The DeWalt 16 gauge finish nailer makes an excellent addition to one's collection of finish nailers, either as a homeowner or a professional. One of the benefits of the 16 gauge nailer is that the nails are much cheaper than the 15 gauge nails. With that said, the 16 gauge nails lack some of the holding power and are more prone to blowouts (which can be easily avoided with correct usage) because they are stamped and rectangular instead of round. Don't let that discourage you, however, because the 16 gauge nails have plenty of holding power for applications like interior door jams or holding up heavy crown molding.
The DeWalt nailer is nice in that it can be used without oil; however, it is still best to give it a light oiling once in a while to ensure that it lasts. I have no doubts that it will last. The tool consistently countersets nails to the right depth and has plenty of power (I keep the compressor around 100 psi). I've never had a jam, but the release on the front for jams is easy to open. The depth adjustment is the normal wheel mechanism that allows for very precise adjustment. The no-mar pad works very well, and nail placement is easy to see. Case is sturdy and securely holds the nailer as well as some space for nails and safety glasses. I found the loading very awkward. The two methods used to load seem arbitrary and more of an advertising scheme than anything else. DeWalt could have designed this function better, but I've not found it too bothersome to deduct a star since the overall performance is excellent. Also, the manual is map-style instead of book-style (feels like 12 feet by 10 feet large), which is a real pain to use if you're unfamiliar with pneumatic tools, but this seems like a minor detail.
I highly recommend this tool. DEWALT D51257K 1-Inch to 2-1/2-Inch 16 Gauge Finish Nailer
I bought this for trim work for my home office remodeling. I have a Porter cable 18 awg and a Grex 23 awg. I am happy with this one also. It has plenty of power, but I can still use it with a three gallon compressor and get plenty of shots before the compressor recycles.
I used this nailer while installing 800 square feet of hickory flooring. It was used to face-nail the starting and ending rows, to get in closets where the flooring nailer couldn't reach, and to install the baseboard molding. I only had two jams out of 1500 nails. The jams were easy to clear thanks to DeWalt's easy opening jam clearing thingy. (that's the technical term!)
The depth control wheel right on the nailer makes it easy to put the nails where you want them.
I love this nailer, easy to use and dosent jam often. I have shot a couple thousand rounds through this gun now and I love it. I did have one jam in that time but the tip unlatches quickly making it simple and quick to unjam. Comparing it to my bostitch this one wins hands down. - Nail Gun - Finish Nailer - Nailers - Finish Nailers'
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