Bosch PS130N 12V Max 3/8-in Hammer Drill/Driver (Bare Tool) review

The Bosch PS130N is the bare-tool package for the Bosch 12V Max PS130 hammer-drill/driver. The exact U.S. page lists one PS130 tool and two bits; it says the battery and charger are sold separately. This individual assessment uses Bosch’s PS130N product page, PS130 family operating instructions and linked 12V compatibility list. It is not based on owning or testing the drill, and it does not imply present retailer availability.

PS130 body and operating modes

Bosch documents three positions on the mode selector: screwdriving, drill-only and hammer drilling. The manual assigns drill-only to wood, metal, plastic and other non-concrete materials, while hammer action is described for concrete, asphalt, tile or similar hard materials. The manufacturer’s stated maximums are 3/4 in for wood, 3/8 in for mild metal and 3/8 in for masonry; these are recommended capacity limits, not independent performance results. A hammer-drill mechanism is not a substitute for a rotary hammer when the job or bit calls for one.

The 3/8-in three-jaw keyless chuck is the practical interface boundary: it does not accept a 1/2-in shank bit. Bosch’s manual lists low-gear no-load speed of 0–380 rpm and high gear of 0–1,300 rpm, a 19,500-bpm impact rate, and a variable-speed trigger. It describes 20 clutch settings and says the clutch is active in the driving position, while drill and hammer modes override it. Use the selector for the task and the speed gear for the work; do not treat a clutch number as a torque measurement.

Length and specification caveats

The PS130N page explicitly lists an 8.0-in head length, 6.75-in height, 3.5-in width and 1.9-lb tool-only weight. The 8-in head measurement is above the site’s inclusive six-inch short-head boundary; it is not a complete clearance envelope with a battery, bit, operator’s hand or approach angle. The manual and page provide no evidence that the machine will fit every confined space described by the marketing phrase “tight spaces.”

Some exact-page marketing copy disagrees with technical data: PS130N bullets state 0–350 rpm in low gear and up to 19,000 bpm, whereas its technical table and the PS130 family manual list 0–380 rpm and 19,500 bpm. This assessment follows the manual and technical table while leaving the copy conflict visible. Bosch also gives a 265-in-lb torque figure as a specification, not as a result measured here. The body is not identified as brushless on the reviewed exact page, so this assessment does not assign it a motor type.

What “bare tool” means here

PS130N is a specific package choice. The written Includes list names the PS130 hammer drill and two bits, and the page states that the battery and charger are sold separately. A carrying bag is not listed for this suffix, even though the distinct PS130-2A kit includes one. Do not infer kit accessories from the shared PS130 family name or from an image of the bare drill body.

For an existing Bosch 12V Max owner, Bosch’s linked battery/charger instructions are the relevant compatibility check: that list names PS130 and restricts use to the stated Bosch 12V packs and chargers. Match your actual pack and charger labels against current manufacturer guidance before relying on an old battery. The bare-tool price comparison also needs to account for any battery, charger or storage equipment you still need; no price or seller stock is asserted here.

Where it fits—and where it does not

This suffix is a reasonable comparison candidate when the buyer already has a compatible Bosch 12V power set, wants the documented hammer mode and can work within a 3/8-in chuck. It is not a match for a required included battery, a half-inch shank bit or a manufacturer-stated head length of six inches or less. The similarly named PS130-2A is the battery-included kit around the same PS130 body; its two 2.0Ah batteries, charger and bag do not transfer to this N package.

Compared with the separate GSB12V-300 hammer-drill family, PS130N remains an older PS130 design with its own page, manual and published limits; those products are not one model with suffix variants. Read the exact hammer-drill guide, battery and kit guide and clearance guide before deciding. Bosch’s specifications describe supported modes and limits, not field-tested speed, runtime, comfort or durability.