So I'm in a predicament, I want a bigger bar and a saw with more power but still manageable. I currently have an Ms180 with a 16" bar and it's great for smaller stuff but I've noticed on some of my clean up jobs, it just doesn't seem to have the power to get through some of the bigger trunks of the trees. I'm not doing anything major, just a couple of tree jobs here and there and some treebelt cleaning for some farmers. I was thinking of the ballpark of an Ms291 with a 20" bar, do any of you guys have experience with this saw and bar combo? I would be buying a used one as I just don't have the work to pay for a brand new saw. I have also seen a couple of Ms310's with 20" bars on Facebook for around 300$. Does anyone have experience with this saw and bar combo? My question to you guys is, is it worth it? Is it worth putting the money into a bigger saw for the few times I'm going to need it? I've juggled between this and a couple of other things to addon to my little business since I do want to get into cleaning up shelterbelts/treebelts more for farmers since it's a decent little gig. Thanks in advance! I appreciate any advice you guys can give.

yes, its worth getting a bigger saw, it's easier on you, it makes the job go faster, and it will always be worth money if you take care of it

I have the Stihl MS290 with the 20in bar, it is a great saw. I do not have any trouble cutting up trees with it. I use a Stihl MS170 for smaller stuff. This works for me.

I have a 290 with a 20" bar and have had it for about 15 years, it has served me well for my needs which is cleaning stuff up around the farm and keeping stuff away from the fences. It along with a battery powered extendable pole saw does what I need to get done. I have been pleased with it, if I was cutting a lot of big stuff I would want a 4 series Sthil but for farm stuff it works great. Now if I was doing this farm stuff for a business, I would look at the 261 series they are a professional grade saw, and are a little lighter, better balanced and made that the 291 but also more expensive.

Maybe look at one of the other brands too. I have an older friend who is a Stihl dealer that doesn’t like Stihl chainsaws other than the 500i.

Ive ran a MS 291 Farm Boss saw for the last 14 years with an 18 inch bar. Lotta fire wood and have fell some pretty good sized trees with it. Wont consider any other brand of saw but Im stubborn!

Spend the money on a ms261 with a 20” bar. It’ll handle anything you throw at it and it’s a great sized combo for what you’re looking to do. Get it with the electronic ignition.

I run all pro series stihl saws all day everyday but in your case I would consider an echo or Husqvarna as well. You may be better served keeping a real sharp chain on the saw you got instead of looking for a new on as well.

I have a MS290 and a 029 with 20" bars and they handle most anything I want to or need to cut. Including a red oak with a 42"butt that blew down in the yard.

Picked the 029 up at a garage sale

What Donner above said. A properly sharpened chain is your best friend. Plenty of you tube videos to watch for help.

And I also ran pro series Jonsereds and Huskys my whole life, but bought an Echo 590 at an auction a few years ago. Fairly impressive for a 59cc saw. They also offer a 40cc saw that might do the trick.

My stihl saws are getting old but sill perform- 036 , 038 , and my bigger saw is an 044 , I run all 25 inch bars

I bought an MS 261 pro series with a 20" bar ten years ago. It is a very good saw.

I've been running Stihl saws for forty-five plus years. The new style gas and oil caps suck. That's why I didn't call it a great saw.

Also, the 261 was the only Stihl I've owned that needed repair, it somehow got dirt in the carb which made it run poorly.

I've dropped many trees cut hundreds of cords of firewood over the years and would recommend Stihl but have zero experience with other brands.

I do have two really good Stihl dealers nearby which is a huge plus.

MS-362 is my suggestion as it’s professional model saw. It’s an investment that will last 20-25 years. Don’t settle for a homeowner saw.

Middle number even it’s a professional model, middle number odd it’s basically a homeowner saw. I cut around 1000 cord with my MS-361 over 18 years and it never saw the inside of a shop.

Replace the caps with new ones, they are a wear part. We had a oil cap come off on a customer's tennis court... if caps act up its time for replacement

I’ve heard great things about stihl but will never spend my money on one. My work saw is Stihl but a Husky will be coming shortly.
I replaced my 55 Rancher with a 562xp. Same weight, more power. Now the Rancher just cuts hole in the ice.
If you’re using it to actually cut a bunch of trees & bucking, I’d go with a pro saw. Your back will thank you.

For all the more you do why not pick up a good used Homelite XL12 or Mcculloch 1010? They can be found anywhere for 50-200. Just make sure you have earplugs.

my starting point for a saw is a 460, 461, 462 size saw with a 28in bar

General rule of thumb to saw life

if you occationally cut with a bar like a little felling and your willing to take a little more time letting the saw work
displacement in CC/2.5=max bar length
50cc/2.5=20 so if you run a 261 with a 20 inch bar you can do a bunch of cutting for years especially if you only say 1/4 of the time have the entire bar in wood

I ran a 260 with the 20 inch bar it came with and most of the time I was not bar deep in wood all the time.

My great uncle said , great saw the first thing I do is put a 16 inch bar on it and change the sprocket from .325 to 3/8 and I run full comp chisel chain.

I didn't quite understand until I was in bar length or longer wood ever day I cut , tank after tank of gas

for better life displacement in CC/3=max bar
50/3=16.667

run good oil and gas and clean the saw out after every day of cutting with the blow gun on the compressor.
flip your bar fairly often some people say every time you put a new chain on , I sharpen on saw so that can be a long time but if you flip it when you clean your saw you should be solid

dress your bar when ever you feel a ridge or bur forming on your inspection when you clean.


now advice on used saws is a little like dating a chick on her 4th X husband , she has baggage
she might look good on the surface but either she is really bad at picking men or she has a few issues of her own.
also you would be the guy she is picking so um yeah.

Chain saws can be damaged so easily then tried to cover it up.
so either DEEP discount on a used saw and figure it is near parts saw status or you really need to know what your looking at.

I cut between 25-35 cord a year along with some clearing. I have/use the following, 261 (18” bar), 360 (20” bar), 441 and 661 both with 25” bars.

With that said, if I had to choose one saw, it would be the 360. Weight, power and fuel usage is best for 90% of the wood I cut.

I have 4 each Stihl and Husqy.
and parts saws to go with.
Dollar per mile the Husqys are
winning hands down.

These all work well and get service.
I'd rather put service into a pro grade
than a home owner farm rancher grade.

Never owned one that didn't need work.
Others milage will vary.

I wanted to try a new Echo but it was
Carona time blues and none at the dealer .

OP, buy the 500.
(Fun spending other people's money lol)

stihl & husky, both good saws.....keep chains sharp and the saw clean and oiled.

I run the pro series MS 261 C-M with 18" bar. It is equipped with a the M-Tronic onboard microprocessor which digitally monitors and automatically compensates for changes in your work conditions, including elevation, temperature, fuel quality, varying octane levels, and dirty filters. I was skeptical having a chainsaw with a computer chip but it has turned out to be the best saw I've ever owned. It will almost always start within 3 pulls no matter the condition.

Its the smallest pro-series saw they make. The dealer put a tachometer on this saw and compared it with a farm boss. If I remember correctly, it ran 3000 to 4000 RPMs faster. Its lightweight but will out-cut most any of the consumer grade saws that stihl makes, respectively.

ol' dad

I have 2 ms291s that I've cut lumber with for 15 years and have never had a problem. Got a farm boss too that's a great saw.

I don't know much about saws, but I would recommend buying a saw that has a service shop near you if it needs fixing.

Have a Stihl 50 cc MS 261 (20" bar) & 72 cc MS 462 (25" bar)...Both have tunable carbs, not the M-Tronic auto tune computer crap that you need to reset periodically.

Also have a 45 cc Husky 350....All great saws.

My recommendation is to purchase a non computerized -pro grade saw to keep things simple & keep them well maintained & chains sharp...You can still find new old stock manually adjustable carb saws, but you have to search the dealerships.

EPA is the reason for auto tune saws, adding unecessary complexity & potentially higher repair costs, IMO.

It's easy with YouTube to work on your own saw.

I have been running an outdoor boiler for 20 years, I live in an OLD 2 story farmhouse. People ask "how much wood do you use per year"? Well, anywhere from 8-15 gallons of 2 stroke gas worth! That being said, Stihl is the only thing I own. I have worn out an 017,ms390 and a 660 Magnum.I currently run an ms250 and a 500i. A 362 or 261 would definitely be worth looking at, but DANG,pro-grade saws are expensive. Let us know what you decide.

I run a 390 with a 20 inch bar no control issues just follow basic safety rules.

I have a stihl 310 with a 20 inch bar. Been a good saw for me to cut firewood for the boiler, keep a sharp chain on it and that saw does wonders

[quote=ol' dad]I run the pro series MS 261 C-M with 18" bar. It is equipped with a the M-Tronic onboard microprocessor which digitally monitors and automatically compensates for changes in your work conditions, including elevation, temperature, fuel quality, varying octane levels, and dirty filters. I was skeptical having a chainsaw with a computer chip but it has turned out to be the best saw I've ever owned. It will almost always start within 3 pulls no matter the condition.

Its the smallest pro-series saw they make. The dealer put a tachometer on this saw and compared it with a farm boss. If I remember correctly, it ran 3000 to 4000 RPMs faster. Its lightweight but will out-cut most any of the consumer grade saws that stihl makes, respectively.


Actually, the 241 is their smallest pro saw. I have the 261 like you and have had great luck with it, but I might have the 241 in the stable soon. I like them light powerhouse saws....

I have a few Sthil saw's. An old 290 Farm Boss, a MS251, a 261, a 441 and a new 290. They have all been good and reliable to me.
I had an old Husky model 61 I think it was that I wore out. That was the best cutting saw ever, except for the hot muffler on yer left hand.
A 261 with an 18" or 20" bar will last you a long time with the trees you have out there.
Charge your time accordingly with cost to maintain the saw.

Zim

The smallest pro saw Stihl makes is an MS 201 I believe.

I have the 441 and it's a beast. With a 32 inch bar, nothing stops it. It like 5.5 hp and it never bogs down. It just cuts with big chips

I figured it would be. Our Ms180 we have is very used but we maintain it good and it's lasted 4 years or so and made back way more than it's worth.

I don't need a professional grade saw as I don't really do many jobs like this and also the price difference is a lot.

I do keep a sharp chain on it and its nice but I don't want to be switching chains all day when I'm dealing with bigger wood.

We have a really good Stihl dealer about 30 miles away which Is why I want to stick with them and also because we run all Stihl lawn equipment and it's never let us down.

I wish it was other people's money then it wouldn't have been a question of what saw to go with. I just prefer Stihl as that is what we use for everything and have a good dealer close by.

For my use, a auto tune is way overkill for me so that's out of the question.

That was my main worry with going with too big of a saw is the control issues since I have been running a little one for so long.

I have all of my time and maintenance and such calculated into my hourly costs so that's all figured out but a pro grade saw is overkill for what I'm going to be doing.

Bigger saw and bar doesn’t give less control the opposite actually. Pro series saws rather it be husky or stihl have been on diets for years now very light weight. Longer bars = less bending over or when clearing brush reaching saw up to high. Used saws are never a good choice if the saw is going to be used for a line of work. If you enjoy working on your chainsaw by all means buy a used saw but it more then likely isn’t going to be saving you money in the long run no warranty to start off with plus to many things you just couldn’t know about the saw. Used chainsaw could be running great when you buy it but how well it was treated till you got it will determine how long you’ll get to enjoy a good running saw. For the work you said your going to be doing with it save up the extra cash and get ms362 or ms400 both very capable of running the 25” lightweight bars and can fell bigger trees or clean up small stuff in a breeze also very light weight even with the longer bars on them. They are also very fuel efficient. If not wanting to stick stihl then Husky 562 or 572 capable of running 28” bars with ease. Again longer bars are much nicer to run and more comfortable on the body when using your saw all day long.

YT, learn how to sharpen a chain with a file. And carry the file with you.

I would encourage you to look at some Echo saws, very reasonably priced for performance pay back.

It’s the fatigue that’ll bite you. If you’re doing any kind of cutting besides the odd dead fall after a storm, get a pro saw. You’ll feel the difference after a full day of cutting. Properly sharpened chain and take care of the bar. I sharpened my uncles chain once and he went straight back to bucking up a pine across the driveway, frigging stones flying everywhere! Dull chains are very dangerous and wreck/burn everything they touch.
I always tell those who ask about the most dangerous thing a power lineman does, it’s driving and running a chainsaw…lol

Keep the chain sharp,it makes the cutting fast and easy.
A few swipes with the file once in a while keeps it cutting good.Learn to freehand sharpen your chain and dont forget to check the raker height after a few sharps.
Flip and file the blade burr when needed also.

I bought all of my Pro saws from a local pawn shop. I gave about a 1/3 of new price for all of them. The 360 and 661 had almost zero wear on the bar and showed as new. Compression was good and I was able to run it before purchasing. The 261 and 441 I gave $200 a piece for. Both showed wear on both plastic and bar. Compression was good on both and they started and ran well. I took a chance on all of them, but have been running the 360 for around 10 years. The others from 5-6 years and none of them have been back to the shop for repairs. Run ethanol free gas tested with Seafoam and clean the air filters is all I’ve ever done.

Get a 261 cm and never look back.

I've been running the same 032 since 1985. Last year I replaced the vacuum line that operates the fuel pump diaphragm. That's the only repair in 39 years. I also have a 266XP Husky that I use for big stuff. It runs like a banshee.

372xp “Banshee”

Im thinking hes fairly young with limited funds and only gets periodic tree work.........A Husqvarna 3120 and Stihl 880 w/ a 4 ft bar are out LOL.

Best bang for the buck is a Echo 590 Timberwolf, good power at a reasonable price.

I want a 261 bad....

Not as much on the limited funds part but I just don't need an 800$ saw when I get only a few tree jobs a year.

X2 plus 5 year warranty.

X3 I’ve been running mine side by side with a Stihl 271 farm boss and I prefer the Echo 590

Well I was right on 2 out of 3.What I meant by limited funds was funds to invest heavy in the tree part of your business. Good luck on your ventures you sound like a go-getter.

I like the 5 year warranty aspect, but the power to weight ratio is not real good on that saw. Thats fine when you are still young and tough, but eventually youll appreciate a strong saw that is still in the 10 pound range.

A 291 will serve you well. Do you think you will ever sell a little firewood on the side? You can get a new 261 for not that much more than a new 291. Another option is does your dealer sell any used saws? I think you would be safer that route than buying from a random stranger. Good luck whatever you choose.

I have never run the Echo 590 but now I want one. You guys stink, LOL!

I’ve got a Husqvarna 550xp mkii I really like. It’s the commercial Husky equivalent of a Stihl ms 261.
You couldn’t run fast enough to give me a piece of stihl equipment. I’ve never had or used one that started worth a dang and I know several folks that have had the same experience. I’ve run an Echo CS 590 some as well. Heavier saw, but a lot of bang for the buck I think. Construction wise it basically is a pro saw…it’s got a metal crankcase.

They all make a few lemons. I know guys that complain plenty loud about their Huskies theyve owned in the past. I dont think you could go wrong with either brand if you go with their pro models and use a quality oil. Should last a lifetime.

Two things to do if you want a saw to last is use a good fuel-oil mix and keep your chain sharp, those two things are where most problems start.

I have a Husky 455 good saw.

What I tell people is if you are thinking about a saw , shop the dealers not the saws.

my son works for a Stihl dealer , gets zero discount they have minimal service . they can sell you the saw but they can't get you back in the woods cutting the same day if the answer isn't buy a new bar & chain off the shelf.

for years I drove past that dealer by about 3/4 of a mile to a Jonsered dealer , because he stocked parts and could get you back to cutting.

the other place drop off saw give written description of the issue and then wait they stocked almost no parts

the guy I have used , he would take 5 and you could go out to a log in his yard and make a couple cuts and show him what was off.

Dealers make the big difference when saw models have such similar performance

if you are already old , heck the some guys would be offered a lifetime warranty on a smoke detector battery.

guys who cut for a living wear out a saw a year send it in for rebuild and use it as a backup or second saw so they have one always ready to go

it took me 10 years to wear out my first saw MS260 but I wore out parts of it and not other parts of it , I sent it off as a parts saw

a young guy say 25 should wear out a couple three saws before he can't lift one any more if he cuts a decent amount like if they heat mostly with wood

saws wear out . parts wear

I didnt get the impression the Op was an arborist for a living. Obviously, there are exceptions, but for the average joe, i stand by what i said, a good pro saw running quality oil should last a lifetime. Yep, gonna need to replace bar, chains, plugs, air filters, but thats understandable. My father is still has the same McCullogh chansaw since I was a lad. He's in his early 90s now, doesnt use them, but theyll still cut wood.

Swung by pawn shop today, had a like new Stihl 280, hard case, 4 new chains and sharpener/wrench. Asking $325, I asked what is the out the door cash price, he said $275.

Looked like a nice small saw. Do you have pawn shops in your neck of the woods?

100% wisdom right here

I have two good stihl dealers and home depot sells/supports maybe echos. Not ever considered an echo for this reason alone.


[u][/u]

I do firewood on the side to offset my fuel cost during the summer.

Well, I went to go look at a Stihl Ms310 that has been on marketplace for a while marked at 300$. I get there and it's a super nice widow and it was her husband's saw. I pull it out of the case and it fires up in less than 4 pulls. It started better than my MS180 does which is surprising. I looked at the overall shape of the saw and saw nothing that concerned me, the chain was sharp. I checked and made sure the chain brake worked. My only concern is the bar has all the paint worn off but I know that's not a big deal as long as it works. She also had an MS390 with a 25" bar for 420$ but I don't need anything that big quite yet. I did end up purchasing the MS310 for 300$ though, it came with a case and 5 extra chains plus the 1 on the saw. I got it home and went and ran it on a couple of logs and it cut like a dream. It's definitely heavier, I can tell that much but it seems to be just about the right amount of weight for me.