Metallics DWS7B 8 x 2-1/2 in. Bugle Head Phillips Drywall Screws - Steel Black Phosphate - Fine Threads - Each

Fine thread is the metal-stud screw. The DWS7B runs 15 threads per inch with a UNF fine thread and a sharp point, and Metallics lists its field application as hardwood, light gauge steel and light gauge aluminum. For board over standard wood framing, a coarse thread drywall screw bites faster and holds better. Note the sharp point: it self-pierces light gauge steel but it is not a self-drilling point, so heavier gauge steel studs need a drill point screw instead.

These ship as a box with an order minimum of 2,500 each, so the box is the buying unit. Box weight is listed at 27 lbs. Metallics states other sizes and quantities are available by request if 2,500 of the 2-1/2 inch is more than the job needs.

No. Black phosphate on AISI 1018 steel is a dry interior finish only, it gives mild handling and friction protection, not corrosion resistance. Keep the DWS7B inside the building envelope. For exterior sheathing, soffits, wet rooms or anything exposed to weather, use a coated or stainless exterior screw instead.

No. The DWS7B is listed as not Buy American compliant and not ARRA compliant, with country of origin recorded as multiple. On a federally funded or Buy America specified project, these will not satisfy the domestic sourcing requirement.

Phillips drive, #2 driver size, and three #2 power bits come in the box. That is the standard drywall gun bit, so most crews already have a holder that accepts it. Recess depth is 0.124 in. with a recess diameter of 0.176 to 0.201 in., which is why a worn #2 bit cams out and chews the head instead of seating it.

That is what the bugle head is for. The DWS7B head measures 0.315 to 0.363 in. across with a head height of 0.020 to 0.039 in., so the curved underside compresses the paper and dimples it rather than cutting it, letting the head sit just below the surface for mud. Metallics notes there is no single industry standard for bugle head dimensions, so treat those figures as a guide.

Hardness is rated Rockwell C44, which is the case-hardened range drywall screws are heat treated to so the sharp point pierces light gauge steel and aluminum without the shank twisting off. Run the gun at drywall speed with a depth-setting nose; over-torquing a hardened screw past seating is what usually snaps heads, not the stud.

Not for structural or load-carrying work. The DWS7B is a drywall screw, hardened to Rockwell C44, which makes it brittle in shear and bending compared with a structural fastener. Use it to attach board to hardwood, light gauge steel or light gauge aluminum. Cabinets, ledgers, blocking and anything carrying load should get a proper construction or structural screw or a through-bolt.