CC on a chainsaw stands for cubic centimeters: the volume the piston sweeps inside the cylinder, which sets the size of a gas engine. It is a size, so it does not give you the power, the weight or the cutting speed of the saw.
I am an agricultural engineer and I run an orchard, so I read an engine label before I trust a number on a box. Below you will find how the figure is worked out, how to read it on a spec label, why two saws with the same size can differ in power, and what the number leaves out.
What Does CC Mean on a Chainsaw? The Short Answer
One cubic centimeter equals one milliliter, so the same engine size appears as cc, cm3 or mL depending on the maker. The Husqvarna 435 manual prints 40.9 cm3 and the Echo CS-590 manual prints 59.8 mL. Both are engine displacement, the amount of space the piston clears on its way through the cylinder.
Displacement is the only thing the number states. A bigger figure means a bigger engine, and the maker’s own rating tells you the power. I treat the three spellings as one unit and read the rating next to it.
Key Takeaway
CC is engine size. The power rating, the weight and the approved bar lengths come from the saw’s manual, and each one needs its own check.
How Engine Displacement Is Worked Out
The cylinder is a round tube and the piston slides up and down in it. Multiply the area of the tube’s circle by the distance the piston travels, and you have the volume swept on one stroke. A saw with more than one cylinder adds the volumes together.
A Worked Example With Real Numbers
The US Environmental Protection Agency spells this out in its small-engine rule, which defines displacement as the swept volume of all the engine’s cylinders. Its example is a one-cylinder engine with a 6.00 cm bore and a 6.25 cm stroke, and the arithmetic runs in three short steps.
- Halve the bore to get the radius: 6.00 cm / 2 = 3.00 cm.
- Find the area of the circle: 3.14 x 3.00 x 3.00 = about 28.3 square centimeters.
- Multiply by the stroke: 28.3 x 6.25 = about 177 cubic centimeters.
The rule rounds its own worked result to the nearest whole cubic centimeter. Makers publish rounded figures of their own, such as 38 cm3 or 59.8 mL.
How to Read the Engine Size on a Spec Label
Makers in the United States print cubic centimeters, milliliters or cubic inches, and some print two of them side by side. The table shows the labels of three Husqvarna saws and one Echo saw as their operator’s manuals print them.
| Saw | Printed size | In cubic inches |
|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna 120 Mark III | 38 cm3 | 2.32 cu in |
| Husqvarna 130 | 38 cm3 | 2.32 cu in |
| Husqvarna 435 | 40.9 cm3 | 2.49 cu in |
| Echo CS-590 | 59.8 mL | 3.65 cu in |
Converting Cubic Inches to CC
One cubic inch holds about 16.387 cubic centimeters, so multiply cubic inches by 16.4 to get cc. The Echo CS-590 works out as 3.65 x 16.387 = 59.8, which matches its label. Older US guides and some chain makers still quote cubic inches, and the 3.8 cubic inch figure in the safety standard section below converts to about 62 cc.
Why More CC Does Not Always Mean More Power
Two saws with the same displacement can carry different power ratings. Husqvarna lists the 120 Mark III and the 130 at 38 cm3, and rates them at 1.4 kW (1.9 hp) and 1.5 kW (2.0 hp). Its 435 and 440 share 40.9 cm3, and the 440 is rated at 1.8 kW (2.4 hp) against 1.6 kW (2.2 hp) for the 435. I put the 130 and 120 Mark III side by side in a full comparison.
| Saw | Engine size | Power rating, maker’s figure |
|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna 120 Mark III | 38 cm3 | 1.4 kW (1.9 hp) at 9000 rpm |
| Husqvarna 130 | 38 cm3 | 1.5 kW (2.0 hp) at 9000 rpm |
| Husqvarna 435 | 40.9 cm3 | 1.6 kW (2.2 hp) at 9000 rpm |
| Husqvarna 440 | 40.9 cm3 | 1.8 kW (2.4 hp) |
Chainsaw CC to HP and Why the Two Do Not Convert
No fixed ratio turns cc into horsepower. The same 38 cm3 appears above with 1.9 hp and with 2.0 hp. Husqvarna rates its saws in kilowatts and horsepower at a stated engine speed under ISO 7293, so the rating is a figure of its own. When you compare two saws, compare the kW or hp figures with each other and treat cc as the size of the engine behind them.
Chainsaw CC Chart for Common Gas Saw Sizes and Bars
Any chart that maps one cc range to one bar length is a general reference, so the manual of your saw settles it. The table below lists the bars that the manuals for four saws allow, and it shows how far apart two makers can sit at a similar size.
| Saw | Engine size | Bars in the manual |
|---|---|---|
| Husqvarna 120 Mark III | 38 cm3 | 14 in and 16 in |
| Husqvarna 130 | 38 cm3 | 14 in and 16 in |
| Husqvarna 435 | 40.9 cm3 | 13 in to 18 in, as the maker recommends |
| Echo CS-590 | 59.8 mL | 16 in to 27 in |
Chainsaw CC to Bar Length in the Guides
According to bar maker Cannon Bar Works, engines of 36 to 45 cc suit bars of 14 to 20 inches, and engines of 46 to 60 cc suit bars of 16 to 24 inches. The company calls its chart a general reference and tells readers to check the saw’s manual. A 40 cc chainsaw such as the Husqvarna 435 sits inside the first band, and the 435 manual recommends bars of 13 to 18 inches. The two ranges overlap and differ at both ends, so the manual of the exact saw governs.
For the job rather than the engine, Alabama Extension points light work such as small limbs to a bar of 8 to 15 inches. It points frequent cutting of thick limbs and trunks to a 16 to 20 inch bar, and it calls saws with bars over 20 inches professional-grade and not recommended for homeowners. NC State Extension says most household uses rarely need more than 16 inches. I turn these bar ranges into a pick in what size chainsaw you need.
The 3.8 Cubic Inch Line in the Safety Standard
According to chain maker Carlton, the ANSI standard it cites requires low-kickback performance from saws smaller than 3.8 cubic inches (62 cc), and it leaves low-kickback performance optional from that size up. That makes the cc figure a safety clue as well as a size. Keep the low-kickback chain that the manual approves on every saw you own, whatever the engine size.
If the upper part of the bar tip touches wood or another object, the bar can kick back up and toward you (rotational kickback). Wood pinching the chain on the top of the bar pushes the saw straight back at you (pushback), and wood pinching the bottom pulls it forward, away from you (pull-in). A low-kickback chain, a chain brake and a correct grip reduce these risks; none removes them. Laboratory tests on gas saws found that proper chain tension, anti-kickback chain links, sliding-end guide bars and a quick-acting chain brake all influence kickback (1).
What the CC Number Does Not Tell You
Engine size says nothing about weight, balance, build quality or fuel use, and it applies only to saws with a combustion engine. Four things sit outside the number, and each one decides how the saw feels in your hands. I consider engine size alongside weight and branch limits in my guide to choosing the cc a pole saw needs.
Weight and Fatigue
A bigger saw is heavier, and a heavier saw tires you sooner. Alabama Extension warns against automatically picking a large, heavy saw, because the weight raises the risk of fatigue and injury later in the day. Echo lists the CS-590 at 13.2 pounds dry, without chain and bar, and I weigh that saw up in my review of the Echo CS-590. In a study of 40 loggers, felling was the most demanding task, the loggers underestimated their own physical load, and heart rate rose as the chainsaw got heavier (2).
A saw that feels light at minute five feels heavy at minute thirty, and I choose the lighter saw whenever the wood allows it. A tired operator makes mistakes, so I stop and rest before the hands slow down.
Battery and Corded Saws Have No CC
A battery saw has a motor instead of a cylinder, so it has no displacement. Its size is a voltage platform and a battery rating, such as the 56 V listed in the EGO CS1800E manual. A corded saw is rated in amps, as with the 15 A, 1800 W Oregon CS1500. My guide on what voltage chainsaw you need sorts the battery platforms by job.
Fuel, Mix and the Maker’s Rules
A gas saw runs on fuel mixed with two-stroke oil, and the ratio comes from that saw’s manual. The Husqvarna 435 and 440 table gives 2 percent (50:1), which is 2 1/2 US fluid ounces of oil per US gallon of gasoline. Husqvarna and Echo both allow up to 10 percent ethanol, and Echo states that E15 and E85 are not approved. Mix only what the job needs, in a measured bottle, and read the mix line of the manual first. If the mix is a chore you would rather skip, my battery and gas chainsaw comparison weighs power, upkeep and noise.
Refuel in this order every time. Release the trigger, engage the chain brake, switch the engine off and wait until the chain has stopped, then let the engine and muffler cool. Refuel outdoors with no smoking, open flame or sparks nearby, wipe up any spill, and move at least 10 feet from the fuelling spot before you start the saw. I fuel and start on the gravel yard, well away from the sheds.
Start a gas saw with the chain brake engaged, on the ground with the bar clear of anything or held firmly as the manual shows, never by drop-starting it, and at least 10 feet from where you fuelled it.
What a Gas Engine Puts on the Operator, Whatever Its Size
These studies measured professional loggers and forestry workers, not homeowners. They still show what a running gas saw puts in the air and into the hands, and I use them to decide how I protect myself on a job of any size, not to compare engine sizes.
Exhaust and Carbon Monoxide
A study of loggers using two-stroke saws found short-term carbon monoxide readings of up to 400 ppm during felling, in low wind and in thick stands(3). Never run a gas saw in a garage, shed or other enclosed space, because the exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
In a separate field study of 80 air samples taken from forest operators, exposure to the exhaust compounds PAHs and BTEX was generally about ten times lower with alkylate fuels than with a regular petrol and oil mix (4). That finding is about those compounds, not about carbon monoxide. Your manual decides which fuel the saw may take, so do not change fuel on that finding alone.
Noise and Vibration
Measurements on chainsaw operators found noise above the legal limit and 13 percent of the hand-arm vibration measurements over 2.5 m/s2, and a medical evaluation of 107 operators found that about a quarter had musculoskeletal disorders(5). A separate study of tree fellers found more finger coldness, tingling and numbness than in a control group, and the symptoms grew with the daily vibration exposure (6).
Alabama Extension puts a gas saw at about 110 decibels, so I wear earplugs under earmuffs from the first pull. When my hands begin to tingle I release the trigger, engage the chain brake, switch the engine off, wait until the chain has stopped and then put the saw down, and a tingling that does not go away is a reason to see a doctor.
Before Any Cut
Read the manual and get hands-on training before the first use, and start with small cuts on wood that lies on the ground. Wear impact-rated safety glasses with side protection marked Z87+ (a mesh face screen adds to them but never replaces them), hearing protection, chainsaw chaps or chainsaw trousers used within their maker’s stated limits (some are not designed to stop a battery or corded saw’s chain, and no clothing guarantees protection), work gloves and sturdy boots with ankle support, plus a hard hat when you fell a tree or anything can fall from above. Hold the saw with both hands, right hand on the rear handle and left hand on the front handle, thumbs and fingers wrapped around the handles, with your body to the left of the chain line and firm footing. Never cut at or above shoulder height, and never cut from a ladder or a roof.
Felling and Power Lines
Felling is the most dangerous chainsaw job. Never work alone, keep everyone at least two tree lengths away (the Husqvarna 120 Mark III and 130 manuals ask for 2 1/2 tree lengths, and your saw’s manual may ask for more), and plan and clear two escape routes angled back from the direction of fall before any felling cut. A large, leaning, dead or hung-up tree, or a trunk or limb under tension after a storm, is a job for a certified arborist. Treat every downed power line, and anything touching it, as live: stay well away and call the utility. Before any work near a power line, contact the utility and leave that work to its qualified line-clearance crews; a general arborist is not automatically qualified for it.
Why a Bigger Engine Is Not Always the Better Pick on My Orchard
On my 3.7-acre orchard the chainsaw does only the big cuts. Loppers and a hand saw handle the live wood when I prune, and the saw comes out when a plum or apricot tree dies and the stem has to be cut into pieces small enough to carry. That job asks for a saw I can hold steady, not the largest engine on the shelf. My roundup of lightweight chainsaws ranks seven compact saws for limbs and small logs.
Dense stone-fruit wood dulls a chain faster than soft wood. Fine dust instead of chips tells me the chain needs work before the engine does, and a dull chain gets no better with a bigger engine. A saw that is too big for the job is also the saw I tire of first, and I do not recommend one for a few small cuts a season.
In my opinion the commonest mistake is buying the biggest number on the box. Match the saw to your heaviest regular job, not the heaviest job you can imagine, and leave anything bigger to a professional. I walk through that matching step in what cc chainsaw you need.
Choosing an Engine Size for Your Own Jobs
Three things carry the topic. CC is the size of a gas engine in cubic centimeters, the maker’s kW or hp rating states what it delivers, and the manual lists the bars and chain that fit. My tip is to write the engine size and the approved bar lengths from your manual on a strip of tape inside the shed door, so the figure is at hand when a spare bar or chain is on the counter. Pick the cc of a chainsaw engine for the work you do every season, and keep the manual open when you compare saws. My guide on the horsepower a chainsaw needs covers the rating side of the same choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a higher cc chainsaw better?
A higher cc chainsaw is better only when the job needs the larger engine, because cc states engine size and not output. A bigger saw is heavier and tires the operator more, according to Alabama Extension, and two Husqvarna saws with the same displacement carry different power ratings.
Is a 62cc chainsaw powerful?
A 62cc chainsaw has a large engine, about half again the 40.9 cm3 of the Husqvarna 435, and the maker’s kW or hp rating shows how much power it delivers. At 3.8 cubic inches it also sits on the line where the ANSI standard Carlton cites stops requiring low-kickback performance, so keep the chain the manual approves on it.
How many cc for 20 inch bar?
A 20 inch bar appears in two engine bands of bar maker Cannon Bar Works, 36 to 45 cc and 46 to 60 cc, and the maker tells readers to confirm the range in the saw’s manual. The Echo CS-590 at 59.8 mL lists bars from 16 to 27 inches, while the Husqvarna 435 at 40.9 cm3 recommends 13 to 18 inches.
What is the cc range per class of saw?
The cc range per class of saw differs from maker to maker, and no single source sets one table. Alabama Extension describes homeowner, farm and professional saws by how they are used and built, and the saws named in this guide run from 38 cm3 to 59.8 mL. The one size line in the safety standard that Carlton cites sits at 3.8 cubic inches (62 cc).
What size chainsaw engine do I need?
The engine size you need is the one whose manual lists the longest bar your regular jobs call for. The Husqvarna 120 Mark III and 130 at 38 cm3 list 14 and 16 inch bars, and NC State Extension says most household uses rarely need more than 16 inches.
References
- Dąbrowski A. Reducing kickback of portable combustion chain saws and related injury risks: laboratory tests and deductions. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2012;18(3):399-417.
- Masci F, Spatari G, Bortolotti S, et al. Assessing the impact of work activities on the physiological load in a sample of loggers in Sicily (Italy). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(13):7695.
- Bünger J, Bombosch F, Mesecke U, Hallier E. Monitoring and analysis of occupational exposure to chain saw exhausts. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1997;58(10):747-751.
- Neri F, Foderi C, Laschi A, et al. Determining exhaust fumes exposure in chainsaw operations. Environ Pollut. 2016;218:1162-1169.
- Iftime MD, Dumitrascu AE, Ciobanu VD. Chainsaw operators’ exposure to occupational risk factors and incidence of professional diseases specific to the forestry field. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2022;28(1):8-19.
- Su AT, Maeda S, Fukumoto J, et al. A cross sectional study on hand-arm vibration syndrome among a group of tree fellers in a tropical environment. Ind Health. 2014;52(4):367-376.
Safety Note: Read your saw’s manual first and get hands-on training before your first cut. A chainsaw can react faster than you can: if the upper part of the bar tip touches wood or another object, the bar can kick back up and toward you; wood pinching the top of the chain can push the saw straight back at you, and wood pinching the bottom can pull it forward. Keep the bar tip out of contact and watch for wood closing on the bar. A low-kickback chain and a chain brake reduce these risks but never remove them. Before each use, inspect the saw as your manual describes: test the chain brake, and check the throttle lockout, the stop switch, the chain catcher, the guards and the chain. On a gas saw the chain must not move at idle. If any check fails or a part is missing or damaged, do not use the saw until it is repaired, and never disable a safety device. Wear impact-rated safety glasses with side protection marked Z87+ (a mesh face screen adds to them but does not replace them), hearing protection, chainsaw chaps or chainsaw trousers, work gloves and sturdy boots with ankle support, and a hard hat when you fell a tree or when anything can fall from above. Use leg protection within its maker’s stated limits: some chaps are not designed to stop the chain of a battery or corded saw, and no clothing guarantees protection. Hold the saw with both hands, right hand on the rear handle and left hand on the front handle, thumbs and fingers wrapped around the handles, and keep your body to the left of the chain line with firm footing. Never cut one-handed with a rear-handle saw, never cut at or above shoulder height, and never cut from a ladder or a roof. Top-handle saws are made for trained tree workers: follow that saw’s manual. Keep children, bystanders and pets well away while you cut. Never work alone. Start a gas saw with the chain brake engaged, on the ground or held firmly as the manual shows, never by drop-starting it, and at least 10 feet from where you fuelled it. Refuel outdoors with the engine off and cool, with no smoking, flames or sparks nearby, wipe up spills, and use only the fuel mix and ethanol content your manual allows. Exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which can kill: never run a gas saw indoors or in a garage, shed or other enclosed space. Before you touch the chain, clear a jam, adjust the tension or sharpen: release the trigger, engage the chain brake, stop the engine or motor and wait until the chain has stopped. Then, on a gas saw, let the engine and muffler cool and pull the spark plug cap off; on a battery saw, take the battery out; on a corded saw, unplug it by the plug. Put on gloves before you touch the chain, and release the chain brake only when your manual’s procedure calls for it. To carry the saw, stop it, take out the battery or unplug it, keep the chain brake engaged and the bar pointing behind you, and fit the bar cover for transport. Use a corded saw only with an outdoor-rated extension cord of the gauge your manual gives, plugged into GFCI-protected power. Never use it in rain or wet conditions: GFCI protection does not make that safe. Keep the cord away from the chain. Use only the chains and bars your manual approves. Felling trees is the most dangerous chainsaw job. Before any felling cut, keep everyone at least two tree lengths away, and plan and clear two escape routes angled back from the direction of fall; when the tree starts to fall, follow your manual’s retreat steps (release the trigger, stop the saw and set it down as it describes) and move away along that route; never delay escape to cool, unplug or cover the saw. A large, leaning, dead or hung-up tree, a trunk or limb under tension after a storm, and any tree near a house or a road are jobs for a certified arborist. Power lines are a separate danger: treat every downed line, and anything touching it, as live, stay well away and call the utility; before any work near a power line, contact the utility and leave that work to its qualified line-clearance crews. Stop when you are tired, and take breaks if your hands tingle or go numb.