Guide · Chains & cutters
Stihl chain & file size guide
Four things decide whether a chain fits and how it cuts: pitch and gauge (fitment), drive-link count (length), and the cutter — its shape and how often it repeats. Get pitch, gauge and drive-link count right and the chain physically fits; the cutter is where you tune for speed, durability and safety.
Pitch — the size of the chain
Pitch is the distance between three rivets divided by two — effectively how big the chain is. It must match the bar nose sprocket and the drive sprocket on the saw. STIHL runs four practical pitches:
3/8" Picco (low-profile)
Gauge: .043"–.050" · File: 5/32" (4.0 mm) · Aftermarket: Oregon 90/91-series (e.g. 91PX)
Homeowner & top-handle saws, roughly under 40 cc (MS 170–211).
.325"
Gauge: .050"–.063" · File: 3/16" (4.8 mm) · Aftermarket: Oregon 95-series (95VPX) / 21–22 LPX
Mid-size saws, ~40–55 cc (MS 250, 261, 271, 291).
3/8" (full)
Gauge: .050"–.063" · File: 7/32" (5.5 mm) · Aftermarket: Oregon 72/73/75 EXL
The pro workhorse pitch, ~55–90 cc (MS 311–661).
.404"
Gauge: .063"–.080" · File: 7/32" (5.5 mm) · Aftermarket: Oregon 27/59-series
Big-bore & milling saws above ~90 cc (MS 880, 084/088, 090).
Gauge — drive-link thickness
Gauge is the thickness of the drive links that ride in the bar groove, stamped on both the bar and (often) the chain: .043″, .050″, .058″, .063″ and the big-saw .080″. The chain gauge must match the bar groove, not the saw — a .050″ chain will not seat in a .063″ bar. When in doubt, read the number stamped on the bar.
Drive-link count — the length
Pitch and gauge tell you the kind of chain; the drive-link count tells you the exact loop for your bar. It is a function of pitch and bar length, and it is stamped on the bar. Every engine-family page lists a “chain & bar by length” table with the typical STIHL drive-link count for each bar size that saw runs — start there for your specific saw.
Cutter type — chisel, semi-chisel, carbide
The cutter is the tooth that does the work. Its shape trades cutting speed against how long it stays sharp. STIHL labels these with the chain family (RS, RM, PM, RD); the Oregon and aftermarket equivalents are in the cross-reference below.
Full chisel
Square-cornered teeth — the fastest cut in clean softwood. They dull quickly in dirt, frozen or abrasive wood, so they suit experienced users doing felling and bucking in clean timber.
Semi-chisel
A rounded working corner holds its edge far longer in dirty, dry, frozen or hardwood. Slightly slower than chisel, but the most forgiving all-round choice — the default for most owners.
Low-profile semi-chisel
Narrow-kerf, low-profile, low-kickback chain for small and top-handle saws. Easy to pull, smooth and forgiving, at the cost of outright speed.
Carbide
Tungsten-carbide teeth for storm cleanup, sandy or muddy wood, frozen timber and abrasive cuts. Expensive and needs diamond sharpening, but outlasts steel many times over.
Skip vs full-comp — how often the cutter repeats
Beyond shape, chains differ in how many cutters they pack in. Fewer cutters cut a little rougher but drag less — which matters as bars get long or power-per-inch drops.
Full comp (standard)
A cutter on every other drive link — the normal arrangement. Smoothest cut and best finish; standard up to about 24–25″.
Semi-skip
Cutters thinned slightly. A middle ground that takes some drag off the powerhead on roughly 28–32″ bars.
Full skip
Fewer cutters means less drag and fewer teeth to sharpen — normal at 32″ and up, and the usual choice for milling and any long bar on a saw that would otherwise bog.
This is why a long-bar reach figure assumes the right chain: the same saw that bogs with a 36″ full-comp 3/8″ loop will happily pull a 36″ skip.
Low-kickback labels — green vs yellow
STIHL colour-codes chain (and packaging) to the ANSI B175.1 kickback standard:
- Green — low-kickback (“low-kickback”) chain, built with bumper/guard links to reduce kickback. Recommended for every user, and the safe default for occasional users.
- Yellow — standard chain with reduced-kickback features removed for more aggressive cutting. Intended only for experienced users who understand kickback.
Pitch tiers track saw size the same way: 1/4″ & 3/8″ Picco on the smallest saws, .325″ in the middle, 3/8″ the 55–90 cc workhorse, and .404″ above ~90 cc and on mills.
STIHL ↔ Oregon cross-reference
Genuine STIHL chain isn’t sold online, so the loops we link are equivalent Oregon specs. Match by pitch and gauge — never by saw model alone.
| Pitch | STIHL family | Oregon equivalent | Round file |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/8″ Picco (low-profile) | PMM3 · PMN · PM3 · PS3 | Oregon 90/91-series (e.g. 91PX) | 5/32" (4.0 mm) |
| .325″ | 23 · 25 · 26 RM/RS | Oregon 95-series (95VPX) / 21–22 LPX | 3/16" (4.8 mm) |
| 3/8″ | 33 · 36 RM/RS | Oregon 72/73/75 EXL | 7/32" (5.5 mm) |
| .404″ | 46 RS · RD | Oregon 27/59-series | 7/32" (5.5 mm) |
Ready to match parts to a specific saw? Find it on the engine-family chart for its exact chain, bar and drive-link count — or decode its name on the model codes page.