Find Your Exact 18" 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 "18-Inch Chain" Isn't a Single Size

The 18-inch bar sits right in the middle of the range — which is exactly why it carries the most variety. 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 number of teeth on the underside of the chain that sit in the bar groove. An 18" bar can take anywhere from 62 to 74 drive links depending on the saw's sprocket and bar nose. This is the number most people miss — and the most common reason a chain doesn't fit.
• Pitch: the distance between drive links. This is where 18" bars get tricky — battery and smaller petrol saws run 3/8" LP, mid-size saws run .325", and the big professional saws run full 3/8". All three are common at 18". It has to match your saw's drive sprocket exactly.
• Gauge: the thickness of the drive links (e.g. .050", .058", .063"). It has to match the width of your bar groove — and note that in Australia, many Stihl saws run a .063" gauge where other markets use .050".

Get all three right and the chain runs true. Get one wrong and it either won't fit at all, or it'll fit loosely and wear fast. On an 18" bar especially, ordering by length alone is a coin toss — which is exactly why we match on the full specification instead.

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", .325", etc.
2. The gauge — often shown as .050", 1.3mm, etc.
3. The drive-link count — sometimes stamped, otherwise count the drive links on your old chain.

Can't read them, or the bar's too worn? That's what the Search by Chainsaw option and our chat verification are for. Don't guess — a two-minute check saves ordering the wrong chain.

18" Chains by Brand

Know your brand? Jump straight to chains for the most common saws that run an 18-inch bar in Australia:

• Stihl 18" chains — MS 251, MS 261, MS 271, MS 291, MS 311, MS 362, MS 461 and more
• Husqvarna 18" chains — 445, 450, 455 Rancher, 550 XP, 365, 372 XP and more
• Echo 18" chains — CS-490, CS-501P, CS-620P and more
• Battery & cordless 18" chains — EGO CS1800, Ryobi, and more

18-Inch Chainsaw Chain — Common Questions

What size chain fits an 18-inch bar?

It depends on your saw. An 18" bar takes a chain with a matching pitch, gauge, and drive-link count — typically between 62 and 74 drive links, in 3/8" LP, .325", or full 3/8" pitch depending on the saw. The bar length alone doesn't identify the chain; use your bar stamp or saw model to find the exact one.

How many drive links is an 18-inch chainsaw chain?

Usually between 62 and 74, depending on the saw's pitch, sprocket and bar nose. The most common counts on 18" bars are 68 and 72 drive links. Always confirm by reading your bar stamp or counting the drive links on your current chain.

Are all 18-inch chainsaw chains the same?

No — and 18" bars vary more than most. Two saws with 18" bars can take completely different chains across three different pitches. That's why ordering by bar length alone is especially risky at this size, and why we match on the full specification instead.

How do I find my pitch and gauge?

Both are usually stamped on the side of your guide bar near the mounting bolts. If they're worn off, enter your saw's make and model in our Search by Chainsaw tool, or send a photo of your bar through the chat and we'll identify them for you.

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.