I recently had the chance to try out
nine different 15-gauge finish nailers.
The big advantage of this size gun,
which for years was made only by
Senco and Bostich, is the nails. Before the
introduction of 15-gauge nails, carpenters
had to choose between nailing by
hand or using lighter 16-gauge fasteners,
which often bent when they were driven
in hardwood and had small heads that
were easy to
pull through
softwood.
The heavier 15-gauge fasteners are
popular because they're similar to handdriven
finish nails — they're stiff enough
to go through hardwood, and the heads
are big enough to hold in softwood. The
nails are also collated at an angle, so the
nailers have magazines that slant up