Recommend me calipers?
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Varminterror
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- Jul 17, 2016
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Mitutoyo
mcb
Member
Mitutoyo makes solar powered versions now that never need a battery. As soon as they are expose to light they power up. They are excellent!
doubleh
Member
I have a fairly expensive digital (can't remember the brand offhand) and the ultra cheap HF one. In side by side tests both always measure the same. I have to pull the battery out of the more expensive one or it's run down shortly, no problem with the HF. When I want exact, dead on measurement I grab a micrometer.
Mitutoyo and Starrett are excellent tools although expensive.
Mitutoyo and Starrett are excellent tools although expensive.
LiveLife
Member
If you are looking for .001" accuracy, Harbor Freight digital calipers (Not their dial calipers) should be accurate enough.
My Harbor Freight digital and Frankford Arsenal dial calipers read true to pin gages (.355"/.400"/.451") and feeler gages.
If you like, I can send you .355" and .356" sized bullets to use as pin gages to test your calipers.
I kind of lost confidence in them. At first i was getting up to 20k difference in readings with my Hornady OAL tool and most recently was playing around with plated bullets I used a FCD on and pulled them and i would get up to 2k different readings and then they started turning themselves off so i thought yeah, its time to toss these. It even does this after replacing the battery.
santacruzdave
Member
Here is a mid-range alternative. Made in China (yea, I don't like that part either). Accurate, repeatable and use a common CR2032 battery which is supposed to last 2 years under normal use. $40.00 on Amazon today:
Mine have a Hornady label on them. Likely from China and same as Harbor Freight or the like. They work for me except when battery is low. I always have at least one extra battery on hand. You said this was not your issue though so something is wrong. I understand when what you mean when you cannot trust your measuring tool.
-Jeff
-Jeff
The HF calipers are not as good as they used to be.
I have had very good service from this one on Amazon. Most of our measuring needs for reloading can be met with them. Bought another pair first and it was OK.
If you have the cash, Fowler, Mitutoyo, Starret, Brown & Sharp. I have 6" Mitutoyo and B&S dial calipers, but usually use the cheap digital I linked to.
I have had very good service from this one on Amazon. Most of our measuring needs for reloading can be met with them. Bought another pair first and it was OK.
If you have the cash, Fowler, Mitutoyo, Starret, Brown & Sharp. I have 6" Mitutoyo and B&S dial calipers, but usually use the cheap digital I linked to.
LiveLife
Member
I never found their dial calipers consistently accurate to .001". Their digital calipers used to be good ... maybe their QC went down and selling all calipers instead of pulling those that do not meet QC checks. But you can still check calipers with pin/feeler gauges before you buy them.
And if your calipers not accurate to .001", invoke the lifetime warranty and get one that is accurate to .001". ohihunter2014, Harbor Freight tools carry lifetime warranty. You can check with HF manager if your calipers can be exchanged for one that doesn't turn off - https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools.html
And test the calipers before you bring it home - they got feeler gauges there you can use to test .001" accuracy.
Most HF managers have been very customer service friendly for me.
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Blue68f100
Member
The HF set I have are useless unless you looking for ±0.002" accuracy. I found this out by accident. I had knocked over my set of pin gauges, 0.060"-0.250". Yes it was a big mess. I though it would be faster to measure them than trying to read the small laser etching. So as I started putting these pins back in the box I was getting 3 pins reading the same at different points through the set. So then I got my micrometers out to confirm what I was seeing. What I discovered at certain mid ranges areas it was off at several points. But if you take the HF to a std set of calibration blocks they check dead on at the minor and major. So I replaced them with a good Mitutoyo Absolute set.
LiveLife
Member
I always checked the accuracy of HF calipers before I bought them - They have feeler gauges there you can use to test accuracy.
Invoke your Harbor Freight lifetime warranty and get one accurate to .001".
mcb
Member
They opened a Northern Tool and Equipment locally. I don't think I will ever go to Harbor Freight again... Wouldn't buy calipers in either place; got to have Mitutoyo, Starrett, Brown & Sharp or similar.
I much prefer 4 inch digital calipers, better balance, and long enough for most reloading tasks:
Like these:
https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSO...486995&sr=1-5&keywords=4+inch+digital+caliper
jmo
Like these:
https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSO...486995&sr=1-5&keywords=4+inch+digital+caliper
jmo
CKweigand
Member
All of my precision tools are of the starrett and old lufkin variety.
That being said my tools are my livelihood (millwright).
I have nothing against the Japan made mituyotos, quality is superb. Same with German/Swiss made Brown & Sharpe...
However I won’t ever walk on to a job with foreign made tools...Call me funny but it wasn’t that long ago when guys used to get a “talking” to when they showed up at a US Steel foundry job with nothing but China made tools....
No sir no thank you!
on another job when I was a cub working a shutdown at a Chrysler car plant saw a guy drive in the parking lot in his brand new Toyota pick up...he left the same day in a cab. The Toyota was getting towed to a body shop.... those were the good days lol.
That being said my tools are my livelihood (millwright).
I have nothing against the Japan made mituyotos, quality is superb. Same with German/Swiss made Brown & Sharpe...
However I won’t ever walk on to a job with foreign made tools...Call me funny but it wasn’t that long ago when guys used to get a “talking” to when they showed up at a US Steel foundry job with nothing but China made tools....
No sir no thank you!
on another job when I was a cub working a shutdown at a Chrysler car plant saw a guy drive in the parking lot in his brand new Toyota pick up...he left the same day in a cab. The Toyota was getting towed to a body shop.... those were the good days lol.
Blue68f100
Member
I always checked the accuracy of HF calipers before I bought them - They have feeler gauges there you can use to test accuracy.
Invoke your Harbor Freight lifetime warranty and get one accurate to .001".
I tried to warranty a torque wrench years ago and they require you to have the original receipt. So there lifetime warranty is kind of useless.
Arkansas Paul
Member
We bought a Starrett dial caliper at our local pawn shop for $20 and it worked great.
Until thieves stole all of our reloading stuff a few years back.
Now we have some cheapo digital ones, Titan I believe, but they seem to work.
Until thieves stole all of our reloading stuff a few years back.
Now we have some cheapo digital ones, Titan I believe, but they seem to work.
doubleh
Member
I use caliphers to measure over all length of reloads and targets. Since I only compete with myself I don't mind 1-2 thousands variation. My eyeball probably makes more of a variation in placing them on a target than I get from the caliphers. but that's OK. Like I said earlier, if I want pin point accuracy I pick up a micrometer.
wrench459
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- Jul 22, 2017
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I've been using Harbor Freight digital calipers for a few years now but would like something a little more trustworthy but not bankrupt me either. Must be digital.
What's the reason for digital?
I've tried the cheap digital calipers. They eat batteries. The display turns off but the caliper stays on. Put in a new battery and the next time you need them the battery is low or dead. You can remove the battery and reinstall. I've used calipers both digital and dial calipers for many years. I actually preferred dial calipers until buying a Mitutoya digital. This caliper is a great one. Careful buying Mitutoya on Amazon and others as some have reported high incidences of fake Chinese copies. To avoid the possibility this site is guaranteed.
https://www.msi-viking.com/Mitutoyo_500-196-30_6-Inch_Absolute_Digital_Caliper
https://www.msi-viking.com/Mitutoyo_500-196-30_6-Inch_Absolute_Digital_Caliper
OK, I tried to explain the benefits of a digital (for me) a few years back and got a lot of pushback.
Like checking the overall length of a completed round, you can open up the caliper to the target length, push the origin button to zero the reading at that length, and now when measuring a completed round the caliper will read as a plus or minus value/deviation from the target setting.
No more math to determine the longer/shorter deviation from the target length that is required when using a Dial Caliper.
just one difference, there are more.
whew,
Edit: If you decide to go with a Dial Caliper, get one with .100" on the dial not .200".
The lines are further apart and easier to read.
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Easy to read quickly for old eyes?
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