Best Auger for cordless drill?

Does it really matter?  I'm considering an 8 inch Pistol Bit for $159.

Let's hear it.

Thanks guys, I didn't think I needed it either but reading some articles they said you should.  For now I'm using a Mora auger I've had laying around for a while.  My son has all Makita 18V so that's what I'll get and since he has 4-5 batteries, I don't need them or the charger.

Thanks again.

Don't get the hammer drill unless you think you'll be using the drill for things that require a hammer drill!  You'll save some money that way.  For the DeWalt, I see a lot of people buy the DCD 996, which is the hammer drill and is the most powerful drill.  However when I did my research I found that the DCD 991 is the same drill but without the hammer function, so that's the one I went with and it saved me about 60 bucks.  I already have a plug in hammer drill for those very few times I may ever need to use it, so I was fine with getting a drill without the hammer mode.

No to the NEED for a hammer drill as you don't use that option anyway. As long as the drill has enough torque, you should be fine. Look up the specs of the drill you're considering, and also make note of the type/size of auger you'll be using. You can get by with a lesser drill with a 6" hole, where an 8" is going need a bit more oomph. Also style of blade. Ripper like the K drill? Need a beefy drill. Shaver like a Lazer? Can get away with less. Also, the Clam Plate has a gear reduction available that may help with what you plan to run. 

Here's a question for all you guys: Does the drill HAVE TO be a hammer drill?  I have the adapter and auger, just need to pick out the drill.  My son has all the Makita 18V batteries etc. for his tools so I just need the drill and have found some used ones that aren't hammer drills.  

Big question is will they work?  Keep in mind, 99% of my fishing is with tip ups so I won't be cutting 50 holes in a day.....

Thanks for the help.

This Milwaukee 2804 has been an animal cutting ice. So far I am very satisfied with how light the entire setup is. Much lighter than my 7" Strikemaster Laser power auger was.

I stuck the 6" Lazer on the bottom of the ice a couple of days ago, so I have a bit of experience using the curved blades under power. My old 7" Lazer power auger would to the same thing. I'll be working this new rig pretty slow under power. Don't need to break a wrist.

Gman, that drill set up is how I broke my wrist several years ago, b careful.  Honestly, get a Clam Plate, it will b the best money u ever spent.  

Watch out that you don't get anything snagged on or come in contact with that cross piece while drilling. 

Ended up getting a 7" auger for use with my Milwaukee 2804.  

Certainly if you already have a powerful enough drill/battery/charger just buying the auger would save money, but I was under the impression the OP was purchasing all necessary equipment. 

I bought the Jiffy Torch 8" last year and use it with my Dewalt 20V.  Cuts excellent.

8" is kind of a big auger that would be better in the stronger 40, not the 24 volt Strikemaster auger.  The savings in using a cordless drill is that it's not necessarily dedicated to ice fishing only.  When you want to use it other than ice fishing, just open the chuck and it's a power tool again.  On a Clam plate, you undo the two knobs of the U bolt also, but the adjustments are saved when putting the power tool on again.

If needing to buy an appropriate drill, battery, charger and auger, wouldn’t it be cheaper/easier to buy something like the 8” 24v StrikeMaster auger? 

After a little hunting around, the best pricing that I could find on factory Milwaukee 5.0A batteries in factory clam shell packaging was on FaceBook Marketplace. Met the man F-2-F and paid $125 for a pair. Bring on the ice.....

Gman, the aftermarket batteries are available all over and all sizes. I have run several of the 9amp hour along side of the MKE branded and they work just as hard, just not as long. They also begin to have problems with shorts from drops as such easier and also found they will take on water and corrode easier.

That being said, replacement doesn't hurt nearly as bad and they certainly serve their purpose as a cheap "disposable" alternative.