CALIPER ??

[LiveLife]

wondering why you need such high accuracy?

For some "reloaders" who pursue reloading as a hobby, producing finished rounds that fully chamber in all guns with some degree of bullet setback and go bang is good enough.

For some "handloaders" who pursue reloading as a passion, producing more consistent rounds to optimize accuracy requires scale resolution of 0.1 gr or better and caliper resolution of 0.001" is a must with no bullet setback.

 

[Blkhrt13]

What you describe, Is common in cheaper calipers and digital as especially. Usually there is a way to adjust it out. I have been taught that’s called springing. If you post a picture of the top I can try to explain how to amend it. Assuming yours are adjustable. I am not sure if Tessa is still a thing but they were a Swedish firm that made digital calipers. Browne and sharp would rebrand them. I am an old machinist so I’m pretty nit picky about measuring equipment being right.

 

[JFrank]

I just started reloading for pistol and rifle. I am respectfully wondering why you need such high accuracy? My dad reloaded rifle for over fifty years using a General slide caliper that was accurate to maybe 1/64 of an inch, and the ammo was quite accurate, and I would assume safe because there was never a mishap. This was for hunting, not competition, but I am amazed that measurements accurate to thousandths of an inch are necessary.

A digital caliper will resolve 5/10,000 , which is more than enough for ammunition. Don’t confuse it with machining aero precision or chambering rifles.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I tried a digital cheap caliper, it worked for 3 year and then started drifting and drifting drifting. Then it started not holding zero. When back to my Machine shop classes and work after high school. S&M is the way to go

 

[gifbohane]

I bought a $20 pair, two $30 pairs, and a $60+ pair. Ultimately I tossed them all and bought some Mits.
Was it worth it? Yeah. It is my only hobby now.

 

[redcon1]

Quality calipers are a valuable and useful tool. Even if I never reloaded another bullet, I'd still not want to be without my Mitutoyo digital calipers. I use them all the time for various projects. I like how the battery never seems to die.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Quality calipers are a valuable and useful tool. Even if I never reloaded another bullet, I'd still not want to be without my Mitutoyo digital calipers. I use them all the time for various projects. I like how the battery never seems to die.

Quality measuring Tools = Quality of life = 10+ years

 

[LiveLife]

Frankford Arsenal dial calipers will verify my pin gages and Brown & Sharpe micrometer readings for $33 - https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Stainless-Caliper-Reloading/dp/B000KKB1XU

 

[Rule3]

Quality measuring Tools = Quality of life = 10+ years

Oh stop, just stop

 

[Rochester]

For some "reloaders" who pursue reloading as a hobby, producing finished rounds that fully chamber in all guns with some degree of bullet setback and go bang is good enough.

For some "handloaders" who pursue reloading as a passion, producing more consistent rounds to optimize accuracy requires scale resolution of 0.1 gr or better and caliper resolution of 0.001" is a must with no bullet setback.

So I guess it depends on whether the OP is a reloader or a handloader. I guess I am the former. But we really don’t know what the OP is. I’ve read quite a bit about loading your own ammo, and it appears that there are many variables that can affect accuracy, brand of brass, primers, bullets, powder, weight/accuracy of powder charges, concentricity, set back, etc. But nobody asked what his expectation was before making a recommendation. He asked what was necessary, without stating his expectations. My question would be, how likely is it that being off by .003-.005 inches is going to change ammo from safe to dangerous?

 

[Seedy Character]

Gauge block or pin will verify the accuracy and repeatability of your calipers.

$30 for calipers, dial or digital, doesn't matter.
I have both. (Starrett dial, Mititoyo digital and a certified gauge block set)

Buy a new set of calipers. Take a piece of brass and measure. Label it a STANDARD and record measurement. Every day you use the caliper, check your STANDARD.

 

[lightman]

How precise do calipers have to be in reloading? I have a Neiko digital caliper but the jaws don't shut all the way closed, they stay open about .003 to .005 of an inch, would it hurt anything to just add the.003 to .005 to every measurement when zero'd out? I got it last year in April so I don't have any purchase paperwork and it is supposed to have a one year warranty, should I press the issue and try to have Neiko replace it? I knocked off the reloading bench a couple of times, do you think that caused this situation to happen? Thanks. 74man

The first thing I would do is contact either Neiko or the place you purchased them from and see about repairs or replacement.

How accurate do they need to be? Being repeatable is probably more important than accuracy, up to a point. But I want mine to be accurate to say plus or minus .001.

I have a $40 pair from Sinclair that look a lot like the ones you get from NAPA and a pair from Mitutoyo. Each seem to be about as accurate as the other but the $40 pair runs the battery down if I don't remove it when not in use. Now batteries are not that expensive but it seems to happen when I don't have a spare!

And whatever you do, remember that delicate measuring tools need to be treated gently!

 

[Mark_Mark]

Oh stop, just stop

sorry, I’m be quite now

 

[PWC]

Check it against a set of feeler gauges; mine is right on.

 

[redcon1]

Quality measuring Tools = Quality of life = 10+ years

I love firearms and everything related to firearms but a big old chest full of quality tools is infinitely more useful than a big old safe full of firearms that rarely get used and teaching your children how to handle a gun is certainly a good thing but teaching them to use a tool will probably benefit them much more in the long run.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I love firearms and everything related to firearms but a big old chest full of quality tools is infinitely more useful than a big old safe full of firearms that rarely get used and teaching your children how to handle a gun is certainly a good thing but teaching them to use a tool will probably benefit them much more in the long run.

I’m not allowed to talk positively about quality measuring and their benefits for human development.

 

[redcon1]

I’m not allowed to talk positively about quality measuring and their benefits for human development.

That's a shame. I thought your point was worth pondering and I would be interested to hear you expound upon it a bit. 10+ years? What are you suggesting?

 

[Mark_Mark]

That's a shame. I thought your point was worth pondering and I would be interested to hear you expound upon it a bit. 10+ years? What are you suggesting?

stress relief from crappy measuring tools. Stress is a known cause of heart attack and alcoholism

 

[Offfhand]

You can never have too many good measuring tools, always buy the best.

 

[LiveLife]

teaching them to use a tool will probably benefit them much more in the long run.

So will maximizing Roth IRA contributions and actively managing their money to hold cash during down market cycles so their retirement fund always grows month after month.

Our kids were surprised when our 401K balance grew to be able to draw several times my government pension each month and got interested in funding their Roth IRAs.

All part of "life skills" like being able to cook and do laundry.

 

[Mark_Mark]

You can never have too many good measuring tools, always buy the best.
View attachment 1063737

I like to have a good dial indicator!

 

[Varminterror]

Calipers which won’t zero = 1) warranty replace or repair by OEM or 2) trash and replace.

 

[AK Hunter]

I'm a retired machinist so I use one of the dial calipers that I used while working. Dial calipers are much tougher than digital calipers. A oops with a dial caliper is no problem but a digital caliper could be off at any time just from normal use.
I have had digital calipers read just fine out to about 4" then just stop reading or give you wild numbers. Like give you a reading of 14"+ on a 6" caliper.

 

[redcon1]

stress relief from crappy measuring tools. Stress is a known cause of heart attack and alcoholism

I can agree with that. What's more, I would suggest that there is an additional stress relief to be gained by using quality tools and measuring instruments to perform a quality job beyond the benefit gained by simply abstaining from using crappy tools. Tools can be expensive though so, at 50, I find myself asking "just how many times will I actually use this tool that costs a hundred or more dollars"? Like right now, I really want some HSS taps and dies and a couple Starrett tap wrenches but I don't know how much use I'll have for them over the next 20 years assuming I hit 70. But I want them. I might need them. I could go out and buy a 1911 instead which I'll probably shoot and have fun with but I think I'd rather those tools which might not be the right answer on a firearms forum like this but, the fact is, the tools would more likely be used for gunsmithing than non firearm related projects so, it makes sense.

 

[redcon1]

I'm a retired machinist so I use one of the dial calipers that I used while working. Dial calipers are much tougher than digital calipers. A oops with a dial caliper is no problem but a digital caliper could be off at any time just from normal use.
I have had digital calipers read just fine out to about 4" then just stop reading or give you wild numbers. Like give you a reading of 14"+ on a 6" caliper.

My mitutoyos seem to be consistent and I have had them for at least 10 years. I am careful with them however; although, they haven't been in their hard case once in the past 10 years. I have a backup dial caliper but I like the digitals. They're fast, easy and accurate. I love 'em.