Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Advanced Onsite Sensor (AOS) Absolute Scale Digital Caliper, 0 to 6/0 to 150mm Measuring Range, 0.0005/0.01mm Resolution, LCD

the best in measuring

For years now, Ive used some cheaper name brand calipers to do my reloading projects at home and though I get a few years of pretty good use out of them, they always become inaccurate and gritty feeling, so this time, I elected to put in some extra coin and go with quality name brand calipers, and I wish I would have just gone this route before. Ive used Mitutoyo products in my profession for many years and they always hold up for long periods of time. The slide, readout, and accuracy of these are unparalleled when it comes to comparing them with pretty much anyones cheaper calipers. I can always trust Mitutoyo to be what Im looking for. Great price too!

According to the online counterfeit guides, everything indicates that these are genuine Mitutoyo Calipers. The quality is superb. I am happy with the peace of mind of having a reputable name-brand product so that I dont have to wonder if they are accurate. I have had them every day for weeks now, and I have not had to recalibrate them once. If they dont indicate 0 when I close them I can be sure wiping the tips is the solution. They continue to reflect proper dimensions even with the display off, so if I turn them on while they are open I still get an accurate reading. According to the enclosed certificate, the accuracy is +/- 0.02mm or less for the entire length of travel. Movement is smooth and controlled. For over $100 they werent cheap, but I feel like they are a great value. If there are better ones out there, I dont want to know what they cost.

I researched a number of digital calipers before purchase and made the conclusion that the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital was a pretty good unit for the price. I also saw the most of the folks felt the Mitutoyo was top of the line, but may not be worth the additional cost - $95 vs $40. I purchased the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital calipers but I am returning them because of the display, which I have not seen discussed on this forum. I also purchased the Mitutoyo calipers. When comparing the display on the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital vs the Mitutoyo you very quickly see the reason for the price difference. I expected to find a quality difference between the two, but was blown away by the clarity, size and quality of the display on the Mitutoyo. (500-196-30) I cannot fault the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital as it appeared to be accurate and pretty well made, but for a tool that I plan to use for many years, I decided the price difference was worth paying. Bottom line, you wont be disappointed in the accuracy of the iGaging ABSOLUTE ORIGIN 0-6 Digital, but if you can afford the Mitutoyo calipers, go for it. For those that are concerned about fake Mitutoyo calipers, the one I ordered came from Amazon LLC, and the calipers came in a sealed package that had to be cut open. Not the box mind you, but the actual packing that contained the calipers. All the included paperwork, box battery etc. said made in Japan. I dont think for a second that the calipers I received were not genuine.

The difference between Mitutoyo and the cheap knockoffs are readily apparent the 1st time you use them. These are smooth and accurate and the fit and finish are very nice. They are pricey but you are paying for precision.

This tool is ALL THAT U COULD EVER WANT IN A CALIBER..... However buy the right lenth dont make my mistake. When the 6 one is extended over 3/4 the HEAL of you hand go over the end and puts pressure on the depth tool/gaudge and could be EASILY be BENT, No Fault Of The Tool. So may I suggest buy the 8 one if youre going to mesure items longer than 2 to3 , save the stress of bending your depth gaudge As in the boating industry, buy your second boat the first time, just saying

This was a gift for my daughter for her Graduation from Engineering School, and Im sure shell be using it her entire life, like Im using still my grandfathers vernier Mitutoyo that he brought home from WW2.

Before my review on the operation and accuracy of the Mitutoyo caliper, I wanted to share some key things to look for to verify you have purchased an authentic Mitutoyo Caliper and not a fake one. If youve done some research on the these calipers you probably found some reviews on eBay and Amazon about fake Mitutoyo calipers from China. So first thing, if you find Mitutoyo 500-196-30 calipers listed between $30-$60 they are fake (a good price will usually be between $100-$125). Now that said the one I purchased on Amazon was listed at $95.02 (this was best price I found on the internet, and per the info on the internet and to the best of my knowledge they are legit). So here are the top things I found on the internet to help ensure authenticity: - Mitutoyo is a Japanese company so stay away from sellers from China, and the case should say made in Japan not China - The serial number on the back of the caliper should match the Certificate of Inspection - Mitutoyo calipers are shipped in a sealed plastic packet and are wrapped in an anti-corrosive paper - Mitutoyo calipers include a stainless steel battery (SR44) in a separate package, and it should not be installed - Mitutoyo calipers should include a yellow (3) step set up procedure attached to the lock screw at the top of the caliper - Mitutoyo calipers will always have the same size numerical digits and the inch symbol will be to the right of the digits Now for my review...simply awesome! I recently got into reloading match grade ammo for my precision rifle, and +/- .005 can make a huge difference on your group size and hitting a target at 1000+ yards out. When I first started reloading I was using my old $20 Harbor Freight calipers, which is ok for basic reloading. However I wasnt getting consistent measurements and the Harbor Frieght calipers would always lose the zero position, so Id need to recalibrate after every measurement. In some cases on (3) separate measurements of the same bullet it would vary .005 - .015 and thats not going to cut it for reloading precision ammo, in the pictures below I was able to consistently get the same measurement on all (5) bullets I loaded at (3) different lengths. The Absolute zero function works flawlessly and is a must for me since I use a special adapter to measure the bullet length. So end result very pleased with these calipers and highly recommend.

I used the Mitutoyo 500-196-30 150mm caliper for years as a student machine shop hand in undergrad, and now I bought my own set. Its as good as I remember. They are a small piece of perfection in your hands. It came with a Certificate of Inspection that is specific to my caliper (the certificate has the serial number matching my caliper). It shows measurement errors at 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200mm lengths, as well as 0, 2, 4 and 6 lengths. It is NIST traceable via No.683/283699-13. It is also NMIJ/AIST and PTB traceable. I dont know if this is the same as the certificate of calibration that is optional on mcmastercarr, but it is a convincing document. As noted by others, it does not have an auto-off feature. The batteries last a long time, so I dont think this is an issue. One small disappointment: I bought the Mitutoyo 050083-10 75mm depth gauge attachment (

This is a highly accurate tool and the best quality. Except nothing but the best. That is what you get with this item.