What's your favorite chain size for 50 cc saws?

[The Singing Arborist]

So when I posted originally about the chain chatter, I was cutting a lot of dry ash. Today we took down some living elms and the chain was a lot more smooth...go figure eh?

Since my dealer doesn't seem to have a good selection of .325, what sites do you guys like to order your chain from?

Thanks again.

 

[82F100SWB]

I picked up a loop of the Stihl RS Pro to try, out of the box it is noticeably faster over standard 23rs on my ported 026. .050 .325 is the standard for Stihl stuff around here, none of the dealers even carry .063... I do have some Huskys running .058 as I have a pile of bars, but anything I buy new is getting .050.

 

[Mad Professor]

If the current 325 you have is jumpy taking some of the hook out with a size larger file or taking the cutters back a little to "raise" the rakers should help. Stihl RS is a great 325 full chisel but I think it would be a bit aggressive out of the box to use it in the tree. Stihl ps3 however would be a nice smooth chain on that saw and would fit into what you currently have for chains. If I didn't have a boat load of 325 chain I'd run 3/8 picco on my stock 50cc saws as I like it a lot, on the modded and more modern saws I'd run 3/8 and I do over 325, but I'm not in a tree with them either.

Stihl PS3 sort of sucks.

 

[Mad Professor]

I've been using the new Stihl .325 -23 RS pro on an ms250 for a few weeks now, and it's pretty nice. Fast, smooth, and seems to be holding an edge ok so far. Have yet to compare it to 3/8 lp full chisel narrow kerf.

Where did you get 0.325 X 0.050 bar?

 

[mike-s]

Where did you get 0.325 X 0.050 bar?

3005 008 7017, Rollmatic E, 18", .325, .050
Oregon makes 16" ones.

 

[Husky Man]

This really depends on the model of saw, my dads husky 445 struggles hard with 16" 3/8" in any wood above 4" diameter, but the similar displacement 550 I was using at a friends house yesterday, had the 16" bar burried in dry dogwood with 3/8" stihl chisel & it cut ok.
My 56cc Stihl MS 290 won't really pull a 16" 3/8" in hardwood but pulls 18" .325 well (but not fast). my neighbors 50cc 271 I traded bars & chains with doesn't struggle at all with the 3/8" setup from what I have seen.

I would have that 445 looked at, at can't imagine that 3/8 chain would be enough difference to make it struggle in anything over 4"

My Wife's saw is a later 445, the 50cc version, it usually has a 16" or 18" Bar mounted on it, I have 13, 16, 18 and 20" bars that all fit my my 353, 550XP and her 445, I run .325/.050 on all three, The Wife's 445 does just fine on 12-16" D Fir, not Quite the 353 or 550XP, but all things considered, it does better than I expected from a $305 Home owners class saw, not disappointed in it at all.

The 445, 353, and 550XP all get the above mentioned .325/.050 chain

The 460Rancher, my 266XP"Old Reliable" and my new 372XP all run 3/8 .050

My 390XP, 395XP, and 3120XP all run .404/.063

They all seem Happy with those chains, so why fix what ain't broke


Doug

 

[TheTone]

I prefer 3/8' LP on smaller saws but have .325 on some . I think the narrower kerf is more efficient, but for most folks it's a toss up. My larger saws are mostly regular 3/8 (occasional .404), so it adds to consistency.

 

[Piotr Pakula]

Saws 3 pcs 40-45cm3 converted to 3/8 LP i.e. scalpel revelation / thicker .325 hung on the hook

 

[svk]

I like full 3/8 on saws that can handle it.

I’ve not run 3/8 LP on a 50 cc sawbut I’m sure it would pull fine. And I’m not a huge fan of .325 but it does fine in homeowner saws in this class.

 

[Husky Man]

I like full 3/8 on saws that can handle it.

I’ve not run 3/8 LP on a 50 cc sawbut I’m sure it would pull fine. And I’m not a huge fan of .325 but it does fine in homeowner saws in this class.

I have a lot to learn yet about chain, I hear/read some that don't care for .325, I don't know what there is to not like about it. I have a 550XP, 353, and the Wife's 445 all run .325/.050, and I have 13", 16" 18" and 20" bars that will fit all three of them. The 550XP usually has an 18" or 20" B&C mounted, the 353, normally has a 16" or 18" mounted, the Wife's 445 normally has a 16" mounted, but has done fine in D Fir with an 18" nearly buried. When I first gave her the 445 for Christmas, it came with the 18" bar, but I had a 13" I put on it the first time we went cutting, so she could better visualize where the bar tip was to avoid Kick Back, and "Rocking" the chain, She wanted Nothin to do with that 13" B&C, said it was "EMBARRASSING" All 3 saws are a Joy to run with the bars that are usually mounted, I have kept all the bars with .050 gauge for simplicity, but I have no complaints with .325 chain, I Guess that I just don't know any Better, but I sure don't see any reason to change them. I have a 543XP on order, should ship tomorrow, it is coming with a 16" .325/.050 B&C, I guess I will see how it does, I'm guessing about like the 50cc 445, but lighter. I plan to try it out with the 16" B&C it is coming with, but after it is broken in, I will without doubt try all three of the other size bars I have to fit it.

The 445, 543XP, 353, and 550XP all run .325/.050

The 460 Rancher(my Truck Saw), 266XP"Old Reliable" and the new 372XP all run 3/8" .050 which I have 20", 24" and 28" Bars to fit any of these 3 saws

The 390XP, 395XP, and 3120XP all run .404/.063, and I have 36", 44", 60" and 72" Bars that can be run on any of those 3 saws

Those Saw/Bar/Chain combinations have worked well for me so far, but then again, maybe I just don't know any Better

Have I mentioned that I may have a SLIGHT case of CAD, with a minor case of CSMAD, complicating my CAD

Hi, my Name is Doug,........and I have a Problem

Well, actually TWO,
My Garage Isn't BIG Enough
And,
My Budget Isn't BIG Enough



Doug

 

[svk]

I have a lot to learn yet about chain, I hear/read some that don't care for .325, I don't know what there is to not like about it. I have a 550XP, 353, and the Wife's 445 all run .325/.050, and I have 13", 16" 18" and 20" bars that will fit all three of them. The 550XP usually has an 18" or 20" B&C mounted, the 353, normally has a 16" or 18" mounted, the Wife's 445 normally has a 16" mounted, but has done fine in D Fir with an 18" nearly buried. When I first gave her the 445 for Christmas, it came with the 18" bar, but I had a 13" I put on it the first time we went cutting, so she could better visualize where the bar tip was to avoid Kick Back, and "Rocking" the chain, She wanted Nothin to do with that 13" B&C, said it was "EMBARRASSING" All 3 saws are a Joy to run with the bars that are usually mounted, I have kept all the bars with .050 gauge for simplicity, but I have no complaints with .325 chain, I Guess that I just don't know any Better, but I sure don't see any reason to change them. I have a 543XP on order, should ship tomorrow, it is coming with a 16" .325/.050 B&C, I guess I will see how it does, I'm guessing about like the 50cc 445, but lighter. I plan to try it out with the 16" B&C it is coming with, but after it is broken in, I will without doubt try all three of the other size bars I have to fit it.

The 445, 543XP, 353, and 550XP all run .325/.050

The 460 Rancher(my Truck Saw), 266XP"Old Reliable" and the new 372XP all run 3/8" .050 which I have 20", 24" and 28" Bars to fit any of these 3 saws

The 390XP, 395XP, and 3120XP all run .404/.063, and I have 36", 44", 60" and 72" Bars that can be run on any of those 3 saws

Those Saw/Bar/Chain combinations have worked well for me so far, but then again, maybe I just don't know any Better

Have I mentioned that I may have a SLIGHT case of CAD, with a minor case of CSMAD, complicating my CAD

Hi, my Name is Doug,........and I have a Problem

Well, actually TWO,
My Garage Isn't BIG Enough
And,
My Budget Isn't BIG Enough



Doug

To each their own, if it works for you, that’s what matters.

I ran my 550 first stock then ported with 3/8 all the way. I originally set up my ported 346 with .325 because it had a .325 sprocket but even with full chisel it cut significantly slower. Swapped to 3/8 and it cut right alongside the 550. I’ve always viewed .325 as a compromise chain for saws that didn’t quite have enough mustard to pull 3/8.

Eventually I plan to do a video shootout of 3/8, .325, and 3/8 LP running on the same saw. I’m just waiting on a 3/8 LP rim to arrive.

 

[Franny K]

I do not have an answer to favorite for 50cc class saw. The Stihl RS is likely the most aggressive option and should be able to be made up in the dl length required by a dealership nearby. Probably the new yet unavailable here Stihl RS pro lighter .325 would be the choice in the future. Nose sprocket size will come into play.

I can state that in the 3/8lp class the Stihl chain is more robust and really is the only one for this size. If you don't have a Stihl with the mini spline and matching rims the others do not fit well. It puts all the pull on the one tooth engaging the chain not all of the ones wrapping around the sprocket.

There is new NK .325 from Oregon with fancy drive links. I have not tried it but found the earlier NK .325 kicked when attempting bore cutting. This one might be the choice if you can "tune" it.

 

[Overkill338]

Always ran .325 on MS250 and MS260 series saws, since this is what they came with. Worked fine. A lot of guys here say they converted theirs to full sized 3/8" pitch so that they would run the same chain on all saws.

My Husqvarna 353 came with Narrow Kerf .325 chain, which I also kept and also like. 3/8" low profile ('Picco') seems a bit small for a 50cc saw, unless you are doing mostly small branches / limbs with it.

Oregon mentioned a new, low -profile .325 chain ('nano') more than a year ago, but I have not seen it yet.
https://www.oregonproducts.com/en/p...dcut-saw-chain-and-guide-bars/c/speedcut-sc-p

Philbert

I was a field tester, and that stuff cuts great. When I first got it, I measured it, found it was a 43 gauge, 325, and it came with its own 7 tooth spur sprocket. It also ran just fine on my .325 Rim Sprockets. It made a MS180 feel like a whole new saw. I stuck it on my 241 with a 8 pin rim, and made a few cuts. That was FAST! But I switched it back because they wanted it run on 30cc rigs.

 

[cranman1951]

My 60 cc saws ( 266xp, couple of 262 xp's ) I use 3/8 with either 18 or 20 inch bars. My 40 cc saws, I stick with 16 or 18 inch with .325. 50 cc kind of up in the air....if it came with a .325 ( 350 Husky and 51 Husky I stick with it...if it came with 3/8 ( 55 Rancher and 026 Stihl ) I stick with that.....the 50 cc saws can go either way IMO....I just stick with the bar and sprocket it came with....the biggest thing is full chisel chain, and not the box store "safety" chain.... I really woke up a 440 Husky by swapping out the stock chain.

 

[cranman1951]

My 60 cc saws ( 266xp, couple of 262 xp's ) I use 3/8 with either 18 or 20 inch bars. My 40 cc saws, I stick with 16 or 18 inch with .325. 50 cc kind of up in the air....if it came with a .325 ( 350 Husky and 51 Husky I stick with it...if it came with 3/8 ( 55 Rancher and 026 Stihl ) I stick with that.....the 50 cc saws can go either way IMO....I just stick with the bar and sprocket it came with....the biggest thing is full chisel chain, and not the box store "safety" chain.... I really woke up a 440 Husky by swapping out the stock chain.

 

[Doorfx]

 

[82F100SWB]

Stihl is moving away from the 3/8 Picco and towards the 23RS pro. I would like to do a back to back comparison on my 026 or 261, but I don't have anything Picco at the moment.

Doorfx: I thought that name looked familiar, been a while since I was over on the Cat forum.

 

[Doorfx]

How are you doing? We missed you over there. [emoji12]

 

[82F100SWB]

Not too bad. Finally getting around to replacing my bike. One of the last things left from the house/shop fire 2 years ago.

 

[Doorfx]

Fire is the worst, sorry for your loss.
What are you getting ?