CRAFTSMAN CMCS300B V20 Cordless Reciprocating Saw (Tool Only) review

CRAFTSMAN V20 cordless reciprocating saw · tool-only package

The CMCS300B is the separate bare-tool listing for CRAFTSMAN’s brushed V20 reciprocating saw. The useful distinction is not a promise about speed or cutting force; it is the combination of a one-inch stroke, trigger-based speed control, a pivoting shoe and a two-handed operating position in a package that supplies neither a battery nor a charger. CRAFTSMAN calls the body compact, but the model-specific instructions show a main handle and a second gripping handle and direct the operator to hold the saw with both hands. It belongs in the two-handed comparison, not among compact one-handed pruning saws.

What the listed specifications do—and do not—say

CRAFTSMAN describes a brushed motor, a one-inch stroke and a variable-speed trigger. Its product copy says the trigger can reach 3,000 RPM. Because that exact page uses RPM rather than strokes per minute, this assessment preserves the maker’s wording instead of quietly converting the number to SPM. The page does not provide a cut-rate test, runtime figure under a defined load, or material-specific capacity that would let a reader predict a real cut from those numbers alone.

The same page calls the saw compact and gives a 14.5-inch length in a feature statement, while its structured “Assembled Product Length” field says 16.2 inches. Those are both manufacturer-published values, but the page does not explain the measurement points. I would not use them as a precise clearance envelope. Check the actual work area and the manual’s blade extension guidance rather than assuming that the shorter marketing figure is an overall tool dimension.

The bare-tool product page reports an assembled product weight of 4.45 pounds and marks the package “Tool Only,” with zero batteries included. That supports a saw-only listing for the CMCS300B; it is not a with-battery mass or a complete kit carry weight. A separate battery-installed figure is not established here.

Two-hand use, shoe contact and blade changes

The CMCS300 instructions identify a pivoting shoe and a collar-style blade clamp. For proper hand position, they show one hand on the main handle and the other on the secondary gripping handle. The manual also warns that a blade can bind and kick the saw back, and says not to stabilize the tool by grabbing the shoe. That is why the product’s compact marketing should not be read as permission to hold it one-handed while cutting.

The product page and manual describe tool-free blade changes: twist the collar open, seat the blade, let the collar return and tug gently to confirm that the blade is held. Before service or a blade change, the manual instructs the user to switch the tool off and remove the battery. The shoe pivots against the work; the materials I reviewed do not specify numbered shoe positions or a projection range, so I do not claim a measured depth adjustment. Nor do the exact page and manual establish selectable orbital action.

The instructions also specify that the blade must be longer than 3½ inches and project beyond both the shoe and workpiece throughout the cut. A six-inch blade is listed in the box, but a supplied blade is not a universal answer for every workpiece thickness or material. Secure the work, select an appropriate blade and keep the shoe supported rather than using the saw as a precision guide.

What CMCS300B includes

The exact CRAFTSMAN U.S. page lists one CMCS300 reciprocating saw and one six-inch reciprocating blade. It marks the offer as tool-only and says the battery and charger are sold separately. A V20-compatible pack is still needed to operate it; the page’s footnote explains that “20V MAX” is the maximum initial voltage and the nominal voltage is 18. The platform label is not a claim that this tool accepts another brand’s packs. The page does not list a case, so verify the exact retail package rather than expecting one from a product photo.

There is a separately listed kit, CMCS300M1, built around the CMCS300 saw body. The kit page lists a battery and charger that this -B package does not. Treat the two suffixes as distinct purchase configurations: the saw family name does not make the in-box equipment interchangeable.

Who should keep this package on a shortlist

The CMCS300B is a reasonable candidate for someone already set up on CRAFTSMAN V20 who wants the documented trigger, pivoting shoe and tool-free collar without paying for another battery and charger. It is a poor fit when an included battery or charger is essential, when the user needs a genuinely one-handed body, or when orbital action is mandatory. The manual’s two-hand instruction matters even though the product page uses “compact” language.

This review is based on CRAFTSMAN’s exact U.S. product page and its linked CMCS300 instructions. No physical saw, cut, worksite, runtime, vibration, battery compatibility outside the maker’s stated V20 system, or user experience was tested. Before buying, confirm CMCS300B, the separate power equipment you already own, the blade suited to the task and the current package contents.