Milwaukee’s Bulb Planting Auger: Check the Model and Chuck
Identify Milwaukee’s 3 × 24-inch bulb planting auger, check 1/2-inch chuck fit, and distinguish it from the longer earth auger.
The Milwaukee 49-16-2905 is the 3-inch-diameter, 24-inch-long bulb planting auger bit with a 3-flat shank. It is distinct from Milwaukee’s 3 × 30-inch all-purpose earth auger, model 49-16-2893, which uses a 7/16-inch hex shank. Check the model number before ordering: both are soil-drilling attachments, but they are not the same bit. (Bulb auger specifications, earth auger specifications)
As of November 4, 2026, Milwaukee’s U.S. pages mark both models “Coming Soon.” Neither the bulb auger page nor the earth auger page lists a firm release date or price. If you need a bit for an immediate planting job, confirm actual stock and dispatch timing rather than treating a product announcement as availability.
Which Milwaukee auger are you looking at?
| Detail | Bulb planting auger | All-purpose earth auger |
|---|---|---|
| Model | 49-16-2905 | 49-16-2893 |
| Nominal diameter | 3 inches | 3 inches |
| Listed length | 24 inches | 30 inches |
| Shank | 3-flat | 7/16-inch hex |
These dimensions and shank descriptions come from Milwaukee’s bulb planting page and all-purpose earth auger page.
For bulb planting, the 49-16-2905 is the directly named option. The longer earth auger does not make a wider nominal hole; both are 3 inches across. Also, do not read “24 inches” as a prescribed planting depth or a guaranteed usable hole depth. It is the listed bit length. Choose planting depth for the bulb, not for the attachment’s overall length.
Will it fit your drill?
ToolGuyd’s Milwaukee Pipeline coverage identifies the new 3-flat bulb augers as fitting a standard 1/2-inch drill chuck. That makes a conventional drill/driver with a 1/2-inch three-jaw chuck the connection to check—not the battery-platform logo.
Before buying:
- Check your exact drill’s chuck capacity. Owning an M12 or M18 tool does not, by itself, establish that it has the required chuck.
- Do not assume a 1/4-inch impact-driver holder will accept it. A 3-flat drill shank is not a 1/4-inch quick-change hex connection. For example, Milwaukee’s M12 3453-20 impact-driver manual specifies bits with a 1/4-inch hex shank and ball-detent recess. The earth auger’s 7/16-inch hex is also a different size.
- Separate fit from suitability. A shank fitting the chuck does not establish that every drill can safely handle that auger in your soil. Confirm the drill and accessory instructions before use.
If you are unsure which tool you own, our guide to the difference between a drill and impact driver explains the connection distinction.
Is the faster-digging claim a reason to buy?
Milwaukee advertises “up to 2x faster digging” and a durable shank for the 49-16-2905. Its product page does not state the comparison tool, soil conditions or test procedure. We have not tested this bit, so that claim is not a measured performance result from Drill Review.
The defensible buying decision is narrower: choose the 49-16-2905 if you want Milwaukee’s specifically named bulb-planting attachment, a 3-inch hole suits your planting plan, and your drill meets its connection and operating requirements.