Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Which style caliper for me?

Over the past several years, there have been many times I have needed a set of calipers for various tasks. Specifically, I have needed to measure a .45 barrel in order to have a barrel bushing made. Presently, I need to measure the dimensions of a barrel so that I can purchase another with the same contour. I also needed one to measure a set of bearings on a piece of equipment. I have never used a caliper. In doing some research, it appears there are a few different "models" or designs. What would you recommend for me? I want to be able to measure ID and OD of varous things. thanks

A 6" dial caliper is a very handy tool. I like my Mitutoyos at work (calibrated each 6months)
The Chinese models work fine but won't hold up as well to a lot of use. For home/reloading the cheap ones are fine.

I have 2 rather inexpensive ones I use regularly. Both came from Midway. The latest are Frankford brand electronic ones that measure in inches or metric. Only problem with them is they lay around and the battery goes dead and they are useless till i can get a new battery.The other pair a just marked Midway and are made in China. They are dial mechanicals and are checked regularly against my standard rods. I have Micrometer calipers for m ore accurate measurements but rarely actually use them.Both pair come in nice plastic cases and were quite inexpensive. I find the dial pair to be exceedingly well made and finished. The Frankford ones have no place of origin on any part or on the instruction sheet. They too are well made.

Buy what you can afford in a 6" dial but at work I use 8"

Get a 6" DIAL caliper of other than Chinese make. Don't get an electronic one unless it costs well north of $100. The cheap ones are worthless. A cheap dial caliper is far better than a cheap digital!

I use Brown & Sharp calipers and Mitutoyo mikes. You should be able to get a decent dial caliper for $60 or so. If it is new and costs $25 then beware of it.

I use both the expensive calipers (Mitutoyo and Starret) and the Chinese in electronic and dial. The expensive ones are a little smoother. The language is less colorful when one of the cheap ones hits the floor.

I hate to ask, but since no one else has. What type of precision/accuracy are you looking for? When I'm being real precise, I don't reach for the caliper. I'm assuming you have to be pretty precise when measuring for a bushing (one of the things you wanted to measure for). Something like that you'd probably be better off using a small hole gauge or telescoping gauge and mic. Calipers have their place and can be a little harder to get real precise measurements with, BUT if you are proficient with them then it is possible (I'm talking about some of these guys that use them all the time at work). Since you state you have never used a caliper, I'd suggest getting some gauge blocks so you can learn the "feel" involved in making precise measurements with this tool. This will also serve to periodically check the calibration of your precision measuring tool. Also remember you can use the "depth rod" at the back of the caliper for depth measurement too... As far as what I'd suggest (for your applications you list), go with starrett or mitutoyo (6" should work for you).

No matter dial or digital, cheap or expensive a caliper is only good for + or - .002" accuracy. More accurate than that, you need to be using a micrometer.

Actually, that was one question hidden in my original post. I really diddnt know what a micrometer was called. I just recently looked through ebay and found examples of both micrometers and calipers. So, would it be fair to say that there times when both would come in handy? When would you reach for one over the other. thanks

I have been using calipers,both micrometer and vernier for almost 60 years. I assume we are discussing Vernier calipers here. I have Starret micrometer calipers and Chinese vernier calipers both electronic and dial from Midway. The Starret 1" micrometer calipers are 59 years old ,bought in the bookstore at TSJC. The original round standard is still with them. I can measure as accurately with either of the chinese verniers as I can with the Starrets. I have over the years used micrometer calipers from 1" thru 36" ( the larger used when grinding calendar rolls in the tire industry and I might say I was pretty good at it) and think I do know how to use calipers. The Verniers are much more useful as they measure both inside and outside and will go usually for standard size ones to 6". Mikes to that size would be quite expensive since the usually don't have but a 1" range. Quite honestly over the years I have only worked to thousandth's and not to tenth's therefore I am probably not what some on here would call a precison machinist. I have never really seen the REAL need. My rifles have always shot exceedingly well. I probably use the verniers 100 times to the times a use a micrometer caliper. Just one old mans experience.

Starret Mic's are about as good as it gets for precision. If are measuring the cylinder throat then a plug gauge set is what you want.

I have never personally used a plug gauge. To me they are more for production line measurements that anything else.Since they only measure a single dimension I have never found a need for them.

zimhunter,
I use Deltronic pins for checking barrel bores. I have a set of 25 pins for ea. caliber that I have reamers for. They come in .0001 increments.

I know what they are just never found any personal need for them. As I said I suppose I'm just not that precision oriented. I suppose I could ask what you do with the dimensions when you determine what they are?

Do most micrometers measure a range of 1"? I see some that say 0-1 and others say 1-2. I don't completely understand this??

Regarding use, what do most use for measuring case lengths, bullet diameters etc. when precision reloading? thanks

Yes they do and they usually come with a rod to describe easily that is usually the minor dimension. So for a 5" Mike you would get a 4" rod and to set the zero you would measure the rod at the minor dimension of the mike spool turned in to the zero reading and adjust it with the lock collar they have. Some actually have a 2" opening or 3" as the size is indicated but I don't know today what are really available generally. The spool is what is the restriction,it generally only has an inch of travel I believe. With super large Mikes such as the 36" ones I once used the rod had leather around it at each end so your body temperature did not alter the length of the rod. I have seen some Mikes with the stationary anvil that could be replaced with a longer one so you could use it for smaller sizes. You can also get mikes with chisel point or other anvil shapes to measure things such as threads. All kinds of special purpose measuring devices abound. But for all my work i have really found no need for anything larger than a 2" mike and mostly I used older vernier calipers with a dial. Older verniers had a vernier scale you read which was similar to reading a slide rule which is something most on this forum probably have never used either. Hand calculator put them out of business years ago.

1) (Do most micrometers measure a range of 1"?) Yes. A 1" to 2" mic starts measuring at 1" - it won't measure below 1" - it has a 1" gap.

2) A 6" dial or electronic caliper that reads in .001" increments. Just to keep things simple - start off with one of these.

Trust me.

If you were measuring something that was approx. 1/2" diameter, Is it the case that a 0-1 or a 1-2 could be used, since either will measure a 1" range? Would using the 1-2 for this be like using a tape measure and starting with the 1" mark rather than the hook at the end and then subtracting 1" so as to be more acurate?

No. A 1" to 2' won't measure below 1". There's a gap between the anvils.

OK, got it now. So if one wanted to measure COAL of a .223 one might use a 2-3 whereas one would use a 0-1 for neck diameter??