best chain for my Husky 272XP

[buymore]

best chain for my Husky 272XP and a new question about my saw

I've got a Husky 272XP fitted with a 28" bar. full wrap handle. I use this saw primarily for just my bigger trees. Get them down and chunk them up! Most of my cutting gets done by my Model 51 with an 18" bar. I got the saw used a couple of months ago and the chain it came with was about half gone. I've sharpened it twice now and it's close to my limits as a non-pro sharpener. I did pick up an Oregon 72LGX093G and it worked wonderfully on some red oak, white oak and pin oak. It hardly showed signs of use after cutting quite a bit of bigger wood. Next day out was on some silver maple. This one was 44" across. Everything was good until I came across metal going full bore!! Lets just say my $23 almost new chain is SHOT! Some of the cutters were almost destroyed. I couldn't see any signs of metal in the other pieces of wood. Now as I'm looking for chain, I'm trying to find the best chain at the best price. I've always bought from Baileys, but they only have the 28"s by the link priced. It's better than others I'm finding, but I'm only wanting to buy two chains right now, so the shipping eats me up! I've been using saws since I was 14 yrs old, so I can handle aggressive chains. I cut mostly Oak, Elm, Ash, Cherry and occasionally maple. Do you guys have any suggestions for chain and a source that's reasonable? It's 93 DL 3/8 .050 on this one. The guy had replaced the bar and it's a 3/8 .050 bar which I believe is the correct bar for the 372XP, but I just checked my Husqvarna 272XP download and they say it should be 3/8 .058 gauge. Did he get the wrong bar? Is my sprocket going to be right? The chain seems to fit down into the sprocket right, but am I going to have problems with that? Thanks

 

[excess650]

Make sure the chain fits the bar. If the bar is .050 then you need .050. You could stop by your local dealer and have them make you another 93 link chain, but it'll cost almost as much as a pair plus shipping from Bailey's.

You could try full skip against full comp.

 

[buymore]

I guess I'm thinking if my sprocket is a .058 gauge sprocket (as the factory manuel would state), and my chain and bar are .050, I'll be ok, If it was the opposite, then I may have trouble getting a wider chain to eat into the .050 gauge sprocket, right? Or is the sprocket the same? This 272xp is a 1991 manfacture date, maybe it had an upgraded sprocket? I just bought it and it actually doesn't look like it's had much use for it's age. Like I said, the orange isn't really beat up and shows no fading at all, but not replaced either. Just some broken fins in the recoil cover. I just use them and usually pay someone to fix them, but with the economy the way it is....I'm fixing my own stuff these days and having to learn a I go. My model 51 I bought new and theonly thing I replaced on it besides chains and plugs is a new recoil spring and pull rope. I put a new pulley on it since I was changing the spring and rope, but kept the original as a back up. I bought Husqvarna so I didn't have to work on them much and so far it's been good!

 

[forestryworks]

a sharp chain would be nice

 

[willsaw4beer]

I guess I'm thinking if my sprocket is a .058 gauge sprocket (as the factory manuel would state), and my chain and bar are .050, I'll be ok, If it was the opposite, then I may have trouble getting a wider chain to eat into the .050 gauge sprocket, right? Or is the sprocket the same? This 272xp is a 1991 manfacture date, maybe it had an upgraded sprocket? I just bought it and it actually doesn't look like it's had much use for it's age. Like I said, the orange isn't really beat up and shows no fading at all, but not replaced either. Just some broken fins in the recoil cover. I just use them and usually pay someone to fix them, but with the economy the way it is....I'm fixing my own stuff these days and having to learn a I go. My model 51 I bought new and theonly thing I replaced on it besides chains and plugs is a new recoil spring and pull rope. I put a new pulley on it since I was changing the spring and rope, but kept the original as a back up. I bought Husqvarna so I didn't have to work on them much and so far it's been good!

Sprocket is pitch only, and bar is pitch and gauge. The chain has to be the same pitch as the sprocket and pitch and gauge as the bar.

 

[willsaw4beer]

a sharp chain would be nice

By the sound of it that may be too much to ask...:monkey:

 

[buymore]

I have managed to sneak chains in for my other saws fairly easily, but with the money crunch and just getting this one for an "occasional use", she's watching the checkbook a little closer! Let's face it, I can get 18" loops for my Husky 51 for a little more than half of this one. There for awhile, I was getting Woodsman Pro loops for under $9 shipped if I bought three or four at a time. Even when they jumped in price a little, still under $12 each. Eveytime I buy stuff for the saws I have to explain the "almost free heat" all over again, then my order is approved. I just like to do it as little as possible and bunch it all together. Since htis saw was used and new to me, I wasn't sure if the bar change and sprocket would be a big deal. Like I said it was working for me until I hit some metal in that Maple tree! I was trying to get some positive use out of that saw purchase before I put more money into it to quell the rampant questions. It's her new version of "How many guns do you need?" But I guess Baileys will get some more of our money this week.

I know..the more the toy costs, the more parts cost! I did need the bigger saw. As soon as I got it, I went around a got all the wood that I had to refuse before for lack of size. That's right, I'll admit it guys....size does matter! I was able to get a little more than a cord out of that huge maple before I bit it with that chain. So it was still not a total loss.

I guess I'll learn more and more about my saws as the crunch hits us and I HAVE to fix my own. Hopefully I won't keep getting insulted everytime I ask!

 

[excess650]

The rim or spur sprockets will accept whatever gauge chain you put in them, so if your bar calls for .050, then that is the chain you need. Rims will accept .050, .058, and .063 interchangeably.

If you need a chain today, you could go to the local dealer and expect to pay $30 plus tax. While that sounds expensive, if its a Stihl dealer, you could get what I think is the best chain.:spam: Pay cash and you won't have to explain the check or credit card expense.

Is that old chain really destroyed? I've slavaged some pretty ugly chains, but it takes a bit of work. Even if it ends up semi-skip or full skip, its better than just trashing it.

 

[buymore]

It's salvagebale. It's just going to take some work. I started on it last night by hand. I'll just have to take it easy and put some sweat into it. It's got about 10 cutters that are really bad! I mean the whole outside corner is either gone or beat back further than the inside corner. The chain that came on the bar was about half gone when I got it and poorly maintained. Almost looks like I was using it!!! LOL Maybe he got into some metal like I did?

As fas as buying, I think my local Husky dealer actually has the same exact loop I just got for about $25 loop, which is about the same as what it would cost me for per loop shipped if I get two from Bailey's. The one I trashed was just under about that price too. I was thinking maybe more like getting two or three different types and seeing which one works the best for me and that saw. If that's the case, ordering from Baileys will be more beneficial to get them all together to save three different shipping costs. I won't need it for a week or two, so I have more time to decide exactly what I want or as I say it to my wife "what I NEED!"

 

[excess650]

It's salvagebale. It's just going to take some work. I started on it last night by hand. I'll just have to take it easy and put some sweat into it. It's got about 10 cutters that are really bad! I mean the whole outside corner is either gone or beat back further than the inside corner. The chain that came on the bar was about half gone when I got it and poorly maintained. Almost looks like I was using it!!! LOL Maybe he got into some metal like I did?

Take your time and get the cutters even, check and file the rakers if needed. Do it to both chains, and put off your order until you need more stuff.

More than likely your Husky dealer has Oregon chain. I mentioned a Stihl dealer as I MUCH prefer Stihl chain to Oregon, and from dealers, the price will be comparable. From Bailey's, I buy the Woodland Pro chain. Its inexpensive, and seems better than Oregon. 93 links is $18.60 or so..

 

[buymore]

I agree with the Woodsman Pro. That chain has been very reliable and more durable than the Oregon on my Hus 51. The Oregon chain seems softer than the Woodman pro? Alot easier sharpening, but just doesn't hold up. I'll work at it a little today and see if I can get it back in shape.

 

[buymore]

I was able to salvage the chain afterall. It didn't take as much work as I thought it would. I think the next sharpening will even be better yet. I didn't try to get it all the way in one shot, but it's usable right now. I'll give it a try tomorrow to see how it cuts. I'm expecting a little jump here and there, but I'll work on it after I see how it cuts.