ... etc.). I found the PIC on the net of the same model that I have (sans case).

chuck


http://sites.google.com/site/steelerdude99/home/helios%20vernier.JPG

[EddieNFL]

I bought a Mitutoyo digital years ago. Think I replaced the battery once...but I have a habit of forgetting to turn it off.

[Nanook]

I have a set from Midway USA, a dial caliper. I purchased a digital Mitutoyo at a gun show a couple of years ago. Man, I'm spoiled now!

My eyes appreciated the digital, but I learned how to use a dial years ago before reloading.

[Hondo 60]

Bought one of those $20 digital models from MidwayUSA years ago.
I've had to change the battery twice, but they come in packs of 3.
So I still have one more battery.

I wish I would've gotten into reloading when my dad was still alive.
He was a machinist & all sorts of cool tools.
But I didn't know I'd need any of them.

[rikman]

Digital--Mitutoyo

[MutinousDoug]

I have a digital Mitutoyo and and a Browne and Sharp dial (OK, and a Chinese vernier that I keep in the garage somewhere). I got the digital and dial from work when they closed the plant in 2003 and made hand tools available to the workforce at attractive prices. I thought the Mitutoyo would be a pain to keep in batteries and thought I would only trust my personal B&S dial. Since 2003, I've replaced the Mitutoyo batteries once, it is the equal of the B&S as far as accuracy and easier to read. I'm glad I have the B&S dial when the Mitutoyo digital goes down. For resolution anything smaller than .001" I use a mechanical micrometer. Either the Mitutoyo or the B&S are more than adequate for my purposes and will serve you well until the Mitutoyo battery dies.
HTH
Doug