What do you think Husqvarna's best saw is?

[ticat928]

Of all the Huskys I took in in the last 12 months, the ported 262xp is the one I would part with last. Don't get me wrong though, everything has a price!

The 262 XP's have no emission tuning compromises in the porting or carburation: the widest flatest power band of any saw tested at DLG-e.V.

 

[bcorradi]

I'll put in a vote for the 262

 

[TimberMcPherson]

242xp and 262xp

Simply put, nobody has made saws that can compare to either of them before or since.

the 242xp is a banshee of cutting lightness, 15,000rpm of fun, nimble cutting which requires and rewards a good operator.

The 262xp is a purebred tree fighter that punches above its weight division, sings such a strong tune and makes so many others seem either to slow or to fat.

Ive got a few and had a few more pro saws, but these, as well as the 090, stand alone.

 

[nikocker]

These Two. . .

NE346 XP and 372 XP!

Al

 

[Moss Man]

NE346 XP and 372 XP!

Al

Now post up a photo of the saw that you actually cut wood with.Judging by their condition, those two have never seen a stick of wood! Very nice.

 

[ticat928]

Now post up a photo of the saw that you actually cut wood with.Judging by their condition, those to have never seen a stick of wood! Very nice.

It is getting cold out here we want to be put back on the mantle

Ah, the pride and joy of owning fine tools,

You just have to remember their true purpose in life (they are tools)

 

[nikocker]

Ok

Now post up a photo of the saw that you actually cut wood with.Judging by their condition, those two have never seen a stick of wood! Very nice.

Here's the same 346XP with it's little bro the 435 just a few weeks ago.

Al

 

[treeoperations]

my 350s get the #1 spot, my first one is 10 years old, i learnt with that saw, its had a absolute ass whipping, ive cut wood that most guys would be looking for a 80-90cc saw to use.

the damn thing still runs awesome, she does get bit grumpy but i dont mind shes done me well. the guys in the the saw shop want to morph her into a plastic 346 but i couldnt do that to it.

next fav is 365 it just howls and and i love the note she howls at.

my 385, is stock but pulls bloody hard, its had up to a 42inch bar on it for the special jobs and its not much slower then a 36. with a 22inch bar buried it absolutely flys through the wood.


as for the 372 replacement the 576, it will never replace a 372, i had a 576 on loan from saw shop for a month, and sorry it just doesnt compare to mates 372 in the power to weight ratio, its nicer to hold onto but its got no noticeable gain in power over 372 and its noticably heavier. i will say it felt to have a slight edge and i mean slight as in im not that sure it was any better at pulling a 28inch bar then the 372. but wearing 20inch bars the 372 wins hands down

 

[spike60]

My personal pick would be the 372, but I'll try answering this in the context of what preferences I see in the store from guys in this area. Not only what they're running, but how they talk about it vs. the saw that preceded it, or the model that followed it.

Overall it would be the 372 by a pretty good margin here. In large part because it covers a wider spectrum of the saw market than any other saw. From a guy who wants a serious personal use saw to pro loggers and tree service guys, the 372 is a real favorite around here. My best selling model every single year. Even guys who don't really need, or can't afford one say stuff like , "I'd really like to get one of them 372's"

262's would get very few votes in this area. 60cc saws in general have never been popular around here, except for maybe the Jonsered 630. The target has always been what used to be called a "4 cube" size saw. Same mentality helps explain why the 357 has always been a sales dud: "Why not just get a 372". (In case you're wondering, MS361's are also rare around here. Obviously not because of the saw, but the size class)

For guys who have run them both, 9 out of 10 would pick a 346 over a 242. Yeah, RPM's are cool, but there's only so much you can do with 42 cc's before you have to set it down and reach for a bigger saw. A 346 is way more useful. It's a tie in small stuff, but run them in 12" white oak, and the 346 will flat out embarrass a 242.

But guys who ran 288's are by far the most passionate about them vs any other model, past or present. "that 288 was the best saw........" Those guys absolutely loved their 288's and not very many of them consider the 385 to have been a worthy successor. They don't even throw out their dead ones, hoping that at some point a nice donor will come along so they can rebuild them.

 

[WoodChuck'r]

^^^^^^

Well said Spike! Learned me a bunch of info on that one!!

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Ported NE346XP,ported 371XP

Dude! Your saws are gonna set on fire!

 

[jnl502]

My personal pick would be the 372, but I'll try answering this in the context of what preferences I see in the store from guys in this area. Not only what they're running, but how they talk about it vs. the saw that preceded it, or the model that followed it.

Overall it would be the 372 by a pretty good margin here. In large part because it covers a wider spectrum of the saw market than any other saw. From a guy who wants a serious personal use saw to pro loggers and tree service guys, the 372 is a real favorite around here. My best selling model every single year. Even guys who don't really need, or can't afford one say stuff like , "I'd really like to get one of them 372's"

262's would get very few votes in this area. 60cc saws in general have never been popular around here, except for maybe the Jonsered 630. The target has always been what used to be called a "4 cube" size saw. Same mentality helps explain why the 357 has always been a sales dud: "Why not just get a 372". (In case you're wondering, MS361's are also rare around here. Obviously not because of the saw, but the size class)

For guys who have run them both, 9 out of 10 would pick a 346 over a 242. Yeah, RPM's are cool, but there's only so much you can do with 42 cc's before you have to set it down and reach for a bigger saw. A 346 is way more useful. It's a tie in small stuff, but run them in 12" white oak, and the 346 will flat out embarrass a 242.

But guys who ran 288's are by far the most passionate about them vs any other model, past or present. "that 288 was the best saw........" Those guys absolutely loved their 288's and not very many of them consider the 385 to have been a worthy successor. They don't even throw out their dead ones, hoping that at some point a nice donor will come along so they can rebuild them.

I very much agree the 288 is the best saw ever. I have owned several and still do. i buy up all the old junkers i can for parts and get the earge to build a new one once in a while. I had a 385 several years back and was a decent saw but my 288 would out cut it so the 385 fould a new home. my 288's will always be near me even though I stray sometime's have never found another saw that I would trade my 288 off for.
jnl

 

[TommySaw]

Dude! Your saws are gonna set on fire!

no, they started the fire

 

[wanab]

is the 346 Husky's best saw?

we shall soon see...

stay tuned to this bat channel!

 

[pbtree]

I like my 346XP a lot. I'm get'n kinda itchy for one of those 390XPs though.

I do like the 390!

 

[pbtree]

To me the 395XP is a bit of a dinosaur with its outboard clutch, and lack of side chain tensioner. I like the power and displacement, but the weight and lack of refinement in its features makes me want a 390XP over it.

Same conclusion I came to when shopping...

 

[pbtree]

My vote would be on the Husqvarna 390xp! Great power and weight for a large saw. I'm very happy with mine!:rockn:

Bingo:biggrinbounce2:

 

[MCW]

A 3120...? Really??

I literally look at a 3120 like its one of the most primitive saws available today. To each his own I guess....

A big saw for a big guy!!

I agree mate and I own one. The 3120 is built for a purpose. That is to swing big bars in big wood or milling. It is a tough saw, way heavier that any other Husky (surprisingly heavier for those who have never picked one up before), and an absolute mechanical dinosaur. It shares very few modern improvements like the rest of the XP range and is right alongside it's stablemate the Stihl 880. They are both fun on paper or for limited use but trust me, that fun does not last with extended use - they are absolutely physically punishing.
I've used an 880 and the only improvement I see over a 3120 is an inboard clutch.
One bonus is that my 3120 has the 12,500rpm limit, not the 9,500rpm limit like I think the US has.

I own a 390XPG but haven't had enough time on it to say it's the best Husky ever but from what I've read it would be the 346XP, 372XP, and 390XP neck and neck depending on the application.

 

[lamar_3704]

I have to say the 288 has my vote. I've got one that is the main saw I use and another I'm in the process of building. My dad also has 2 of these saws that he uses almost daily during firewood season. I continue looking for 288 parts saws so I can build more of them... It would be the last saw I'd ever sell.

 

[ticat928]

I agree mate and I own one. The 3120 is built for a purpose. That is to swing big bars in big wood or milling. It is a tough saw, way heavier that any other Husky (surprisingly heavier for those who have never picked one up before), and an absolute mechanical dinosaur. It shares very few modern improvements like the rest of the XP range and is right alongside it's stablemate the Stihl 880. They are both fun on paper or for limited use but trust me, that fun does not last with extended use - they are absolutely physically punishing.
I've used an 880 and the only improvement I see over a 3120 is an inboard clutch.
One bonus is that my 3120 has the 12,500rpm limit, not the 9,500rpm limit like I think the US has.

I agree with above, the exception being regarding the outboard clutch, this feature is not what makes it a mechanical dinosaur.
If extra weight means it is a dinosaur, I will take it, weight is good to balance long bars and allow it to hold together in heavy use

The outboard clutch is an advantage when using 72" and 84" bars; the high chain tension / reaction forces puts less stress on the bearing, case, and crank since the bearing is closer in line with forces exerted on the rim sprocket.
The inboard clutch on the 390xp requires a much longer unsupported (cantilevered) crank snout which is a design that is less happy with the forces exerted by a very long bar.

I vote for the Husky 394 or 395xp outboard clutch saws as the best compromise for heavy duty use with very low fuel consumption compared to an 880.

The 100cc BB kit for $ 89.00 looks interesting