Mitutoyo Digital Calipers

[Chief Rick]

Looking to upgrade from an old. worn-out set of calipers to a digital set.

 

Looking specifically at the model 500-196-30CAL calipers.

 

These are offered with or without a calibration certificate.  The certificate costs about $25 more than without.

 

Is there a difference in the calipers?  Do the calipers need to be certified for what we are doing in regards to reloading?

 

I know that all of our calipers were calibrated annually in the Navy, but that was for dealing with machining parts.

[Eyesa Horg]

I typically use one of those cheapo digitals. That said it measures one thousandth less than my Starrett and Mitutoyo dial calipers. The digital is just easier on my eyes! 

 

No idea why the font just got bigger. It got exited I guess 

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

For home use, I would not bother with the certificate.  At work, all of our measuring equipment must be calibrated and certified.  By getting the cert from the manufacturer, that saves us from paying for certifying the new tool before first use.

 

I would not worry about a quality pair of calipers for reloading.  If I was using plastic calipers from Harbor Freight, I would want to have a check block to make sure the tool was reading right.

 

[John Kloehr]

I bought a calibrated check block and uncertified caliper rather than a certified caliper.

 

Not sure what if anything I need accuracy of one part in a thousand, one part in a 100 is good enough for checking cartridge overall length.

 

But if anything ever seems odd, I can use the block in a few seconds rather than sending the caliper out for calibration.

[Sedalia Dave]

Skip the cal cert.

 

If you want to save some money yet still have a set of accurate calipers check out this guys video. All the calipers on the right are junk. The ones on the left are well worth purchasing.

 

 

["Big Boston"]

I have a 500-196, has to be over 10, maybe 20 years old, I've never had an issue. If you forget to turn it off the battery dies, some of my cheap ones have auto off. 

 

BB

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Stick with .100 mechanical type.

Starrett and Mitutoyo will serve you well.

[El Catorce]

For what we do… revolver and lever guns… harbor freight $12.99 special is good enough… maybe you might need more precision for semi auto reloading or long distance precision reloading…  but even like that for what we do in LR and Wild Bunch the harbor freight special has served well enough… just my opinion… 

[Cholla]

I use mine for checking chambers, barrel slugging, and bullet diameter. The cheap versions can be .003" off and that's the Grand Canyon when working up an accurate load.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Cholla said:

I use mine for checking chambers, barrel slugging, and bullet diameter. The cheap versions can be .003" off and that's the Grand Canyon when working up an accurate load.

You don't use calipers for chamber work.

Use a micrometer and expandable hole gauge for the most accuracy.

[PrairieDogPete]

Do not waste the money on Mitutoyo or Starret calipers.. I use them every day at work and am the person in charge of our calibrated equipment. That being said... I have both a  $130 set of Mitutoyo and a $13 no name cheapo chinese set. Both passed calibration. I got rid of the Mitutoyo's because the cheapo no name one will hold zero every single time where the Mitutoyo did not hold zero every time at power up. And honestly.... for what we are doing, the cheap ones are more than sufficient.

[John Barleycorn, SASS #76982]

I still have the pair my dad gave me. It’s probably the most used tool I have.

[Tom Bullweed]

Last calipers that I bought is an 8" Mitutoyo .100 dial, estate sale, no case but near perfect condition...$2.

It was only table with screwdrivers, pliers, hammers and other items, all at $2 each.

[Col. Cornelius Gilliam, SASS#5875TG]

Upgraded to a 6" Mitutoyo Dial Caliper, have never regretted it.  

[Wyatt Earp SASS#1628L]

I recently purchased and am very pleased with a set of Igauging Absolute Origin 6" digital. Reads to .0000, very smooth operation and takes a more common 2032 battery. $44 on Amazon.

Watch a review at 

 

[J.D. Daily]

I use inexpensive digital calipers I bought from Midway 13 years ago.   I have checked it against the clock dial Starrett caliper I inherited from my deceased machinist father in-law.  The digital calipers are so much faster than the dial calipers to read.  The clock calipers are only used to check the inexpensive digital calipers. 

[Pat Riot]

I had a Mitutoyo caliper that disappeared in a move. I bought a cheap one from Amazon thst got great reviews. I also bought a couple of calibration blocks to verify it on occasion. I bought a 25mm and a 50mm. The 50 I bought is unavailable right now but the link below is for the 25mm rod. 
 

25mm Micrometer Calibration Bar, Accurate Caliper Calibration Block Rod for Calibration https://a.co/d/d3W877N

 

 

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

Been in the precision measurement equipment biz for over 30 years and the Mitutoyo and Starretts are the best... but not really needed for what we do.

No need for the cert even if you do go with the Mitutoyo, they will give you years of great service. Only reason to check the cal is if its dropped.

We calibrate on a regular interval because we have to; measuring in the reloading shop should be fine without a cert.

[KingSnake]

I’ve been a machinist/tool maker for 50 years including owning my own shop for the last 20 years. 
I use Brown and Sharpe dial calipers and  Mitutoyo digital calipers. 
My 24” vernier calipers are Starett. 
I use Brown and Sharpe micrometers. 
I have used and owned many other brands over the years, but these are the brands I depend on. 
YMMV

 

KingSnake 
 

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

When I was working all the personal tools used by production had to be calibrated every 3 months or so. Lot of the guys had Harbor freight digitals and had no trouble  when it was time for calibration. Mine went thru batteries like ammo at a cowboy shoot, seemed like every time I picked it up it was dead. Mitutoyo  is the better option. I would just close the jaws together and hit "zero", should be all you need. If you want to check at different lengths I'd get these;

https://www.amazon.com/LLDSIMEX-Precision-Steel-1-2-3-Blocks/dp/B07QWSL7TJ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=AZMZQ68SQCOE&keywords=1+2+3+block&qid=1671467124&s=industrial&sprefix=1+2+3+block%2Cindustrial%2C152&sr=1-3

these should be exactly 1"x2"x3"

[Dusty Devil Dale]

On 12/16/2022 at 4:20 PM, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

You don't use calipers for chamber work.

Use a micrometer and expandable hole gauge for the most accuracy.

I surely do use a caliper for barrel slugging work.  Also for chamber length measurement.  

[Three Foot Johnson]

I've got a 500-196 on my bench. No dash 20 or 30, just 500-196. Works well, long battery life, and perfectly repeatable precision down to .0005"... I don't think it goes to .0001"...?

[Griff]

I'm still using the NSK dial caliper I bought over 40 years ago.  It's missing the lens over the dial, and no one seems to be able to tell me they can replace it, but... it still reads as accurately as ever, and tells me that the commercial .321" bullets I bought for the .32-40 actually measure .322"!  Or that my .309" sizer still compresses my .30-30 bullets to .309"!  Only accurate to .001", good enough for reloading purposes.

[Eyesa Horg]

7 hours ago, Griff said:

I'm still using the NSK dial caliper I bought over 40 years ago.  It's missing the lens over the dial, and no one seems to be able to tell me they can replace it, but... it still reads as accurately as ever, and tells me that the commercial .321" bullets I bought for the .32-40 actually measure .322"!  Or that my .309" sizer still compresses my .30-30 bullets to .309"!  Only accurate to .001", good enough for reloading purposes.

Check a jeweler, maybe a watch crystal will fit.

[Flint N. Steele]

I use a Mitutoyo digital at home, and a Brown and Sharpe dial at work.

[Dubious Don #56333]

Dillon Precision sells a reasonable set of calipers. I prefer a digital readout. My go'to is a Mitutoyo I've had over twenty years. Yeah, got to zero it every time on powerup but once its on, zero doesn't change. I've got the usual set of gauges for machining, and I learned the hard way. Buy once, cry once. Mitutoyo or Starrett are my picks.