Recommendation on Calipers

[The Tiger]

What do you recommend for Calipers? I've been using my digital Harbor Freight special for a while and was thinking about an upgrade.

[unclerandy]

Mitutoyo or Starrett

[ar15barrels]

Watch eBay for a Mitutoyo 505-637-50.
Used ones occasionally sell for under $30 and are FAR nicer than anything else you will get under $120 new.

[kcstott]

What do you recommend for Calipers? I've been using my digital Harbor Freight special for a while and was thinking about an upgrade.

A matter of personal preference on the feel. But I prefer Brown & Sharpe. I'm not a fan of Mitutoyo but that's just based on feel and not on function or reliability. Starrett has always been good stuff but again lacking in feel.

Stay away from any hand measuring tool that requires batteries. Batteries fail, electronics fail, and never when it's convenient. dials for the tool box and verniers for the tool bag

[67Cuda]

A matter of personal preference on the feel. But I prefer Brown & Sharpe. I'm not a fan of Mitutoyo but that's just based on feel and not on function or reliability. Starrett has always been good stuff but again lacking in feel.

Stay away from any hand measuring tool that requires batteries. Batteries fail, electronics fail, and never when it's convenient. dials for the tool box and verniers for the tool bag

I agree.

Make sure they are Swiss made too. Many brands, including Brown & Sharp, Tesa, Starrett & Mitutoyo, are being made in China.

[NeilMo]

If you use calipers just for reloading, upgrading isn't going to gain you anything other than more $$$. Also, HF calipers are more than adequate for checking oal, crimp, etc. I rarely use a caliper anymore, and when I do it's only if I'm loading a new bullet, verifying a new sizer, working up a load for a new gun or powder, or maybe checking set-back. I make a dummy cartridge for every (favorite) bullet and caliber I load so instead of fooling around with a caliper and adjusting the seating die, I simply adjust the bullet seating die to the appropriate dummy round and my oal is good to go. I do occasionally verify my dummy rounds though. Crimp is also set by feel once you've done it enough times. I've rarely had an issue and have loaded well over 20,000 rounds without using a caliper.

[sunnysmarine]

If you use calipers just for reloading, upgrading isn't going to gain you anything other than more $$$. Also, HF calipers are more than adequate for checking oal, crimp, etc. I rarely use a caliper anymore, and when I do it's only if I'm loading a new bullet, verifying a new sizer, working up a load for a new gun or powder, or maybe checking set-back. I make a dummy cartridge for every (favorite) bullet and caliber I load so instead of fooling around with a caliper and adjusting the seating die, I simply adjust the bullet seating die to the appropriate dummy round and my oal is good to go. I do occasionally verify my dummy rounds though. Crimp is also set by feel once you've done it enough times. I've rarely had an issue and have loaded well over 20,000 rounds without using a caliper.

I have to agree really how much are you going to use them and for what.
I settled on a set from RCBS but that was 10 years ago, they have preformed very well for simple needs and unlike some that were cheaper then have never lost there zero, and dummy rounds are a blessing if you shoot several different bullets or share a seater

[The Tiger]

Watch eBay for a Mitutoyo 505-637-50.
Used ones occasionally sell for under $30 and are FAR nicer than anything else you will get under $120 new.

Any issues buying used? I looked at Ebay and saw several advertised. The descriptions leave me wondering about the condition with vague language

[rg1]

I'd highly recommend this caliper. I've tried a couple cheap digital calipers and they eat batteries. They don't turn off, only the display turns off, and when the next reloading session comes they are dead. You have to remove batteries every use. Also, it's commonly warned that many Ebay and Amazon calipers and others are cheap Chinese knock-offs so be wary ordering on-line. This dealer has decent prices and guaranteed no fake items:

https://www.msi-viking.com/Mitutoyo_500-196-30_6-Inch_Absolute_Digital_Caliper

[sonofeugene]

Mitutoyo. And the battery question really isn't an issue. They last for years and you get a long period of warning that it's going out.

[67Cuda]

Evidently, re-loaders aren't craftsmen. I find doing things much more enjoyable using a quality product. But, to each his own.

[jimmykan]

Evidently, re-loaders aren't craftsmen. I find doing things much more enjoyable using a quality product. But, to each his own.

Craftsman? You strike me as the Snap-On Tools type. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[RNE228]

I like Mitutoyo, mostly because I have used them for years at work. I use a dial caliper like the one AR15_Barrels posted; for things like reloading, I prefer the dial to flashing numbers as you work the caliper.

That said, years ago I got a set of Lyman plastic dial caliper. I still have them, and occasionally use them. When I check them against the Mitutoyo's, they always match readings.

So maybe you don't need anything fancy for general reloading...

That said, I still prefer the Mitutoyo's.

[Epaphroditus]

Old school dial or vernier instead of modern digital - hate dead batteries.

[RNE228]

I don't care about dead batteries. I use dial caliper because I like the way you can see the dial change/sweep as your adjusting it. Numbers flashing on a digital display just aren't the same.

Old school dial or vernier instead of modern digital - hate dead batteries.