What Micrometer Do You Use?

[Socalal]

I have a digital Hornady micrometer that cannot hold zero, so time for a better one. Please advise. Thanks, Al

[Beelzy]

Lyman Digi-max

[Romeo_alpha01]

Mitutoyo

[surfdesigner]

From PracticalMachinist.com

1. STARRETT (Never been disappointed, good quality, long life, USA made)
2. MITUTOYO (Japanese, but excellent quality)
3. BROWN & SHARPE
4. TESA (Swiss)
5. FOWLER, SCHERR-TUMICO, or LUFKIN (Descent stuff)
6. NSK (Japanese, a step below Mitutoyo)

Other honorable mentions:
1. Steinmeyer (German)
2. Etalon (Swiss)

[WOODY2]

Starrett in my shop. BTW I also have the redneck version, an eye-crometer.

[bruce381]

LOL do not laugh i use what ever amazon had on sale digital caliper china crap works ok for OAL measuring like $20

[fguffey]

I have a digital Hornady micrometer that cannot hold zero, so time for a better one. Please advise. Thanks, Al

There are not many micrometers I do not have, I have a few Starrett's that go back to 1900, as with the newer ones the old ones are adjustable. I am luckier than most, if I do not have a micrometer that fits, I have enough parts to build one. I have a set of 5 Craftsman in a set that I have had for 60 years the man that had them before me had them for over 20+ years.

I have a few battery-operated dial calibers that I use because they are so easy to zero.

[geedavell]

I have a digital Hornady micrometer that cannot hold zero, so time for a better one. Please advise. Thanks, Al

Do you clean the faces by lightly closing the on a piece of paper, then pulling the paper out?
Temperature has a lot to do with the expansion of metal, both the mic and the piece you are trying to measure.
I don't care for digital measuring tools but I have 36" calipers at work.
I ALWAYS re-zero them before using them, and they are not Harbor Freight brand neither

[pennstater]

Mitutoyo

Ditto the Mitutoyo. Your car clip there reminds me of my wife going to a shoe sale!

MLC

[9mmContagion]

Mitutoyo or go home!

[GunNut1980]

I have 2 digital Mitutoyo's.

[ar15barrels]

I have a digital Hornady micrometer that cannot hold zero, so time for a better one. Please advise. Thanks, Al

Micrometer or Caliper?

Either way, all the digital ones I have seen have a zero function.
Make sure the measuring faces are clean before you zero it.
I find that my micrometer zero will wander 0.00005" to 0.0001" with temperature so I simply re-zero as the temperature changes if I am worried about accuracy under 2 tenths of a thousandth.

[JackEllis]

For checking OAL and case length I use an inexpensive set of mechanical calipers from Cabelas. There's more error in the shape of just about every bullet type I load than there is in the calipers. For the kind of shooting I do, differences of one or two thousandths are not material. If you're a precision shooter, it might be a different story.

[Mesa Defense]

Mitutoyo

+1.

[baih777]

Try installing a new battery.
And wipe off the edges of the calipers