Bosch SDS-plus Bulldog Rotary Hammer Bit

Why I reached for the Bulldog bit

I spend a lot of time drilling anchor holes in concrete and block—Tapcons in 3/16 and 1/4, wedge anchors in 3/8 and 1/2—and I don’t baby consumables. I want bits that start where I put them, clear dust predictably, and stay within tolerance long enough to finish a task without swapping mid-job. The Bulldog SDS‑plus bit hits those notes reliably. It’s not a premium, four-cutter rebar‑eater, but for day‑to‑day concrete and masonry work it’s a solid performer with some thoughtful features that actually matter on site.

Design and build

• Shank and interface: It’s SDS‑plus, so it only fits a rotary hammer with an SDS‑plus chuck. That also means positive engagement, no spinning in the chuck, and quick changes. Don’t expect it to work in a standard three‑jaw drill.
• Cutting head: A carbide tip brazed to a steel body. It’s a classic two‑cutter geometry, which is what I’d expect at this price point. My samples showed clean brazing and consistent tip alignment.
• Centric tip: A slightly raised pilot geometry at the center helps the bit find its path and resist skating on harder concrete.
• Flutes: The spiral is a touch deeper and a bit more open than older “basic” bits. That translates to decent dust evacuation and lower operating temps on medium‑depth holes.
• Wear marks: Two small marks near the tip show when the cutting diameter has worn past ANSI tolerance for anchors. If you do code‑compliant anchor installs, this is more than a gimmick—it’s a quick go/no‑go cue.

Fit and finish are what I expect from a mainstream pro brand. The shank machining is consistent, and any cosmetic casting marks at the tail don’t affect function. The bits arrive straight, and runout at the tip was minimal on my hammers.

In use: concrete and masonry

I ran a spread of sizes—5/32, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2—in a 8‑amp SDS‑plus rotary hammer. Material was a mix of 3000–4000 psi slab, CMU block, and poured foundation wall.

• Starting accuracy: The centric tip helps. On cured slab with a proper punch mark, the 3/16 and 1/4 sizes stayed on layout without skating. On CMU faces, I could start cleanly even without a punch, though I still recommend marking if cosmetics matter.
• Speed: Boring pace is solid, not blistering. In 3/16 Tapcon holes, I averaged 4–6 seconds per hole to 1‑3/4 inch depth. The 1/2 inch holes for wedge anchors in slab took around 18–25 seconds to 4 inches. That’s comfortably in the “productive” range for a two‑cutter.
• Hole quality: Walls are clean enough for anchors to spec, and I didn’t see excessive bell‑mouthing. Dust clears well on short to medium depths. On the longer 18‑inch bits, you’ll still want to feather the trigger and back out periodically to evacuate spoil.

In masonry block, the bit cuts quickly with minimal blowout, particularly at 5/32 and 3/16. In poured concrete, performance is predictable; it stays on line and doesn’t chatter much unless you hit aggregate.

Accuracy for anchor work

This is where the wear marks earn their keep. Oversized holes lead to anchor slip and failed pull tests. I measured the new 3/8 and 1/2 bits with a micrometer at the cutting edges; both came in just under nominal, as they should. After a couple dozen holes in harder slab, the 3/8 bit was still within tolerance, and the wear indicator was easy to read without removing the bit from the chuck.

For Tapcon pilots (5/32 and 3/16), these bits maintained snug anchor fit for a good run. I retired one 5/32 size when it reached the wear mark after roughly 60 holes in mixed slab and CMU. That’s acceptable life for a two‑cutter used without water and with periodic backing out for dust.

Heat and chip evacuation

The flute geometry is a bit more aggressive than older Bulldogs I’ve used. On medium lengths (6–8 inches), dust clears well and the bit stays cooler to the touch between holes. On deep holes (12 inches and beyond), you still need to pulse and withdraw to maintain speed and keep temps down—no surprise there. I noticed less binding than with generic import bits, especially in damp CMU cores.

If you use a hollow‑core dust extraction bit on other jobs, know this isn’t that—it won’t read like a vacuum‑assisted system. But paired with an external dust shroud and a vac, cleanup was manageable and the flutes didn’t clog.

Durability and rebar encounters

Wear life is good for the category. The carbide survives everyday aggregate contact without chipping. As with most two‑cutters, rebar is the weak spot. I kissed #4 bar once with a 1/2 inch bit; the tip blunted slightly and drilling slowed, though the bit remained usable for non‑critical holes. If you routinely intersect reinforcement or drill in high‑strength concrete, step up to a four‑cutter design. For light‑to‑medium duty fastening work, these hold up fine.

Shank durability is what it should be—no galling in the chuck and no spline wear after multiple swaps. The longer 18‑ and 24‑inch sizes do flex; keep the hammer square to the surface and don’t lever them or you’ll introduce wobble at the tip.

Sizes and lengths that matter

The lineup covers the usual suspects:

• 5/32 and 3/16 for Tapcon pilots, typically in 4–8 inch total length.
• 1/4 for larger concrete screws and plastic anchors.
• 3/8 and 1/2 for wedge and sleeve anchors, with 6–18 inch total lengths common.
• Larger sizes like 5/8 and 3/4 are available in longer lengths for pass‑through fastening or stand‑off mounts.

Working lengths are generous relative to total length—for example, a 1/2 x 12 has around 10 inches of working flute. Plan your depth with that in mind; you generally don’t want to bury the flutes right up to the shank transition.

Compatibility and setup

• Only for SDS‑plus rotary hammers; not compatible with SDS‑max or standard chucks.
• Use rotation + hammer mode. Straight rotation will glaze the tip and waste your time.
• Let the hammer do the work—too much feed pressure increases heat and slows cutting.
• Back out periodically on deeper holes to clear dust and preserve speed.

Value and pack options

Individually, the bits are priced fairly for what you get. Multi‑packs make sense for high‑consumption sizes like 3/16 and 1/4; I like keeping a five‑pack in the kit so I can rotate bits when one heats up. You can buy long lengths à la carte for the occasional deep hole without buying an expensive specialty set.

What could be better

• Rebar tolerance: As a two‑cutter, it’s not designed to chew through steel. If you hit bar often, this isn’t your bit.
• Deep‑hole evacuation: While improved, the flutes still require careful technique on 12‑inch‑plus bores.
• Tip life in high‑PSI concrete: In 5000+ psi, life drops faster. A premium four‑cutter will outlast it in that environment.

None of these are deal‑breakers for general anchoring tasks, but they’re worth knowing so you match the bit to the job.

Tips for best results

• Mark the layout and start at lower impact rate for the first second to let the centric tip seat, then ramp up.
• Clear dust at half depth and again near final depth; your holes will be cleaner and your anchors will hold better.
• Watch the wear marks. If you’re installing code‑compliant anchors, retire the bit when it crosses the indicator.
• Keep a spare of your most‑used size on hand. Swapping to a cool bit mid‑run often saves time overall.

Recommendation

I recommend the Bulldog SDS‑plus bit for anyone doing routine concrete and masonry fastening with an SDS‑plus rotary hammer. It starts accurately, holds ANSI hole tolerance long enough to finish real‑world tasks, and runs cooler than bargain bits thanks to better fluting. The wear marks are genuinely useful for anchor work, and the size/length range covers most needs. It’s not the right choice if you routinely drill through rebar or demand premium bit life in very hard concrete—there, a four‑cutter design is worth the upgrade. For light‑to‑medium duty drilling, though, these bits deliver dependable performance at a fair price, and they’ve earned a spot in my anchor kit.