The Original CZ Forum
GENERAL => Ammunition, questions, and handloading techniques => Topic started by: zze86 on April 16, 2013, 03:33:23 PM
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I am planning on starting to reload. Not the greatest time to get components right now I know (hell even the reloading equipment iteself are hard to find), but there are other stuff that I figure I could be purchasing in the meantime. The first piece of equipment I am looking to purchase is a nice set of calipers but I am questioning just how accurate of a caliper do I need? I have an El Cheapo set that I use for automotive use and they work well enough for that but I also use an extra fine set at work that I am guessing cost well over $500.00.
IIRC, my set at home reads down to the .001" but is +-.005". Looking at the Lyman's reloading manual, it gives dimensions down to the thousandths of an inch. How critical are these dimensions? Are we talking $100? $200 $300 calipers?
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I have had no problems with my digital cabellas $30 calipers. Acts funny when the battery is low but that's it.
Those coupled with a micrometer should be plenty
Sent from my CZ85 Combat
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Yes calipers from harbor freight are fine for reloading. I don't know anyone who uses a set over $50.
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I have both Digital and dial and both work well for the purpose. Both cost between $40.00 to $60.00. I could have gotten a much more expensive dial caliper from friends that own a machine shop but when I told them what it was for they suggested the less expensive one.
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I use the Frankford Arsenal calipers from Midway and they're fine for the purpose.
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My $9 set from Harbor Freight has worked fine. Make sure you get the .001" set, not the .01" set. If they ever crap out, it's only $9 for another.
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The digital calipers from Harbor Freight ($10-12) are the exact same Chinese-made calipers Dillon, Frankfort Ars., Lyman, Hornady, RCBS, etc, etc sell for $25. A basic set, and a supply of batteries is all you need.
For fine measurements you ought to look at investing in a 0-1" micrometer. Each instrument has its place.
;)
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Great, thanks all! Sounds like the one I already have should be satisfactory then.
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I use both a dial and digital, for sanity checks on trimming and seating. Harbor Freight has specials, $9.99 for the same set Cabelas sells for $40, for digital. There is no difference.
The dial caliper tends to jump around, at times, measuring to the 1,000th, and it drives me crazy. So I use both, in parallel, for fine tuning my dies and trimmer. :-X
Love it! I have 2 pair that work great also :D
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Don't forget the most important part of the equation, the user.
Calipers are a tool that can give false readings easily if you do not know how to use them, there is a feel to them you should learn. Take a feeler gauge and measure the thickness of it with a properly zeroed out caliper, work on getting the measurements to match. If your knuckles are turning white to do this, maybe check your technique. O0
Hey they don't call them "very-near-calipers" for no reason. ;)
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Exactly.
Also, don't confuse 'number of digits displayed' with 'accuracy'. Modern digital tools may display out to 14 decimal places without being any more accurate than a stone.
;)
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I bought a set of mitutoyo because the cheap plastic harbor freight pos I had previously were so inaccurate and difficult to use as to be worthless. Good tools are an investment and a pleasure. http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=mitutoyo&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amitutoyo