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Makita drywall screwdriver depth adjustment

Updated: 24 October 2026

The paper on the plasterboard tells you the nose is wrong, usually on the first screw. Makita drywall screwdriver depth adjustment on an FS4300-family gun is a lock ring, not a number you guess on the finished wall. Unplug, set the ring, drive one screw in a scrap of the same board, then leave that setting alone. This page does not rank the guns in the [Makita drywall screwdriver comparison](/hub/hand-tools/makita-drywall-screwdriver). The DFS251Z and the XSF04Z have their own noses. Do not copy this ring onto them. Peter F. did not lab-test a dimple depth. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The paper on the plasterboard tells you the nose is wrong, usually on the first screw. Makita drywall screwdriver depth adjustment on an FS4300-family gun is a lock ring, not a number you guess on the finished wall.

Our top picks

Makita Makita DFS251Z

Best overall

Makita Makita DFS251Z
8.9/10about £129.43
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Makita Makita FS4300/2

Rank 2

Makita Makita FS4300/2
9.2/10about £119.99
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Makita Makita XSF04Z

Alternative

Makita Makita XSF04Z
7.1/10about £294.98
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Unplug before you touch the nose
  2. 2.A is more depth, B is less, 2.0 mm a turn
  3. 3.One screw in a scrap
  4. 4.When the clutch clicks, stop pushing

Unplug before you touch the nose

Switch the gun off and unplug it before you turn the locator. The FS4300-family manual puts that first because the bit spins as soon as the locator is pushed back on a live tool. The locator should sit just proud of the screw head when the depth is right, and the clutch should cut in as the head reaches that point. FS4300 reviewers say the collar is easy to knock. Set it on purpose, and glance at it again after you carry the gun. Which model you bought is the buying guide. If the tool is a DFS251Z or an XSF04Z, stop. Those bodies have their own locators.

A is more depth, B is less, 2.0 mm a turn

On the FS4300-family manual, one full turn of the lock ring moves the nose by 2.0 mm. A is more depth. B is less depth. More depth sends the screw head further past the face. Less depth leaves the head proud. A wider FS4000 sheet describes X-suffix models at 1.5 mm per turn, with the letters the other way. Do not use those letters on an FS4300/2. Start from the manual's gap of about 1 mm between the locator tip and the screw head. A full turn is a lot on 12.5 mm board.
Makita Makita DFS251Z

Testsieger

Makita Makita DFS251Z
8.9/10about £129.43
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One screw in a scrap

Use an offcut of the same board, on the same stud material, before you touch the wall you want to keep. A rule of thumb for ordinary board is that the screw should be at least 10 mm longer than the sheet. A specified system overrides that. Drive one screw from that 1 mm start. If the head is proud and the clutch has clicked, turn a little towards A and try another scrap screw. If the paper is torn, turn towards B. Torn paper is a failed fixing. Back the screw out and reset on fresh scrap. If the paper is intact and the head is just in the face, stop turning the ring.

When the clutch clicks, stop pushing

Withdraw the gun as soon as the clutch clicks and the bit stops. Holding the locator hard against the board will not bury a proud screw. Lock-on is for a run of screws after the depth is proved, not for setting the nose. If the collar moves mid-wall, stop and unplug. Torn heads mean the ring walked towards more depth. Proud heads mean it backed off. Reset on a scrap. A clutch that slips from the first hole, or a smell of burning, means stop and have the tool checked. Call a plasterer when the board is part of a fire-rated or acoustic system, when you are employed and untrained, or when the paper is already torn across a ceiling you cannot easily replace.

Common questions

Which way is deeper on an FS4300?
On the FS4300-family manual, A is more depth and B is less. More depth sends the head further into the board. X-suffix sheets can run the letters the other way, so do not borrow them for an FS4300/2. Read the model on the nameplate before you turn the ring. One wrong letter on the first screw is enough to tear the paper.
How far does one full turn move the nose?
One full turn is 2.0 mm on the FS4300-family manual. That is a large step on plasterboard, so early adjustments should be a fraction of a turn. X-suffix models on another sheet are described at 1.5 mm per turn. Do not use both numbers on the same gun. An FS4300/2 stays with 2.0 mm and the A and B letters in the family manual.
Do I set it on the wall or on an offcut?
Set it on an offcut of the same board, against the same kind of stud, and unplug the gun while you turn the ring. Drive one trial screw there. The wall you want to keep is the wrong place to learn that A and B were reversed. If the scrap head looks right and the paper is intact, take that setting into the room.
What do I do when the clutch clicks?
Withdraw the gun and release the trigger. The click means the nose has reached the depth you set. Pushing harder can trip the clutch early or chew the recess. If the head is proud, unplug and turn a little towards A. If the paper is torn, turn towards B and use a fresh trial screw.
The collar moved while I was boarding. What now?
Stop and unplug. Reviewers say the FS4300 collar is easy to knock and that the depth needs setting again. Torn paper means the nose went deeper. Proud heads mean it backed off. Reset on a scrap, A for more depth and B for less, at 2.0 mm per full turn. If the clutch will not hold any screw, stop until the gun has been checked.
Is the same ring used on the DFS251Z?
No. This page is the FS4300-family lock ring only. The DFS251Z uses a different nose, and reviewers say the supplied socket is for cladding rather than a standard 1/4 inch plasterboard bit. The XSF04Z has its own collar too. Use the manual for the code you are holding.

Related pages

Best Makita drywall screwdriver

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Sources

Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.

  1. Makita UK FS4300 product page (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Makita UK DFS452 product page (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Makita DFS251 instruction manual (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Makita FS4300 family instruction manual (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. HSE construction electrical systems (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. IET electricity in the workplace FAQ (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. Makita USA XSF04Z product page (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. Toolden Makita FS2500 110 V (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  9. amazon.co.uk listings for the five ASINs (retrieved 22.10.2026)