Opinion, not question

I recently purchased a Husq. 450 Rancher with the 20" bar and chain from Lowes. The saw is a pretty good saw, and all. It cuts great etc. I went to buy a new chain for it, however, and mine has a "Special 80 dgl" chain. I was finally able today to get one from Western Auto, a local Husq... dealer, for a reasonable price. If the saw requires unstockable parts that will commonally be needed, I feel that Lowes should have told me before I bought the saw. They carried 20 inch chains, just not the one for the saw that they sold me. Even Western Auto at first wanted twice what I would pay for the chain. Believe me, I was angry. The saw wasn't cheap, and I feel that I should have been told this uniqueness up front!!

Bob at the worst all you would have to do is change the sprocket and bar to use a more standard chain. I do not know what a "Special 80 dgl" is and why it would be different than a normal chainsaw chain. IF the drag thickness is the same as common chain then all you would have to do is maybe change the sprocket.

I looked on line an all I could find out that as "special" about the chain you have is that it is a low kick back type chain. You should be able to replace it with a normal chain easily.

I am not real familiar with Husky chain saws but the chains are not any different than the other brands.

You just need to know the following things to replace the chain:
1) The pitch of the chain to match it to your drive sprocket.
2) The width of the drag to match the bar.
3) The length of the chain to match your bar.

With that information you can easily find a more common type of chain.

Personally I hate the low kick back chains. They really just have the drags set to cut a smaller chip. Therefore less kick back. That usually makes them less aggressive. I don't want to have to lay on the saw to make it cut.

Also remember that things you buy at Lowes can be oddball as they just buy/sell on price. I have found much of their stuff to be of lesser quality even under major brand names.

Most of the 20" chains are 72 drag links, while this one is 80. I realize that the sproket and bar would change this, but we are talking about a virtually brand new saw!

That is an odd bar for that I checked normal would be 78 drivers. That is a special low kick low vibe bar and chain. Should run about 16-17 dollars when that bar wears out you can go back to the standard bar and chain.

My opinion is.... I don't buy tools like that from big box stores anymore I go to my local dealer, He is farther away maybe a bit more money but when I need service or parts He is there and happy to help and often I can wait while the work is done. Who services those tools from the big stores? Usually a local dealer. Sorry for your trouble with a good tool.
One other thing as a builder one of our big accounts decided to pick light fixtures from one of these big stores and a couple years later needed parts like lenses ect. couldn't get them turned out they were selling close out end of production items. Prices were good though.

Bob, try going to Baileys dot com and see what chains they offer. Their Woodland Pro chain is pretty good stuff ad they often have specials that are great values. If you take a look at your bar, down near the slots at the base, you should find the brand, Oregon maybe, and the chain size. According to Husky it can be either .325 or 3/8". I'm betting it's .325. It will also tell the gauge, which will likely be .050 You can use whatever .325x .050 type of chain you want. The low kickback stuff is fine if you are patient or not a person used to chainsaws. I prefer a full chisel chain simply because it cuts so much faster. But, either way it has to be kept sharp. You might want to find a local chainsaw shop and start doing some business there. I love Lowes for a lot of stuff, but they are expensive and they aren't saw doctors.

You bought a homeowner saw at a big box store, how much can you expect. If you bought an XP series at a dealer, then you would have much more room to complain.

I doubt your saw requires any "special" chain to fit. I've got a 450 and a 455 as beater saws. Both take .325" pitch chain. The only thing "special" in regard to fit is the chain pitch (.325"), drive thickness (.050" or .058") and number of drive links. Usually 78 links on Husqvarna 20" bar (that cuts 19") but it depends on what bar is stuck on it. Lowes is about the last place on the planet I'd be seeking parts.

Saws sold as consumer-lever saws often have odd-ball super safety chain because they worry about unskilled homeowners getting hurt. It's the first thing I get rid of when I get such a saw from a chain store.

Last time I was looking for a chain at Lowes - they didn't even list them by chain pitch. They had some silly color system.

Sprockets are $6-$7.. bar/chain if needed is about $60

Take it to your local husky dealer and ask him to help you out. I'm sure he will be more than willing to show you why you buy power equipment from a reputable dealer. After he bails you out for being cheap try doing your business with him rather than the big box stores. I think you will find that the reduced frustration easily makes up the small difference in price. And maybe if you're willing to listen he'll teach you a thing or two about saws. Not going to get that at Lowes...

Not being a puncture wound, just stating some facts.

I would do as said by others I would switch out the sprocket & bar for one that you can get a chain anywhere.

I realize that the saw can be refitted to use a standard chain. My issue isn't as much with the unique chain & bar, but in Lowes not being as forthright about not carrying replacement chains. I have now found a source for the chain, (allbeit not at Lowes where I bought the saw) and for now will likely keep the saw as is, but had I known that Lowes did not carry replacement chains, I probably would have gotten a more standard saw.

I believe you are also going to find that that saw has an oil pump that is non adjustable for flow and has plastic gears. The saws are built to Lowe's price point. You get what you pay for.

I would think shopping at Lowes would be like shopping at Home Depot and Wal Mart. You better know what you want and expect chinese junk when you buy it. Never been in Lowes and don't ever expect to.

Bob You will find that the big box stores will tell you. We just sell them. You want parts and service. Good Luck.

As I see it, there is no such thing as a "standard" chain. There are just many options for what will fit your saw. Chisel, semi-chisel, round chipper, skip-tooth, ripper chain, pro-aggressive, homeowner-almost-safe safety chain, etc. The only factors that involve fitting are the chain pitch, width of groove in bar, and number of drive links. Your saw ought to be .325" pitch and have 78 drive links. Same as many other brand saws use.

If your saw takes .325" chain with 78 links on a 20" bar - I know Lowes and Home Depot have Oregon chains that fit and work fine. May not be exactly whatever sub-type as original but fine just the same. Now - if you're saying your saw has some odd-ball bar that takes an odd number of drive-links - that's a different issue.

I kind of see it like tires on a new car. When they need replacement I suspect most people have no problem replacing with a different brand and tread design - but must use the same size.

I buy most of my chains in the pro-series from Baileys on-line. That being said, I've picked up chains many times at Lowes and Home Depot for my "el-cheapo" saws like my Husqvarna 455 Rancher and Poulan Pros. The plastic Husqvarnas are the cheap homeowner line and often come with weird super-safety chain types which I personally can't stand to use. Murder to sharpen once worn a bit unless the safety bars get ground down.

I do not believe that. If true . . . the parts from a Husqvarna bought at Lowes would differ from that bought at a Husqvarna dealer. They do NOT differ. Rancher is a low-line consumer saw with a plastic crankcase and a non-adjustable oil pump regardless of where you buy. Husqvarna plastic saws are certainly better then some other cheap brands like Poulan pros (from the same company as Husqvarna) - but no where near as good as the Husqvarna pro-saws with magnesium crankcases and many other pro features.

Your saw simply does not use a one-off chain, not possible. The bar, even though it had Husky painted on it is an Oregon. The chain, even though it has Husky stamped into it, is also Oregon. It is X pitch, X gauge, X number of drivers with X style cutters and safety links or not. You should get to know all this info as often a chain will fit a saw not listed on the fit up guides at the box stores.
Any real saw shop can fix you up with a proper chain in a jiffy and in most instances you can get even better performing chains than are sold at consumer outlets like you mentioned.

A few are close to "one of a kind." My Makita/Dolmar came with a 18" bar that takes full size 3/8" chain, .050" gauge with 66 drive links. That link count is a real oddity. No other bar on any other saw uses it that I know of. No big deal. I can just buy cheap 70 link chains for Stihl saws and shorten them. I've got a rivet-spinner here.

Never heard of such a problem with plastic Husqvarna Ranchers. Generic .325" chain pitch, tang thickness of .050" or .058" and 78 drive links what many call a 20" bar (that actually cuts 18"-19").

You are correct! When one considers all the types of chain and bar lengths that there are some uncommon combinations. My point was/is that NO saw chain is one off for some certain model saw, however the drive link count may be specific to a given model. Our differances being you are talking about loops and I am talking about the chain types. Anyway we are talking the same thing.
Guess what? My 1987 Dolmar 112 with 16" bar uses a 3/8 050 chain with 66 drivers Haha!

That's funny - but it IS the same make. Just a different model. Makita owns Dolmar. They call it a 16" bar on your saw and an 18" bar on my Makita DCS510. Both with 66 drivers and full profile 3/8" chain.

Not only does the full chisel cut faster, it cuts faster, for longer, as it's not made of butter.