# Porter Cable MS200 vs. Senco sns41



## akrenovate (Feb 27, 2011)

Hey all-

Looking at a new medium crown stapler and have narrowed my decisions down to these two. I tend to like the features of porter cable air tools, so much that almost all of my other nailers and staplers are porter cable, but I know that the senco staplers have a great rep and are reliable to the extreme. I'm not going to be firing a huge number of staples, but I don't like my tools to fail and I tend to be hard on tools (not on purpose of course). The features I like about the porter cable are the trigger switch from single to rapid fire, and the overall feel and balance of the tool. The senco I consider simply by reputation. I have considered the Hitachi, but it is the same price as the PC and therefore not worth it for me. I can get the sns 41 for about $50 less than the PC, but I don't want to give up features I like and have become accustomed to just to save a little cash...especially on a workhorse tool. 

I appreciate any advice or words of warning from those who have used both or either of these.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

Senco is not what it used to be. Senco was my go-to 15 years ago. Not any more. I have the SNS41, but haven't used it enough to give you a good long-term review. Not a PC fan either.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

I've been using Senco's for 35+ years.
Production to high end.
Crews that don't give a chit.
I'm not all that familiar with current models, but I vote for Senco just on my track record with them.:thumbsup:


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

senco has definitely gone downhill. pc even worse... i bought the newer 16 gauge nailer roughly a year and a half ago. after 6 or 7 houses its showing age already... not a good thing not to mention its a bit underpowereed. wouldnt surprise me if the rest of their nailers are the same


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## jkonks (Aug 28, 2010)

I love the senco framers but the ones I have are 15 Years old. The one framer I got is probably 25-30 years old I think it weighs 10 lbs!!!

As far as the new ones I dont know I never had to replace one yet.:thumbsup: 

And as far as finish go's I wouldnt bother with PC, It seams to me they moved into the HO bracket. Get bostich or paslode, Better quality.:thumbsup:


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## WilsonRMDL (Sep 4, 2007)

I have the sns45 and it's a sweet gun, I haven't used it enough to comment on durability. Even after sitting for long periods of time it idea every staple when I need it


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

I've owned a PC 7/16" medium crown stapler for several years and it has been fine for me, but I don’t use it relentlessly every day like a lot of guys would.

I have to admit, it’s nice, but still kind of surprising to hear guys praising PC pneumatic tools, because I can remember it wasn’t that long ago that most guys considered them to be not so good. The only reason I bought one is because back then the price was right and I figured no matter what, it would still be good enough for what I needed it to do.


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## akrenovate (Feb 27, 2011)

What about Dewalt? I can get their 7/16 stapler for cheap on amazon. What I don't like is that to switch from bump to single shot you have to switch triggers. Sounds like the pc isn't the way to go. For those who recommended bostitch, aren't their staples specific (1/2") and more expensive ? I've also heard that the paslodes jam with machine gun speed operation. Guess everything has it's issues with enough time, and nothing is built like it used to be.

Thanks for the input so far.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 17, 2008)

id avoid dewalt just as much as a harbour freight nailer. ive used roughly a dozen dewalt guns and only one didnt jamb up within the first 30 minutes of use


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## Andrew M. (May 25, 2008)

I have the PC and zero problems. Use it much less now that code requires 8D's in sheathing. I added a Skil saw hook. Well made , my gun is older, 10 years? , it was manuf. in Taiwan. Some newer PC guns look cheaply made, from China. As far as my DW guns, 15ga DA, 16ga, 18ga, no issues over about 10 years too. I use air filters, oil at least 2x per day and keep them clean. I oil the driver too. I use only quality fasteners, Senco , Hitachi or GripTite . I do not have an careless crew to deal with though. For the money I would get the DW, seen it for $120 at amazon at times.


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## Northwood (Jan 6, 2010)

Sorry but i would go with Hitachi. I have one and really like it and my co worker likes his. I got both from reconditionedsales.com. they said reconditioned but they looked new...

I have heard lots of mention of Omer (Italian company) as the best high end/production nailers and staplers. They look plain but I have read furniture companies use them because they are so reliable. You never see advertising but the tool store here that carries them simply says they are arguably the best nailers available.The price matches those descriptions though...

Try the Hitachi though they're almost free from that site


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## Andrew M. (May 25, 2008)

Recon .sales is excellent to buy from. The Hitachi guns, esp. those from Japan are top notch. Many Hitachi's [not my NR90AC3 though]you have to buy a $40 trigger kit if you want restrictive,and not easily changed back. w. the PC it is a easy turn of the dial. I do not always want bump fire on a construction stapler esp. if using it on a ladder.


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## akrenovate (Feb 27, 2011)

Well, I wound up finding a paslode s200-50 for $125 used in town. It's in good shape and the price was right. Thanks for all the input!

Cheers,

Chad


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## CO762 (Feb 22, 2010)

I got the senco and my only complaint is doubleshots, but I'm sure that's more operator error than anything else as I don't use it much. I think a lot of the larger box stores will discontinue contractor tools when there's a change coming out the following year, so i got my senco for $50 as it was a display, their last one.


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## jdorpaudi (Nov 11, 2010)

had a sns41. miss fired since new. i hated it and senco couldnt help me too much, said it was the staples i used and gave me some other bs about not using big enough hose and not the right pressure. also said it was the cold.
finally found a place that would deal with it and they took it on a trade for a hitachi, that thing is quieter and works 100%. much better
im sure other sencos are going to be better then the one i had.


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## roofcleaning (Jun 20, 2012)

*Senco SNS41 Stapler - recent user review- 2012*

I recently got a SENCO SNS 41 and it double fired and mis-fired from about the 50th staple on. It was a reconditioned gun from the SENCO factory supposedly and purchased the ?bay from a company C3p0 Inlet ( I changed their names a bit to not have unauthorized copyright issues with this site but you get the idea if your shopping for them).

Anyway, just had to vent a bit. I got the $ENC0 "N" 2" Stainless Steel stapes and also got some 2" Bright versions as well. I had planned on stapling some sheathing to a storage builing I am constructing but on another building that is already finished, I built a 8' wide by 8' ramp and had planned on nailing the decking boards but my nailer broke so I decided to use this remanufactured SENCO SNS41 stapler to give it a little break in workout. Well, this is the rundown of what happened next.

I was using this $ENCO with a $PEEDYAIRE 20 gallon gas compressor set at 80 psi initially and it has TWO pressure regulators on it, one is hard plumbed into the compressor and the second is a quick release setup that has a combo of pressure regulator, filter and catchbowl.

I put in 5 drops of pneumatic oil as the owners manual suggested. And then hooked the hose up to a 3/8" contractor grade 50 ft. hose.

I then added two 70 staple SS 2" $enco N style staples and proceeded to begin to staple the 1" 5-1/4" x 8' PT Zellowood decking. This SENCO stapler did great at first, sinking the 2" staples for the first 30 or so, then it misfired and jammed. I cleared the jam and tried again. 10 or so staples later, it again jammed. I did not have to clear the staple area it just hung up the first row of staples and the second had got lodged together with the first 25 or so stapler that were left.

And this is how it continued, every few staples, more jamming, misfiring, double shots, etc. It wouldn't run right after the first misfire.

And to be fair, I checked the pressure and it was still fine, actually, I dropped it down to 75 psi but it wasn't sinking the staples so i uped the pressure again back to 80 psi and it continued driving them till complete failure. 

In the end as I struggled to complete the decking board fastening project, the front quick release became very loose and wouldn't lock securely (there is no option for retightening the lock or relase mechanism unfortunately) so the front catch kept popping loose forcing the staples to jam and misfire (my diagnosis only). 

Finally, after the second row of staples and back and forth to the compressor check pressure levels and clearing the quick release of jammed staples (no, the firing plunger did not appear bent, warped or marred either) I fired it one last time before the staple gun completely failed and it wouldn't fire at all and air just continued to escape from the top of the staple gun thru the vent in the top (blown internal seal I suspect). Finally, I gave up at this point and called the company and they issued a return FEDNEXT pickup and finally a refund, thankfully. 

The long and short is that I own several other finish nailer by $enco ( I have had them for 5 years and moderate use) and though I have not used them for anything more than pinnailing trim and light duty narrow crown stapling this other $Senco nail guns and staplers have held up well, not like this POS $enco SNS41. Sorry $enco, on the staple gun I used and review briefly it gets a 2 stars out of 5. Why 2 starsd and not one? Well, I give it something for being lightweight and nice looking and what seemed to be well designed and for firing at least 100 staples before going completely KUPUT. 

Summary: I have read any and every review on other mfr.s and models and will probably be going with the Hitatcheese (Taiwan made) 2" Stapler or the Porterhouse CableTV MS200 based on reveiw and feature set.

Hope this experience helps some lucky "hammerswinger" from not making the same mistake I made by just going on past experience and the writups of journalists and writers who never "actually" used the product they are reviewing and writing so "positively" about.

Good Luck and happy stapling (with another staple gun other than the one I used hopefully


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Nice first post:thumbsup: welcome to the post:blink:



roofcleaning said:


> I recently got a SENCO SNS 41 and it double fired and mis-fired from about the 50th staple on. It was a reconditioned gun from the SENCO factory supposedly and purchased the ?bay from a company C3p0 Inlet ( I changed their names a bit to not have unauthorized copyright issues with this site but you get the idea if your shopping for them).
> 
> Anyway, just had to vent a bit. I got the $ENC0 "N" 2" Stainless Steel stapes and also got some 2" Bright versions as well. I had planned on stapling some sheathing to a storage builing I am constructing but on another building that is already finished, I built a 8' wide by 8' ramp and had planned on nailing the decking boards but my nailer broke so I decided to use this remanufactured SENCO SNS41 stapler to give it a little break in workout. Well, this is the rundown of what happened next.
> 
> ...


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