Get the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2746-20 if:
- You’re on M18 batteries already, or starting fresh and want the 5-year warranty.
- You run a lot of trim and want shots with no ramp-up delay.
- You nail hardwood trim often.
The short answer
Longer warranty, nitrogen air spring? Milwaukee
Low-nail lockout, DeWalt batteries? DeWalt
On paper these two are very close. Both drive 18-gauge brads from 5/8 in. to 2-1/8 in., hold 110 nails, weigh about 5.3 lb without a battery, and switch between sequential and bump firing. Milwaukee drives nails with a sealed nitrogen air spring and says there’s no ramp-up time. DeWalt adds a low-nail lockout so it won’t dry fire. Milwaukee’s warranty is longer (5 years vs 3).
Best for the warranty
Pick the Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2746-20 if
- You want the longer warranty: 5 years vs 3.
- You want no wait between shots. Milwaukee says it fires with zero ramp-up time.
- You nail into hardwood trim. Milwaukee says it sinks nails consistently in hard and soft woods.
Tool only 2746-20: nailer. No battery.
Check the Milwaukee nailer on AmazonBest for DeWalt 20V owners
Pick the DeWalt DCN680B if
- You already own DeWalt 20V MAX batteries.
- You don’t want blank shots. A low-nail lockout stops it from firing when the magazine runs low.
- You want a tool-free stall release lever to reset the driver if it stalls.
Tool only DCN680B: nailer. No battery.
Check the DeWalt nailer on AmazonBefore you buy: I compared the two bare tools. When I checked on Oct 8, 2026, both listings were sold by third-party sellers, not Amazon. Milwaukee’s warranty covers tools bought from an authorized Milwaukee distributor. Listings change, so check who the seller is and that it’s new before you order.
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Key specs
1Milwaukee 2746-20
spec rows won
spec rows won
1DeWalt DCN680B
spec rows won
spec rows won
10even or
unclear
unclear
This counts the rows below where one is clearly better. It’s a tally, not an overall rating. Ten of twelve rows are a tie, so battery platform and warranty will decide this for most people.
A green check means that number or feature is clearly better. No check means it's a tie, the gap is tiny, or the makers measure it differently. Every figure comes from Milwaukee or DeWalt, not from Amazon.
| Milwaukee 2746-20 | DeWalt DCN680B | |
|---|---|---|
| Gauge | 18 | 18 |
| Nail lengths | 5/8–2-1/8 in. | 5/8–2-1/8 in. |
| Magazine | 110 nails | 110 nails |
| Collation | 0° (straight) | Straight |
| Firing modes | Sequential and contact (bump) | Sequential and bump |
| Drive | Nitrogen air spring, brushless motor | Brushless motor |
| Weight, no battery | 5.35 lb | 5.3 lb |
| Depth adjustment | Tool-free | Tool-free |
| Jams and stalls | Jam latch | Tool-free jam release and stall release lever |
| Dry-fire lockout | Not listed | Low-nail lockout |
| Lights | LED work light | LEDs with diagnostics |
| Tool warranty | 5 years | 3 years plus 1 year free service |
Spec notes
- Weight: Milwaukee’s spec page lists 5.35 lb and DeWalt’s manual lists 5.3 lb, both without a battery. A 0.05 lb gap isn’t scored.
- Drive: Milwaukee describes a nitrogen air spring with zero ramp-up time. DeWalt’s page and manual don’t describe the drive beyond the brushless motor, so the row isn’t scored.
What it can handle
These are common finish-nailing jobs, checked against each maker’s nail range and listed features. I haven’t tested either nailer. If a job needs a nail outside the published range, it gets a CAN’T.
- Can do Inside the maker's limits, with what's in the box
- Just barely At the maker's limit, or needs a part sold separately
- Can’t Past the maker's limit, or not something they support
| Job | Milwaukee 2746-20 | DeWalt DCN680B |
|---|---|---|
| Trim | ||
| Baseboard (2" brads) | Can doInside its 5/8–2-1/8 in. range. | Can doInside its 5/8–2-1/8 in. range. |
| Door casing | Can doInside its nail range. | Can doInside its nail range; DeWalt lists casing. |
| Crown | Can doInside its nail range. | Can doDeWalt lists kitchen crown. |
| Small work | ||
| Picture frames | Can doTakes brads as short as 5/8 in. | Can doTakes brads as short as 5/8 in. |
| Cabinet backs (1/4") | Can do5/8 in. brads through 1/4 in. plywood. | Can do5/8 in. brads through 1/4 in. plywood. |
| Limits | ||
| Hardwood | Can doMilwaukee says it sinks nails consistently in hard and soft woods. | Can doTool-free depth setting; DeWalt warns against extremely hard woods and knots. |
| Long nails (2-1/2") | Can’tPast its 2-1/8 in. max. | Can’tPast its 2-1/8 in. max. |
| Dry-fire lockout | Can’tMilwaukee doesn’t list one. | Can doLow-nail lockout prevents blank shots. |
Nail ranges are the makers’ limits. Use a 15 or 16 gauge finish nailer for heavier trim and anything that needs longer nails.
Notes and sources
How the verdicts were made: nail range, magazine, and modes come from each operator’s manual; feature claims come from the product pages. Nothing here comes from hands-on testing or owner reviews.
Hardwood: Milwaukee makes a specific hard-and-soft-wood claim. DeWalt doesn’t mention hardwood, and its manual’s safety section warns against driving into extremely hard woods or knots. Both get CAN DO for ordinary hardwood trim.
Sources:
- Milwaukee 2746-20 product page and specs: milwaukeetool.com
- Milwaukee 2746-20 operator’s manual (nail range, magazine, modes): 58-14-0142d2.pdf
- Milwaukee warranty (5-year power tool): milwaukeetool.com/support/warranty
- DeWalt DCN680B product page and specs: dewalt.com
- DeWalt DCN680 instruction manual (specs, weight): N496636_DCN680.pdf
Battery platform: what else runs on it
These two are so close that your batteries will likely decide it. The packs don’t cross over between brands.
Milwaukee M18
The 2746-20 runs on M18 REDLITHIUM packs, the same packs as Milwaukee’s M18 drills, saws, and routers.
DeWalt 20V MAX
The DCN680B runs on DeWalt 20V MAX packs, the same packs as DeWalt’s 20V MAX drills, saws, and routers.
Who should buy which
Get the DeWalt DCN680B if:
- You’re on DeWalt 20V MAX batteries already.
- You want the tool to lock out before it fires blanks and dents your trim.
- You like a dedicated stall release lever.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Skip it if
Skip the Milwaukee 2746-20
if you already own DeWalt 20V batteries. The two nailers are close enough that a second battery system isn’t worth it.
Skip the DeWalt DCN680B
if you’re on M18 already, or a 5-year warranty matters to you.
Questions about this pair
Is the Milwaukee or DeWalt brad nailer better?
On the makers’ specs they’re nearly identical: same nail range, same 110-nail magazine, about the same weight. Milwaukee has the longer warranty and DeWalt lists a low-nail lockout.
What nail sizes do they take?
Both take 18-gauge brads from 5/8 in. to 2-1/8 in.
Do they need a compressor?
No. Both are battery powered. Milwaukee uses a sealed nitrogen air spring, and neither needs gas cartridges or a hose.
Do they come with a battery?
No. Both listings here are tool only.
Spec notes
- Amazon listings compared: Milwaukee 2746-20 tool only (B0B9FJTDSC) and DeWalt DCN680B tool only (B06XF6MZJ5). Both are bare tools, so this is tool against tool.
- The Milwaukee Amazon title calls it a “Gen II” nailer and doesn’t show a brand name in the title; the listing’s brand is Milwaukee and the model number is 2746-20. A second Milwaukee listing (B07VYJQ1KP) shows no model number, so it wasn’t used.
Specs checked October 8, 2026 against Milwaukee's and DeWalt's own pages and manuals. Links are in "Notes and sources" under the chart above.