During a visit to the DeWalt booth at the recent STAFDA tradeshow, a product manager showed me a preproduction model of a new 20V MAX cordless drywall gun, the DCF620. The tool can be used as a stand-alone screw gun or with a $99 magazine (DCF6201) that takes collated fasteners. With a no-load speed of 4,400 rpm it runs slightly faster than the brushless models recently released by Bosch and Makita.
What makes this tool a plausible replacement for corded is the brushless motor and high-capacity batteries now available. With 2.0 Ah compact batteries it weighs about the same as a corded model and should have sufficient runtime for the pro tradesman. According to a recent DeWalt press release, it can drive up to 2,250 coarse thread screws per charge through 1/2-inch drywall into pine studs when equipped with a 2.0 Ah battery. With a 4.0 Ah battery it is said to be able to drive 2,900 1 1/4-inch fine-thread through 1/2-inch drywall into 20-gauge studs. That’s a lot of fasteners.
Features include a belt clip, lock-on switch, and LED light. The gun can be used with bulk fasteners or equipped with an optional auto-feed magazine (DCF6201; $99) for use with collated screws. An 18-volt (20V MAX) drywall cutout tool (DCS551; $130 bare) was introduced last summer so a rocker on the DeWalt battery system could go completely cordless. The cutout tool is already available but the screw gun and auto-feed magazine will not come out until sometime this spring.
DCF620 Drywall Gun Specs
Motor: brushless; 18 volts
Speed: 0-4,400 RPM
Weight: 3.3 pounds (w 2.0 Ah battery)
Length: 8.75 inches
Country of origin: China
Kit includes: tool, bag, charger, and two batteries
Price: $249 (2.0 Ah kit); $269 (4.0 Ah kit); $139 (bare)
Available: April 2015
DCS551 Cutout Tool Specs
Motor: brushed; 18 volts
Speed: 26,000 rpm
Weight: 3.1 pounds (w compact battery)
Length: 10 7/8 inches
Collet: accepts 1/8 and 1/4 inch bits
Country of Origin: Mexico
Kit includes: tool, bag, charger, and two 2.0 Ah batteries
Price: $199 (kit); $129 (bare)
Available: now
For more information on recently released brushless drywall screw guns see:New Cordless Drywall Guns from Bosch, DeWalt, and Makita
Bosch SGH182 Drywall Gun
Makita XSF03M Drywall Gun
