Made in the USA Milwaukee 12-Amp Sawzall Still Cutting Strong
The Milwaukee 12-amp Sawzall has been around for what seems like forever, but it’s still cutting strong and is still made right here in the good ole USA. We put it up against 6 other models in the 10 to 12-amp class to see how this classic name stands up.
Pros
- Outstanding thin-wall material-cutting speed
- Excellent vibration control
- Made in the USA
Cons
- Slowest cutting speed in nail-embedded wood
- Basic feature set
- Most expensive in its class
How Fast Does the Milwaukee 12-Amp Sawzall Cut?
We put our 10 – 12-amp reciprocating saws through a series of 3 tests: wood cutting, thin metal, and thick metal. You can check out the full details of each test on our best reciprocating saw.
In our nail-embedded wood test, Milwaukee cut the slowest. The range went from 12.86 seconds (Metabo HPT) to Milwaukee’s 28.86-second average. It’s a surprising result that was nearly 6 seconds slower than the next competitor up.
There’s no orbital action on this model and if Milwaukee decides to revisit the design, it would be an excellent upgrade that makes an immediate impact.
Things improve drastically for Milwaukee in metal cutting, though. In 2″ EMT, it was the fastest of the group, needing just 6.36 seconds on average to make the cut. Only Makita’s JR3050T managed to break the 7-second mark along with Milwaukee.
Finishing up with #5 rebar, the 12-amp Sawzall settled back down with a 14.19-second average. It finished in the middle between Makita’s 8.23-second average and Ridgid’s 18.74-second average at the bottom.
The takeaway here is that the Milwaukee 12-amp Sawzall is the best in its class when it comes to cutting thin-wall material like EMT, copper, and PVC. Its performance is decent in thicker metals, but you may want to look at a different model if you’re primarily cutting wood.
How Much Vibration Does It Have?
This Milwaukee Sawzall shines in its vibration control. After testing this and all of its competitors independently, our testing team ranked it in a tie for second behind Makita. Its vibration control score of 93 is solid.
The inherent vibration dampening of the saw is really important considering how good the saw is at metal cutting. Since so much of that is round pipe, it can be tougher to keep the shoe engaged for the entire cut and the extra dampening is welcome.
How Big is it?
At 7.6 pounds, the Milwaukee 12-amp Sawzall is right in the middle of the group. Ridgid’s RJ1861V is lightweight at 6.8 pounds and Metabo HPT’s CR13VST tips the scales at 8.7 pounds.
For length, Milwaukee is the longest at 19.2″. It’s less than 2″ away from DeWalt’s DWE305 at 17.5″. None of these saws are designed to be compact enough to work around tighter spaces, so it’s less likely that a longer saw will get in your way.
Still, the more powerful corded saws are even bigger, topping out at 21.9″ with both the 13-amp and 15-amp Skilsaw Buzzkill models.
Are There Other Features?
As an older model in this less powerful class, Milwaukee’s feature set is pretty basic. The only real feature of note compared to the others is a pivoting shoe. Several other features show up here and there on different saws in the group, though.
Missing Features
- Orbital action
- Adjustable speed dial
- Adjustable shoe
- Lever blade release
- Rafter hook
How Much Does it Cost?
You can pick up the Milwaukee 6519-31 from Acme Tools for $129. It’s the most expensive in its class by about $30. However, it’s a Made in the USA product that has a 5-year warranty most brands don’t meet or exceed.
The Bottom Line
While Milwaukee’s age shows compared to some of the newer reciprocating saws in this class, it’s still a relevant tool. It missed out on a top 3 finish by just a point. For a tool that’s more than 15 years old, it’s impressive.
Buy it if you’re primarily cutting thin-walled material and enjoy the pride of using Made in the USA tools. Pass if you’re looking for top-tier cutting performance in all materials.
Milwaukee 12-Amp Sawzall Specs
- Model Number: 6519-31
- Strokes Per Minute: 3000
- Stroke Length: 1-1/8″
- Keyless/Keyed Blade Change: Keyless
- Adjustable Shoe: Yes
- Variable Speed: Yes
- Orbital Action: No
- Cord Length: 96″
- Weight: 7.1 lbs
- Warranty: 5 years
- Price: $129
