660 and 441 (user) recommended bar length

[Zombiechopper]

In hardwoods I would say a 24" is probably the max length for regular use. You might even go with a 20" on the 441.

that sounds way too sensible for this crowd.

to the OP, just try what you think will work. get some cheap bars or get whats on sale at Baileys and try some sizes out. I've got a pile of bars in different lengths and I tried em all. That's how I figured out what I like, not by being told what I should like.

 

[D&B Mack]

I typically run 25" on my 460 and 32" on my 660, if that helps at all.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

It's simple

Use the length bar you need. My 441 runs a 20 inch. Around here we have some big trees but for 90% of the felling and bucking 20 inch is adequate.28 inch B&C will handle just about anything else. Dragging all that extra weight and length in the puckerbrush day in and out gets old in a hurry. Not to mention the extra cost of chains and additional time to sharpen. Controlling the tip location on a long bar can get challenging in heavy cover, but once again that's your call.

Take Care

 

[saxman]

In my experience here in Illinois cutting hardwoods I use a 28" or 36" bar on my 660 and a 25" or 28" on my 441.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Buy a saw for every bar length then your covered.

 

[HemiMoparGuy]

It's simple

Use the length bar you need. My 441 runs a 20 inch. Around here we have some big trees but for 90% of the felling and bucking 20 inch is adequate.28 inch B&C will handle just about anything else. Dragging all that extra weight and length in the puckerbrush day in and out gets old in a hurry. Not to mention the extra cost of chains and additional time to sharpen. Controlling the tip location on a long bar can get challenging in heavy cover, but once again that's your call.

Take Care

Right, I'm just trying to decide which is the best all around bar on the bigger side than needed side to buy with the saw, cuz it si cheaper to buy extra smaller bars than it is to buy the larger bars...actually kinda trying to contemplate getting a bar with the 441 that is about the size that I want for the 660, so I have a brand new bar and chain for a 660 (or 066) when I find a deal on/am ready for a used one...and buy an Oregon bar of the actual size I'd want for the 441

Buy a saw for every bar length then your covered.

Don't EVEN think I haven't seriously considered this...

 

[CedarRock]

460 = 25" Stihl ES Bar. 660 = 32" Sugi Hara Bar. = Works. Like most people have said.

 

[stihl.logger]

my 660's have 36" bars with skip tooth chains and the 441 is rockin' a 28" bar most of the time, and depending on what i'm digging into i'll run a full chisel or a skip on her.

 

[j.williams]

211-14"
200T-14"
200-16"
026-16"
260-18"
361-20"
441-25"
460-28"
660-32"
if i need anything bigger i take the 076 off the mill and run either a 41" or 48".

 

[Deets066]

my 660's have 36" bars with skip tooth chains and the 441 is rockin' a 28" bar most of the time, and depending on what i'm digging into i'll run a full chisel or a skip on her.

Did you recently sell your 076?

 

[masculator]

A 42" "cheapo" bar? Didn't know there was any such thing. What brand?

And how well does that 460 pull a 42" bar?

Poorly I would suggest.

To the original post I am unsure where you are getting the bar length quotes from, but they are wrong. Standard kit for the 660 is 25 inch off the shelf and can be ordered with up to 36 inch. the 441 and 460 come standard with a 20 inch and maximum recommended bar length is 32 inch. Personally I have a 42 inch bar for my 660 and although it will pull it I would recommend staying with the 36 inch as a maximum and a 25 inch for the majority of the work you will do with it.

To want to run a 42 inch bar on a 441/460 is just plain silly!!! personally If you have a 660 you will not need a 441/460 size saw, and you will find the 660 is just as easy to use and quicker all round.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

The bar lengths for new saws sold from the dealer varies depending what country your in and what part of the country your in. Yes it is kinda dumb to run a 42" bar on a 70cc saw, but once in a blue moon it would be fine. I still have yet figured out why people buy a high CC power head and use tiny short bars 70 cc saws feel better with a 28" - 36" bar for me.

 

[masculator]

The bar lengths for new saws sold from the dealer varies depending what country your in and what part of the country your in. Yes it is kinda dumb to run a 42" bar on a 70cc saw, but once in a blue moon it would be fine. I still have yet figured out why people buy a high CC power head and use tiny short bars 70 cc saws feel better with a 28" - 36" bar for me.

I fail to see the point of running a bar bigger than you need to! The reason for a big cc powerhead is for the fact that you cut quicker due to the fact that you are not bogging down all the time and when you need to swing a big bar you have the ability to do so.

Personally I am seldom in need of more bar than a 25 inch for the majority of work I do but a 28 inch would sometimes be handy. A 25 inch on a 660 balances perfectly and IMO it is almost perfect for it, I would not go shorter than this though as I agree that less than this would be simply overkill, and you would simply be wasting the power. on a 441 or a 460 I would not run less than a 20 inch for the same reason, Actually it is the shortest I run on an 034, and often run a 25 inch on that even in aussie hardwood.

My recommendation would be to match the bar combo to the majority of the work you plan on doing. if you need 30 inch get that, if you only need 25 inch get that. Remember that a 25 inch bar will cut a log of 48 to 50 inch diameter, should the need arise.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I think a 32" bar is good all around for a 660 if you also own a 441. If the 660 is your only saw, a 28" would be better IMO. Slap a 25" on the 441 and a 32" on the 660. If all you cut is soft wood, then maybe you'll want even longer. I'd run full comp chain also. No need for the skip.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

I use longer bars do to my neck injury limiting my ability to bend over when limbing. Being a short guy 32" or 36" bar wears me out less then a 24" bar. To the OP if you get a bar on the 441 get a 32" reduced weight bar and the chain you like.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I use longer bars do to my neck injury limiting my ability to bend over when limbing. Being a short guy 32" or 36" bar wears me out less then a 24" bar. To the OP if you get a bar on the 441 get a 32" reduced weight bar and the chain you like.

It's according to the type of wood the OP is cutting. You won't bury a 32" bar on a 441 in Red Oak or Hickory and expect much. Why be harder on your saw then you have to?
I agree that a longer bar is handy for limbing, but not for burying it in Hardwood. I'd save the 32" bar for the 660. I run a 28" on my 660 and hav'ent needed anything bigger yet. I've cut some very big trees with that 28".

 

[the westspartan]

Strangely I run a 25" on the 441 and 20" on the 2095! I have bigger bars for both, but the 441 balances perfectly with the 25" and I tend to use the 2095 when I get into Osage or locust and most of that stuff is 18" or less around here.

If I could pick only one bar length to run on either saw all the time it would be 25/24". Big enough to handle most jobs, but not so big that it gets in the way.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

The op stated he was going to get another bar and take the one off the 441 and put it on the 660. If the saw is set up with bigger dawgs it makes the use-able length shorter so a 32" becomes 30" .

 

[masculator]

I think a 32" bar is good all around for a 660 if you also own a 441. If the 660 is your only saw, a 28" would be better IMO. Slap a 25" on the 441 and a 32" on the 660. If all you cut is soft wood, then maybe you'll want even longer. I'd run full comp chain also. No need for the skip.

32 Would be a waste of time for general use where I am, This said however there is still the need for a big bar, Hence the fact that I have them, and the power of a 660 is still required for the types of wood we cut, but like I say match the bar to what you plan on doing. No point running a 32 inch bar in wood where a 25 will do it just as well and be easier to swing.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I ran a 25" bar on my 660 for a long time. Beofre that, when I was in the lumber, I ran a 28 on my 066 full time. We had a 36" bar on hand for monsters, but I only had to pull it out 2-3 times in four years.
I now run a 28" bar on my 660 and it has good balance with that bar. It's a GB Ti. Yea, I could run a 36" bar on it, but it's not going to cut near as good in Hardwood as the 28". Just like a 441 would'nt like pulling a 28" bar in Hardwood.

If you want to get a bar for the 441 that you can later put on the 660, just get a 28-32" bar IMO.

If it were me though, I'd just get a 25" bar for the 441 and worry about a 660 bar when you get the 660. JMO.

It's just according to the wood you are cutting. You'll have an easier time in hardwood with a shorter bar. Soft wood does'nt matter, any bar length will work.