Ordered a Forster Datum Dial set as to better measure my shoulder bump. Looking to get a digital caliper next. Anyone have a “value” recommendation?

Go dial.

But I’ll be re-zeroing with the datum dial to check on shoulder bump. I really do want a digital.

You will be re-zeroing digital from time to time as well. And changing batteries

I really don't see any advantage in using a digital caliper. I have both and I can't remember the last time I used my digital. You never have to worry about a bad battery in a dial caliper and I seldom have to re-zero the caliper even though it is an inexpensive tool. Most important, I've never been able to tell any difference in the accuracy of my reloads when using my dial vs digital caliper.

Don't worry woodson, I know what you mean as I have the Forster tool and use it on a digital too. There are a plethora of digitals available under $20. Supposedly the SR44 battery lasts longer than the LR44.

That being said, a dial will work too. By the way, he's not talking about zeroing with the jaws closed against each other.

Ding ding ding.

Mitutoyo

I’ve used both dial and digital calipers. The digital is far easier to read.

1. Starrett
2. Mitutoyo
3. Pick the cheap one whose paint job melts your butter.

If you store the battery outside the caliper rather than leaving it in all the time it will last almost forever.

Very true. Digital that has been rezeroed with the comparator on is much easier to read, and when problems arise it’s much easier to explain as in how many of you have seen a 3.5” datum line on a 22.250.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...an-seat-the-bullets-by-hand#Post14531646

The base to shoulder once fired is 3.570

I resized and bumped back to 3.568, those bullets slipped in and out too easily,

Now, after two full turns down, All bullets fit properly,

but still have base to shoulder at 3.568

If you are going to be removing the Datum Dial to measure other things with the calipers, the jaw mounted comparators and headspace gauges don't always go back on the jaw exactly the same. Now, the difference each time the tool is reinstalled on the jaw may be so tiny that it doesn't matter, but it is important to install the gauge in the same spot on the jaw.

Here on the 'fire we always enjoy helping other people spend their money, and on that note, I have the Stoney Point comparator and the headspace gauge, and Mitutoyo 505 series calipers dedicated to each body. The bodies for the comparator and headspace gauge never come off the jaws of the respective calipers. For calipers and indicators I like dials better because they are quicker to see where the needle lands. For micrometers I like digital because they are much quicker to read.

Dial or digital, you may want to buy a caliper and dedicate it to the Datum Dial.

That would only work if you never switched the dial on the body. There are two dials for seating depth and one for headspace. You can buy extra bodies to do that, but they ain't cheap.

I use them both, but I reach for the analog one mostly.

Anecdote: the even older design vernier caliper will be your most accurate and trouble free model. Trouble is unless you have the eyeballs of a 20 year old it's nigh impossible to read the scales. For nostalgia reasons I sometimes grab mine but having to put on magnifying goggles to read it is a PIA so it mostly rests in its felt lined camphor-ridden drawer.

I own five sets of 6" calipers

Starratt dial
Mitutoyo digital
Brown & Sharp digital
Brown & Sharp dial
Off brand whoknows

I've owned about a half dozen sets of the off brand whoknows and they all laid down or outright failed.

Buy a name brand.....they will out live you

I'm sure those with the expensive calipers will disagree but I have both an expensive Japanese dial caliper and a cheap Harbor Freight Chinese caliper. I've had the HF for 12 years with no problems other than battery changes, both agree with each other. The digital is much easier to read quickly and zero.
I think I paid 9.99 for it on sale. It looks exactly like the digital calipers being re-branded and sold for more by the reloading tool suppliers.

Harbor Freight caliper

Pretty sure the Harbor Freight is the same as the one Hornady puts their name on.
These days building a quality dial gauge is more expensive than an electronic.
Some company just cranks out those little circuit boards.
Just test measure something with the digital until you believe it, or not....

Mine is an old Browne and Sharpe from Switzerland. 2032 button battery, so no issues. Has worked well for many years. 0.0001 accuracy.

.0001" accuracy from a digital caliper ? Really ?

That's what the dial indicates. I will admit the last calibration was a few years ago. 0.0000, no idea if it is that accurate, no way for me to test it. I suspect it is. Not like the cheap ones that are 0.0, or 0.00.

Mitutoyo 500-196-30

Batteries last almost forever.

Digitals are the only way to go , dials have an open track and gear system that only takes a small piece of dirt to make useless, I think Brown and Sharp make the best for the cost but all are sealed and practically fool proof.

And if pushing that reset button is over your head, then likely golf will suit you better anyways.

This.

I use a dial caliper virtually every day and have no use for a digital.

Thank you very much for the insight. I likely will do just that

Lyman and Hornady especially; they've been selling a lot of reloading gear that is just rebranded cheap chinese stuff. Some of it is nice that they've made it more readily available, but other stuff can be bought for significantly less elsewhere for the same product.

While the cheaper calipers can work OK, if you like nice tools it's hard to go wrong with a digital Mitutoyo. I have calipers all over the shop and reloading area, both digital and dial, but for machining and any other work that calls for a better tool, my "good" caliper is one of Mitutoyo's newer "Absolute" series and is a real pleasure to use.

As to caliper accuracy - lots of digital calipers read to .0000, but that doesn't mean they are that accurate (generally speaking, they are not). Most just give half-thou (.0000 or .0005 only) measurements on that last digit, and even that is questionable. If you really think you need to measure ten thousandths (four digits - .0001), you need a micrometer not a caliper. For handloading and most gunsmithing work though, the standard one-thousandths (.001") caliper capability is accurate enough.

I might have to eat a bit of crow based on my earlier response. I still like dial calipers for "most" reloading functions. I like the fact that they are straight on, with very little drifting and what you measure and see on the dial is pretty accurate. But, after responding to the OP, I pulled out my older digital calipers and set them up with both my Hornady bullet comparator kit and headspace comparator kit and, they were, in fact, a bit easier to set up use than to my dial calipers. Both work and there is nothing wrong with digital calipers. I may have to look at a new (better) set of digital calipers just for using my comparator kits.