Stihl guys, I need your opinions please.

[dnf0929]

A sale price on the MS 361 might be right on $600. The 361 will pull a 20" and will also pull a 25" to 28" occasionally for felling whoppers. Personally, I would save up and get that one over any saw being sold today. I think the HP-to-weight ratio and versatility of the 361 beats about any chainsaw that exists.

Stihl MS 361 Rocks!

If you're patient...it took me almost a year...and search craigslist religiously you can probably get one for less.

 

[mattmc2003]

for a 500 dollar budget, i'll never suggest anything but a 6401. It can't be beat for the price. No way. But, its not a stihl.

 

[Wood Doctor]

he'll prbe along shortly to tell us how sharp or not it was. And it was ported, so it shouldn't mean nothin to the op.

Matt, that chain must have been dull. With a sharp chain, my 361 will send big chips flying like a rooster tail 15' behind the saw on a calm day. Powder from a sharp chain? Forget it. I don't care if it's cottonwood, elm, locust, or ash. The chips will fly, and mine ain't ported.

MS 361 Rocks!

 

[mattmc2003]

Matt, that chain must have been dull. With a sharp chain, my 361 will send big chips flying like a rooster tail 15' behind the saw on a calm day. Powder from a sharp chain? Forget it. I don't care if it's cottonwood, elm, locust, or ash. The chips will fly, and mine ain't ported.

MS 361 Rocks!

With a 28" bar? It might not have been the sharpest, but i wouldn't expect much more from a 28" setup. And id bet a stock 361 would be slower than that no matter what chain.

 

[Wood Doctor]

With a 28" bar? It might not have been the sharpest, but i wouldn't expect much more from a 28" setup. And id bet a stock 361 would be slower than that no matter what chain.

OK, so what you are saying is that the 28" chain was sharp and that the 361 engine created the powder and not a dull chain?

Hard to believe it takes that much more HP to pull the 28" than my 20". Note that in the film clip, the saw was holding RPM but the powder was flying everywhere. That means to me that the chain might as well have been a bicycle chain.

Guess there is only one solution. I'll buy a bigger bar and chain and test the theory on a 20" dia. log.

 

[MotorSeven]

Since you asked about Stihl's, I have a 361 w/20". The 361 is really at home with the 20" and since the "Snellerized" ported muffler addition it screams. I tried a 24" on it and to be honest it will cut good, but won't put that perma grin on your face.
If you think you are going up to a 24" I would go with a 440/1 & to stay in budget find a good used one.

RD

 

[Tree Pig]

For a $600 max Stihl, if you are considering a 310/390 vs. a 361 because the specs appear similar, go with the 361. My experience is that the better antivibe system and lighter weight of the 361 makes firewood cutting (and especially cutting treetops) much much more pleasant.

+1 on that.

 

[PaulP]

I run a 441 with a 28 inch bar. Runs like a beast and rare to find something it can't go through.

 

[mattmc2003]

Honestly at the distance the second saw is away from the camera, i can't see the difference between chips and dust. Its throwing out good volume of whatever it is, be it be chips or dust. The first one is clearly chips, but i can't see well enough on the second. But, it may not be perfectly sharp. What im getting at is: In my experience, if a saw is making dust, it doesn't throw it like the saw it the second video, it kinda dumps it out. And it is cutting slow, but i've never saw a chain that is dull enough to make dust even cut as fast as the second one, they were way more aggravating than that when they got to that point. And i don't think it was holding rpm, i think he was finesing it through to make it hold rpm.

 

[Outlander]

I bought a new MS361 last September and couldn't be happier. 20" bar with RSC chain. I saw mostly Elm, Oak and Walnut, about 15 cords per year. With the 20" bar you will be very pleased at the performance. I haven't tried a bigger bar yet but don't see it having any problems with a 24".

I got mine with 20" bar, 2 RSC chains and carrying case for less than $600.

 

[zh farms]

You know what? This is why I post questions like this here. You guys have given me 25+ responses since I started this thread this afternoon. Most are exactly what I was looking for, and all are informative. Keep them coming, I do appreciate this.

zh

 

[Beefie]

That is why I think people hang out here. Because we are all addicted to the same stuff. The gathering of wood and the joy it brings us during the winter.

zh farms You know what? This is why I post questions like this here. You guys have given me 25+ responses since I started this thread this afternoon. Most are exactly what I was looking for, and all are informative. Keep them coming, I do appreciate this.

zh

Beefie
Somebody once said we are just one big dis-functional family:biggrinbounce2:

 

[CTsplitter]

gotta love the 361

 

[clutch25]

I went from an old John Deere to a 361...then I got a 460 (paid ALOT). I run the 460 more just because it is such a freak (and it was used), I ALWAYS bring the 361 with but I'm trying to keep it new...it is a REALLY nice saw!

I did my research on this site and bought the 361 back in Dec and have not regretted it for one second....

 

[trost66]

I would take a look on ebay. Usually you can find some good deals on there. 2 years ago I bought a ms 660 for 550.00. Great saw. Went threw 2 bars and alot of wood.

 

[gilraine]

I must be the only person here who doesn't practically mess there shorts at the mere mention of a 361... I give it the big Meh.. don't get me wrong, it is a good saw, but some people put it on a pedestal as the best ever...to the OP, I would look at a lightly used 440/441/460.. the 361 will handle a 24 cut, but I wouldn't want to be doing that all day.. keep the 025, you will grow to love the little saws..I use my 026 about 10 times as much as my 066, but when the 066 comes out to play, its alot of fun..

 

[Marc]

Too bad it's got to be a Stihl, because a light weight saw that runs a 24" bar... well, sounds like a 372 would be right up your alley. You could get an almost new-used one for the price you mentioned. I run a 24" full comp on mine in all hardwood and I've yet to meet a piece of wood it didn't like, and it only weighs marginally more than my 290 (aka the boat anchor).

 

[VAJerry]

I find this post interesting I just have my 028 (16")for the big stuff and 017 (12")for limbing. Never felt the need for anything bigger. What am I missing.

 

[John D]

I find this post interesting I just have my 028 (16")for the big stuff and 017 (12")for limbing. Never felt the need for anything bigger. What am I missing.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say you arent cutting big hardwood trees much.Lean that 028 into a big pin oak or locust here,and forget it.You will be there all day.I love my old Homelite XL925 for the big stubborn trees.

 

[VAJerry]

Here's the best picture I could find quick.
<a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/?action=view&current=assenbly014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/assenbly014.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
From when we were building our house. Here's what I heat it with.
<a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/?action=view&current=Furnace0913014.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/Furnace0913014.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/?action=view&current=Gas006.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z58/jlcarper/Our%20House/Gas006.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>