Bar & Chain Buying Guide
Pitch, gauge and drive links explained — everything you need to order the right cutting system
The fast path
Skip the theory — look up your saw model
Pick your model and we'll show its pitch, gauge, every fitting bar and chain, and the exact drive-link loop to order.
The three numbers that decide fitment
A bar and chain only fit if three measurements match your saw
Pitch
The spacing of the chain — the distance between any three rivets, divided by two. It must match the saw’s drive sprocket and bar.
Gauge
The thickness of the chain’s drive links, which must match the bar groove. Many pro saws accept more than one gauge.
Drive links
How many drive links the chain has — set by bar length + pitch, and it has to be exact. Use the drive-link reference for your saw.
Tip: the surest way to know is to read the markings stamped on your current bar (it lists length, pitch, and gauge) or count the drive links on your old chain.
Read your setup
How to read the markings on your bar
Find the stamp
Look near the tail of the bar (by the mounting slot). Husqvarna stamps length, pitch, gauge, and the matching chain’s drive-link count.
No stamp? Count links
Lay your old chain flat and count the drive links — the teeth that ride in the bar groove. That count plus pitch identifies the loop exactly.
Still not sure?
Look up your saw model in the finder — we list the factory cutting system and every fitting bar and chain for it.
Pitch by saw family
Which pitch does my saw run?
Every Husqvarna saw is built around one cutting system. Find your saw's family below, then confirm the exact spec on your model's bars & chains page.
| Pitch | Typical saws | Examples | Husqvarna chains |
|---|---|---|---|
| .325" | Mid-size farm & 50cc pro saws | 445, 450 Rancher, 543 XP, 545 & 550 XP Mark II, 550i XP | SP33G X-Cut · H22 / H23 |
| .325" mini | Narrow-kerf battery & top-handle pro saws (.043 gauge) | 540i XP, T540i XP, T540 XP Mark III | SP21G X-Cut |
| 3/8" | Full-size professional saws — the most common pro pitch | 372 XP, 455 & 460 Rancher, 565, 572 XP, 585, 592 XP | C83 / C85 X-Cut · H42 · H51 |
| 3/8" LP | Small homeowner, battery and light top-handle saws | 120, 130, 135, 350i Power Axe, T435, T525 | S93G X-Cut |
| .404" | The largest saws and milling | 3120 XP | H64-class |
Note: .325" mini (narrow kerf, .043 gauge) is not interchangeable with standard .325" bars and chains.
Bar length
Choosing bar length by the work
Run the shortest bar that handles your typical wood — shorter bars cut faster, balance better, and are safer. Stay inside your saw's recommended range (on each model page): an underpowered saw on a long bar bogs and cuts slower, not bigger.
Limbing & pruning
Shorter bars (12–16") are lighter, faster and easier to control — you rarely need more.
Firewood & storm cleanup
16–20" covers most firewood rounds. Pick a bar about 2" longer than what you cut most.
Felling & bucking timber
20–28" on a pro saw with the power to pull it. The bar should out-reach the trunk by a couple of inches.
Milling & big timber
28"+ and .404" territory — chip clearance and saw power matter more than reach.
Drive-link reference
Drive links by bar length and pitch
Order the chain by drive-link count — it must be exact for your bar length and pitch. Your model's page shows only the rows that apply to your saw.
| Bar length | .325" | 3/8" | 3/8" LP | .404" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10" | 40 | — | — | — |
| 12" | 45 | — | 45 | — |
| 13" | 56 | — | — | — |
| 14" | 52 | — | 52 | — |
| 15" | 64 | — | — | — |
| 16" | 66 | 60 | 56 | — |
| 18" | 72 | 68 | 66 | — |
| 20" | 78 | 72 | — | — |
| 24" | 84 | 84 | — | 84 |
| 28" | — | 93 | — | 93 |
| 32" | — | 105 | — | 105 |
| 36" | — | 115 | — | 115 |
| 42" | — | 138 | — | 138 |
Not sure what you have?
Read your setup, then match it
Guide barsBar types — what the “type” means
- Laminate
- Lighter bonded-steel plates with a sprocket nose — the everyday choice for homeowner & mid-size saws. Husqvarna X-Force.
- Solid / RSN
- One-piece steel with a serviceable replaceable sprocket nose, built for pro heat and load. Husqvarna X-Tough & X-Tough Light.
- Narrow Kerf / Pixel
- Thinner bar + chain that removes less wood per pass, so a smaller saw cuts faster on less fuel. Common on .325" and LP saws.
- Hardnose
- Solid bar with no nose sprocket, for abrasive or dirty cutting where a sprocket would wear out.
Saw chainsChain cutter styles
- Full chisel
- Square-cornered cutters — the fastest in clean wood. The pro choice for felling and bucking.
- Semi-chisel
- Rounded cutters that stay sharp longer in dirty, frozen, or dry/abrasive wood.
- Skip-tooth
- Fewer cutters spaced farther apart, for long bars and milling where chip clearance matters.
- Narrow kerf
- Thinner cutters matched to narrow-kerf bars on smaller and battery saws.
SharpeningRound file size by pitch
| Pitch | Round file |
|---|---|
| .325" | 3/16" |
| 3/8" | 7/32" |
| 3/8" LP | 5/32" |
| 1/4" | 5/32" |
Husqvarna bar & chain lines
Know the lineup
X-Cut chains
Purpose-built, sharp out of the box
C85, C83, SP33G and S93G — Husqvarna’s premium current line. Low stretch, holds an edge, engineered for the saw.
X-Force & X-Tough bars
Everyday laminate to pro solid RSN
X-Force laminate for homeowner & mid-size saws; X-Tough and X-Tough Light solid RSN bars for professional heat and load.
Cutter styles
Full chisel · semi-chisel · skip-tooth
Full chisel for speed in clean wood, semi-chisel for dirty/frozen cutting, skip-tooth for long bars and milling.
Why genuine Husqvarna
Engineered with the saw, not just for it
Husqvarna bars and chains are built to the saw’s hardness, balance, vibration and cutting geometry. Genuine parts hold an edge longer, run truer, and protect your drive system — which means less downtime and a lower cost per cut.
Exact fitment
Matched pitch, gauge and mount — no guesswork.
Holds an edge
Hardened cutters cut sharper, longer.
Protects the saw
Correct geometry spares your sprocket & drivetrain.
Lower cost per cut
Less downtime, fewer replacements.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the right chain for my Husqvarna chainsaw?
Match three numbers: pitch, gauge, and drive-link count. Pitch and gauge must match your saw and bar; the drive-link count is set by your bar length and pitch. The fastest way is to look up your model in our bar & chain finder — it shows every fitting bar and chain with the exact drive-link loop to order.
What do chain pitch and gauge mean?
Pitch is the chain's rivet spacing (the distance between any three rivets divided by two) — Husqvarna saws use .325", 3/8", 3/8" low profile, .404", or the narrow-kerf .325" mini. Gauge is the thickness of the chain's drive links and must match the bar groove: .043", .050", .058", or .063".
How many drive links does my chain need?
The count is set by bar length and pitch, and it must be exact — a 20" .325" bar takes a 78-link loop while a 20" 3/8" bar takes 72. Count the drive links on your old chain or use the drive-link reference table for your pitch and bar length.
What do the markings stamped on my guide bar mean?
Near the tail of most guide bars you'll find the bar length, pitch, gauge, and the drive-link count of the matching chain. Reading those stampings is the surest way to replace a bar or chain with the correct size.
What size file do I need to sharpen my chain?
Match the round file to the chain pitch: 3/16" for .325" chain, 7/32" for 3/8" chain, and 5/32" for 3/8" low profile and 1/4" chain.
Should I run full chisel or semi-chisel chain?
Full chisel has square-cornered cutters and cuts fastest in clean wood — the pro choice for felling and bucking. Semi-chisel has rounded cutters that stay sharp longer in dirty, frozen, or dry abrasive wood. Skip-tooth spaces cutters farther apart for long bars and milling.