FWIW - This is one of the most useful questions asked here lately - something that’s not easily answered on Wikipedia, so I think it’s appropriate to ask.
What I did last year was use my regular (3/8") B&D drill with a masonry bit and just kept at it. Depending on your bolt size, either get a masonry-compatible anchor, or a bolt/screw that’s meant to secure into masonry. I don’t recall the brand name, but it’s blue!
Last year I had to drill a 1.5 inch diameter hole through the concrete slab of my barn.
I went down to the tool rental company and rented a hammer drill and masonry bit. This thing was big and heavy. So heavy, in fact, that I didn’t even have to apply any downward force to the drill – the weight of the drill was enough to push the bit through the slab.
It took about 10 minutes to make the hole. It was really pretty simple… all I had to do was keep the drill upright and squeeze the switch.
I would suggest wearing ear protection and eye protection. You may also want to wear a dusk mask.
Thats been my experience too. Those big hammer drills are worth the rental. The savings in my time and perspiration are worth the cost. I used one building my deck. I needed to secure a post and railing to my house’s concrete foundation.
I’ve had really good luck renting from Home Depot. I rented a small concrete mixer last summer for a shed I assembled in my backyard. Half day rental because I was only doing a 4x8 slab. Back in 2010 I rented a vinyl tile cutter and tiled my kitchen floor. I couldn’t do my home projects without access to the proper tools.
From the vague description in the OP, I’m pretty sure we’re talking about a CMU wall and probably something on the order of a 5/8" anchor, so all of that is most likely unnecessary. CMU is very porous and drills easily unless you’re trying to drill on a mortar joint, but even then it’s no biggie. Concrete is another animal altogether, of course.
Yeah, I’m with Chefguy. I’ve drilled holes in my concrete-block walls using a masonry bit in my old Black and Decker conventional drill. No problem.
This is my experience as well. I wanted to hang vinyl cosmetic shutters on a brick house. Just stuck a masonry bit on the old Black and Decker and made holes–no big deal. Now if I wanted to poke a hole in a driveway pad I might have to rethink the tools and go for the hammer drill. But bricks & mortar or cinder block? Masonry bit on a regular drill motor. ISTR getting about a dozen holes before having to change out the bit.