PORTER-CABLE FR350A Round Head 2-Inch to 3-1/2-Inch Framing Nailer

I have plans to begin finishing out my basement in the near future. After researching several different brands of framing nailers, I decided on this one based on the overwhelming number of positive reviews it received. After only breaking it in, I can tell you that I can see why everyone has such good things to say about this nailer. It is without a doubt a quality, powerful, confidence-inspiring piece of equipment that anyone would be proud to own.I bought it right after I purchased the Porter-Cable CFFN250N combo kit. After breaking in the compressor (very important I might add), I set the regulator at 100 psi, and connected and loaded the nailer with 3" .120 coated framing nails. I found a couple of scraps of 2x4, stacked them one on top of the other, and let her go. At 100 psi, and with no adjustment to the gun right out of the box, it went through both pieces and sank the first nail perfectly flush, no problem! After a few more test shots, I gave the depth adjustment on the gun a quarter turn just to see what difference it would make. At the same pressure, it put the head of the nail slightly below the surface of the wood, just as it should. As expected, there was quite a bit more recoil with a nailer this size, and I found that just a little more pressure on the board helped when firing a nail. After all, it is shooting a 3" nail in one shot! I also changed the trigger to the "contact actuation" mode, which shoots a nail every time you touch the tip to the wood. This is a great feature, but as one other reviewer noted, I would suggest using it with caution. In the hands of someone unfamiliar with it's operation, it could be very dangerous! Nevertheless, it worked flawlessly, and all initial indications are that this gun will serve me well for many years to come. It's amazing what having the right equipment can do for your confidence level, especially if you're an amateur like me!On a side note, I was also very pleased to see that such an affordable and relatively small compressor (2HP, 6 gallons) could produce more than enough pressure to power this gun. The compressor will produce 135 psi, and the gun's operating range is from 70-120 psi. As noted above, I had no problem with 3" nails at 100 psi.Also, I can't say enough about the deal I got here at Amazon on this nailer. I caught it on a good day at less than $200, ordered the 17-piece accessory kit with it, took advanatage of the $25 off and free shipping offer, and still came out almost $50 cheaper than I would've paid for the nailer alone at the big orange store!Thanks Amazon. You are an asset to the online shopping community!

I recently bought the FR350A as a companion to my well loved, 8 year old FR350 that has shot tens of thousands of nails through the construction of at least 5 houses and two restaurants. As a general contractor, I have come to rely on Porter Cable for no nonsense, well designed, reliable tools. This nailer is definitely a disappointment. The most prominent design change is the nail rack. On the original FR350, you pull open the magazine feeder and lock it at the back of the rack. this leaves an opening in which to drop the strips. On the FR350A, you have to feed them into the rack and past the feeder. This results in jams when any strip isnt perfectly straight and intact. Also, since you cant open the rack, you cant just let any incomplete strips fall out the back of the gun. It also makes it very difficult to clear jams. Additionally, when plugged in side by side with my older FR350, at the same pressure, the new one didn't drive nails nearly as hard or deep, even with the flush tip set all the way up. The sign at the Depot said "New Lower Price!" I can only imagine how they achieved that price drop, it certainly wasn't by making the tool better. I'll be returning this asap and buying the Hitachi, even though it's $100 more.

The documentation for this product was a little confusing with regards to the type of nails that were required / recommended. I purchased the typical 21 degree plastic collated nails from Home Depot. Absolutely no jams. the nails worked very well. I used this with a 6 gallon Porter Tank. I found it a lot easier to adjust the pressure for the tool at the tank in order to get the depth of the nail just right, versus using the adjustment on the gun. You will find the depth will vary on you, but after several hours of use I realized the rubber guard on the end of the guide is not a great design and will easily come off or become crooked and therefore will prevent you from getting a firm seat against the wood, thus modify your nail depth. I simply removed the rubber guard, it comes off very easily, and goes back on very easily. This allowed for a firm seat and a consistent nail depth. This thing is heavy and you will need to man up with several hours of use. Being tired or not holding the nail gun firmly will also cause the depth of the nail to vary. Also it is very loud, so ear protection may be necessary, or just warn everyone before you use it.Overall I give it five stars, because despite the loudness and the rubber guard, it works, and works well, and for the price it cannot be beat. Allowed us to build a 10 x 10 Storage shed with 2x4 16 inchs on center with custom made rafters, in one weekend. And the price is almost unbeatable, makes me wonder what exactly would be the difference for a nail gun that is double the price.Anyway, for weekend warriors on a budget this is the nail gun for you.

This is the first framing nailer I have used or owned. It worked great with HardiePlank fiber cement siding. The only minor issue is that when I first attach the air hose to begin working, about 50% of the time it seems to underpower the first nail and I have to drive it in with a hammer. I have reduced that happening to maybe only 15% of the time by attaching, removing and reattaching the air hose when getting started. It's as if it needs some coaxing to get going.For the siding I use 2" x .113, 21 degree Grip Rite hot galvanized round heads I buy at Lowes or Home Depot. I also use same source & brand 3" nails for occasional framing I have to do replacing dry rotted boards.I definitely recommend the PC FR350A.