Tube/Ball Micrometer

Hawk

North Central Texas
Well, I guess I'm going to have to invest in a Tube/Ball Micrometer.
I'm having a little trouble with measuring the neck thickness with my dial calipers.
Got the Forster Outside Neck Turner for uniforming my 7.62x40 WT necks and want to get the most use for my money, so I'll be using it on some other cases for long range work.
I don't know anything about this type on micrometer other than I have seen them priced from Harbor Freight at $25.00 to Mitutoyo at over $500.00.
The only thing I plan to use them for is measuring neck wall thickness.
I don't mind paying for quality, but what do I realistically need without paying too much?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Just a quick search finds several in the $150 range. Unless you have to have a digital readout.


I like Mitutoyo, but have not acquired new/shopped for in over 30 years. Mine takes either a small cylinder/pin or flat anvil - interchangeable. The one I have is very nice. I don't know if they are still that good or not. I have a couple different regular 1" (OD) mic's that were "cheap" back in the day, but look a lot nicer than what's "cheap" today. One Scherr - Tumico, which is my "nicer" mic' and for all I know, it was "cheap" in it's day. If I needed a mic today, I'd hit the flea market (in March:)) and check out this one guy's table. Some decent "old" stuff at decent prices. If he thinks you appreciate the Vernier scale, he'll cut you some slack on the price. Just make disparaging comments about "digital" and "Batteries" and such and it's going to be good for at least 10% to 15% right off the top.

I definitely wouldn't spend $500 (or $150) for just measuring one thing, and I wouldn't personally want a digital mic' either. May save a few bucks by going old-school? Old tools with a nice patina make me happy - and make me look more skilled than I really might be. You'll use it for other things too, once you have it.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Get the cheapest one you can find, they all do the same thing.

Amazon has an Anytime Tools brand 0-1" ball mic for $43.95. CME has one for $29 but I'd go with the Anytime, I have several of their other measuring tools and they are plenty good for anything a home-gamer does.
 
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Jeff H

NW Ohio
Get the cheapest one you can find, they all do the same thing.

Full disclosure - if mine had been any cheaper, someone would have had to have paid me to take them. Mine were from a drawer full of "broken," "bent," "faulty" mic's turned in where I once worked. 90% of them needed nothing more than being zeroed. Boss told me to take what I wanted because they were "broken."
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Midway has that RCBS tubing mic on sale right now at $53.99 but out of stock for four more days.

 

Ian

Notorious member
Midway has the RCBS micrometer on sale. Of course they're out of stock!

Yup. They're giving away free $100 dollar bills all week too, but of course are out of stock, no backorder.

I have that ball mic in my wish list from years ago, back when it was on sale (and immediately out of stock) for something like $32. It always goes on sale as soon as they're out, seen the cycle like a dizen times.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
I'm eligible for Midway's yearly birthday sale, and have been looking for stuff that may fill a niche I don't know I have, or be useful for some purpose that I've yet to realize. However, like Ian said, so many items are out of stock and not backorderable. So, the only items sitting in my shopping cart are a pack of NRA targets, and a Glock takedown tool that is only different from the steel punch I use in that it has a square handle and is made of plastic, but the shipping is not too far less than the cost of the two items.

If the sheriff's department would just say "Yes", I'd order a holster . . . or two.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
The reason Midway is out of stock on so many things is because they don't stock it. You order from them and they order it from the Mfg. or wholesaler. Great way to keep over head down huh? Just not all that good for the customer.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Ordered the Anytime Tool from Amazon.
Said shipping was 5-8 days, but at checkout, gave me free one day shipping. Will be here tomorrow. Wahoo!
And you're right, Midway has everything that is "out of stock" on sale.
I just try to give local businesses the nod, if possible. Scared that one day, there will only be Amazon.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
I use Amazon more than I should. What did they say in the news lately, Amazon made over 11 billion dollars last year and paid 0 federal taxes.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Ordered the Anytime Tool from Amazon.
Said shipping was 5-8 days, but at checkout, gave me free one day shipping. Will be here tomorrow. Wahoo!
And you're right, Midway has everything that is "out of stock" on sale.
I just try to give local businesses the nod, if possible. Scared that one day, there will only be Amazon.
I’ve been happy with mine. 8438
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
IMO, buy a good used name brand unit on eBay and never look back. I have bought a number of
really good quality, like Brown & Sharp or Starrett, measuring tools for extremely low prices
on eBay. Most folks have no clue what they are and few have a need, so they go cheap.

Alternatively, look for a Fowler brand if you can find it, quality at low prices.

Bill
 

Ian

Notorious member
My faithful old Swiss-made Fowler digital calipers fritzed out and died recently, to my dismay the current version is cheap Chinesium. Guess I'll have to go with Mitutoyo digies now, seems to be the best compromise between quality and price right now. My Fowler mics and bore gauge have been excellent and precise with many years of use. This stuff I got 20 years ago so I can't vouch for the quality today.