Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Rivet gun buying guide

Updated: October 2026

A loose gutter bracket, or a cabinet back you can reach from only one side, does not tell you which kit to buy. A rivet gun buying guide has to settle the rivet before the brand. Choose the diameter, the grip and the metal, then the tool that can pull that rivet. The [rivet gun comparison](/hub/pliers/rivet-gun) holds the amazon.co.uk rows. A blind rivet is set from one side. EN ISO 14588:2000 names the break-pull mandrel that snaps and leaves its head in the body. It is not a rivet nut. If the packet says M sizes, you are in the wrong aisle.

A loose gutter bracket, or a cabinet back you can reach from only one side, does not tell you which kit to buy. A rivet gun buying guide has to settle the rivet before the brand.

Our top picks

WORKPRO WORKPRO 250 mm 5-in-1 rivet gun

Best overall

WORKPRO WORKPRO 250 mm 5-in-1 rivet gun
8.5/10about £19.99
View offer
LIBRATON Libraton hand rivet gun 900913

Rank 2

LIBRATON Libraton hand rivet gun 900913
8.8/10about £14.99
View offer
ValueMax ValueMax 4-in-1 rivet gun kit

Best value

ValueMax ValueMax 4-in-1 rivet gun kit
8.3/10about £13.01
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What a hand rivet gun is actually for
  2. 2.Diameter, grip and the hole
  3. 3.Which tool type matches the rivet
  4. 4.What the price bands actually buy

What a hand rivet gun is actually for

Almost every gun here lists four nosepieces: 2.4 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm and 4.8 mm. The WORKPRO W023022 at £19.99 and the JiGiU kit at £21.24 add a 6.4 mm nose. GESIPA UK says the nose must match the rivet diameter, or you damage the joint and the tool. A fifth nose does not make the handles pull harder. None of these listings shows a certificate. The nose size is a list of holes, not a rated capacity. The ValueMax at £13.01 is number 1 in Riveters on its listing. That rank is a sales slot, and five reviews on a 5.0 do not show whether a 4.8 mm rivet will snap. The rivets in these bags are aluminium.

Diameter, grip and the hole

Start with the stack. Grip is the sheets plus any washer left in the joint. JRP’s guide says the rivet’s published grip range has to include that thickness. A 200-piece kit draws complaints because the rivets are short. Rapid’s guide says measure the grip first. Their example is that a 13 mm grip wants a longer 4.8 mm rivet, not the shortest body in the bag. The hole is about 0.1 mm over the body. Westfield’s DIN 7337 table, and GESIPA UK, give 3.3 mm for 3.2 mm and 4.9 mm for 4.8 mm, with the same 0.1 mm on the other sizes. A hole that is far too big lets the body tilt, and the mandrel snaps without a tail. For thin aluminium, 3.2 mm or 4.0 mm is the usual DIY size.
WORKPRO WORKPRO 250 mm 5-in-1 rivet gun

Testsieger

WORKPRO WORKPRO 250 mm 5-in-1 rivet gun
8.5/10about £19.99
View offer

Which tool type matches the rivet

A short two-handled plier is enough when both hands can go on the handles and the rivet is aluminium up to 4.8 mm. It is the wrong shape when the other hand must hold the panel, or when the mandrel will not break. A 6.4 mm nose is a maybe. WORKPRO reviews both praise a larger rivet and say large rivets stopped working. A JiGiU return says 6.4 mm would not set. Bolts.co.uk describes a lazy tong as the hand tool that reaches 6.4 mm in one pull, and it needs room to open. The one-handed gun in this set is the Libraton 919009 at £29.99. It frees a hand and does not automatically pull harder. A case or 200 rivets do not change jaw strength.

What the price bands actually buy

Under about £15 you buy four noses and some aluminium rivets. The Rolson 44409 at £5.98 needs a spanner and claims 75 rivets, with no case. The ValueMax at £13.01 is the fuller kit: tool-free noses and 200 rivets. The Libraton 900913 at £14.99 adds four HSS drills. Around £20 you may get a 6.4 mm nose, a case, or one-handed use. A conditional pick is on the best pop rivet gun page. Extra money, as a rule of thumb, buys packaging and handle type until the rivet is harder than aluminium. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Common questions

What diameters does a normal DIY rivet gun cover?
A normal kit here covers 2.4 mm, 3.2 mm, 4.0 mm and 4.8 mm. Only the WORKPRO and the JiGiU also list 6.4 mm. Match the nose to the rivet. A larger nose does not pull a smaller rivet correctly, and a smaller nose will not accept a larger body. The printed size is the hole in the nosepiece, not a certificate of pulling force.
How do I turn sheet thickness into a rivet length?
Add every layer, including a washer, and treat that total as the grip. Buy a rivet whose published range includes it. Two thin sheets can still need a longer rivet once a bracket sits between them. Kit rivets are a starter mix. If the packet has no grip range, do not guess it from the body length.
Is a 6.4 mm nosepiece a 6.4 mm rating?
No. WORKPRO reviews both set larger rivets and say large rivets stopped working. A JiGiU return says 6.4 mm would not set. Stainless at that diameter needs a stated limit, which these listings do not give. Trial one aluminium rivet and stop if the mandrel will not snap cleanly.
When is a lazy tong or a lever tool the next step?
Move up when a short plier will not snap a rivet you have already matched for diameter and grip, and you have room for a longer tool to open. A lazy tong is awkward under a fascia. JRP’s lever tools sit around £64 to £87 in that catalogue. If the joint is structural, the next step is a fitter, not a longer handle.
Does a case or 200 rivets make the gun stronger?
No. A case keeps the noses together. Two hundred rivets may still be too short for your stack. Jaw strength is the handles, the linkage and the rivet metal. The KLRStec case at £34.99 and the ValueMax pack at £13.01 are convenience at two prices. Neither figure is a pull rating. A rivet-nut tool is a different aisle: these noses are millimetre diameters, not M threads.

Related pages

How to use a rivet gun

Rivet gun for sheet metal

Rivet gun

Best pop rivet gun for occasional 4.8 mm aluminium

One handed vs two handed rivet gun for a free hand

Sources

Public UK and standards sources listed in the research digest, checked with the amazon.co.uk prices and stars dated 15 October 2026. Shelf prices can change.

  1. ISO 14588:2000 Blind rivets — Terminology and definitions (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. ISO 15977:2002 Open end blind rivets with break pull mandrel (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. GESIPA UK: Find the right nosepiece (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. GESIPA UK: Calculate the length of blind rivets (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. JRP: Blind rivets application guide (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. Westfield Fasteners: DIN 7337 blind rivet tables (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 15 October 2026)