Vernier Caliper for Precision shooting

If you're having problems with battery life, make sure you're not using LR44 batteries. SR44/357 are the ones you should use.
 
I have all three types of calipers. I got the vernier caliper because I needed to measure an object in the 8" to 10" range. My dial I have had for years and still go to it. It doesn't need a battery and always works. A few years ago I bought a Can Tire digital and right now the battery is dead and I am trying to figure out how to get to the battery. The only advantage to a digital is you can go back and forth from metric to inch with a push of a button.
 
I'm 69 and have chronologically gifted eyesight and like the large digital numbers on my vernier calipers. Mine cost less than $30.00 and most of the cheaper ones are accurate to .0005 and close enough.

I have a older dial vernier caliper that cost over $80.00 in the mid 1970s but I strain my bifocals to see the round dial gauge.

I just do not think with a off the shelf factory rifle and using Remchester brass that I need a vernier caliper that costs more than my Bushnell Banner scope. (yes I'm a cheap bastard) :evil:

How many reading this actually measure the base expansion of your fired cases just above the extractor groove and need to read to .0001. I have a standard and blade micrometer that reads to .0001 so I think a cheaper vernier caliper is good enough. My first vernier caliper in 1973 was green plastic Lyman caliper and worked fine with my Lee loader. :stirthepot2:

Simple Trick for Monitoring Pressure of Your Rifle Reloads
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-education/tips-and-tricks/simple-trick-monitoring-pressure-your-rifle-reloads

"One of the first rules of handloading is to always follow the approved reload data. The cautious reloader gradually works up to approved maximum loads to ensure his particular gun does not show pressure signs. Generally this is visual observation of the fired shell case head and primer. There is another slick way to check for pressure signs if you are interested.

Using a blade micrometer that measures in ten thousandths (.0001"), new, unfired cases can be gauged before and after firing to determine reasonably accurate maximum loads. Micrometers measuring in thousandths (.001") are insufficiently accurate to perform these measurements, and should not be used. Previously fired cases cannot be used accurately due to various levels of brass hardening. Measurement is taken just ahead of the extractor groove on the case head and must be taken at the same place on the case before and after firing. By placing a small mark on the case head – entering the cartridge in the chamber with mark at 12 o’clock – a consistently accurate measurement can be taken with each firing.

Lower pressure rounds, like the .30-30 Winchester, usually yield maximum pressures at .0003"-.0004" expansion. Modern cartridges, like the .223 Remington, will show maximum pressure at .0004"-.0005", while .308 Winchester, .270 Winchester, etc., typically yield .0005"-.0006" expansion at max pressure. Magnums, like the .300 Winchester Magnum, show maximums at .0006”-.0007” expansion, and should be measured on the belt.

In conjunction with these measurements, case head signs of pressure should be monitored as well. These signs include very flat primers, slightly cratered primers, ejector marks on the case head, and stiff extraction. All these case head signs indicate high pressure, and loads should be reduced until these signs disappear.

As always, start with the beginning load listed, and cautiously work up to the maximum shown for that set of components, using the methods listed herein."
 
silver 55 said:
I have all three types of calipers. I got the vernier caliper because I needed to measure an object in the 8" to 10" range. My dial I have had for years and still go to it. It doesn't need a battery and always works. A few years ago I bought a Can Tire digital and right now the battery is dead and I am trying to figure out how to get to the battery. The only advantage to a digital is you can go back and forth from metric to inch with a push of a button.
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If you were not hunting with artillery ammunition trying to wipe out the whole heard you wouldn't need such a long vernier caliper. :stirthepot2:
 
I have a Mitutoyo dial caliper I bought in the 80's and its still going strong. I trust it over a cheap digital like the Mastercraft. It works so well, I'm not eager to replace it with a higher cost digital. If I need more precision, I use a micrometer. I've heard it said that an advantage of a digital is that you can zero it on an object, and then measure over and under. But, you can do the same thing with a dial caliper by rotating the dial to zero and measure over and under parts variances.
 
As a licensed auto and truck mechanic with diesel endorsement, licensed welder, certified propane vehicle conversion mechanic. I used nothing but Starrett gages of all kinds as they are the best.
 
bigedp51 said:
If you were not hunting with artillery ammunition trying to wipe out the whole heard you wouldn't need such a long vernier caliper. :stirthepot2:
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I was in the construction business at the time. One of my units was a Bucyrus Erie 22B dragline. One of the wear items is the house rollers. The upper section of the unit ran on tapered rollers in a groove in the lower section. When the roller wore down enough so shims couldn't bring it back into spec, it was replaced. I would build up the roller with an arc welder. It would take three layers of welding rod with roughly 17 rods per layer. Then I would put it in a lathe and turn it down so it would fit into the channel in the lower section. The base of the roller was roughly 8 1/2" across. I didn't want to build it up any more than I had to or turn it down any more than necessary. So I bought the 12" vernier.
 
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After reading these posts and using budget minded digital - I went out to a Princess Auto and bought a dial caliper. I like it seems to be accurate - the measurements are repeatable (so far) - going to start saving up for a more expensive (high quality) one but this one got me into the dial game.
 
When it comes to Mitutoyo and Starrett as my old Journeyman used to say "you can buy better, but you cant buy more expensive". I would only buy one of those 2 digital brands if you are using it everyday and its making you money. There are less expensive alternatives that will get the job done and be just as accurate. I use an Insize digital at home on the reloading bench at it does just fine.
 
Mildwood said:
When it comes to Mitutoyo and Starrett as my old Journeyman used to say "you can buy better, but you cant buy more expensive". I would only buy one of those 2 digital brands if you are using it everyday and its making you money. There are less expensive alternatives that will get the job done and be just as accurate. I use an Insize digital at home on the reloading bench at it does just fine.
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That's the same digital caliper that I use and when I measured the same item with my new dial caliper they gave me the same reading.
 
Dropping any type caliper on a hard surface can be disastrous, but especially the dial calipers with their clock gears.
Rubber mats are your friends.
 
I have 3 different Vernier calipers and 1 mastercraft digital caliper. I use the digital almost exclusively because of my eye sight. But if you want precision measuring micrometers are way more precise the any Vernier. When I was working in a tool and die shop we were not allowed to use verniers for measuring.
 
For up to one inch measurements, like lead bullets, I have a cheap analog micrometer that I bought in the US at Harbour Freight (like Princess auto). It was under $50 and actually does a pretty good job. The batteries on the digital caliper always seems to flat when I want to use it.
 
I have 2 quality calipers - dial and digital, and 1 cheap digital. They seldom agree perfectly but even the cheapo is fairly repeatable and good enough for a lot of my requirements. Use the same measuring device and don't switch between calipers on a task. If I really need to know the absolute value - I use a micrometer.
 
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