Looking at going in on a new chainsaw for my dad. He currently has a Stihl MS290 with 20" bar. We're looking at either a Stihl MS261C-M or MS362C-M. It will be one of those two. We have lots of Stihl support around here.
Just a few months ago I was debating the same thing. After a painstaking decision-making process, I eventually went with the 261. I was a little concerned it would lack power, but so far I've been very happy with it; love the weight and handiness of it. I went with the 18" bar.
Anyway my dad is in his mid-70s. He doesn't know we're doing this, so I can't ask him his preferences up front. But I feel pretty confident he'll want to stick with the 20" bar. I know the 362 is a fair amount more money, but for the moment putting that aside...
I think the major advantage of the 261 is weight and size. When cutting the bigger logs into rounds, the weight doesn't matter that much. But limbing and working on the smaller, quick stuff, I think the 261 really shines.
Major advantages of the 362 is more power, and it uses 3/8 pitch chains that he's used to and has on hand (not that he has a lot of them laying around).
The saw is mostly used for firewood, post-storm cleanups, etc.. It would be used most commonly on cherry, oak, maple, walnut, hickory, etc.. Not a whole lot of pine around here.
So what do you guys think? Transition from an MS290 to a 261 or 362?
Just a few months ago I was debating the same thing. After a painstaking decision-making process, I eventually went with the 261. I was a little concerned it would lack power, but so far I've been very happy with it; love the weight and handiness of it. I went with the 18" bar.
Anyway my dad is in his mid-70s. He doesn't know we're doing this, so I can't ask him his preferences up front. But I feel pretty confident he'll want to stick with the 20" bar. I know the 362 is a fair amount more money, but for the moment putting that aside...
I think the major advantage of the 261 is weight and size. When cutting the bigger logs into rounds, the weight doesn't matter that much. But limbing and working on the smaller, quick stuff, I think the 261 really shines.
Major advantages of the 362 is more power, and it uses 3/8 pitch chains that he's used to and has on hand (not that he has a lot of them laying around).
The saw is mostly used for firewood, post-storm cleanups, etc.. It would be used most commonly on cherry, oak, maple, walnut, hickory, etc.. Not a whole lot of pine around here.
So what do you guys think? Transition from an MS290 to a 261 or 362?