395xp 3/8 vs .404 and bar length

[Fredward]

Just been pricing up a 395 at the dealer, he is telling me that 404 works out cheaper becuase chains are fewer links and in the long run can pay off. Will be for occasional use in a small arb business. Just wondering if anyone has any opinions? A bigger cut must make more mess? He also said Husky only do 28/32 inch bars, I was gonna go for a 30inch bar; he said that the Husky bars are actually longer than the Stihls, so a 28inch might be closer to a 29inch, sounds weird or is this true?

[njm]

Just been pricing up a 395 at the dealer, he is telling me that 404 works out cheaper becuase chains are fewer links and in the long run can pay off. Will be for occasional use in a small arb business. Just wondering if anyone has any opinions? A bigger cut must make more mess? He also said Husky only do 28/32 inch bars, I was gonna go for a 30inch bar; he said that the Husky bars are actually longer than the Stihls, so a 28inch might be closer to a 29inch, sounds weird or is this true?

 

3/8 for what your going to do .

[Stubby]

I run .404 36" on my 395 .

[MattyF]

3/8 would be my preference.

[john p]

Don't like 404, seems slow to me

[Stubby]

3/8 would be my preference.

 

Any thing over 28-30 I prefere .404 . just me i suppose .

[wyk]

In dirty conditions - 404 semi chisel seems to last forever vs 3/8.

[SawTroll]

Right wyk, according to my brother. He often use .404, but then most of his saws are heavily modified (more than a "normal" porting job).

 

.404 has larger cutters than 3/8", but also fewer. The saw needs to cope with 3/8x8 in the bar length in question though, to approximate the "gearing" of .404x7.

Edited May 31, 2015 by SawTroll

[miker]

oregon power match bar, 36" 3/8ths sprock nose

[Rob D]

Quite a few people run .404 on their 395XPs.

 

I've always found that .404 stays sharper longer than 3/8 - how much this is down to increased tooth size not sure, could be linked to the way the chain cuts, shifts the chip etc etc

 

Also you could consider skip link chain? I have the 3/8 .063 chisel... and now have some multi mount light type bars in 3/8 .063 sizes 15",16",18",20",24",28",30",36"

 

These bars will fit Stihl D025/3003 mounts, Husky D009 and Echo D176 with a spring spacer. May get my 390XP set up with a 28" and skip link to see how it runs.