Planning on Reloading: question about calipers

[zze86]

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?

[FireMoose]

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

[Kenneth]

Yes calipers from harbor freight are fine for reloading. I don't know anyone who uses a set over $50.

[DDeslaur]

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.

[painter]

I use the Frankford Arsenal calipers from Midway and they're fine for the purpose.

[SMSgt]

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.

[Wobbly]

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.

 

[zze86]

Great, thanks all! Sounds like the one I already have should be satisfactory then.

[Old Rocket]

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. 

Love it! I have 2 pair that work great also

[armed hiker]

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. 

Hey they don't call them "very-near-calipers" for no  reason.

[Wobbly]

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.

 

[twowheels]

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