3/8 on a 346?

[coveforest]

Husqvarna specifies .325 pitch chain for their 346xp. I'd like to switch our saws over to 3/8 pitch. Anyone tried this? Seems like this saw could handle it. Seems like it is getting hard to find .325 chain without anti-kickback safety features...

 

[REJ2]

A lot written on the popular 50cc saws, 346, 260, 261, and 5100 using 3/8ths chain. Many say yeah, the other half nay. I'm in the .325 camp myself. Stihl RSC works well, but I dont mind the Oregon LPX even with the bumper drive linkhttp://www.oregonchain.com/pdf/chain/20lpx.pdf

 

[nmurph]

3/8"'s is all I run. If you have MM your 346 it will pull it fine.

 

[komatsuvarna]

Im in the .325 camp too. I like the oregon 95VP (narrow kerf)....starting to like it even more than the LPX chisel chain. I cut 2 loads of shell bark hickory yesterday. First load was with the LPX, second load was with the VP. Long story short, You couldn't tell any speed difference in the rock hard hickory, and the LPX was dull by the end of its load, and the VP is as sharp as it was before I started.

 

[sunfish]

I like .325 on the 346xp and have no problem finding it. I find Oregon with the small bumper to cut just as fast, or faster than Stilh chain with no bumper.

 

[coveforest]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll give LPX another try. It would seem a safer bet to stay with .325 pitch chain.

 

[RenaisSAWnceMan]

Just sittin' in, as I have a 346 and am interested in opinions/empirical. ['Course, it IS an XPG.... Does that qualify it as a...'Hot Saw'....?..... ]

 

[oldsaw]

I've got 3/8" on my ported 350 and it pulls it well.