Metallics DWS4B 6 x 15/8 in. Bugle Head Phillips Drywall Screws - Steel Black Phosphate - Fine Threads - Each

Fine thread is the metal-stud choice. The DWS4B runs 18 threads per inch with a sharp point, and Metallics lists its field application as hardwood, light gauge steel and light gauge aluminum. For wood studs on standard framing, a coarse thread drywall screw bites faster and holds better in softwood. Note the sharp point means it is for light gauge steel only, not heavier structural studs where a self-drilling point is needed.

No. Black phosphate is a dry-use coating only, with minimal corrosion resistance. The DWS4B is AISI 1018 steel with a black phosphate finish, intended for interior gypsum board work. For exterior soffits, wet rooms, or cement board, use a corrosion-resistant coated or stainless fastener instead.

No. The DWS4B is not Buy American compliant and is not ARRA compliant, with country of origin listed as multiple. On a federally funded job with domestic sourcing requirements, this part will not satisfy the spec.

They take a #2 Phillips bit, and three #2 drive power bits ship free in the box, so no separate bit purchase is needed to start. The Phillips recess is 0.106 in. deep with a 0.176 to 0.201 in. diameter, which is standard #2 geometry, so any #2 Phillips drywall bit or dimpler will seat correctly.

The bugle head is a curved countersink that compresses the paper face without tearing it, so the screw seats flush and the head can be mudded over. On the DWS4B the head measures 0.315 to 0.347 in. across with a head height of 0.020 to 0.031 in., low enough to finish over with compound. A pan or flat head would leave a proud edge that telegraphs through the joint compound.

The DWS4B ships as a 5,000 piece box, and 5,000 each is the order minimum, so it is a bulk pack rather than a small count. Metallics lists other sizes and quantities in the DWS line on request. A single box weighs 23.4 lbs.

The DWS4B is case hardened to Rockwell C44, which is the hardness range that lets a sharp point drill its own way into light gauge steel and aluminum without the tip rolling over. Drive it at a moderate speed with a depth-setting clutch; over-driving at high RPM is what shears drywall screws, not the material. For heavier gauge steel, step up to a self-drilling point fastener.

Not as a structural fastener. The DWS4B is a hardened, brittle gypsum board screw with a thin bugle head designed to pull board tight and be finished over, not to carry shear or pull-out load. Use a proper machine screw, lag, or box-mounting fastener for electrical boxes, hangers, and fixtures. The DWS4B is good for fastening board to hardwood, light gauge steel, and light gauge aluminum substrates.