DEWALT 20V MAX XR Framing Nailer, Dual Speed, Bare Tool Only (DCN692B)

I’m not a builder - just a regular DIY homeowner type. I ordered this about a month ago for a rather large remodel project, and I didn’t want to haul my compressor and pneumatic gun up into the attic. I’ve accumulated quite a few to the FlexVolt tools, so I’m pretty well invested in the batteries, and thy have been really solid and flexible tools. Admittedly, I love the ability to swap the batteries when needed, and I’ve pretty much got enough of them to run my drill, saw, nailer, and oscillating tool with minimal swapping. I read the reviews and was concerned over the number of negative reviews - complaints of frequent jams and inability to drive nails completely. But I made the purchase anyway (happy birthday to me). It arrived well packaged, on time, and in perfect condition - for MUCH less than the big box store. I read the directions (shocker there!) and headed up I to the attic. I purchased GripRite brand nails, 3 1/4” and 2 1/2” lengths. I loaded the gun with 3 1/4” and started happily firing away...until after the first shot. Yep - I was the victim of the dreaded incomplete drive and jam. Fired about 10 more, all with the same result despite adjusting the depth of drive to maximum. Was just about to chuck it across the attic, when the nail selector switch at the base of the handle caught my eye, and then it hit me. Short nails use setting #1, and longer nails use setting #2. Setting 1 doesn’t use as much power so it doesn’t overdrive the nails. Setting 2 uses full power, and is NOTICEABLY more powerful. Soooo, I switched over to setting 2 and adjusted the depth of drive, and voila - perfectly driven nails...and then I explained to my son the importance of reading the directions, aaaannnnddd then actually following them. I’ve had one jam since, and that was likely due to the way I was holding it. Otherwise, every nail has been driven perfectly. Most of the negative reviews seem to mirror my initial experience, so i could be wrong, but, I suspect they had the selector switch in the wrong position for the nail they were driving. Position 1 is how the unit was shipped, and I suspect most people are using longer framing nails. So it is a really easy mistake to make, but thankfully, just as easy to correct. The selector switch is tucked neatly out of view (behind/under your fingers) when you are hold the gun, though it is not hidden in any way. All in all, this is a very solid unit, and more than capable of DIY use, and I suspect it would be good for construction also. I’ve got the 6 AH battery loaded and haven’t recharged it yet, and am about 2 weeks into using it. It is MUCH more convenient than having to lug the compressor up stairs and deal with the hose, and waiting for the compressor to recharge. It is a tad heavy when working over your head though. All in all, I find this to be a very solid unit, that is more than capable of delivering on its promises. At the risk of sounding like a DeWalt fanboy...I HIGHLY recommend this nail gun. I was NOT COMPENSATED for this review, I DID NOT receive the item at a discount, and this review accurately describes my experience with the DeWalt FlexVolt framing nail gun.

This is the older model. On the new one the motor keeps the flywheel running after you shoot for some thing like 4 seconds. To allow rapid follow up shots. When I received this I was initially disappointed that it was the older model but hear me out. I'm not a professional framer and if I was I might want or need that flywheel running like that. After building several rooms with this gun in a remodel I'm glad to own this specific gun. Its just plain safer and plenty fast. Safety- the flywheel motor shuts off as soon as you pull the pressure back off the foot. This in my opinion for home gamers like me is an advantage in safety that can't be made up for in any amount of partial seconds saved waiting for the gun to spin up the fly wheel again. It's plenty fast enough for a home improvement diy guy like myself. Noise- It's loud just like any nail gun, it's basically spinning hammer. Big smack sound. Every once in a while I've seen a spark from a small flake of steel from the nailhead. So loud and sparky. Value- It's expensive, but in my opinion there's no way I could swing a hammer to build an entire house at my age I'd burn out. This gun keeps me going long after my arm would be tired. Best part is no hoses, no compressor. Just pull it out slide in the taped nails and go. Nail type- so this gun requires 30 degree TAPED collated nails not plastic collated nails like 95% of the nails at the store. So you can get them but you'll want to just order those 3-1/4" .131 nails right away when you buy the gun because most stores won't carry every nail size and diameter in the taped collated 30 degree. So just prepare yourself for not using plastic collated nails when you buy this gun. I am running paslode nails with only 1 jam in all the nails I've set and that jam was my fault not the gun or the nails. So essentially flawless performance out of this gun with 3-1/4" .131 paslode bright nails. Quality- As far as build quality it's held up well so far. Like I said I am only a few rooms into framing, but no change in operation works like the day I pulled it out of the box. I could see this gun making many houses before any real failure.

I bought the DCN692B to replace my decades old Bostitch N80SB Framing Nailer, which has only needed a couple piston/trigger rebuilds over the years. Sold it, along with my bulky compressor and other nailers to my neighbor. No more hoses for me. I'm not a contractor, but I am a pretty active DIYer. And I do like good tools. This makes the 16th, and final piece of my Dewalt 20V Max collection of tools and accessories. The DCN692 weighs about 1/4 lb. less, without the battery, than my old Bostitch nailer. Some may consider that an unfair comparison, but try dragging a 50 foot rubber hose around a room all day. I like the fact that this model has two speeds as the higher speed (2) can sink a 16p nail (3.5" into (3) 2x4s without a problem. That's really overkill for 6p and 8p nails. Like a few others, I have found a mixed bag driving 10p (3 inch) nails at the recommended lower (1) speed. A few nails driven into a stack of 2x4s didn't sink all the way. But adding some 3/4" plywood to the top of the stack, allowed the nails to drive flush, or below the surface. Note that I am using galvanized nails which probably have a tad more resistance. Bottom line, if the material you are trying to drive a 3" nail into is fighting back a bit, change to speed 2 and your troubles are over. I would always start with speed 1 for a 3" nail though. I'm only using 30 degree, paper tape, Dewalt nails in this gun. After 150+ test fires into various materials I have yet to encounter any kind of jam. I did have one 3.5" nail stick up about an inch, sort of getting stuck in the tip, before I realized I was using the lower speed. That's one of the drawbacks of having two speeds. A little tug got the gun free of the nail and after changing speeds, I was back to testing again. The speed control is easily accessible at the bottom, back of the DCN692, but it could get hidden if you flip the plastic belt hook around. Which can be a tad inconvenient if you change nails sizes often. The depth control on the front of the gun is easy to use and access. You're not really fine tuning the depth of your nails, like you might do with a finish nailer, but it does allow you to keep nails from oversinking into softer materials like plywood. For small projects around the house I am usually using my nail gun in Sequential mode, but you can change to Bump mode with the flip of a switch. The switch is a bit difficult to slide, so this won't be moving accidentally. All Dewalt 18-20V nailers also work in a Bump hybrid mode called Place Actuation. In Bump (Actuation) Mode, you pull and hold down the trigger which powers up the motor, and every time you depress the contact trip against your workpiece a nail will fire. In Place Actuation mode, you press the contact trip against your workpiece first, which again starts the motor, and then you pull the tripper when ready to fire a nail. Saves the trouble of changing the Mode switch position when you need to work in both modes on the same project. Nice idea. I've got both my Dewalt DCN660 Finish Nailer & DCN692, in an 18" Dewalt bag, along with a small assortment of nails. Plenty of room for batteries as well. Everything I need to complete a quick project around the house. And it sure beats pulling out the compressor and hose, plugging in, connecting to the pneumatic nailer. And then being restricted, or tripped up, by that darn hose all day. The DCN692 is one tool you will look forward to using as often as you can.

The DEWALT 20V MAX XR Framing Nailer packs serious punch for a cordless tool. It drives nails cleanly and has plenty of power for framing, decking, and general construction without being tethered to a compressor or hose. The build quality feels sturdy, and battery life on a 5Ah pack is impressive—enough for a long day’s work. That said, it’s not perfect. It’s a bit on the heavy side, and in tight spaces the size can be awkward. Occasionally it hesitates on rapid firing, especially when the battery’s running low. Still, it’s a dependable, professional-grade tool that saves time and setup hassle. Great addition to any jobsite, just expect a little arm workout.

This portable dewalt nailer is the perfect addition to your dewalt kit. Using the standard 20v batteries this framing nailer will land you a new shed in a few short days. Ive used this nailer in places that you simply cant bring a compressor or hose line, or maybe you dont want to fall off a roof due to the compressor line. The gun is very reliable is you use it right, you need to put adequate pressure and shoot plumb to the ground. Hang nails do happen and the gun can jam and get stuck. Simply depress the silver rod in the barrel and the gun unjams. Its actually stupid simple. Ive now built three structures with this amazing framing nailer and would highly recommend it. Expect to shoot about 1000 nails on one 4ah battery. Also make sure you get the right nails! If the wood is old and dry, ring shank may not be the best option of nails. Ringshank is perfect for pressure treated wood for your decks, foundations and docks. The nailer will take your building efficiency to new heights! If youre on the fence… grab one. They dont require oil either.

Ive used several battery powered NGs , I gotta say , im very shocked at dewalt over this failure . A: 1st stage of trigger pull , the gun turns on , just buzzing away eating precious battery life until you hit the 2nd stage of the trigger for a full send of only 1/2 to 3/4 of the nail length . Tried my big high AH XR batteries , new ones , old ones ect ect , no change . Swapped out different nail types and lengths and into different types of wood , same results every time , it drives the nail about 3/4 of the way in before turning the rest of the nail into a pretzel . Adjusting the gun settings also made no difference . To be honest and fair , I did purchase this as used on amazon , it came in clear bag packed in a amazon box , no papers or other propaganda BUT it did not seem to have been used at all , no wear marks , no scuffs , no dirt or dust , all protective shipping wraps/caps ect were still installed . Sent this back for a full refund , maybe you will have better luck The best electric framing gun Ive had so far is hands down the Metabo

Ok so I just bought this to build my large two car garage. There is a lot to know about this tool and it's expensive so people deserve to know the truth. The average temperature was 30F. It seems to work fine in the cold. First, remove the no mar plastic tip. There is no reason to use this for framing. Second, get some nails. I bought these from Amazon. They were the biggest I could find. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00005JRL5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title They worked great. Much bigger than the ones at Lowe's and much smaller package. I didn't need 3000 nails lol. For the large nails you set the speed setting to #2. These drove perfectly every time except when trying to nail through 3.5" of solid LVL, which had to be hand finished the last 3/8" which is two or three taps with a hammer; no biggie. For attaching the 1/2" OSB I bought these nails https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00005JRL5?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title They also worked really well. I also tried there ones from Lowe's but those jammed more which I'll explain in more detail now. The manual recommends speed setting #2 for 8d nails but I found this setting in about 1/4" into 1/2" OSB and I wasn't thrilled so I set the speed to #1. This seemed to cause jamming at times particularly when I would anticipate the recoil and pull the gun away. Once it's jammed it can take as few seconds to several minutes to unjam. My arm was getting tired because this gun is heavy. I'm not saying compared to other guns, I'm just saying its heavy and if you're a wimp this might not be the gun for you. I'm 6' 230 and been in and out of the trades since I was a kid but the past 10 years people just use me for me brain and I sit at a desk and do engineering and I'm not in the best shape. Ok so back to the jamming, the nailgun and the directions and I agreed to disagree and I settled on speed setting #2 but i shot the nails at an angle so they would not penetrate the sheathing more than a whisker. This worked great and I had no more trouble. I also tried the bump setting and it worked satisfactory but the gun is so heavy it was difficult to control the aim precisely but it works fine. You still have to let it charge a bit between shots. You can't go as fast as my pneumatic Bostich roofing nail gun but you can go at a good pace. You'll want to keep the clip full. I had a few jams when it was on the last nail before dry fire lockout but it could have been my technique, I'm not fully certain. At the end of the day, I didn't have to deal with my air compressor in cold weather and the noise that a compressor makes and the hose and that drama. I listened to music and worked whenever I wanted with no trouble. I'm not sure what else to say. I'm satisfied with the product and glad I bought it.

The DEWALT 20V MAX* XR Framing Nailer (DCN692B) is a fantastic tool for any DIYer or professional contractor. It's incredibly powerful and can handle even the toughest framing jobs with ease. The dual speed feature is a great addition, allowing you to adjust the speed based on the task at hand. As a DEWALT tool owner myself, I've come to expect nothing but the best, and this nailer definitely delivers. If you're looking for a reliable and powerful framing nailer, I highly recommend this one. Note: For those who need to rapid-fire nails, consider investing in a DEWALT PowerStack battery. It provides extended runtime and can handle more demanding tasks.