Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: 15 or 16 gauge nail gun

  1. #1

    15 or 16 gauge nail gun

    My 16 gauge nail gun broke down today.
    I used my 18 gauge, but would rather have used the 16 gauge for this project. I will need to buy a new one soon as I use it a lot. I don't know much about them so would appreciate any info you can provide. First - 15 or 16 gauge? I don't have an angled nail gun, but can see how it might be useful. Second - recommendations on brand? The one I had was Rigid. I see pretty good reviews for Dewalt and have a few Dewalt tools that I like and there is a Bostitch model that looks pretty nice (N62FNK-2, I think) but I am open to suggestions.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Posts
    667
    I have a 15 gauge Porter Cable and I love it. Nails are readily available for the gun at the Borg. I don't think you can go wrong with Dewalt or Bostitch either. I choose 15 gauge based on the recommendation of a few reviews I read.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Camas, Wa
    Posts
    3,853
    I have a recon 15g Hitachi. I have Porter Cable 16g and 18g. I have a Bostitch stapler. All have been good. The Porter Cable are older. I am not sure I would buy a new Porter Cable. Home depot is clearing out Hitachi. You might take a look there.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Southwest IA
    Posts
    138
    I also have the 15g Hitachi. It has worked great for the 5 or so years I have had it. It had great reviews on Amazon so that's what I got. I have been very happy with it.

  5. #5
    i have a 15 gauge senco and have used it a fair amount. It has never jammed or misfired. I would recommend it.

  6. #6
    I have two Bostitch (23 and 16 gauge), 1 Porter Cable (18 guage), a framing nailer by Rigid, and a couple HF staplers + a HF flooring nailer. One of the HF staplers won't drive the 1.5 inch staples it is rated to handle. But it works fine with 3/4 inch. The other HF nailers work as well as any of mine. The PC doesn't work as well as the Bostitch, actually. Other HF haven't messed up. They are not as nice looking but work fine - and the price is really good.

    What I use the most at this point is my cordless Ryobi 18 gauge. No hose is nice. I trimmed out about 800 ft2 with it. It won't work for flooring (I tried), not enough holding power. 15 gauge would have been nice but 16 worked (to do the first rows before I could use the flooring nailer). If I was to replace the 16 gauge, I would at least look at another Ryobi cordless or a HF 15 gauge. HF would be the least cost. If you get a bad one, they are good on returns.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Northwestern Connecticut
    Posts
    7,149
    Size depends on what you are doing. For large crowns where you may need holding power or reach, large casings, exterior where things want to move more, the 15 ga is better. For interior trim, or pretty much anywhere you can get away with it the 16ga holes are far less conspicuous and easier to fill. When I started I bought the 15 thinking it would do anything the 16 could, and it did, but its a lot of nail in some situations. Ideally you have both, if i had to pick one today probably still be the 15.

    Brands....I've used hitachi, porter cable, bostich, senco, pasalode, they are all pretty good. The newer bostich guns have some nice features that the older PC guns lack, I remember senco being better than what seems to be coming out now, I haven't used a hitachi I didn't like and the prices are usually very competitive. The pasalode gas cartridge guns are pretty expensive, and I get sick of the stink, but the portability and no hose thing is great and they work fine. Pretty much for single operator home use...you can't go wrong.
    "A good miter set up is like yoga pants: it makes everyone's butts look good." Prashun Patel

  8. #8
    I bought a 15 gauge Hitiachi NT65MA2 to trim out our house interior in 2005. It's worked well, but would recommend a 16ga. for the head size. I did apply SS nails using that for an exterior trim project last year. The 15 ga. might have been undersized for that job.

    I also have a Senco SNS 45XP stapler that's worked well with cedar shingles on outbuildings. (Galv. roofing nails tend to split them).

    A Grex 23 ga. P635 was used for trimming the wife's walk-in maple & cherry closet in 2013 (only started 8 years after moving in too).

  9. #9
    If I were just trimming, I'd get a Hitachi 15 gauge. Some of the Hitachi's have an air bleed on the side that dumps compressed air. Handy for blowing dust out of the way when slamming base in. I use a Senco sfn30 for cabinet assembly. I've been very pleased with it, it's ten years old and has only been rebuilt once, and it's had case after case of nails ran through it. Downside is I think it can only run a 2" nail, so not really suitable for general trim work. I use a Senco for trimming, I can't remember which model. It's okay, but I would get the Hitachi if I had it to do over again.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    NE Ohio
    Posts
    6,976
    I have both- a Porter Cable 16 and a Grex 15.
    The Grex isn't thought very well of, unlike their line of 23 ga pin nailers.
    Mine has been fine though.

    There's only a few times the 15 ga is really needed. Putting in pre hung solid core doors is one time the 15 ga is a good idea over a 16 ga.

    If you go 15 ga just remember there are two different styles of nails and they don't interchange.
    The Bostitch uses FN style and others use DA.

    It's a pretty expensive mistake to make when you open a new pack of 2.5" nails that are the wrong type....DAMHIK...
    My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
    Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •