Chainsaw Chain Pitch, Gauge and Drive Links
Updated: 15 October 2026
The new loop is on the bench and it will not go on. You bought a tallox pack on amazon.co.uk because the title said 16 inch or 3/8 inch, and the chain is too long, too short, or it will not sit in the groove. Chainsaw chain pitch gauge drive links are three separate matches. The bar length does not choose them. The [tallox chainsaw chain comparison](/hub/forestry-tools/tallox-chainsaw-chain) holds the nine-row table. We used those amazon.co.uk listings and public UK guides, we did not run a workshop test, and a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
The new loop is on the bench and it will not go on. You bought a tallox pack on amazon.co.uk because the title said 16 inch or 3/8 inch, and the chain is too long, too short, or it will not sit in the groove.
The new loop is on the bench and it will not go on. You bought a tallox pack on amazon.co.uk because the title said 16 inch or 3/8 inch, and the chain is too long, too short, or it will not sit in the groove. Chainsaw chain pitch gauge drive links are three separate matches. The bar length does not choose them. The tallox chainsaw chain comparison holds the nine-row table. We used those amazon.co.uk listings and public UK guides, we did not run a workshop test, and a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Pitch | Gauge | Drive links | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  tallox tallox 52-link 1.1 mm 3-pack | 3/8 in; model 3/8 LP | 1.1 mm | 52 | 7.4 | about £31.91 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  tallox tallox 40-link 25 cm 3-pack | 3/8 in, title only | 1.3 mm | 40 | 7.1 | about £16.42 | View offer |
 tallox tallox 57-link 16 inch 3-pack | 3/8 in; field 0.38 in | 1.3 mm | 57 | 7.9 | about £20.95 | View offer |
On this page
Three numbers, not the inch length
Pitch, gauge, and drive-link count are three different matches, and the inch mark on the bar settles none of them. Pitch is the rivet spacing, and it has to agree with the drive sprocket and the nose sprocket. Gauge is the drive-link thickness in the groove, and the link count is the loop length. NewSawChains, a UK supplier, says you count those links off the saw, because cutting length is not overall length.
This set uses 1.1 mm, 1.3 mm, 1.5 mm, and 1.6 mm. Stihl UK's case is a 1.1 mm chain leaning out of a 1.3 mm groove, though a spread groove can mimic that lean. The tallox chainsaw chain buying guide puts these checks in order.
3/8, 3/8 P, and 3/8 LP
Stihl UK says 3/8 inch and 3/8 inch P are not interchangeable. A 3/8 LP title points at that low-profile family. A bar marked 3/8 P or Picco still rejects a plain 3/8 loop.
The 1.1 mm pack prints 3/8 LP on the model line and 3/8 inch in the title. Leave that title clash as printed rather than forcing the chain on. Cutter shape waits on the semi-chisel or full-chisel page until the family matches.
Why 16 inch can be 55 or 57 links
Oregon publishes an S55 and an S57 for a stated 16-inch bar, both 3/8 low profile and .050 inch (1.3 mm), at 55 and 57 drive links.
Stihl UK's example for an MS 181 is 16 inch, 3/8 P, and 1.3 mm, with no link count. The other 16-inch row is 60 links and 1.6 mm at about £32.92, so a nearby count can still fail the groove. When the three numbers agree, tension and oil sit on the how to fit a chainsaw chain page.
Conflicts you should not correct
The 50-link pack is 14 inch and 1.3 mm, at about £19.45. The title says 3/8 inch and the pitch field says 0.19 inches. Leave that conflict as printed.
The .325 inch, semi-chisel, 1.5 mm, 68-link pack at about £23.95 claims to replace Oregon 73LPX068E. Oregon publishes that family as 3/8 inch and full chisel, and 0.325 does not share a sprocket with 0.375. The other .325 row is 1.6 mm and about £25.95, so gauge can still split a shared pitch. If the groove is spread or the stamp is missing, a dealer measures it, and grinding the drive links will not force a fit.
Common questions
Is 3/8 inch the same as 3/8 LP or 3/8 P?
No. Stihl UK treats 3/8 inch and 3/8 inch P as different pitches that are not interchangeable. Chainsawbars.co.uk says a 3/8 lo-pro chain, sold as 3/8 LP and as Stihl Picco, will not run on a standard 3/8 sprocket. A tallox title that only says 3/8 inch has not named the family. Match the bar stamp, and leave a listing that swaps the two labels unresolved.
How do I count drive links?
Take the chain off the saw, lay it flat, and count each drive tang once, keeping a finger on the tang where you started. NewSawChains notes that cutting length is not overall length, so this count is the length that has to match. If the new loop feels slightly off, count the old chain flat as well.
Why are there both 55-link and 57-link chains for a 16-inch bar?
Oregon lists an S55 and an S57 for a stated 16-inch bar, both 3/8 low profile and .050 inch, at 55 and 57 drive links. BuySpares.co.uk lists 40 cm chains at both counts, because the nose and tail of the bar change how many links close the loop. One UK reviewer counted 55 links on an MS 181 and found a 57-link tallox loop about 2 cm too long. Stihl's example for that saw prints no link count, so you read your own stamp.
What does a 0.19 inch pitch field mean next to a 3/8 inch title?
On B01AAWV72M the listing contradicts itself. The title says 3/8 inch and the pitch field says 0.19 inches. A 3/8 pitch is 0.375 inches, so 0.19 is not a rounding of the title and not a figure to rewrite as 0.38 or as .325 inch. If your bar stamp is clear, follow the stamp. If the stamp is gone, this field should not choose the sprocket.
Will 52 links at 1.1 mm fit a 52-link 1.3 mm bar?
The count can match and the chain can still be wrong. B01AAWVEIO is 52 links at 1.1 mm and B01AAWWD2A is 52 links at 1.3 mm, both described as 14 inch. Stihl UK says a 1.1 mm chain can lean out of a 1.3 mm groove. Husqvarna UK says a chain that is too thick will not enter, and one that is too thin is loose.
Is .325 inch close enough to 3/8 inch?
No. .325 inch is 0.325 and 3/8 inch is 0.375, and the sprocket is cut for one of them. B01G6ZSNYW is titled .325 inch and claims to replace Oregon 73LPX068E, which Oregon publishes as 3/8 inch full chisel. Treat that claim as a conflict in the listing. The other .325 row, B01AAWV6FU, is 1.6 mm rather than 1.5 mm, so the groove can still reject the chain.
What if the old chain is worn and the gauge measures small?
A worn drive link can measure under the gauge it was made to, so a blunt loop can read as 1.1 mm when the bar is 1.3 mm. Pitch is easy to misread once the rivets are rounded. If the bar stamp is gone, a dealer with a gauge is the next step. Do not settle 3/8 against 3/8 P with a ruler, and do not grind the drive links to force a fit.
Related pages
Sources
Technical and public sources listed in the research digest; retrieved 15 October 2026.
- Stihl UK: How to choose the right saw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: Replacing a chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Stihl UK: Sharpening a chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Husqvarna UK: Choosing the right chainsaw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE INDG317: Chainsaws at work (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSE: Chainsaw personal protective equipment (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- HSENI: Chainsaw safety checklist (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Oregon 73LPX PowerCut saw chain (retrieved 15 October 2026)