Which bar length do you most commonly use on a 50 C.C. chainsaw?

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Which size bar and chain is used most often on your 50 C.C. chainsaws?

  • shorter than 16"

    Votes: 10 4.8%

  • 16"

    Votes: 85 40.7%

  • 18"

    Votes: 84 40.2%

  • 20"

    Votes: 28 13.4%

  • longer than 20"

    Votes: 2 1.0%
  • Total voters
    209
jlh26oo

jlh26oo

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While 16", 18", and 20" are listed as available bars for the M.S. 260, Stihl's recommended length for this model is 16" (per the comparison chart). Those of you who spend alot of time on an M.S. 260 (or C.S. 520, 346 X.P. etc), which of these bar & chain lengths are most often found on your 50 C.C. chainsaws? This will be highly Y.M.M.V. of course, depending on purpose and individual. Just curious.


:deadhorse:
 
Sears best Craftsman 3.3 Built in '87 I believe. 55cc's 20"bar and Full comp full chisel chain. That's what she came with and that's all she can handle when buried in dried red oak.
 
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16", no doubt - never used a longer one, but have used 13" and 15" ones in the past.
15" is perfectly OK, 13" is not, imo.
 
15" 0,325 semi or full chisel. Nothing else. 16 would do too, but it's rare here.
 
20" on my 028S mainly for limbing.18" on the 5100S because that's whtit came with,will drop to 16" when it's worn out.16" on my 2050Turbo and sp520.
 
18" on the Shin 488. But when clearing trails I'm cutting dead pine & hemlock most of the time. I'm running a 16" bar on the Mac 655.
 
I'm running an 18" bar and 3/8 chain on my 260pro. Been that way for 5 years and have never had a gripe. It was my only saw up till recently so the 18" had most the bases covered and it pulled it with no problem. Now that I added a ms440 to the mix, I have thought about dropping to a 16" bar on the 260. To answer your question, 16 or 18 inch would be perfectly fine. 20" is too big for hardwoods on that saw. The oiler had a hard time keeping up on mine cutting thru some 24" elm with the 18" bar. Thats where the 440 takes over.:D

:greenchainsaw:
 
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18" on my 350 for the reach but it rarely cut's with the full bar unless it's just a few cut's on small tree's
 
18" on the 2 2054's and the 2152. They both have .325 and can handle it well, even when making large cuts. I believe comp1911 has 18" on his 2152 but runs 3/8" chain.
 
16" on my MS260 and 026 3/8's on one .325 on the other cut with both all the way to the tip. They will run an 18" fine and 20" is okay for limited use, but really the 16" is about perfect.

It really all depends on your expectations.... I could run a 24" but it aint gonna cut like I want it to.

:cheers:
 
was on 41.6cc long time and 15" only. 16'' for a little more reach 325 chain.

Dont get the idea behind 16" burried on a 50cc saw.

361 has its work with a 16" in hardwood why push a 50cc on it???


Chain being a major factor but 10% less sharp takes a bigger proportion of power on a longer bar or smaller engine. So you will strugle earlier


For bar lenghts go to Stihl.de and compare the available bars versus the US site for the same saw.

I dont understand why but the european bars are always much shorter.

2cents of a novice
 
My 260 pro came with a 18" bar on it. I have run a few tanks of gas thru it and I really like the combo.

On a side not I would like to get a 25" bar for it. I have not seen one for .325 size unless I change the sprocket to 3/8". Not for bucking but for cutting my bowl blanks. The way I cut them is standing on them leaning down cutting. I am only cutting maybe 6" with the tip. I was using a 20" bar on my 044. This kills the back. I recently got a 25" bar for the 044 and this helps alot but if I could do this cutting with the 260 it would be even easier on the back

Chris
 
I run the 16" on one 026 and 20" on the other when cutting with my step dad, he's 61 and likes the 20" so he doesnt have to bend over as much to limb.
 

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