HammerShot 0.22 Caliber Single Shot Tool

This tool is conceptually simple. However, despite my best efforts I could not get it to perform properly, or at all. Everything from a simple tap to a full blow from my hammer would not actuate the action. The one time I got it to fire, it failed to drive a 2 1/2” pin completely, leaving it about 1/2” up. (This was through PT 2x4 and 40 year old concrete slab) I promptly returned this tool as non functional. I’m just a DIYer and don’t see the need to buy an expensive tool I won’t use for more than this current project, but I’d recommend something else. Perhaps just paying to rent one.

It's not fancy, it's not automatic, but it gets the job done. I'm a homeowner not a contractor and my need for punching nails through cement is limited. I couldn't justify spending over three times as much for a more user-friendly version and, quite frankly, I'm glad I didn't. This thing works fine. It is reliable, safe, and consistent. The striking plate for the hammer is large enough that with a little practice it only takes one swing and it fires. I'm using it to frame walls in my basement gym and I agree with what another reviewer said about using the correct charge cartridge. I purchased both number 3 and 4's and did some experimenting. The number 4 easily drives 2 1/2" inch nails through a 2x4 into my basement floor. The number 3's were not nearly as effective. For the tool itself, it works for me. I'm giving it a 4 star because occasionally the spent cartridge sticks in the barrel and it's sort of a pain to get it to eject properly when that happens. I just keep a small pliers with me when I'm using it to pry it out. It's an inconvenience more than a nuisance, and overall I'm quite happy with my decision.

We used this when framing walls to finish our basement. We bought 3" nails for it. On the portions of the floor with new concrete it worked very well and drove the nails all the way in. In the 50 year old concrete areas the nail made a dent in the concrete and then bent over. We ended up using a combination of this and Tapcon screws depending on which concrete we were attaching to. Overall it was worth the money because it saved us time on a good portion of the attachments we needed to make.

I purhased this tool to use as intended, attaching 2x4's to concrete as i am a tile contractor and build a lot of master bahrooms and kitchens. I was framing into a 18" box in the foundation around the shower center drain, glueing and attaching via these 2-1/2" stud nails. Ive used these many times before. I read the instructions anyways. After a normal load and a single shot by my 1lb wussy hammer, it fired and blew the piston straight out the end and mushroomed the orange cusion and washer, it did drive the nail, about 1/2" in below the stud surface. I was using the yellow .22 cartidges as its described. Now i have to go back to HD 55 minutes away and try and exhange it for a higher model that hopedully will do its job. Dont be cheap. A lesson I already knew but figured since i almost never need this tool I wluld get my use out of it.

*I attached a short clip of the tool in action I purchased this tool because my Brother needed help framing up his basement and I knew from MY experience that nailing/screwing into concrete is no fun so I suggested that we give this tool a try since it was so affordable. I bought this tool, a pack of 100 rounds and 25 2.5" nails. All in all it was about $35 to get started which is great. We bought the tool with the intention of nailing through treated 2x4s into the poured concrete slab in the basement as well as the cinder block walls at times and for those purposes it was perfect. You pull the barrel out just like a bolt action rifle, load a round, then gently and slowly close the chamber (i learned that if you try to do this quickly the round will pop out and kind of get lodged in the barrel funny and you'll have a misfire..). The best way to load it gently is what I called "seppuku" style (google image search that). Keep the butt in your sternum and at a slight angle, pull the barrel in towards the chest to close. It's simple to use, you just load the round, put the nail in the tip, put on goggles and earplugs of course, and then place the tip on the surface that you intend to fasten, make sure the tip of the tool is flush with the surface of what you're fastening, then with your free hand using a hammer, you give it a good whack right on the button. Moderate force is best, too light and the nail wont drive all the way, too much and it'll punch through too much. In my experience I found that too MUCH was better than too little because, although sometimes you can drive the nail the rest of thew way, sometimes you can't, and even when the nail is a little too deep, it's definitely fastened well.. The ONLY reason I didn't give this 5 of 5 is because of the trouble I had with brick. We bent 3 nails while attempting to nail into brick so that was a bit frustrating, so we ended up aiming for the mortar lines and it worked well there and it felt snug. Summary: This tool is an amazing value, and the concept is so simple and effective. It just uses the combustion energy from the .22 round and drives the nail using that explosive force. It's ellegant in it's simplicity. Buy this tool if you have a small job and you need to nail into concrete. If it's a bigger basement or something, I would consider going with the trigger version of this although I don't have experience with it, I would definitely trust it based on this lower end version. Cheers

Providing you seelct the right cartridge, this is a very effective tool. Also fun to use. I attached 2x4s to a concrete block wall and it worked beautifully.

Finishing my basement in one room used the blue tapcon screws Which I've used for years Decided to buy this To do the remainder of the basement Wish I had this a long time ago will Save you a lot of time and aggravation. This is the best way to fasten anything into concrete

They worked good , boards all up.

Had to do everything just right, and once I figured everything out it worked great.