Accuracy comes from consistency, and repeatable consistency cannot be determined if measurements cannot be taken. That is why most reloading equipment has measures in some form or another. The reloading caliper, is one of those tools you cannot reload consistently without. From measuring COAL, case length, seating depth, die depth in the press, neck width, full length sizing changes and so much more, having the best digital caliper for reloading is critical to your consistency and accuracy. In this list we provide you with the options for the best calipers for reloading that we physically have bought and tested.
As with much of the measurement world, some people prefer digital and some people prefer analog or manual equipment, so for that reason, we will also have the best dial calipers for reloading on the list, and not just the best digital calipers for reloading.
| Name | Type | Material | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Digital Caliper
  |
Digital | Stainless Steel | Check Price |
2. Hornady Digital Caliper
  |
Digital | Stainless Steel | Check Price |
3. Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper
  |
Digital | Stainless Steel | Check Price |
4. VINCA DCLA-0605 Electronic Digital Caliper
  |
Digital | Stainless Steel | Check Price |
5. Mitutoyo 505-742 Dial Caliper
  |
Dial | Stainless Steel | Check Price |
6. Plastic Digital Caliper
  |
Digital | Plastic | Check Price |
Top 6 Best Calipers for Reloading
1. Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Digital Caliper
Do you intend to invest in a top-notch digital caliper for reloading? If yes, then the Mitutoyo is the best caliper on our list. It is a reliable caliper that is made in Japan.
This specific caliper is designed to ensure fast yet precise measurement. It is capable of 0.0005″ accuracy. It comes with an on and off switch, and a locking knob so you can lock it in place when closed and set to off, to prevent it from moving and automatically turning on while moving it around in the case and draining the battery.
You will be surprised to know that it includes a protective case and a SR44 silver oxide battery. All these features gives this our choice as the best digital calipers for reloading of all the models tested. We still use it to this day, and it has been over 4 years.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
2. Hornady Digital Caliper
Next up, we have the Hornady digital caliper. It comes with a uniquely designed thumb grip to slide it.
If you want all your reloading equipment to match and you already have a bunch of Hornady equipment, this will match them well, and provide good accuracy when needed, although, not completely as precise as the Mitutoyo if you require that extreme accuracy.
A lot of the users rave about this caliper because of its price and performance, and many users, including us have achieved well sub-half MOA accuracy from ammunition loaded using this caliper.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
3. Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper
Frankford is a pretty popular name in the world of reloading. So, here we have a caliper by Frankford Arsenal. It is capable of running 0.001″ accuracy and has a close lock as well. The coolest thing about this caliper is that it is durable.
Some of the most precise calipers, it can be hard to get a consistent reading, but with this one, it easily returns to 0.000″ when closed.
Coming in at under $30, makes this one of the most affordable calipers on the list, that will still be good enough for what most need out of a digital caliper for reloading.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
4. VINCA DCLA-0605 Electronic Digital Caliper
If automation is what you are after, and you want an affordable digital caliper that can be plugged into a computer and have your measurements downloaded, this is the one to get.
It is capable of 0.001″ accuracy, is made of good quality materials, and stores reading that can be later downloaded to a computer if you also purchase their own computer cable.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
5. Mitutoyo 505-742 Dial Caliper
Some people always prefer a dial caliper, or analog measurement equipment, either because they do not trust the electronics, or are just used to and enjoy the dial or analog method of taking readings, if you are one of those reloaders, this is the best dial calipers for reloading.
As far as the accuracy is concerned, at 0.001″ it is the most accurate you will find from a dial caliper anywhere near this price point, so that is great. With the reputable Japanese Mitutoyo brand, you also have piece of mind when it comes to manufacturing and quality.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
6. Plastic Digital Caliper
A plastic caliper for reloading? We know many precision reloaders will cringe at the thought of a plastic caliper for something as precise as reloading, but just bear with me.
There are many times in the field, on the range or even in your gun room or workshop where you just quickly need to take a measurement of a part on your rifle, like the distance of the scope mounted above the action to enter into Strelok Pro or your ballistic app, where the 0.0001″ accuracy of the top digital calipers are not needed and 0.1″ accuracy will even do. For these times, especially out at the range or in the field, it is not worth it to chuck your top or the range, precision Mitutoyo caliper in your hunt or range bag and take it with you, risking the increased chance of damaging it.
This is where the relative accurate, very durable and cheap plastic caliper here is perfect. Get one of these in addition to your precision reloading caliper, and just chuck it in your range bag, gun bag or toolbox.
When you use the link above to shop for one of the products, we receive a small commission from the sale, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep this site going, and does not affect the price you would pay usually in any way whatsoever.
2. Benefits of a Caliper
| Save Money | One of the major benefits of a caliper is the fact that you get to save a lot of money because you waste too much time during load development wondering about factors, you measure precise and know exactly. |
| Consistency | Consistent, repeatable, precision is what leads to accuracy, and how can precision be repeated without measurement? |
2.1 Buying Considerations
Following are the buying considerations that will help you in making a learned and rational decision.
2.1.1 Performance
The first buying consideration has to be the accuracy performance. The smaller the reading accuracy, the tighter the tolerance, the smaller the difference, the better the precision and consistency.
2.1.2 Durability
The durability of the caliper is extremely important. Sometimes, the caliper are made with low quality plastic and they may not be able to withstand the movement of the use.
So, it is extremely important that the caliper must be made with high-quality materials so that it can last for a long period of time.
4. Conclusion
We created this article so that you all don’t have to waste time researching about the best calipers for reloading. We picked out the top 6 best ones. We hope that this article will help you in finding the best calipers for reloading, best digital caliper for reloading and the best dial calipers for reloading.
Go reload precision ammunition!
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