Mig spool gun vs in the unit.

[Kendrick]

I have always wondered what/why some have a gun and others fead from the body of the unit. is there any bonus for either over the other? about all i can think of is weight at the handel.

[WookieWelding]

spool guns are mainly for aluminum cause it doesnt like to feed thru a push system like your normal Gmaw/Fmaw machine they do make a push pull system for feeding alum also

[KHK]

spool guns are mainly for aluminum cause it doesnt like to feed thru a push system like your normal Gmaw/Fmaw machine they do make a push pull system for feeding alum also

Yes, Yes, YES

[LONGEVITY-Support]

That is correct WookieWelding, some people like to use the mig gun that comes with the unit but spool guns are best for Aluminum, have a great day.

[SICFabrications]

spoolguns are also kinda nice for lightweight repairs that are a long way off from the power source.... however, since my biggest power sources are mounted in 4wd trucks, it doesnt really matter for me...lol.... i use suitcase feeders for gmaw/ fcaw and use 35 and 50 ft push pull feeders for aluminum.... lemme find a couple links to show what suitcase and push pull feeders look like.... (might be from miller's site, but whatever)

Miller - Wire Feeders - SuitCase® X-TREME™ <------ suitcase feeders plug into an engine drives output and can feed wire as far as your leads can reach... ive been 300 ft away from my truck welding with one of these before!

Miller - Wire Feeders - XR™-Aluma-Pro™ Gun <------ aluma pro gun has drive rolls in the gun as well as slave drives inside the unit. can use a full sized roll of aluminum wire so i aint gotta change out the 1 pound rolls every 10 minutes... with a multi-process cv engine drive (like my pro300's) you can mig aluminum anywhere the truck can get ya and then be 300 ft of leads away and still be another 50 ft away from the feeder and still be able to weld aluminum perfectly!

[SpyGuy]

Based on my (admittedly limited) experience...

Standard Handle/In-Unit Feed Advantages:
Lightweight handle (easier to manuver & less fatigue)
Significantly more compact handle (better for welding inside corners and working in cramped spaces)
Easier to see your work
More nozzle options (e.g., flexible swan neck)
Less expensive

Spool Gun Advantages:
Better wire feed for soft wire (minimizes "birds nesting")
Able to extend your work range (distance) from the power unit
Faster wire changes

I have a spool gun because I needed to be able to weld 25 feet up in the air (with the MIG power unit on the ground). But given a choice, I MUCH prefer working with the standard handle. For my MIG, a teflon liner is available to improve the feeding of aluminum wire to the standard handle, but I can't comment on its effectiveness because I haven't bought one yet.