good caliper?

[silverfoxdj]

Crappy Tire ones for me, zero issues.

There are two versions I've seen the Mastercraft seems better than the plastic version

 

[Magellann]

I have the Canadian tire digital one with conversion. Got it when on sale for $10. No complaints and every measurement wad bang on

Those are the CT ones to get, you can't beat the sale price.

 

[bigedp51]

Watch video below on caliper accuracy tests.

Digital Caliper Round-Up Which Digital Caliper Should I Buy? ~My Recommendation~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yqZx_FNbSs


iGaging IP54 Electronic Digital Caliper 0-6" Display Inch/Metric/Fractions Stainless Steel Body $29.99
http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Electronic-Digital-Fractions-Stainless/dp/B001AQEZ2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1429852669&sr=1-1&keywords=iGaging

iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6" Digital Electronic Caliper - IP54 Protection / Extreme Accuracy $39.95
http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSOLUTE-Digital-Electronic-Caliper/dp/B00INL0BTS/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1429852763&sr=1-2&keywords=iGaging

 

[LUTNIT]

It's also a good habit to not trust a caliper for anything finer than a +/- .002" tolerance. It can be done with trustworthy calipers but for things like barrel slugs, bullet diameters (cast or jacketed), and anything that you want to be really precise with, use a micrometer.

 

[hoytcanon]

I also use the CDN Tire calipers... great price and repeatedly accurate.

 

[silverfoxdj]

Watch video below on caliper accuracy tests.

Digital Caliper Round-Up Which Digital Caliper Should I Buy? ~My Recommendation~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yqZx_FNbSs


iGaging IP54 Electronic Digital Caliper 0-6" Display Inch/Metric/Fractions Stainless Steel Body $29.99
http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Elect...e=UTF8&qid=1429852669&sr=1-1&keywords=iGaging

iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6" Digital Electronic Caliper - IP54 Protection / Extreme Accuracy $39.95
http://www.amazon.com/iGaging-ABSOL...e=UTF8&qid=1429852763&sr=1-2&keywords=iGaging

These look like great deals in the U.S. but when you look at Amazon.ca they are way overpriced..

 

[17asleep]

The calipers ctc and fowler and every other China crap reseller sells are available on ebay or aliexpress for $10 with free shipping. Takes a loooong time to arrive, but free.

 

[ironsighter]

There's plenty various ones on Amazon.ca in the $30 range with free 2-day shipping (if you are a Prime member, which I am). The only challenge is deciding which one is the best bet.

The reviews on CT site for their digital caliper are quite bad. People talking about lots of bad samples and returning/replacing multiple times.

On the other hand, it is way easy to return multiple times at my local CT (2 minutes drive) than to Amazon or some random Chinese ebay seller.

 

[Eagleye]

I own a Mitutoyu, and it is a quality Vernier. But, as has been noted, a Vernier caliper is not going to be as precise as a Micrometer.

I have a very good Digital Micrometer that measures to 1/10,000th inch, and I use that for measuring case head expansion, bullet diameters, etc.

Sometimes that is a real eye-opener. For example, I have seen bullets from the same manufacturer [same part number] that varied .0008" from lot-to-lot.

These variations drive an accuracy seeker nuts. lol.

Regards, Dave.

 

[fingers284]

I have 1/2 dozen of the "budget" priced digitals aroung the shop and house ( hate looking for the damn things when I need one) and had one $300 mitotoyo,until I dropped it on the cement floor.. it never worked again. Bugs the p!ss outa me that since then I've dropped a couple of the cheap ones and they still work.

I've tested the cheap ones against the tool room class and found only one of the cheap ones that has a .001 variance from the others, not a difference to worry about (especially for reloading purposes) unless you are required to do very very precise tool room/machinist work.

 

[BCRider]

Dial calipers for me. The eyes are not sharp enough these days for vernier scales and the digital calipers I've got always seem to have dead batteries unless I remove them and store them with the calipers in the case. The basic asian import dial calipers I've got all work just lovely. But I do take very good care of them to ensure they are not roughly handled. When checked with my 1 and 2 inch standards from a Moore and Wright micrometer set they are spot on for accuracy to within a needle's width. Can't ask for more than that from a dial caliper.

 

[Magellann]

I'm the opposite, the dial calipers are to hard to read for me at a glance, but the digital ones are better.

 

[BCRider]

I agree... when the battery isn't bloody well dead AGAIN!

I do like them. I just got tired of feeding them. Seems like they use some power even when set to "off". Enough that they eat a cell in about 3 to 4 months for the cheap import ones regardless of if I'm using them or not.

 

[Magellann]

I rarely change the battery in mine, I'm on the 3rd battery in about 10-12 years so far.

 

[BCRider]

OK, you've got my full attention. What brand is it? I'd be ecstatic with that sort of performance.

 

[Hotwheels81]

My Darson battery lasts years if you remember to turn it off... I'm on the second one that came with it in the box and I bought it at House of Tools in calgary a loooong time ago

 

[Ganderite]

I use digital, vernier and dial.

I find the dial is much better for ammo.

 

[PitBull1973]

title says it all, whats a good caliper to start reloading with?

Go with mititoyo . Very accurate KBC tools sells them

 

[dead meat]

The dial ones are good for reloading, easy to read and no battery. I have a cheap dial one and a Princess Auto digital that is hard on batteries on the loading bench, both accurate enough. My Mitutoyo vernier and digital i have in the shop are very good but pricey for the loading bench.

 

[BCRider]

Part of the dial versions is getting to know them. I use mine so often that I don't even think of it any longer. The numbers pop up about as easily as reading a digital. But then I use them a LOT for many uses around my shop other than reloading.