All MIG guns are not created equal, and heavy-use applications require a careful review of rated output, size, components, and application requirements

Some push-pull guns are capable of working more than 50 feet away, although 15- to 35-foot distances are more common and preferred.



Air-cooled guns use ambient air and shielding gas to dissipate excess heat. In most cases, air-cooled guns are heavier and less flexible compared to water-cooled guns, but are less expensive, and easier to operate and maintain. 

Dedicated Flux-Cored guns are recommended for Flux-Cored welding, although there are consumable conversion packages that can transform a standard MIG gun into a Flux-Cored gun. 



Spool guns offer one of the most cost effective entry points into MIG welding, as they can be used with any power source with a 14-pin connection, including some engine drives—you don’t need to buy new power sources to get into MIG welding aluminum in most cases.