Chainsaw Chains for 12 Inch Bars

Find Your Exact 12" Chain

Two ways to land on the precise chain for your saw. Pick the one that matches what you know:

Not sure either way? Send a photo of your bar stamp through the chat bubble on screen and our team will confirm your exact chain before you order, our Guaranteed Fit system.

Why "12-Inch Chain" Isn't a Single Size

Bar length only tells you how long the bar is — not what chain runs on it. Three things decide that, and all three have to match:

• Drive links (DL): the teeth on the underside of the chain that sit in the bar groove. A 12" bar usually takes 44, 45 or 46 in 3/8" LP — but a 1/4" pitch saw on the same bar length needs far more, because the links are shorter. This is the number most people miss.
• Pitch: most 12" saws run 3/8" low profile, but Stihl's MSA battery range, the MS 150/151 and the HTA pole pruners use 1/4" pitch. They are not interchangeable.
• Gauge: both .043" and .050" are common. Stihl's MS 170/180 family runs .043"; the MS 211 and Husqvarna 120 run .050". Fit the wrong one and it either binds or sits loose in the groove.

Common 12" Setups

• 3/8" LP pitch, .043" gauge — Stihl MS 170, 171, 172, 180, 181, 182 and Makita DUC302/DUC306Z/UC003GZ. Typically 44–46 drive links.
• 3/8" LP pitch, .050" gauge — Stihl MS 211, Husqvarna 120 Mark II and T435, Ryobi RY36CSX30A, Baumr-AG SX25 and SMX pole saws, Echo CS-2511TES. Typically 45 drive links.
• 1/4" pitch, .043" gauge — Stihl MS 150/151 C-E, the MSA 120/140/160/161 battery range, and HTA 85/86 and HT 135 pole pruners. Higher link count for the same bar length.

How to Read Your Bar Stamp

On most bars, the numbers are stamped into the flat metal near the mounting slot, close to where the bar meets the saw body. You're looking for:

1. The pitch — often shown as 3/8" LP, 3/8" Picco, 1/4", etc.
2. The gauge — often shown as .043", .050", 1.1mm, 1.3mm.
3. The drive-link count — sometimes stamped, otherwise count the drive links on your old chain.

Note that Australian-market Stihl saws sometimes run a different gauge from their overseas equivalents, so always confirm against your own bar rather than a spec sheet from another country. Our how to measure a chainsaw chain guide covers the full method.

12" Chains by Brand

Know your brand? Jump to the full model chart:

• Stihl chain size chart — MS 170, MS 180, MS 211, MSA battery range
• Husqvarna chain size chart — 120 Mark II, T435 and more
• Makita & Dolmar chain size chart — DUC302, DUC306Z, UC003GZ
• All brands — complete size guide

12-Inch Chainsaw Chain — Common Questions

What size chain fits a 12-inch bar?

Most 12" bars take 44 to 46 drive links in 3/8" low profile pitch, in either .043" or .050" gauge. Some Stihl models use 1/4" pitch instead, which needs a different chain entirely. Confirm all three numbers before ordering.

How many drive links is a 12-inch chainsaw chain?

Commonly 44, 45 or 46 for 3/8" low profile. A 1/4" pitch chain on a 12" bar needs considerably more, because each link is shorter. Count the links on your old chain to be sure.

Is a Stihl MS 170 chain the same as an MS 211?

No. Both are 3/8" low profile, but the MS 170 family runs a .043" gauge and the MS 211 runs .050". The chains look similar and will not interchange safely.

What if I order the wrong chain?

You're covered. Every Alpine Chain Co. chain is backed by our Guaranteed Fit promise — send us a photo of your bar stamp before we ship and we'll confirm the fit, and if a chain we send doesn't fit your saw, we'll replace it with the correct one free of charge.