The American Welding Society (AWS) has designated April as National Welding Month, and the idea is to bring awareness to the welding industry and its available career paths. Each month, we at PrimeWeld focus on an aspect of safety, welding methods, or equipment.
This time we are looking at the best welding guns of 2022. It’s our goal to make you aware of the personal protective equipment (PPE) that will keep you safe in your career and the best welding methods and equipment to help you become an expert welder.
Here is a short buying guide for choosing the best welding gun, followed by our recommendations for six guns that meet the criteria, including their pros, cons, and prices:
Buying guide for the best welding gun
It’s essential to ensure that the welding gun you buy meets your needs. This buying guide shows you each gun’s important features and helps you compare several options relatively easily.
Here’s what to look for:
- Power capacity: As you look at each gun, you’ll see a power rating. This rating is essentially how much power output you can expect from the gun when it’s connected to a similarly powerful welder. For instance: If you have a high-power welder, you should choose a high-capacity welding gun for maximum performance.
- Cable length: Another deciding factor is the cable length. If the cable is too short when welding large immovable structures, you’ll have to move your setup to complete the weld.
- Wire diameter: If the wire diameter you want to use exceeds the limit of the gun, you can’t feed the wire correctly. Check the gun’s wire limits to confirm it can handle your wire requirements.
Are MIG welding guns universal?
No. MIG welding guns vary considerably in quality, performance, and value. By purchasing a high-quality welding gun, you could avoid weld quality issues, excessive downtime, and premature equipment failures, resulting in long-term savings. It’s a good argument against buying only on price as a selling point.
Now, let’s try to answer the question, “What is the best MIG torch?” Since all welding guns are not created equal, we have made a list of the Best Welding Guns of 2022 to help you pick the one that’s right for you:
1. Rx Weld 100A MIG Welding Gun
The Rx Weld 100-amp welding gun and its 15-ft. cable are made from heat and abrasion-resistant material. It is a suitable replacement torch for several welder brands and is reasonably priced. It has a lightweight torch and a comfortable grip for those extended welding jobs.
With a reputation for high-quality construction, the Rx Weld 100A should also soon be known for its durability and longevity.
Pros:
- Lightweight welding gun
- 15-foot power cable
- Comfortable grip for long welding sessions
- Protective coating on the cable prevents scratches and cracks
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Some quality control issues
- The welding gun might not be suitable for the most demanding welding jobs
Price: $60.00
2. YesWelder 250-Amp MIG Welding Gun
YesWelder is a heavy-duty brand with many quality products, and the YesWelder 250A MIG welding gun is no exception. It supports .030” to .045” wire and has a 15-foot cable for large, immovable weldments and 250-amp power output for excellent welding results.
The high-quality MIG welding gun has a 60% duty cycle and is suitable for farm, shop, and home projects. It’s also excellent for heavy repairs, maintenance, and auto bodywork applications.
Pros:
- Feeds wire smoothly
- 15-foot power cable
- 250 amps of power
- A substantial list of compatible welders
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- The nozzle melts easily
- Not very durable
Price: $100.00
3. Happybuy 250-Amp M-25 MIG Welding Gun
HappyBuy is known as a heavy-duty brand, and this 250-amp welding gun fits right in with their reputation. With its massive power and 15-ft. cable, it’s ready for those large and impossible-to-move weldments. The gun supports .030” to .035” diameter wire and uses a high-quality pure copper oxygen-free cable, giving it the safest and most optimum performance.
With these features, you’ll get an ergonomic handle design that fits comfortably in your hand, avoiding slips that can lead to an accident. Also, the torch is flexible on end, allowing you to bend it to conform to the area and weld those hard-to-reach spots.
Pros:
- Pure copper oxygen-free 15-ft. cable
- Ergonomic handle design
- 250 amps of power
- Flexible-end torch
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Not the best option for smaller jobs
Price: $66.00
4. Ihayner K530-6 MIG Welding Gun
Although the Ihayner 100-amp K530-6 has a low sticker price, it has plenty of qualities to make it an ideal option for welders on a tight budget. The Ihayner has a 15-ft. cable, supports welding wire diameters of .024” to .032”, and is compatible with some major welding brands. The lightweight model weighs under 4 ½ pounds and features an insulated metal jacket along its gun tube.
While using CO2 gas, it is rated to have a 40% duty cycle, so if you are looking to do small projects such as minor repairs, this is the welding gun for you.
Pros:
- Lightweight design
- 15-foot power cable
- Insulated metal jacket along its gun tube
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- Low 40% duty cycle
- It might not be enough for more intense workflows
Price: $82.00
5. Lincoln Magnum 100L MIG Welding Gun
The Magnum 100-amp welding gun comes with a 10-ft. cable and is compatible with a wide range of machines. It comes with a 35-40-15 liner and feeds a welding gun with 0.030 to 0.035 diameter wire. The standard 0.030 tip is attached to the gun, and two extra tips are included. The welding gun has the Lincoln front-consumable 21 series nozzle and an 11 series tip.
Manufactured by Masterweld, the 100L has a heavy-duty design and has been individually inspected.
Pros:
- Lightweight at 4.06 pounds
- Lots of compatible machines
- Smooth wire feed
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- 10-foot power cable
- Warranty information is not readily available
Price: $63.00
6. WeldingCity 100-Amp MIG Welding Gun
Although WeldingCity is not an old and established brand, they provide value for their products, including their air-cooled MIG welding gun. It’s a lightweight gun for those small home and farm projects, auto bodywork, and other repair applications.
The gun is a replacement for some of the brand-name systems on the market, giving you the choice of a 100 or 150 amps and 10-ft. or 12-ft. cable length using .030” to .035” diameter wire. Its versatility comes from a 21-50 nozzle attached with an 11-50 tip and a 33-50 diffuser. And the 12-ft. cable makes it an option for larger outdoor welding projects.
All in all, it’s an excellent value for the price!
Pros:
- Lightweight at 4.56 pounds
- 150-amp optional heavy-duty power output
- Optional 12-ft. cable
- Reasonably priced
Cons:
- 10-foot power cable
- Warranty information is not readily available
Price: $58.00
What gun is best for welding aluminum?
If you’re looking for the best gun for aluminum MIG welding, look no further than the PrimeWeld Spool Gun for Aluminum MIG Welding. This welding gun was designed for and is compatible with PrimeWeld MIG180 180-Amp MIG Welder and MTS200 200 Amp 3-in-1 Welder. Shipped with a one-pound spool of .030” aluminum wire, the gun provides a steady aluminum wire feed during welding.
Use reverse polarity, electrode positive, and 100% argon, and you will get excellent results with this spool gun.
Choose a welding gun that meets your needs
Remember that picking a MIG weld gun according to your welding project’s requirements always makes the most sense. Once you have determined your needs, choose the highest-quality MIG welding gun, preferably from our reviewed list. A premium gun will give you the best possible performance while helping you avoid premature failures and expensive downtime. It will save you time and money on repairs or replacement, ultimately reducing the total cost of welding.
Leave a comment 0 comments, be the first!