I have pretty much settled on the 261. Maybe. Would you get the 16", 18" or the 20" bar? Also, Is this saw significantly better than the 271? I really dont mind spending the xtra cash if so! Thanx!

Buy the cc s not the bar. We are mostly hardwood up here and recently was in a store. New saw, 35cc with a 24” bar. Marketing. My bar is bigger than your bar.

I like 20 but you can change bars pretty easily depending on your needs. I’d go with the 261, nice power/weight ratio. Hard to The intellicarb it has isn’t a computer chip, the Mtronic is the electric self adjusted carb….if that’s a concern.
Being lighter & a jump from 2.6 to 3kw is pretty decent.

261 is one of two rear handled saws I keep in the truck now, they're worth the price in my opinion. I keep a 16" bar on them, I find that combo ideal.

it depends how you cut wood

I had a 260 from 2007-2018 it would handle a .325 chain on a 20 inch bar ok an it made for less bending over

new jug and piston in 2016 , in 2016 ,17, 18 I was in a mess of BIG wood 30-40 inch stuff and I was bucking a trailer load at a time cut after cut all 20 inches of bar in wood , had to not push or it would bog down

so limbing and some <24 inch logs bucking for a dozen rounds here and there no worries I did it all those years 07-16 cut lots of wood just not lots of big wood.

BUT if you are in Big logs cut after cut after cut , it was too much for it in my opinion

general rule of thumb on chain saws divide displacement in CC by 3 and that tells you the bar size you should go with

50cc /3 =16.66 inches put a 16 on it and it will be a screamer of a cutter in anything with a full bar in wood

my brother had a has a little 270 or 271 somnthing like that 35cc home owners type saw I might not have the number right
it came with a 16 and it was slow cutting , he bent the bar and I told him go 12 I think you will be much happier , it doesn't make the saw any bigger but it sure cuts a 12 inch log faster than bogging down with a 16 inch bar

the 260 or 261 is a good mid size saw

I bough a bigger saw and then another bigger saw because I got into some even bigger wood

Thanx for the info guys. This saw is for getting a few cords of wood &#129717; a year. Probably not much more than that!

shorter chains cost less , sharpen faster and need less saw to pull them

so if your not in wood that needs a larger chain the 16 should make that saw a very fast cutter.

So what diameter log is the 16 good for, not a lot of experience here.

felling or bucking ?

bucking I would start with the saw pointed tip to the ground on the back side of the log and bring it around as I cut you can do about double the bar length with this method so say about 30 inches in diameter. you're actually cutting from 3 sides by doing this and since logs are mostly round they aren't 30 inches across in the bottom

if your felling a 30 inch tree you would like to get clear across but you can always have that

when I was felling 44 inch wood I made do with a 28 inch bar it just takes more time and planning

I have a ms250 and a 391. The 391 is by far my favorite. The 250 I Just use to trim branches with or small logs.

I bought an MS 261 back in 2014. I've cut about 45 full cords of firewood with it since then plus dropped a few dozen trees to be milled into lumber. I got the 18" bar.

I had it back to the shop last year because it started running poorly. Somehow it got dirt/debris in the carb. My dealer got it fixed up and it's been running great since.

Great saw, I really like it and think it was worth the money (about $600.00 in 2014).

What are they going for these days?

Forgot to add, the dang oil cap leaks, always has. It's not a huge deal but it's annoying having a small pool of bar oil in the case all the time.

I bought a 391 with a 20 inch bar nothing I can’t do with it and I work with some big rounds from my buddies tree service. The biggest challenge it cutting the stumps off because of the weight and it’s a sucky angle to work a saw.

The 261 with a 16 in bar is going for 670 here.

Sounds spendy I’d look around a bit.

Stihl sets the prices, dealers are not supposed to change them.

I have a 16" bar on mine. Best saw I've ever used.

I have a 460 with 20" and 28" bar for bigger stuff but I hardly use it now.

I have a 261 running small chain on a 16” bar, a 360 with 3/8 chain 20 bar, 441 w/25” bar and 661 w/25” bar and a 27? Something or another with 18” bar and small chain.

The 360 would be the last saw I sold. The 261 would probably be the first. I’m not counting the 27? As it is a throw away eventually.

261 makes me cringe power wise. 361 is much better power wise.

Bought my last bigger saw on close out when the new models came out deals are out there if you look.