Dial calipers

[BeMan]

What is the opinion here is a good entry level caliper under $30?

[2thepoint]

Harbor Freight has digital calipers for under $30

[smokeywolf]

Don't think you're going to find "good" for "under $30". You might look for a Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharpe or Tesa on flea-bay. Starrett is also good, SPI and Fowler are half way decent brands, but not as dependable as the previously listed brands.

[jcwit]

For uses such as we use dial or digital calibers for Harbor Freight will work just fine, as will any of the major brands. Depends on how willing you are to part with your cash, and acquire bragging rights. If perchance you need more accurate measurements buy a micrometer.

This is reloading, we're not building NASCAR engines or a space ship.

[dragon813gt]

The HF ones work just fine. I have both the dial and digital but use the digital almost exclusively. It's nice to just close it up and read the display :)

[seagiant]

Don't think you're going to find "good" for "under $30". You might look for a Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharpe or Tesa on flea-bay. Starrett is also good, SPI and Fowler are half way decent brands, but not as dependable as the previously listed brands.

Hi,
Smokey nailed it! I use mine a little more than just reloading, I go to E-bay and buy Mitutoyo used but LNIB for a deal!

[r1kk1]

Hi,
Smokey nailed it! I use mine a little more than just reloading, I go to E-bay and buy Mitutoyo used but LNIB for a deal!

I got my Mitutoyo's on a trade for some work done. I also have a modified ball micrometer of the same brand name. Didn't pay that much for it but sure use it a lot. Like Seagiant said, they can be used for other things beside reloading.

Take care

r1kk1

[mikeyjones]

Thankfully my grandfather was a machinist so I got some Mitutoyo calipers and a few Brown & Sharpe mics for free. Very high quality tools

[mold maker]

I haven't found any problems with the HF measuring tools, although I do have Mitutoyo calipers.

[w5pv]

Calipers are good to check with but when you want a true reading go to micrometers and invest in a set of Starrett,Lufkin Brown&Sharpe or another good quality.If taken care of they will last a life time,Mine are over fifty years old and are still accurate.

[jcwit]

I will add this. I carry a set of H/F Calibers in my shooting box and have a set on my reloading bench. I also own a Digital Mitutoyo's and a dial Brown & Sharp.

What amazes me is those suggesting to buy a set from E-Bay used with no idea how used, worn the faces or rack is, etc., etc. Yes I shop E-Bay but seriously doubt buying a set of precision calibers or mics from the bay.

I would consider a pawn shop purchase tho as one could see and check what they are purchasing.

[country gent]

Brown and Sharpes have nice feature where theycan be zeroed any where in the travel and used as comparators. Starrtets andMityoyos are very good you get what you pay for . It all depends on how often you want to check zero and possibly reset. When buying calipers take 1"2"3"4" standards and measure each along the range. I have seen calipers that grew or shrunk along the travels. Dials are worse for this than digitals as digital are a scale read by a pick-up point. My first digitals were terrible for oil affecting thereading. Any presisson measureing tool needs to be checked and calibrated occassionaly. Good quality tools will remain zeroed thru heat and weather changes much better.

[nhrifle]

I agree with the comments about the Brown & Sharpe and Mitutoyo tools, and older Starretts (not so much the newer ones). Be careful with cheaper digital calipers, I have had them go out of calibration right in the middle of a job. If you want a good set of inexpensive dial calipers, I can vouch for the Import Dial Calipers that ENCO always has, often on sale for under $20. They are accurate, repeatable, and hold calibration.

[LynC2]

A lot of excellent advice here, one normally gets what one pays for. Also a caliper is a poor substitute for a good micrometer.

[seagiant]

A lot of excellent advice here, one normally gets what one pays for. Also a caliper is a poor substitute for a good micrometer.

Hi,
Just to give an example in different ways and different tools. Admittedly mics are more accurate but some times in laying out work you need to use the advantage of calipers for length. I installed a set of ghost sights on a Rem 870 to build a HD weapon. The instructions for the rear sight said to come off the front of the receiver as a zero point. It gave a measurement down to thousands,rather than zero on the mill I just used calipers and layed everything out by hand and then set up in the mill and drilled and tapped.

[LynC2]

Hi,
Just to give an example in different ways and different tools. Admittedly mics are more accurate but some times in laying out work you need to use the advantage of calipers for length. I installed a set of ghost sights on a Rem 870 to build a HD weapon. The instructions for the rear sight said to come off the front of the receiver as a zero point. It gave a measurement down to thousands,rather than zero on the mill I just used calipers and layed everything out by hand and then set up in the mill and drilled and tapped.

True, sometimes a ruler or good eyeball is close enough. The task should determine what one uses.

[KCSO]

A go set of calipers kept clean are usually accurate to .001 and if you need more accuracy than that you need to go to a mike. Frankly when ever I hear somone complaining about how inaccurate their calipers are i see dirty calipers banged around in a junk drawer. Keep them in a clean box and wipe them down before and after use and they will be all you need for reloading.

[smokeywolf]

jcwit made a point about purchasing anything precision off ebay; make sure you buy from someone who has a favorable return policy. Pawn shops are a good sourcing method. I have bought one caliper and many mikes off the bay and have not been disappointed with any purchases yet.

smokeywolf

[1hole]

Ditto to KCSO.

All most reloaders will ever need is a 6" stainless steel caliper and virtually all reloading company branded calipers (and mics), from Midway to RCBS, are made in the same Chinese plant as those from Harbor Freight, often "on sale" for as little as $10 in men's magazines such as American Rifleman/Hunter. Of course if you believe "you get what you pay for" you could get the same caliper as HF's from RCBS and pay 4-5x as much for it. I have pro grade mics and calipers as well as several HF versions - the cheapies are fully as accurate as my excellant tools and will last longer than any reloader is likely to ever need (I do NOT use my costly machinest tools for simple reloading tasks).

Calipers are generally considered +/- 1 thou tools but the worst HF Chinese calipers I have (of 6) is within half that at it's worst point. My B&S is little better, and it's about 15x more costly!

Anyone who tosses precision measurement tools in a box or gets them greasy/dirty doesn't deserve accuracy.