Metallics QTEKD18 10 x 1-1/4 in. 5/16 Head Quadrive Self-Drilling & Tapping Screws - #2 Drill Point - Domestic Steel Zinc - Each

That's what the #2 drill point on the Metallics QTEKD18 is for. It cuts its own hole and taps its own thread in one pass, so no pilot hole is needed on light-gauge steel studs, track, and sheet metal. A #2 point is the general-purpose size for thin to medium light-gauge steel; for heavy structural steel you want a larger drill point.

Yes. The QTEKD18 is domestic steel and made in the USA, which is what buyers on public and federally funded work need when the spec calls for domestically produced fasteners.

It has a 5/16 in. hex washer head with a Quadrive drive, so a 5/16 in. magnetic hex driver in a screw gun or impact driver is the normal way to run them. The Quadrive feature also lets a square-recess bit engage the head if you can't get a socket into a tight spot.

The QTEKD18 is domestic steel with a zinc plating, which is a standard indoor and protected-location finish. It resists handling and normal interior humidity but zinc plating is not a marine or long-term direct-weather coating, so for exposed exterior or corrosive settings choose a screw with a coating rated for outdoor use.

Yes, that's the common use. A #10 hex-head self-driller like the QTEKD18 is what electricians run for box mounting brackets, strap, clips, and light bracketry into steel studs and sheet metal, since it drills and taps in one shot with a 5/16 driver and needs no anchor. It is not a concrete or drywall-only anchor, so masonry and unbacked gypsum need a different fastener.

Order Metallics part number QTEKD18. That's the #10 diameter, 1-1/4 in. long screw with the 5/16 hex Quadrive head and #2 drill point in zinc-plated domestic steel.