Buying task · Trigger guns and short guns
Trigger guns and short guns
Choose a replacement trigger gun or short gun by the inlet your hose needs, the outlet your wand or nozzle takes, its PSI, GPM and temperature rating, and its lock.
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Picks that fit
- Kärcher Standard M22 Spray Gun 8.641‑024.0, up to 4,000 PSICheck price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80148 universal pressure washer spray gun with side assist handle, 4,500 PSI, M22Check price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80178 professional pressure washer spray gun, 5,075 PSI, hot and cold water, with M22 and QC adaptersCheck price on Amazon
Short answer
Choose a replacement pressure washer gun by its two ends and its rating. The inlet has to take your hose's end, the outlet has to take your wand, bayonet or 1/4 in quick-connect nozzle, and the maker's PSI, GPM and temperature rating has to cover your machine. Then check the trigger lock, and decide between a short gun and a gun with a wand.
Picks that fitAll picks and how to choose
- Kärcher Standard M22 Spray Gun 8.641‑024.0, up to 4,000 PSICheck price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80148 universal pressure washer spray gun with side assist handle, 4,500 PSI, M22Check price on Amazon
- SIMPSON 80178 professional pressure washer spray gun, 5,075 PSI, hot and cold water, with M22 and QC adaptersCheck price on Amazon
What this topic covers
A trigger gun opens and closes the flow at the end of the hose. A short gun takes a nozzle close to the hand instead of on a long wand. This topic covers replacement guns, short guns and gun-and-hose kits. It does not cover any change to a gun's internals or its trigger lock.
The decisions, in order
1. The inlet your hose needs. Guns come with very different inlets. SIMPSON's parts list for the MSH3125 gives the stock gun as M22 male x M22 female, rated 3,650 PSI and 8 GPM.[1] Suttner lists most of its spray guns with a 3/8 in FPT inlet and a 1/4 in FPT outlet, each model with its own maximum PSI and GPM.[2] MTM Hydro's SGS28 also has a 3/8 in FPT inlet, with an integrated stainless steel live swivel, and a 1/4 in FPT outlet.[3] Those pipe-thread ports are not M22, so a consumer M22 hose needs suitable fittings. On the Champion 100386, the hose's gun end is a female collar connector that takes a male fitting on the gun.[4]
Some guns take more than one hose end. Kärcher's VersaGRIP gun has a quick-connect inlet and ships with an M22 adapter that is needed only on machines with M22 hose connections.[5] DEWALT says its DXPA45SG gun accepts M22 or quick-connect hose connections with an included QC adaptor.[6]
2. The outlet. The outlet decides what goes on next. Kärcher says both its VersaGRIP and Standard M22 guns have male M22 connections.[5] DEWALT's DXPA45SG has an M22 wand outlet.[6] Kärcher's bayonet kit uses a Kärcher-specific quick connect for the hose and a Kärcher bayonet for spray wands.[7] McKillans lists its swivel gun with a 3/8 in male inlet and a 1/4 in female quick-connect outlet.[8]
3. PSI, GPM and temperature. The gun's rating has to cover your machine. Suttner lists its ST-2000 at 5,000 PSI and 10.4 GPM.[2] MTM rates the SGS28 at up to 4,000 PSI, 12 GPM and 320°F.[3] McKillans gives its swivel gun a maximum recommended 3,000 PSI and 2.6 GPM.[8] Kärcher lists its VersaGRIP and Standard M22 guns for pressure washers rated up to 4,000 PSI,[5] and lists its consumer trigger guns for cold-water machines only.[5]
4. The trigger lock. DEWALT lists a trigger safety lock-out on the DXPA45SG,[6] and Kärcher says its bayonet kit's gun has a child safety lock.[7] A gun's lock is part of the maker's design; it is never something to remove or modify.
5. Short gun, or gun and wand. A short gun puts the nozzle near your hand. A gun built for a wand cannot take one: Kärcher states that a nozzle cannot be connected directly to its VersaGRIP or Standard trigger gun, so the wand goes on first.[5] Some makers sell the gun with a wand: RYOBI's RY31036K trigger handle kit includes a metal wand with four quick-connect nozzles and is listed for pressure washers up to 3,600 PSI.[9] The short gun vs gun and wand guide compares the two.
Kärcher bayonet guns
Kärcher's bayonet system is its own. Kärcher says its bayonet guns are not compatible with other brands of pressure washer.[5] Its bayonet gun-and-hose kits also have model exclusions, so read Kärcher's list for your exact model. The Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits guide covers the part numbers and exclusions, and the Kärcher bayonet standard page explains the connection.
Guns to compare
Picks that fit4 products
Kärcher's Standard M22 Spray Gun 8.641-024.0 has male M22 connections and is listed for pressure washers rated up to 4,000 PSI; put a wand on it before any nozzle.
More on choosing
SIMPSON's 80147, 80148 and 80178 are each one gun per listing: read the inlet, outlet and rating SIMPSON states for that part number and match them to your hose, wand and machine before you order. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
M22 gun with a stated pressure ceiling
SIMPSON standard replacement gun
SIMPSON 80147 universal pressure washer spray gun, 3,400 PSI, cold water, M22
SIMPSON gun with a side assist handle
SIMPSON 80148 universal pressure washer spray gun with side assist handle, 4,500 PSI, M22
Machines and standards
Your machine's page lists its documented gun connections: Kärcher K2 to K5, SIMPSON MSH3125 and Champion 100386. For pipe-thread guns, see the NPT standard page. The connection finder covers every machine on the site.
Every page on guns
Start here
Guides
- Short gun vs gun and wand
- Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
- Live swivels
- NPT vs BSP vs M22 threads
- Extension wands and lances
Tool
Key terms
trigger gun, short gun, trigger lock, live swivel, FPT and MPT, bayonet fitting and lance.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kitsHelps Kärcher owners find which gun or kit Kärcher lists for their exact model.
- Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gunHelps you choose a replacement gun whose inlet, outlet and rating match your hose, wand and machine.
- Short pressure washer gun vs gun and wandHelps you tell whether your gun can take nozzles directly or needs a wand, and what each outlet needs.
Shortlists
- Replacement pressure washer guns with stated inlet, outlet and ratingHelps you shortlist a replacement gun from makers that publish its connections and rating, so you can match them to your hose and machine.
Common questions
Will a Kärcher gun fit my K5 with a hose reel?
Not the gun-and-hose kit: Kärcher says it does not fit models with hose reels. Kärcher lists the standalone Bayonet Spray Gun 2.642-889.0 for reel models too. Check your exact model in Kärcher's finder. More in Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
Will a Kärcher gun fit a non-Kärcher pressure washer?
Not a bayonet gun: Kärcher says they are not compatible with other brands. Its VersaGRIP and Standard M22 guns are listed for other brands with Quick Connect or M22 connections rated 4,000 PSI or less. More in Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
Is 2.643-910.0 the same as 2.644-343.0?
Kärcher's own pages conflict. The product page calls 2.643-910.0 the Bayonet Spray Gun and Hose Kit, while the spray-gun finder lists the bayonet kit as 2.644-343.0. We do not treat them as interchangeable; confirm with Kärcher. More in Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
Does the K1700 use the bayonet?
Kärcher's K1700 page says it uses standard M22 hose connections and quick-connect nozzles, and the bayonet gun-and-hose kit excludes the K1700 to K2000 electrics. The page states no M22 stem size. More in Kärcher bayonet gun and hose kits
Are pressure washer guns universal?
No. Guns differ at the inlet (M22, quick-connect or 3/8 in FPT), at the outlet (M22, 1/4 in FPT, 1/4 in QC or a brand bayonet) and in rating. Kärcher, for example, lists its M22 guns only for machines rated 4,000 PSI or less. More in Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun
What size is a pressure washer gun inlet?
It depends on the gun. SIMPSON's MSH3125 OEM gun is M22 male x M22 female; Suttner's guns mostly have a 3/8 in FPT inlet; McKillans' swivel gun has a 3/8 in male inlet. Read your gun's own spec. More in Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun
Can I use a 4,000 PSI gun on a 4,400 PSI machine?
No. Every part must be rated at or above the machine's maximum, the same rule Generac's manual applies to hoses, and Cat Pumps says the system is only as strong as its weakest component. More in Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun
What is a low trigger force gun?
A gun designed to need less finger force to hold open. Suttner says its LTF guns such as the ST-2600 need 90% less holding force and 40% less trigger force than typical guns; that is Suttner's claim, not an independent measurement. More in Choosing a replacement pressure washer trigger gun
Questions
Will any pressure washer gun fit my machine?
No. Guns differ at both ends. SIMPSON's MSH3125 gun is M22 male by M22 female, many Suttner guns have a 3/8 in FPT inlet and 1/4 in FPT outlet, and Kärcher says its bayonet guns do not fit other brands. Match the gun's inlet to your hose and its outlet to your wand.[1][2][5]
What is a short gun?
A trigger gun used without a long wand, so the nozzle sits close to the hand. Whether a gun can work that way depends on its outlet: McKillans lists its swivel gun with a 1/4 in female quick-connect outlet, while Kärcher says its VersaGRIP and Standard guns need a wand before any nozzle.[8][5]
Can I put a nozzle straight on a Kärcher gun?
No. Kärcher states that a nozzle cannot be connected directly to its VersaGRIP or Standard trigger gun: the spray wand goes on the gun first and the nozzle goes on the wand.[5]