DeWalt IMPACT READY Titanium Nitride Coating Drill Bit

Why I reached for this bit

I grabbed the 5/16-inch DeWalt Impact Ready bit for a gate repair that required a dozen clean holes through 3/16-inch mild-steel angle and a few through galvanized posts. I wanted to run it in an impact driver to keep the setup light and mobile. From the first squeeze of the trigger, it set the tone: fast, controllable starts without a center punch and chips clearing cleanly enough that I wasn’t constantly pecking to unload the flutes.

This is a single-piece, titanium nitride–coated bit with a pilot/split point and a 1/4-inch hex shank designed for impact drivers. That combination is exactly what I hoped it would be in the field—durable at the shank, steady at the tip, and reasonably wear-resistant in a mix of metals and wood.

Tip design and tracking

The pilot point is the biggest usability upgrade if you’re used to conventional split-point bits. On flat stock, the bit bites where you place it. I could start holes on painted angle iron without a center punch and still hit layout marks accurately. It also minimized skating on round tubing once I flattened a small spot with a file. Burrs were lighter than I typically see with standard jobber bits, and the exit side of the holes in mild steel was surprisingly tidy when I backed the workpiece.

In thin sheet metal, the pilot point still helps, but backing the material makes a big difference. Without backing, I saw a bit more blowout than in plate; with a sacrificial block underneath, edges were clean.

Speed, torque, and chip evacuation

I ran the bit primarily in a midrange 18V impact driver. At lower RPMs, you can keep the hammering to a minimum and let the bit cut; the geometry clears chips efficiently in steel and aluminum. When the driver started to impact under higher load, chip evacuation stayed acceptable, but heat climbed quickly. In a drill/driver at around 1200 RPM with cutting oil, the bit felt happiest in mild steel—steady chips, minimal chatter, and a smooth feed.

A few practical notes from use:
- Let the bit do the work. If the driver starts hammering hard, back off, add lubricant, and reengage.
- Pecking every few seconds in deeper holes prevented chips from packing and kept the flute from polishing with heat.
- In aluminum and plastics, higher RPMs with light pressure produced the cleanest holes and prevented melting or galling.

Durability and coating

The one-piece construction matters. There’s no brazed joint between a hex shank and the bit body, so there’s one less failure point. After a couple dozen holes in 3/16-inch mild steel and a handful in galvanized, the bit still tracked straight with no visible wobble at the shank. The titanium nitride coating held up well along the cutting lips early on; by the time I crossed roughly 40–50 holes in steel, the gold finish at the primary edges had dulled, which is normal. Cutting performance was still solid, though feed pressure needed to creep up slightly to maintain speed.

The manufacturer claims up to five times the durability versus two-piece bits. I can’t quantify that precisely, but I can say the bit never loosened, and I didn’t experience the shank spin-out or joint failure that cheaper hex-shank bits sometimes suffer. In a real-world, mixed-material workload, that counts.

One caveat: like most pilot-point HSS bits, this isn’t easy to resharpen accurately at home. Once it’s dull, it’s usually replacement time. That’s a tradeoff for the self-centering tip geometry.

Material performance

• Mild steel: This is the sweet spot. With cutting oil and moderate RPM, the bit cut quickly and left round, true holes. It handled repeated holes in angle iron and flat bar without chipping.
• Stainless steel: It will do limited work in thinner 304, but it’s not the right bit for frequent stainless drilling. Heat builds quickly, and the edge dulls faster. For regular stainless, a cobalt bit at lower RPM is a better choice.
• Aluminum: Excellent. Chips clear easily, and the finish is clean. Keep RPMs up and pressure light.
• Wood: Works fine, though the pilot point doesn’t replace a brad point in tearout-sensitive applications. For structural holes, it’s fast and clean.
• Plastics: Good results if you reduce RPM to avoid melting and back the exit side to minimize breakout.

Impact driver vs. drill

Impact driver compatibility is the headline, and in practice it’s genuinely useful. If you keep speeds moderate and avoid constant hammering, the bit performs very well in an impact driver, especially overhead or in tight spots where a drill feels bulky. For precision or thicker stock, a drill/driver with a clutch and fixed RPM still offers better control and heat management. I ended up switching between the two depending on the situation: impact for access and speed, drill for sustained steel work and finish quality.

What could be better

• Not a stainless specialist: Expect significantly shorter life in stainless, especially without coolant. That’s typical for TiN-coated HSS, but worth noting.
• Sharpening: The pilot point geometry is a maintenance hurdle. If you rely on resharpening to stretch bit life, you’ll be disappointed.
• Heat sensitivity under impact: Run an impact driver too hard, and you’ll lose the coating and edge faster. This isn’t a flaw so much as a reminder that “impact ready” doesn’t negate basic drilling technique.

Value

At around $12 for a single 5/16-inch bit, the price lands in the middle of the pro-sumer bracket. You’re paying for the one-piece construction, impact-ready shank, and a geometry that saves time by reducing walk and rework. If you routinely snap cheaper two-piece hex-shank bits at the joint—or you want to carry fewer tools by drilling with an impact driver—the durability and convenience justify the cost. If your work leans heavily into stainless or hardened steels, you’ll get better value from a cobalt or carbide solution tailored to that material.

Tips for best results

• Use cutting fluid in steel. You’ll feel the difference immediately.
• Keep RPM moderate and pressure steady; avoid hammering until you’re deep into the cut.
• Back thin materials to control blowout and burrs.
• Peck on deeper holes to clear chips and control heat.
• If accuracy is critical, start with a drill/driver; switch to the impact when access or speed matters.

Bottom line

The DeWalt Impact Ready bit is a practical, sturdy option if you want a single-piece hex-shank bit that genuinely plays well with an impact driver. The pilot point saves time by starting true without a punch, chip evacuation is competent, and the one-piece shank inspires confidence during high-torque starts. In mild steel, aluminum, wood, and plastics, it delivered clean, consistent holes and held its edge for a respectable run before showing normal wear. It’s not the right choice for frequent stainless work, and it doesn’t lend itself to easy resharpening, but within its intended lane it’s efficient and reliable.

Recommendation: I recommend this bit for anyone who drills 5/16-inch holes in mild steel and mixed materials and wants the flexibility to use an impact driver without sacrificing accuracy. The combination of one-piece construction, pilot-point control, and reasonable wear resistance makes it a dependable, cost-effective addition to a jobsite or farm kit. If your primary workload is stainless or hardened steels, go cobalt instead; otherwise, this is a smart, work-ready pick.