# nail guns & nails



## koodawg (Dec 6, 2010)

Just bought a pair of Hitachi pneumatic nailers; NT50AE2 and NT65MA2. I have no experience with nail guns so I've done a bit of reading, found good reviews on these two and picked 'em up.

My question is about getting the correct nails for these Hitachi guns. The manual says to buy only Hitachi nails. Well that seems ridiculous since I see no Hitachi brand nails anywhere online or brick and mortar.

I have found Swan Secure brand nails that claim compatibility with a number of nail guns. On the packaging of the SS brand nails it says work with (amoung a dozen other brands) 

Swan1: Hitachi NT65AA, NT54MA 
Swan2: Hitachi NT50Ae

Well those are real close to my actual gun models NT65MA2 and NT50AE2 - just missing the "2" at the end.

The size of the nails are correct this I know, 15 & 18 guage and proper length and angle. The only thing I'm wondering about is the shape of the head. The Hitachi manual shows a drawing of nails with a squared off head but the Swan nails are sorta half round, round with half cut off.

My question is does it matter? I will just try them if I don't get a good answer but I wanted to look for answers first.

Thanks


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

you can run any nail you want as long as they are the correct gauge and angle. brads are brands so any 18g brad will work. the angle finish nailer should say what angle it is somewhere on the box or in the instructions. i can't remember if 15g nailers come in multiple angles like framing guns do. if they do buy the angle your book says, if they don't any angled 15g nail will work. the air nailer isle at HD and lowes usually has quite a few choices

most air nails use a rectangle head, so, if yours aren't try one, worst case it jams and you pull it out.


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## koodawg (Dec 6, 2010)

That sounds good. I'm a bit on the retentive side and I like to understand all the nuances of things before I leap.

As far as I can tell there is only 1 angle of 15 guage, I didn't see any choices of angles and my gun docs actually don't mention the angle. In any case the nails I bought, fit.

I tried the nails I picked up and they worked w/out a problem so I'm all good.

Many thanks


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## Hohn (Jun 16, 2010)

My local Lowe's carries the Hitachi 15ga collated finish nails. I picked up the 15ga angle nailer (hitachi) there when it was on sale. I think it's the NT65MA2-- great finish nailer.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

koodawg said:


> As far as I can tell there is only 1 angle of 15 guage, I didn't see any choices of angles and my gun docs actually don't mention the angle. In any case the nails I bought, fit.Many thanks


Not an expert but I think your choices are angled or straight. I don't think there are different degrees of angle. On the upside, it would become obvious before any damage could be done. You could not fit angled nails into a straight gun or vice versa.


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