Bosch SDS-plus Bulldog Anchor Drive Installation Kit

What this kit is and why I reached for it

Bosch’s Bulldog kit is a straightforward way to handle common concrete fastening without juggling multiple tools and accessories. It’s a set of SDS-plus rotary hammer bits sized for the anchors most of us actually use, with a 1/4-inch hex shoulder that works with a drive sleeve so you can drill the hole and then set the screw anchor without swapping tools. I put it to work on a handful of jobs: mounting ledger angles to a block wall, hanging electrical boxes on tilt-up panels, and fastening cleats into poured concrete.

Setup and compatibility

I ran the bits in two different SDS-plus hammers: a compact 18V brushless cordless and a corded 1-inch rotary hammer. The shanks lock up tight in both, with no unusual runout. The kit covers the anchor sizes I use most—5/32, 3/16, 1/4, and 5/16 inch—and includes short and long options. The short bits are handy for Tapcon-style screw anchors with shallow embedment, while the longer bits give you reach and depth for sleeve and wedge anchors.

The standout feature is the 1/4-inch hex shoulder machined behind the flute. Pair it with a compatible hex drive sleeve and you can drive hex-head masonry screws right after drilling, using the same tool. It’s not a gimmick; on repetitive installs where you’re constantly alternating between drilling and driving, it saves time and reduces the number of tools on your belt.

Drilling performance in concrete and block

In medium-strength poured concrete (around 4,000 psi) the bits bite quickly. The centric, conical carbide tip starts cleanly with very little skating, even on a smooth, steel-troweled surface. In CMU block, the bits track straight through the face shell and don’t blow out the webbing as long as you let the hammer do the work. On a lift, drilling above shoulder height, the shorter bits are easier to control and produce less wobble—no surprise there.

Hole sizing is consistent. I checked several 3/16-inch holes with pin gauges, and they ran true to size within a couple thousandths. That matters for screw anchors; oversized holes reduce holding power and lead to spinners. The carbide tip geometry seems optimized for straight, shallow, accurate holes, and that carries over to the longer bits as well.

Dust evacuation is fine for standard flutes. These aren’t hollow dust-extraction bits, so you’ll still want to blow out the holes. I had the best results with a quick triple-clean cycle: drill to depth, back the bit out to clear chips, run it again briefly to ream out fines, then use compressed air or a bulb to clean the hole. Doing that kept embedments consistent and anchor torque right where it should be.

The anchor-setting workflow

The hex-shoulder/drive-sleeve combo makes sense if you’re setting a lot of screw anchors. After drilling, I slipped the hex sleeve onto the bit’s shoulder, set my hammer to rotation only, and drove 3/16 and 1/4-inch hex-head screws without switching to an impact driver. Alignment is excellent because the bit you just used becomes a guide; the screw starts square to the hole, which cuts down on head wobble and reduces strip-outs.

A couple of notes from use:
- Use rotation-only when driving. Leaving the hammer engaged is a good way to wreck screws and bits.
- Keep the sleeve clean. Concrete dust inside the sleeve can bind on the shoulder and make removal annoying.
- For longer fasteners, the long bits give you the reach so the sleeve can still engage the hex head comfortably.

If you rarely use screw anchors, the shoulder feature won’t add much for you. But on repetitive runs—hanging strut, clips, or conduit clamps—it’s genuinely efficient.

Durability and wear

Carbide tips held up well in normal concrete. Across roughly 60 holes in 3/16 and 1/4-inch, I didn’t see chipping or significant dulling. The 5/16-inch long bit went through eight wedge-anchor holes in poured concrete without drama, and the tip still looked sharp. In older, aggregate-heavy concrete, progress slowed but stayed predictable.

One caveat: the smallest diameter bit is easy to snap if you side-load it. I broke a short 5/32-inch by trying to lever out a small chip mid-hole—operator error. Thin bits don’t tolerate prying. If you’re drilling into rebar, you’ll know it; the bit will chatter and progress will stall. Stop, reposition, or use a rebar cutter. The shoulder section is also a point of stress if you get aggressive with lateral pressure. Keep the bit straight, let the hammer strike, and withdraw periodically to clear dust; you’ll get better life.

The shanks show normal polishing from the chuck rollers, no galling. Flutes remain clean if you avoid overheating. I occasionally dipped the bit in water to knock down heat on long runs; it’s not strictly necessary, but it helps in hot climates and extends edge life.

Accuracy and hole quality

What impressed me most is how consistently the bits track. The centering geometry reduces wandering when you start a hole on smooth concrete, and it pays off in cleaner entry and roundness. That translates to anchors that set to spec without over-torquing. I measured a few 1/4-inch screw anchors after setting; torque values were within the manufacturer’s range with no signs of spin-out. That tells me the hole size and roundness are right where they should be.

Blowout at exit is minimal if you reduce pressure as you break through. In hollow block, feather the trigger when you get near the far shell; you’ll keep edges intact and still get proper embedment.

Ergonomics and storage

The bits are balanced and don’t introduce noticeable vibration beyond the hammer’s own impact. The short bits make overhead work much easier. The kit I bought came in a compact plastic case that actually holds a few extra loose bits; simple, but it keeps sizes sorted and reduces time hunting for the right diameter on site.

Limitations and what I’d change

• No dust-extraction option: Standard flutes are fine, but you’ll still be blowing out holes. A companion dust-extraction sleeve or a hollow-bit option would be welcome for code-compliant adhesive anchors and cleaner environments.
• Small-diameter fragility: The 5/32-inch is effective but unforgiving. A slightly more robust neck or an extra spare in that size would be practical, given how often it’s used for 3/16-inch screw anchors.
• Sleeve availability: The hex shoulder shines with the matching drive sleeve. Depending on how your kit is bundled, you may need to source the sleeve separately. It’s worth having if you set screw anchors regularly.

Who it’s for

• Electricians and low-voltage techs running continuous anchors for clips and boxes.
• Facility teams doing maintenance in concrete-heavy buildings.
• Remodelers hanging ledger angles, brackets, and cleats in poured concrete or CMU.
• Anyone who prefers an SDS-plus hammer as their primary for both drilling and driving masonry screws.

If you only occasionally set anchors and typically reach for an impact driver after drilling, the shoulder feature is less compelling. In that case, the kit still functions as a solid set of SDS-plus bits, but you won’t be squeezing all the value out of it.

Tips for best results

• Let the hammer work. Use steady pressure; don’t lean hard, especially on the smallest diameters.
• Clear dust often. Drill, withdraw, reinsert briefly, then blow out. You’ll get tighter anchors and less heat.
• Avoid side load. Keep the bit straight; don’t use it as a pry bar.
• Use rotation-only for driving anchors with the sleeve.
• Mind rebar. If you hit steel, stop and adjust—or switch to a rebar cutter to avoid chipping the carbide.

Recommendation

I recommend the Bulldog kit for anyone who installs a meaningful number of concrete fasteners and wants to streamline the drill-drive cycle with an SDS-plus hammer. The bits drill clean, size accurately, and the hex shoulder/sleeve workflow is genuinely faster on repetitive tasks. Durability is solid for carbide SDS-plus bits, with the expected caution on small diameters: keep your technique clean and avoid side loading, and they hold up well.

If your work seldom involves screw anchors or you already have a dust-extraction system tied to hollow bits, this kit is less compelling. But for everyday concrete fastening—especially Tapcon-style screws and common wedge/sleeve anchors—the Bulldog kit earns a place in the case.