A hammerlock chuck for use with a manual or powered drill comprising: a. a body having i. a nose section having an axial bore formed therein ii. a tail section, and iii. jaw housings angularly disposed in the nose section and intersecting the axial bore; b. a plurality of jaws corresponding to the jaw housings, each jaw being slidably disposed in a corresponding jaw housing and having a gripping surface formed on one side and threads formed on the opposite side; c. a gear ring rotatably mounted about the body and being configured to frictionally lock to the body, the gear ring in operative engagement with the threads on the jaws such that when the gear ring is rotated with respect to the body, the jaws will be moved; d. at least one pawl rotatably associated with the gear ring and being configured such that when the gear ring is frictionally locked to the body, the pawl engages the gear ring until application of sufficient torque to overcome the engagement of the pawl with the gear ring, e. a ring nut that is disposed for rotation about the body and engages the jaw threads; and f. a sleeve disposed in driving engagement with the ring nut, characterized by: g. the ring nut including at least one slot for receipt of a corresponding drive rib provided on the sleeve, h. the ring nut being a one-piece nut i. comprising a ring driver disposed about the ring nut wherein rotation of the ring driver results in rotation of the ring nut, wherein the sleeve is connected to the ring driver and wherein the pawl is integral with the ring driver. a. a body having i. a nose section having an axial bore formed therein ii. a tail section, and iii. jaw housings angularly disposed in the nose section and intersecting the axial bore; i. a nose section having an axial bore formed therein ii. a tail section, and iii. jaw housings angularly disposed in the nose section and intersecting the axial bore; b. a plurality of jaws corresponding to the jaw housings, each jaw being slidably disposed in a corresponding jaw housing and having a gripping surface formed on one side and threads formed on the opposite side; c. a gear ring rotatably mounted about the body and being configured to frictionally lock to the body, the gear ring in operative engagement with the threads on the jaws such that when the gear ring is rotated with respect to the body, the jaws will be moved; d. at least one pawl rotatably associated with the gear ring and being configured such that when the gear ring is frictionally locked to the body, the pawl engages the gear ring until application of sufficient torque to overcome the engagement of the pawl with the gear ring, e. a ring nut that is disposed for rotation about the body and engages the jaw threads; and f. a sleeve disposed in driving engagement with the ring nut, characterized by: g. the ring nut including at least one slot for receipt of a corresponding drive rib provided on the sleeve, h. the ring nut being a one-piece nut i. comprising a ring driver disposed about the ring nut wherein rotation of the ring driver results in rotation of the ring nut, wherein the sleeve is connected to the ring driver and wherein the pawl is integral with the ring driver.