Milwaukee makes the best hand drills, PERIOD! It's miles better than others in its range. It's the only one in this price range with a metal gearbox. I had a Makita that was made by screwing 2 plastic pieces together, and eventually, the grease seeps thru and discolors the enclosure. This Milwaukee includes a side handle which is much more helpful than you would imagine. The drill is front-heavy and has a lot of torque, so you'll be happy you've got it. It also includes an extra set of brushes (which you will probably never wear out) that are user-changeable. The keyless chuck can be tightened at least as thoroughly as a keyed one. The hinged trigger is very nice and allows precise control of the speed. This drill was designed for industry and being constantly beaten up, I'm sure it will outlast me. I use it every weekend in the wood shop and have never found it lacking in any way. (And I'm picky!) Also, it's got grooves in the top sides for your thumb and index finger so you can get your palm right behind the chuck to push straight towards the work and squeeze the trigger with your pinky and ring fingers. If you're deciding on whether this is worth the $30 or $40 extra over an equivalent DeWalt or Makita, it is. The only way I'd consider getting a drill other than this one is if you drill nothing but large holes. If you plan on using it as a screwdriver, forget it. It's too fast by the time you get enough torque up. You'll twist off and strip screw heads, gaurunteed. You're best bet is to get a good cordless (DeWalt or Makita here) for that and keep this as your main drill. I cannot recommend this drill highly enough.
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br /Long-term addition: I've had this drill for a few years now and there is one thing I should mention. If you may need it for the type of work where you need to have one hand holding your work while drilling with the other, you may want to get something lighter and smaller. I think Milwaukee makes a Holeshooter that is not called "Magnum". It has a smaller motor. Anyhow, between this drill and my Makita 12V 3/8" Ni-MH cordless things are pretty much covered. If I were to do it again, I would probably get the Milwaukee with the 1/2" chuck side handle for the heavy duty stuff and a good 12 or 14.4 cordless for everything else. Just keep in mind that the 1/2" chuck on the Milwaukees won't take super-small bits.
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br /Feb 23, 2008 Update
br /Well, I've had this drill for 8 years now, and I still love it. It still looks and performs as new. The speed range is perfect for woodworking. The only thing missing is one of Milwaukee's famous hard cases. The drill itself is easy enough to put on a shelf, but the damned side handle will not stay put if you put it down somewhere; it rolls all over the place. Milwaukee would do well to make the flared guard area hexagonal or something that wouldn't be so prone to rolling.

Using this drill is shear bliss! The balance, the comfortable grip, the genius power/speed ratio, the extreme durability, the butter-smooth operation... In other words, it's a typical Milwaukee tool. This drill is made for drilling fast holes and driving screws. It is not made for conrete, stone, thick tile, etc. drilling. Get Milwaukee's 1/2" hammerdrill for that with more power and less speed. It also is not for drywall screw driving. Get Milwaukee's drywall screw shooter for that with it's super speed and clutch. I have used it for those purposes as well, however, and it performed exceptionally considering it wasn't made for those purposes. I have even used it with 2 1/2" masonry hole saws.brPrevious to this drill I owned a Craftsman. I burned it up quick rebuilding my home. I burned up several other craftsman tools as well. I bought this drill on some advice from a carpenter tradesman, and since using this drill have replaced my other wimpy craftsman tools with Milwaukee. You'll do the same after the first Milwaukee tool you use.

This is the best corded drill that I have ever owned, or ever used, period! It has incredible power and torque, rugged construction and excellent design. The large smooth trigger allows precise control of the variable speed option. pUntil now, I have never really been all that excited about a drill as I thought they were all about the same. I was wrong, this drill is far better than I expected. This drill "shoots holes" into metal very quickly, even with cheap drill bits. The keyless chuck works perfectly.pMy only "complaint" (if it is a complaint) is that you can't use this drill as a power screwdriver. It's high torque and speed will twist the head off the screw, or you will over drive the screw into whatever material you are working with. The only other "problem" is that once you buy a Milwaukee product, you will become "hooked" on them. I have already replaced my old cordless drill, jig saw and circular saw, that were other brands of lesser quality, with Milwaukee products. I would buy this drill again in a heartbeat.

Excellent handling, life and power. Standard tool in the trade for commercial electricians.

I recently purchased the Milwaukee 0233-20 3/8" Magnum drill. I had first purchased another brand which was on sale. I tried to save a few bucks, and as usual it came back and bit me.The other drill was a real dog. Absolute junk. I returned it, got my money back, and did what I should have done in the first place. I bought a Milwaukee. The Milwaukee gives me slow, smooth starts which is great for starting holes in very precise places. It also gives me the high speed I needed for drilling pocket holes with my Kreg jig. The Milwaukee drill is buttery smooth. Just like my other Milwaukee tools it's built solid, and it WORKS! Another case of "you get what you pay for." If you're in the market for a 3/8" variable speed drill don't waste your time...just buy the Milwaukee to begin with and you'll be happy plus by getting a high quality tool it'll be a long time (if ever) before you have to replace it. No, I don't work for Milwaukee or get paid by them. It's just my 2 cents worth of opinion.

I am sure it's just me, but I was a little disappointed- if I wanted a copy of a Milwaukee, I would have bought a Makita. The chuck is cheesy (sorry) the cord seems borrowed from a cheap TV, the direction switch feels like it's gonna break each time I use it. Maybe the Milwaukee 3/8 I remember using a while back was an older model. I am sure the essential guts and geabox in this unit are still bulletproof, but the daily details have been neglected and it was this I noticed immediately and unrelentingly. So for another $30 or so I can buy a proper cord and a nice Jacobs chuck and have.. what?

This was my first Milwaukee drill. I liked it so much that I bought a 1/2 in. also. I am happy with both, as they are absolutly quality machines. Don't buy the cheap junk first like I did. These drills will be around long after you are not. I have never seen a better drill.

You won't be disappointed with this Milwaukee drill! I am pleased with the toughness of this tool. The keyless chuck is very easy and quick to use. The screw-in side handle makes it easy for my 8-year-old boy to help with projects too.

After years of cheap drills, I finally decided to try a nice one. Wow! Not only does this drill do everything I need a 3/8 drill to do, it is so smooth that it is a pleasure to operate, even after two years. The keyless chuck has never slipped; the motor will stall first (but only on ridiculously long drill bits designed for a larger drill). There's no turning back. I wish I would have bought tools like this years ago. They are actually a better value, after you have smoked a few cheaper tools.

Nice balance and plenty of power. The cartridge replacement brushes is a nice touch. I bought it to drill pocket holes. I had been using a 14.4 cordless and it just wasn't getting it done. The Milwaukee just sails trough the task.

I have owned and used many drills but this is definitely the best 3/8" drill for the price I've ever used. It is constructed ike the more expensive Milwaukee Magnum drills that are industry standard in many trades. I am not necessarily a big fan of all Milwaukee tools but they do build them good and it is nearly impossible to buy a better drill than theirs.pI noticed someone comment on it being hard to drive screws... just be easy on the trigger! I've used it for driving screws just fine (watch the RPM's this drill produces) and for drilling in metal and wood since I've bought it. Smooth, smooth smooth! Just a great all-around tool.pThe closest thing to a gripe about it is the trigger switch is a little large for my preference, and I never thought that the Magnum series drills had that comfortable of handle. Adding a speed adjustment dial to control RPM's on the trigger would be nice as well. The weight is probably a little higher than other drills in this range but considering it's the Hummer of the hi-speed 3/8" drill market that's OK.pIf you're considering getting a 3/8" hi-RPM universal-use corded drill: this is the one. You won't be disappointed. It's more than worth the few (and I mean just a few) bucks more than the competition.

I agree with most everyone here that the quality of this drill is top notch. I've used it for drilling metal and hardwood with no problems as yet. I've done a bit of wire wheel grinding too, but keep it to a minimum as I have burned out drills in the past doing that.
br /I was a bit dissapointed with it out of the box though. Specifically the trigger lock didn't work properly - it wouldn't move low enough to hold the trigger. I had to take apart the drill handle and shave some of the plastic down to get it functioning. Not my idea of a good time. The two cases didn't line up very well which may have had something to do with it. Also, as others have said, the forward / reverse switch is a bit flimsy.
br /I returned a dewalt to buy this Milwaukee. Didn't much like the dewalt at all - full plastic case, no side handle, plastic chuck, made in china, with questionable details. The few extra bucks for the Milwaukee buys a lot. A case would be nice, but I prefer use that case money for a tool that is designed to not need one.

This drill has great torque, it will twist your hand off if you use the the old "hold the lock ring while you spin the chuck to tighten the bit" method. I could do that with my battery powered Dewalt 18 volt drill without incident. Using this drill you better not do it!
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br /This drill will handle anything you throw at it, but I greatly dislike the chuck. You can not get it as tight as a normal keyed chuck and some of the materials I drill though cause the bit to slip. It is especially prevalent with the small sized bits.
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br /I would give this drill 5 stars if the chuck was keyed!
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I bought this drill before moving into a new apartment and it has served me very, very well. Even without an impact element, it made easy work of up to 5" of brick and concrete to secure some shelves and, with the cobalt bits I purchased Milwaukee 48-89-0045 13 Piece 1/16-Inch to 1/4-Inch Cobalt Twist Drill Bit Assortment in Metal Index it moves effortlessly through all wood types, plaster, etc. The side grip works well for touch jobs and it really feels and acts like a solid piece of machinery. Highlights: Made in the USA and the serial number is stamped onto a plate that's riveted to the chasis. Now that's a drill.

I purchased this drill for it's 2800 RPM capability. The build quality is very good. The power is amazing for a small lightweight drill. The brush changing system is the easiest design I've seen in a electric hand tool. If you are in the market for a quality drill this is the one to buy.

i agree with the folks on here who say milwaukee makes the best drills. this one replaces a dewalt i had for several years which finally bit the dusk. compared to that one, i think this is made much better. in this age of cordless tools, it's still worth it to have a quality old fashion corded drill. this is a nice one

Over the years I have owned a great number of drills. My first ever drill was a 3/8 Milwaukee hole shooter, is still my favorite and in 18 yrs is still working as good as ever with a cord change the only maintenance required. I purchased this new drill hoping for the same quality and was pleased to find it still there.

A former Dewalt owner. The Milwaukee 3/8 is good drill. I'm going to ding it because after a short time using a grinder attachment to remove rust, the front metal housing gets HOT. The drill appears to be well built. Ready to take my abuse. Small normal drilling jobs will be no problem. But like I say, my drill usually take some serious abuse.