I am looking to buy a gun but what size to buy? Would mostly do trim work with it. What advantages does a 15ga have? Seems like 16 ga nailers are more common these days. Just looking for reasons why somebody would pick one over the other.
dennis
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Length of nail available
With my guns, the 15 can take a 2-1/2" nail, while the max for the 16 is 2"
I use Paslodes
Which are designated 16ga, but I have run 15ga generic nails thru the older black one just fione. I don't know if I have tried it with the new gun or not. The Paslodes handle a 2-1/2" nail too, and there are a lot of advantages to a cordless gun for trim work. No scuffing up new work with a dirty hose is a major one.
Flexeel
No scuffing up new work with a dirty hose is a major one
One of the benefits of the flexeel hose-no marking.
It's still there though.
I just hate it when you are reaching on the step ladder to hit that crown and the hose gets wrapped on something and brings you up short 2"---just as you pull the trigger!
Or the hose gets hooked on the chair that somebody set their coffee cup down on and pulls it over...
It's nice being emancipated
Great
and I had just forgotten about those.
Thanks a heck of alot for reminding me.........
Depending how much work you do, sooner or later the 16 gauge will be a little light for whatever you're trying to nail. Then you're gonna say "sheesh, I should have bought the 15." But, if you buy the 15, you're going to want something smaller so you're gonna need an 18.
My advice . . . buy a 15 . . . and an 18. A 16 is too much of a compromise.
I use 15, 16 and 18 ga. If i only could chose one and it was for interior trim only it would be the 16. Makes a smaller hole, nails are way cheaper and are usually plenty stout for the task. The 16 ga. bostitch guns i have will shoot a 2.5" nail, just don't expect it to bury up in solid hardwood like the 15 ga. will. They will sink the long nails through trim, d-wall and framing no problem.