I need measuring calipers / tools. Suggestions please?

BigDanS

In my stock of tools I have nothing to measure accurately to small dimensions.

I have no micrometers, calipers, etc. I find myself frequently wanting to measure accurately ammo lengths, ammo necks, gun widths, metal part widths, etc.

I want to get some good measuring devices that will be reliable, allow me to set and or maintain zero, and have repeatability.

I know a few names like Starrett but I really don't know the nuances of the various devices out there. I don't want cheap or expensive junk.

What do you all suggest?

Thanks!

D

Ernie Bishop

I have Mituoyo (Spelling?) and Starrett.
i have another set at my house that I use as well. Any reputable brand is going to be accurate enough to do the job you need.
None of mine are digital-All old school

olesniper

BigDanS wrote: »

In my stock of tools I have nothing to measure accurately to small dimensions.

I have no micrometers, calipers, etc. I find myself frequently wanting to measure accurately ammo lengths, ammo necks, gun widths, metal part widths, etc.

I want to get some good measuring devices that will be reliable, allow me to set and or maintain zero, and have repeatability.

I know a few names like Starrett but I really don't know the nuances of the various devices out there. I don't want cheap or expensive junk.

What do you all suggest?

Thanks!

D

This stuff is simple..........if you can't work with what you got.....you can just pack your stuff and leave.

Sorry,..........couldn't help myself. :jester:

tennmike

The makers Earnie named are top notch. They will serve you well for years. I'm partial to Starrett micrometers and calipers, but that's because that's all there was way back in olden times. The digital readout ones are O.K., but battery life is not that great. If you get a micrometer, get a micrometer stand to hold it; makes taking readings a lot easier.

mkk41

As a tool & die maker , I've always sworn by the best measuring tools money can buy. Starrett , Brown & Sharpe(Tesa) , Etalon , even Mitutoyo , (but I have a thing about buying Japanese tools and guns). But as things will happen , if ya drop a set of good calipers , they will always hit the concrete jaw points first.

MSC Direct , www.mscdirect.com has scores of dial and electronic calipers to fit any budget. Their Accu-Pro brand are very good for the price.

And though I hate to , I gotta admit , the cheap Chinese calipers are pretty decent.

mkk41

tennmike wrote: »

The digital readout ones are O.K., but battery life is not that great.

Most digitals nowadays have an auto-off , but will hold zero as well as the measurement.

Linefinder

At work I was issued digital Mititoyo. Personally, I prefer the old dial kind to the digital, but I'm getting used to them.

Mike

BigDanS

I bought these....

An as new but used Fowler 1 inch through 4 inch micrometers deliverd $48.00



And a cheap digital caliper for $27 delivered from Harbor Freight.



I appreciate all the advice. I will not be working with these under a car and need coolant proof stuff. I figure the Micrometers will be accurate to .001 to .0001 and that will be fine for me. I couldn't measure well past 1 mm before. If the 6 inch caliper is good to even .001 I will be good with that past 4 inches.

D

Buford

I use Mitutoyo and Starrett tools. You want accuracy but you don't want expensive or cheap. You do get what you pay for.

mkk41

BigDanS wrote: »

And a cheap digital caliper for $27 delivered from Harbor Freight.



I appreciate all the advice. I will not be working with these under a car and need coolant proof stuff. I figure the Micrometers will be accurate to .001 to .0001 and that will be fine for me. I couldn't measure well past 1 mm before. If the 6 inch caliper is good to even .001 I will be good with that past 4 inches.

D

Those $27 Chinese digital calipers are probably 10x better than a $300pr was 20yrs ago. The old ones would often blank out if ya got a speck of dirt or drop of oil on the scale.

PS; , just reading the new G&A while on the throne , and there's a coupon ad page for Harbor Freight. Those same calipers are $9.99 w/coupon. I just might get a pair. There's a HF not too far. I'm always running out to the garage for my old dials when I reload or check something.

jbp-ohio

I'm going by HF tomorrow. Think I'll get two pair. One for work and one for the house. Oldest stepson uses my old set at school (Precision Machining).... I need better micrometer though, the HF I have isn't accurate enough for work (+-.0001).....

mkk41

Rainy day off today , so I went hitting gun shops and also stopped by Harbor Freight. Took the two pages of coupons from the latest G&A. Bought a lot of cheap stuff for fairly little money. Yep , got a pair of those digital calipers for the reloading toolbox. Not too bad for $9.99 w/coupon! I usually use my old Brown & Sharpe dials , but the dial lens is so scratched it's had to see thru. Got a waterproof tarp and bungee cargo net for my truck. Got an air-power cut-off tool too. Even got a really nice 9 LED flashlight for free!

jbp-ohio

Got my two pair of calipers and used the 20% off coupon on a digital micrometer....

BigDanS

What I wound up with was a Pittsburgh digital caliper, a Fowler micrometer, a Fowler dial cliper and a set of Craftsman Micrometers. I have some Makarov 115 Gr Silver Bear hollow points that are problematic in my Makarov PM and CZ 82. They are a high power load, about 20% more powerful than most other Makarov ammo. They deliver about 275 FPE while the average MAK load delivers 220 FPE or so. There is some speculation in the Makarov forums that these are too long and need to be seated a bit farther because about out of every 7th round or so the FTF. I don't know the results of that yet, but I used these tools to a study of the COAL of 14 samples, and here is what I found:



I find the variation in tool measurement to be interesting. The rough end of the hollow point makes measuring past .002 accurately difficult. I enjoyed the consistancy each tool provided, and they are all off in the .0015 range or so from each other.

Is the accuracy from these tools acceptable?

Thanks for the input.

D