Impact Driver Bits

[Jason28]

I just got myself a Milwaukee M12 impact driver and I'm wondering if I need special bits for it. It seems all the articles I find on the subject are from 2015 and earlier, so I'm looking for recent experience. I use mostly Robertson drive bits, though I do use star drive, the occasional combo square/Phillips and straight Phillips. Thoughts?

[fredhargis]

The Milwaukee Shock Wave bits are very good.

[AUswimKC]

makita gold

[sweensdv2]

Another Milwaukee Shock Wave fan here.

[Cecil]

Makita gold double ended bits.  Masterful idea.  Being double ended, you get a second bit for a few cents more!  I generally carry a marker with me, or have one close by, and I can mark the worn out end, so that I don't use it any more.

[Robert Adams]

Use whatever you want. Some and i mean some of the impact grade ones are a little better but i havent found them to last appreciably longer than regular bits.  

       The ridgid impact ones were junk. The milwaukee were on par with a quality standard driver bit. The klein bits are among the best of the impact grade ones i have used but again they are pricey but imo the best bit out there. 

      But typically i buy the dewalt 4 packs of bits during the holidays and buy enough at those times to hopefully supply me for the year. One is drill bits that are decent for the price. 

     
       The biggest contributor to bit life is not the bit type its the user. A good user will have bits that last. Now my friend who is a bull in a china shop will destroy any bit in short order. Work on technique and any bit will last a decent time with the exception of the really soft ones like at dollar stores or come with cheap tools.

[Bill Holt]

Another vote for Milwaukee Shock Wave.

[museumguy]

Milwaukee shockwave, yep, use them ever day. Highly recommend.

[JDuke]

Use whatever you want. Some and i mean some of the impact grade ones are a little better but i havent found them to last appreciably longer than regular bits.

The ridgid impact ones were junk. The milwaukee were on par with a quality standard driver bit. The klein bits are among the best of the impact grade ones i have used but again they are pricey but imo the best bit out there.

But typically i buy the dewalt 4 packs of bits during the holidays and buy enough at those times to hopefully supply me for the year. One is drill bits that are decent for the price.


The biggest contributor to bit life is not the bit type its the user. A good user will have bits that last. Now my friend who is a bull in a china shop will destroy any bit in short order. Work on technique and any bit will last a decent time with the exception of the really soft ones like at dollar stores or come with cheap tools.



This is pretty much what I came to post.

Duke

[Steve N]

A while back I got pretty aggravated with the crap bits that were made in Chiner. I switched to Wera and Wiha bits, both German made IIRC, cost a little more too, but they just keep going, no more 15 screws and pitch the bit.

For your M12 you want 1/4" drive, and you will be good. Generally just saying "driver bits" is going to get you what you want, but with those Chinese products, who's to tell?

Wera USA click here


Wiha USA click here


You can Google around for the best price using the specific name of the product. Wiha's tend to be the lower priced, and from what I can see both are extremely durable when compared to their Chinese Cousins.