This article explains STIHL BAR SIZES IN GENERAL. Here I go through the different bar mounts, pitches and gauges and how they go together.
Related pages you may be looking for:
- COMPATIBLE BARS FOR YOUR STIHL are listed in my saw profiles
- LIST OF STIHL BARS available on my Stihl bar data page
- OREGON and TSUMURA BARS FOR STIHL for replacements
- BAR LENGTH VS. CC general guidelines
Although not strictly a compatibility issue, we will also take a look into bar length with Stihl saws. We will end with a examples of bar fitting to some of Stihl’s most popular models.
1 Stihl bar mounts
At current, Stihl chainsaw and bars use three (3) different bar mounts: the Small 3005, the Medium 3003 and the Large 3002. These are not interchangeable: if your saw has a 3003 mount, so must your bar.
| STIHL BAR MOUNTS Saw model | Stihl mount | Slot width | Oregon/ Cannon mount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 009…023, 025 MS 150…231 MS 241, 250, 251 MSA 120…220 MSE 140…210 | 3005 (small) | .323” (8.2mm) | A074 S5, C1 |
| 024, 026…048 064, 065, 066 MS 240 MS 260…661 MSE 220, 250 | 3003 (med.) | .476” (12.1mm) | D025 S1 |
| 008 050, 051 070…090 MS 880 | 3002 (large) | .551” (14.0mm) | E031 G1, S2 |
| old models gas battery electric |
The image above shows you what the large and medium Stihl mounts look like. In the table, you see which mount each Stihl model uses, the width of the mount slot, and compatible Cannon and Oregon replacement bar mounts.
2 Stihl pitches and gauges
Stihl guide saws, bars and chains are designed for a total of 6 different chain pitches and 3 gauges. In the current Stihl lineup, these form 7 pitch-gauge combinations, and bars are available in 9 combinations. The combinations are mutually incompatible.
| STIHL SAW PITCH&GAUGE Saw model | Pitch* | Gauge |
|---|---|---|
| MS 150, 151 MSA 120, 140, 160, 161, 200 | 1/4”P | .043” |
| 009…022 MS 170, 171, 180, 181, 193, 194 MS 201, 211, 250** MSA 220 MSE 141, 170, 210, 220 | 3/8”P Oregon | .043” .050” |
| 023 MS 240, 250**, 251 | 3005: .325” Oregon | .050″ .063” |
| 024…028 MS 261, 271, 291 | 3003: .325” Oregon Tsumura | .050″ .063” |
| 029…048, 064…066 MS 290, 311…661 MS 880**, 881** MSE 250 | 3/8” Oregon Tsumura | .050” .063” |
| 008 050, 051 070…090 MS 880**, 881** | .404” Oregon Tsumura | .063” |
| **alternative pitches old models gas battery electric | *link to Stihl list, Oregon P=Picco |
More models: see my Stihl saw profiles.
NB. Pitches with a “P” suffix designate special low profile chains, that go by the names “Picco”, “Extended” or “LP”. These are not compatible with the regular pitch parts: 3/8”P will not fit 3/8” parts.
Also note: some Stihl models are available in two different pitches (e.g. MS 880, MS 250, some other MS 200 series saws). Whenever possible, please check your saw pitch from the manual, the bar, or the chain.
Identifying pitch & gauge
There are many ways to find out the pitch of your Stihl chainsaw:
- Use the table above: if you know your saw model number, you can check the pitch from the table above. NB: double-checking with other methods recommended
- Check bar markings: Stihl bars have the pitch and gauge clearly printed on them (unless they have been worn out). If you have the original bar, this will tell you what you need. See image below for an example.
- Check chain markings: Stihl chains have markings that are relatively simple to interpret and will tell you the pitch and gauge.
Identifying the mount
To determine the proper mount for a replacement bar for your saw:
- Check the table for the mount type of your saw
If you do not find your model in the table, you can determine the mount yourself using one of the following methods:
- Check the part number of the old bar (if it’s a Stihl). The mount is the first four numbers in the part number stamped on the bar
- Measure the slot width of the old bar and compare to the widths in the table
- If you have no bar that fits, measure the diameter of the bar studs at their root using a caliper – this should be close to one of the slot widths in the table. (Bar studs are the “bolts” that stick out of the saw body and go through the bar slot.)
Stihl bar lengths
| Motor size [cc] | Bar length min…max [in] | Examples of Stihl models |
|---|---|---|
| <30 cc | 10″…12″ | MS 150, 151 MSA 120…161 MSE 141 |
| 30…35 cc | 12″…16″ | MS 170…201 MSE 170, 210 |
| 45…55 cc | 16″…20″ | MS 271, 261, 291 MSE 250 |
| 60…120 cc | 16″… | MS 362, 661, 881 |
With Stihl chainsaws, bar length is not a compatibility issue, but a question of saw power, practicality and safety. Stihl has a recommended bar length range determined mainly by the saw size and power.
The minimum bar length recommended by Stihl is 10” or 12” for small (35 cc and under) gasoline-powered, battery or electric chainsaws, and 16” for medium-sized and large gas saws. I suspect this minimum is related to kick-back safety.
The maximum bar length Stihl recommends for their saws increases roughly linearly with engine size:
- Very small under 30 cc and smallest battery and electric models take a 12” bar at maximum,
- Small 30…35 cc gas, mid-sized electric and large battery saws take a 16” bar,
- Mid-sized 45…50 cc gas and large electric saws take a 20” bar
- Large 60…120 cc saws have maximum bar lengths between 25” and 59”; the recommendations vary a lot
More guidelines for bar length in a separate article.
Finding bars
Finding Stihl replacement bars which have the right mount can be a bit tricky online, since the mount is not usually clear from the bar model name neither explicitly given in the bar specs.
The best way I have found is to check the bar model number carefully before purchase: with original Stihl bars, the first four digits of the model number are the mount code.
Bar compatibility in brief
You can read more about bar compatibility in general in my previous article. The matching principles are simple, and can be summarized in one paragraph:
To be compatible with a given chainsaw, a guide bar must essentially have only two things: 1) the right bar mount and 2) same chain pitch as the saw. To be further compatible with a certain chain type, a bar should also be matched to 3) the chain gauge.
These matching principles apply to Stihl bars just as to all other brands: when searching for a compatible replacement bar for your Stihl, just look for bars with the same mount and pitch as your saw. Bar length, gauge, brand, kerf, construction, nose profile, etc., are important, but do not affect saw compatibility as such.
What makes the application of these simple rules challenging is that Stihl uses so many different mounts and pitches across their chainsaw product line, all of which are mutually incompatible. This is what we are going to go through next.
Stihl bar fit examples
Finding which bars fit your Stihl can be a bit confusing even after reading all of my instructions above.
To make the screening process clearer, we will next take a few of the most popular Stihl chainsaw models as examples. As it so happens, these models are also the ones with a few more catches than average.
NEW: Bar fit info for most Stihl saws in my Stihl saw profiles.
What size bar for MS 170?
The MS 170 is a small but capable 30 cc homeowner saw. According to the first table, the MS 170 has the small 3005 Stihl mount and will therefore clearly take 3005 mount bars.
The second table tells that the MS 170 has a chain pitch of 3/8”P, but the gauge may be either .043” or .050”. Stihl website says PMM3 (.043”) in all regions I checked, but the saw seems to have shipped also with .050” bars. Luckily you can fit the saw with a bar of either gauge, as long as you get the matching chain.
Finally, the Stihl gives 12” to 16” as the recommended bar length range for this model.
The MS 170 takes a 12” to 16” bar with a 3005 mount, 3/8”P (Picco) pitch, and either .043” or .050” gauge.
(A side note: Contrary to the websites, Stihl’s chain identification PDF actually gives MS 170 the pitch 1/4”P. I contacted Stihl, and it seems that the website has the correct info for all regions.)
What bar size for MS 250?
The MS 250 ties with MS 251 as Stihl’s most powerful homeowner saw. Matching a bar to this popular Stihl model is a bit more challenging than usual, since the saw comes in two different pitches.
First, checking the mount table, the MS 250 clearly has the small 3005 mount – in fact, it is the most powerful Stihl with this bar mount.
The pitch & gauge table, however, shows two options for the saw: 3/8”P pitch at .050” gauge or .325” at .063” gauge. Stihl USA currently lists the saw as .325”, but the global site as 3/8”P. Based on this, I’d guess new US models are likely .325” and European ones 3/8”P, but before ordering a new bar, you should definitely check the pitch from the old bar.
The MS 250 carries yet another surprise in recommended bar length range: Stihl websites give the range as one length only – 18”. I am uncertain whether this is as intended, since Stihl’s online bar & chain selector tool gives both 16” and 18” bars, and the fairly similar MS 251 with the same power rating is also given a 16” to 18” bar length range.
The MS 250 takes a 16” or 18” bar with 3005 mount and a pitch–gauge combination of either 3/8”P/.050” or .325”/.063”, the latter more likely in the US.
The updated versions MS 251 and MS 251 Wood Boss are similar in that they also take a 16” or 18” bar with 3005 mount, but have only a single pitch and gauge of .325”/.063”.
MS 271 Farm Boss
The MS 271 Farm Boss is a popular mid-range Farm & Ranch saw. It’s bar compatibility is fortunately more clear cut than that of MS 250 or MS 170, and can basically be read straight from the tables:
The MS 271 Farm Boss takes a 16” to 20” bar with the medium 3003 mount, .325” pitch and .063” gauge.
A note on Stihl bar models
As of 2021, Stihl sells almost all of their guide bars under the Rollomatic tradename. There are really six different lines of Rollomatic bars, ranging from the small “E Mini Light” up to the “Super E”.
The main thing to note here is that the Rollomatic model names indicate different bar constructions and profiles, not compatibility. Specifically,
- not all Rollomatic bars are interchangeable
- not all bars in the same Rollomatic line are interchangeable
Best guides in search for compatible Stihl bars are the part number and specifications, not the model name. See my Stihl bar data page for more info.
