DeWalt 20V MAX XR Lithium-Ion Cordless Brushless 2-Speed 30° Paper Collated Framing Nailer (with 4.0Ah Battery & Charger)

Why I reached for this nailer

Cordless framing nailers have moved from “interesting” to “indispensable” on my jobs, especially for punch work, deck repair, and any framing that lives far from the truck. DeWalt’s DCN692—let’s just call it the DeWalt framing nailer—has been riding shotgun with me for months. I’ve run it through studs and plates in SPF, into LVL and PSL headers, and across sheathing and blocking where a hose would be a hassle. It’s not a perfect replacement for a high-end pneumatic on a big production crew, but it’s a serious tool with meaningful gains in portability and versatility.

Setup, ergonomics, and first impressions

The kit includes a 4.0Ah 20V battery, charger, and a bag, which gets you working right away. The rear-load magazine takes 30–34° paper-collated strips and holds 55 nails. Loading is straightforward, the follower is positive, and the nail angle is handy for corners and toe-nailing. I ran both DeWalt and Paslode 30° paper-tape nails in .113–.131 diameters, from 2 in. up to 3-1/2 in., without paper flaking or feed issues.

Ergonomically, it’s a big gun. The weight and bulk are what you’d expect from a cordless framer: usable, but you know you’re holding it. With the 4.0Ah pack, it balances slightly rear-heavy, which I prefer for toe-nailing and overhead work. The rafter/belt hook is robust and actually lands the tool securely on joists and ladder rails—something not every cordless nailer gets right. The nose has aggressive teeth for positive contact; DeWalt includes a non-marring tip when you need a cleaner surface. The depth wheel is large, glove-friendly, and the detents feel precise.

Powertrain and the two-speed advantage

The brushless motor and updated drive unit are the heart of the tool, and the two-speed selector is more than a gimmick. In speed 1, the nailer feels tuned for shorter fasteners and softer stock; it’s quieter, conserves battery, and keeps recoil manageable. Speed 2 steps up the authority for longer nails and denser lumber. The nailer has a brief ramp-up whir before each shot—typical of this class—but it’s consistent. In sequential mode, the cadence is predictable and feels controlled. In bump mode, it will keep up with sheathing runs, but you’ll still be a beat behind a high-end air gun with an eager compressor.

Driving power is solid. In SPF framing with 3-1/4 in. ring-shanks, I had to back off the depth dial to avoid sinking the heads an eighth below the surface. Into LVL, speed 2 with a fresh battery drives 3 in. smooth-shank nails flush with minimal fuss. The motor doesn’t hunt or stall when set up correctly; the nailer simply delivers the blow and resets quickly.

Trigger modes and precision

The selectable sequential and bump modes cover both careful placement and faster runs. For layout, headers, and toe-nailing, I stick with sequential; the thin nose profile and angled magazine help sight lines, and I can place nails with confidence. For sheathing, blocking, and repetitive fastening, bump mode saves time—just be aware that in very dense lumber, trying to outrun the tool can increase the chance of a stall. The contact trip is predictable and doesn’t require a lot of force to activate, which matters when you’re holding the gun in an awkward position.

Jams, stalls, and clearing

Any framer will eventually meet a stubborn nail. I intentionally pushed the nailer in speed 2 with long ring-shanks into a dense PSL to see how it behaved. I managed a stall when I got too enthusiastic in bump mode; flipping the stall release lever snapped the driver back, and I was good to go. The easy-access nosepiece makes clearing a jam straightforward, though I didn’t need it often. The dry-fire lockout works, sparing you from ghost shots and paper confetti when the stick runs low. Importantly, the procedure for clearing—battery out, magazine open, stall lever, then reset—is quick and tool-free.

Runtime and batteries

With the included 4.0Ah pack, I can get through a few hundred nails in mixed work—framing, blocking, and a bit of sheathing—before the cadence starts to soften. Expect fewer shots if you’re living in speed 2 with 3-1/2 in. nails; expect more if you’re running 2–3 in. fasteners in SPF. Charge time is about an hour on the included charger. For a full day of framing, I’d carry two 4.0Ah or a pair of 5.0Ah packs and keep one on the charger. If I’m doing punch work, a compact pack keeps the tool livelier and reduces fatigue. Cold mornings slow the ramp-up slightly—normal for lithium—but I didn’t encounter battery faults down to the high 30s Fahrenheit.

Balance, recoil, and fatigue

Recoil is controlled, and the nose stays planted without fighting you, especially in sequential mode. That said, you’ll feel the mass on long overhead runs or when you’re toe-nailing a lot at shoulder height. It’s not out of line for a cordless framer, but it’s a trade-off compared with a lightweight pneumatic on a swivel hose. The payoff is no compressor, no fuel cells, and a faster start to the workday.

Controls and small touches

• Depth adjustment: Accurate and repeatable. It’s easy to dial from sub-flush to perfectly flush, which matters for sheathing and structural connections that require specific embedment.
• Speed selector: Clearly labeled, easy to switch with gloves.
• Trigger lock-off: Positive and useful in the truck or when climbing a ladder between shots.
• Magazine and follower: Feeds consistently, and the rear-load design is easy to top off. The 55-nail capacity feels short when you’re flying, but it’s in line with most cordless framers.

Performance limits and best practices

• Dense engineered lumber: Use speed 2, fresh battery, and sequential mode for best results. If you get overzealous in bump mode, expect the occasional stall; the lever fixes it in seconds.
• Over-driving in softwood: This gun hits hard. Set the depth conservatively and test on scrap first, especially with ring-shanks.
• Nail selection: Stick with quality 30–34° paper tape strips. Cheap paper that sheds will become your problem in the feed path.
• Maintenance: Blow out paper dust from the magazine and nose, and keep the contact tip clean. That’s about it—no gas cells, no routine oiling like a pneu.

Where it excels

This nailer shines on remodels, deck builds, wall moves, attic and crawlspace work, and any job where dragging a hose is a tax on time and patience. It’s also a great backup when the compressor is tied up or down. The two-speed drive and consistent depth control make it trustworthy on structural connections as long as you set it up for the material at hand.

Where a pneumatic still wins

If you’re on a large crew shooting thousands of nails a day, a light, fast pneumatic with a big magazine and unlimited air still has the edge in flat-out production speed and reduced fatigue. This DeWalt keeps up impressively well for a cordless, but the ramp-up and weight are real considerations over long hours.

Reliability notes

My first sample started making an odd drive noise on day one; I swapped it and the replacement has been trouble-free through a mix of framing and exterior work. As with any cordless nailer, keep an eye on your battery health and don’t ignore early warning signs like inconsistent drive depth or slow spin-up; both usually point to a low pack or a need to clear debris.

The bottom line

DeWalt’s framing nailer brings dependable driving power, smart controls, and genuinely useful portability to framing and remodeling tasks. The brushless two-speed drive is more than marketing—it lets you tailor performance to nail size and material. Depth control is spot on, jam and stall management is quick, and the ergonomics, while hefty, are manageable with the 4.0Ah pack. Runtime is good enough for real work, and with a second battery you can comfortably run all day.

Recommendation: I recommend this nailer for remodelers, small crews, and anyone already invested in DeWalt 20V batteries who values mobility and setup speed. It’s strong, consistent, and thoughtfully designed. If your day-to-day is high-volume production framing where every second and ounce count, a pneumatic still makes sense as your primary. For everything else—from punch lists to full room additions—this DeWalt earns its spot on the truck.