Reloading Calipers?

[Eye-Bite!]

Ok, I have another set (?) of Digital Calipers go south on me. Can anyone suggest a set (?) that will last that has worked out for you. thanks... John

PS... Make, Mode, and place bought. Thanks.

[pdentrem]

I can tell you, that in our production environment, these calipers are used continuously everyday and we have not replaced one in the 14 years that we have been in operation. We use the 6" version. We do have a 24" for the big stuff.
Pierre

http://ecatalog.mitutoyo.com/ABSOLUTE-D ... C1381.aspx

[Terry Murbach]

I can tell you, that in our production environment, these calipers are used continuously everyday and we have not replaced one in the 14 years that we have been in operation. We use the 6" version. We do have a 24" for the big stuff.
Pierre

http://ecatalog.mitutoyo.com/ABSOLUTE-D ... C1381.aspx

BINGO TO THIS, GUYS !!! YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. MY FIRST CALIPER, A 1966 4" MITUTOYA, IS STILL IN SERVICE AND LOOKS ALL BUT NEW.
THE STARRETT LINE OF MEASURING TOOLS ARE EXCELLENT ALSO.
I STILL PREFER THE MECHANICAL CALIPERS TO THE ELECTRONIC ONES THAT CRAPOUT JUST THE TIME YOU REALLY NEED IT.

[Mescalero]

My reloading caliper is an Eatalon 6 " mechanical.
Eatalon is a high quality Swiss precision tool maker.
Most known for thier pressure sensitive super micrometers.

[AJMD429]

Beware though - some of the Starrett's at the low price end are now made in China.

I have a cheapo pair of PLASTIC ones I use the most for day-to-day measurements when +/- 1/100th is ok (which most times it is for reloading), but I get out the better ones when needed. When I really want precision I use a micrometer anyway.

[Eye-Bite!]

Beware though - some of the Starrett's at the low price end are now made in China.

I have a cheapo pair of PLASTIC ones I use the most for day-to-day measurements when +/- 1/100th is ok (which most times it is for reloading), but I get out the better ones when needed. When I really want precision I use a micrometer anyway.

I have go through 2-3 sets now and the common denominator between them is.... "Made in China". Time for some good ole USA!

[Tycer]

eBay has the 6" Mitutoyos all the time. Mine has remained consistently accurate as compared to a micrometer.

[williamranks]

I use these.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_293883-16878-53247_0__

[Eye-Bite!]

I use these.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_293883-16878-53247_0__

Never even thought of Lowes.... I have sereral of Lowes brand tools and they are Great! Will look into Kobalt also. But, prefer what what seems to be the front runner her Mit.... But, I will look into them further. Thanks for the insight.

[stretch]

Mitutoyo is great. They last, and they're accurate.

The USA-made Starrett stuff -especially the older stuff - is great.

I'm using a Dillon set that I bought used over a decade ago. They're
still working fine.

You can also use a vernier set - they last forever, but are not as easy
to read as the dial or electronic type.

-Stretch

[6pt-sika]

I have a 6 inch pair of Brown and Sharpe dial calipers I was given for Xmas about 20 years ago !

They're all I ever needed for reloading .
Got a pair of older yet Brown and Sharpe micrometers that still work great as well !

[mack]

I've been using a Brown & Sharpe digital for quite a while in our small engine shop. It has stood up real well, even withstood multiple drops on concrete floor, (dials can't take that). I think I paid less than $140 for it a few years back, but I think they have less expensive ones. My mic's are mostly Mitutoyos though, except for the 0-1 .0001 that is a Brown & Sharpe from way back.

[AJMD429]

I use these.http://www.lowes.com/pd_293883-16878-53247_0__

Those are the "better ones" I alluded to. I didn't specify the brand, because I didn't want to use up all the levergunscommunity bandwidth starting a snob-war about brands of calipers (kind of like suggesting that a Weaver scope is 'really great' - you'll get 500 replies saying how only Leupold are worth buying ). I dropped mine on a concrete floor from about four feet, and although they worked well enough after that, they had to be re-zeroed more often than before (which was basically 'never'), and mentioned it to the guy at Lowes; next day I followed his advice and swapped them for a new pair under their lifetime warranty. Still using that pair 6-7 years later, with very repeatable and reliable results. Can't say I feel any 'regret' that I didn't get a more prestigious brand.

You can also use a vernier set - they last forever, but are not as easy
to read as the dial or electronic type.

Kind of like a Slide-Rule; an accurate slide-rule will still be accurate and will work 100 years later, even after being dropped during an EMP-attack...

[Ben_Rumson]

The electronic types( mine are Mitutoyo) do the metric system with ease....

[Eye-Bite!]

Wow! never envisioned so much info put fourth..... Learning a lot. Thanks for all the input... Hope it helps others too.

[J35]

I bought a set of Lyman dial caliper's back in the mid 80's, I use them just about every time I load or cast, and they have held up well.

I have ordered a lot of reloading and casting tools from machinist and mold makers over the years and all my measurements have been made with Lymans dial calipers and I am batting a 100% on all parts received.

---J

[Sixgun]

Mitutoyo and Starret are my regulars for the serious stuff. A cheapie Lyman serves for case length measuring.-----6

[Charles]

I have a Starrett 721 American Made electronic caliper. I have had it for 8 years now. I think they cost over $200.00 now, but you get what you pay for.

[Griff]

+ whatever for the Mitutoyo. I've had my current ones for going on 40 years.

[rimrock]

I use a Frankford Arsenal dial caliper I bought from Graf and Sons about 5 years for my reloading measurements. Maybe I'm not as precise as you, but my bullets cycle through my guns and I mostly hit my targets. The misses come from from my mistakes in hold, trigger pull, breathing, etc. more so than because of ammo or gun function.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have three sets of 6" dial calipers and my first set a Vernier by B&S. I use my Mitutoyo`s for machine work and some from Midway and Lyman for checking case length and for rough work where exact is not a priority. I don`t like or even desire to own a digital set but that is just me, I don`t own a cell phone either.

[Buck Elliott]

I still have on hand a few old calipers from my machinist/precision inspector/engineering days.. Among them are Brown & Sharpe, Tesa, Mitutoyo, Starrett, and 1 from Frankford Arsenal, for quick rough work.. I prefer the dial type, but that's just me.. Like Terry said, the digitals seem to have battery failures at the most inopportune moments..
I also use a variety of micrometers, from some of the above-listed makers..
Somewhere, in the back of a drawer in my tool cabinet, there is an old B&S Vernier caliper, that I keep just because...
A man can never have too many good tools..!

[Mescalero]

This is the sad part.
I have two Kennedy toolboxes full of precision instuments.
And no one to leave them to when I croak.

[Terry Murbach]

This is the sad part.
I have two Kennedy toolboxes full of precision instuments.
And no one to leave them to when I croak.

DADDY......DADDY........!!!

[M. M. Wright]

I have at least 3 sets in different locations around the shop. B & S, Starret and one set that no one claimed. Doesn't even have country of origin. Oh, these are all dial calipers but I still have and use my old set of Craftsman vernier calipers too. Several sets of mics around too for really precision stuff. Even have metric mics and wish sometimes I still had metric calipers too but they walked away years ago.

[Griff]

This is the sad part.
I have two Kennedy toolboxes full of precision instuments.
And no one to leave them to when I croak.

DADDY......DADDY........!!!

Beat me to it!

[Chuck 100 yd]

Uncle Meskie, Don`t let those guys horn in on my inheritance!!

[Mescalero]