Calipers or Micrometers
- Thread starter cabowabo
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CMcDermott
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Only operation that requires an excellent micrometer in reloading is if you are trying to measure the "pressure ring" to determine how hot your reloads are compared to factory ammo - and this is only if you believe this to be a valid comparison. (need to measure to closest .0001" - that's one ten thousandth).
For everything else in reloading you don't need the precision of a micrometer and the dial calipers are much easier to use and are also much cheaper. If your cartridge OAL is off by a couple thousandths it isn't going to be noticed in your group size, in fact the uneveness of the bullet tips are going to cause more error than the dial caliper.
For everything else in reloading you don't need the precision of a micrometer and the dial calipers are much easier to use and are also much cheaper. If your cartridge OAL is off by a couple thousandths it isn't going to be noticed in your group size, in fact the uneveness of the bullet tips are going to cause more error than the dial caliper.
EddieCoyle
Member
You won't find a micrometer with a 0-4" measurement range. You'd have to buy 4 of them (0-1", 1"-2", 2"-3", & 3"-4"). Use a dial caliper instead.
Zeke Menuar
Member
I have two sets dial calipers, one Mitutoyo and one Harbor Frieght.
Two sets of Harbor Frieght Digitals
A set of 0-1", 0-2" and 0-3" micrometers.
I use the Mitutoyo dial calipers the most. I use the 0-1" micrometers to check the pressure ring once in a great while as was stated in a earlier post.
That's pretty much all a reloader needs. The cheap Harbor Frieght digitals will work great for handloading. If you can find one, a one inch standard, is nice to calibrate you measuring tools.
ZM
Two sets of Harbor Frieght Digitals
A set of 0-1", 0-2" and 0-3" micrometers.
I use the Mitutoyo dial calipers the most. I use the 0-1" micrometers to check the pressure ring once in a great while as was stated in a earlier post.
That's pretty much all a reloader needs. The cheap Harbor Frieght digitals will work great for handloading. If you can find one, a one inch standard, is nice to calibrate you measuring tools.
ZM
Those $15 harbor frieght electronic calipers are just as good as the Starrets and Jap ones, but are not water proof. I use them in my work, every day. Had them for 5 years. Just turn them off when you are done, they do eat batteries. If you get a good deal at a sale or pawn shop, buy the Mic's but stay with the major brands. Try the 0-1 fully closed, and see if it reads zero. Then, with a 1 inch std, see if it reads 1 inch. If both readings are off the same, it needs a simple adjustment. If different, walk away from them....
My Daddy always told me you can't have enough tools....
My Daddy always told me you can't have enough tools....
I work in a business where reading a Mic to .0001" isn't a luxury, it is a requirement. A guy that is good can tell me within 30 millionths of an inch what size something is, personally I am tapped out at about 60 millionths of an inch with certainty. 99 out of 100 people don't know how to use a Mic, so the added accuracy it might provide is useless. 7 out of 10 people can use a dial or digital caliper though and get within a thousandth of an inch, so it makes good sense for the average user. A thousandth of an inch is easily within any reloading specification for all but the most harcore benchresters out there. Spend as much as you can, you will get a better product.
For reloading I use digital calipers for 99.9% of what I do. I use Mitutoyo, and they are worth every cent that they cost over less costly tools. The batteriy in mine is just now alarming, it is 9 years old with 7 years of commercial use on it, and literally hundreds of times they have been left on overnight or longer. Oh, they tell you there is a battery alarm and still give good readings, they don't just start giving bad readings until you figure out what the problem is like most of the cheap ones do.
My every day world is one where ten thousands of an inch really matter and I am dead set on using good tools where accuracy is a concern.
For reloading I use digital calipers for 99.9% of what I do. I use Mitutoyo, and they are worth every cent that they cost over less costly tools. The batteriy in mine is just now alarming, it is 9 years old with 7 years of commercial use on it, and literally hundreds of times they have been left on overnight or longer. Oh, they tell you there is a battery alarm and still give good readings, they don't just start giving bad readings until you figure out what the problem is like most of the cheap ones do.
My every day world is one where ten thousands of an inch really matter and I am dead set on using good tools where accuracy is a concern.
My calipers will read microns
My Mitutoyo calipers will read microns. Can I hold it steady enough to read microns, not quite sure on that. But it is so darned accurate that the heat from my hand can affect my measurements. That's plenty, I'm reloading bullets, not making nanometric scale semiconductor poly gates, that's my day job.
It was only about $35 and has suited my needs thus far, but admittedly, I'm a rookie.
jeepmor
My Mitutoyo calipers will read microns. Can I hold it steady enough to read microns, not quite sure on that. But it is so darned accurate that the heat from my hand can affect my measurements. That's plenty, I'm reloading bullets, not making nanometric scale semiconductor poly gates, that's my day job.
It was only about $35 and has suited my needs thus far, but admittedly, I'm a rookie.
jeepmor
My dad was a machinist, and taught me how to properly use both. As far as reloading goes, and a set of calipers is probably all you'll ever need (I have a set of the Harbor Freight ones, and have compared them to measurements taken with Starrett Micrometers, and they're plenty accurate enough). I have all my dad's old Mic's but I rarely use them, I just use the digital calipers.
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