Best (within reason ($)) 1/2" impact and 3/8" air ratchet?

[95stroked1500]

i used IR for years. good guns. since money is an issue, i vote for IR in your case. should do everything you need it to. worked well for all auto use i did and also most heavy equip applications.

although i used a 1/2" snap on impact to take off a 1 1/4" nut that i put on with a 3/4" IR. (note- socket size was MUCH bigger than 1 1/4" and i had to 1/2" to 3/4" adapt up)

 

[82355]

but I'll tell you I've got the 1/2 and 3/8" new design snap-on guns. and I am impressed. I forget the model numbers but they're serious contenders now. little more money, but maybe down the line/

Yeah, I have the new Snap-On 3/8", and I am less impressed than I thought I would be. It is about right on par with my Matco rebadged IR 3/8". It is a much better gun than the worthless Blue Point I had at one time though.

A buddy of mine, got the new 1/2" Snap-On, and it put every IR in our shop to shame when I was working at Interstate. Snap-On has come a long way with their impacts.

Martin

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

I have the Mac/Aircat 1/2 inch. Like the gun, lots of power, kind of noisy so I wear my hearing muffs more. About the only bitch I have is that after a long day of heavy use I can feel the vibration from it in my hands.

On the price of the snapon vs anyone else. Snapon lists for $600 and everyone else seems to be about 350~400. Truck price is $290 to 325 around here for the most part without trade. Snappy had a good trade going last month for his 1/2 inch, 395 for his with the trade of any 1/2 inch gun of any condition.

 

[sanddragon2004]

check craigslist!

but id have to say the IR stuff rocks. I have a 15 year old 1/2" IR gun that works great and has given me years of trouble free service and i beat the hell out of that gun.