Makita 6401 or stihl 361

[melly-mel]

i am interested in both saws. which is a better choice in your opinions? i can get the makita for 420, and stihl for 550ish. i am not concerned about a lb or 2 difference. i want a saw that will last, and cut well on several cords of firewood per year, and numerous take downs of trees from 8-15 in diameter. please help me decide.

 

[NPKenny]

Both are great saws. The 361 is noticable more nimble and carries about 1,000 more rpms out of the cut. The 6401 is very robust with great AV. These saws feel so different that I would recommend handling both prior to deciding.

My 6401 leaks oil and has very tight fitting fuel and oil caps that generally require tools to remove after running for a while. In my opinion, the chain tensioner on the Stihl is more reliable.

Both start quick, accelerate quick, and are not bad on fuel. Either would suit your needs and then some.

 

[flashpuppy]

361 is the only way to go....

 

[TQUIRL]

6401

If you're not concerned with the weight, I wasn't, get the 6401. On paper it should outcut the 361, I really don't know as I haven't run mine side by side with the stihl. For the $180 dollar difference you can't go wrong with the Makita/Dolmar. They are great saws. I love mine. Plus if you ever actually need to upgrade, you can get a P&C for $190 and make it a 7900.

 

[masiman]

If you're not concerned with the weight, I wasn't, get the 6401. On paper it should outcut the 361, I really don't know as I haven't run mine side by side with the stihl. For the $180 dollar difference you can't go wrong with the Makita/Dolmar. They are great saws. I love mine. Plus if you ever actually need to upgrade, you can get a P&C for $190 and make it a 7900.

+1 on the flexibility of the 6401. My guess is the 361 is a better overall saw if your plan is to have the best saw you can have with a 20" bar , pound for pound period, based on the posts here. The Husky equivalent will be a very strong runner in this category too. On the other hand, if you want a strong running 65cc 20" saw for $180 less, that you can upgrade for less than $200 to a strong running 80cc, then the Dolmar/Makita 6400/6401 is your best bet, imo. The other downside to the Dolmar, is support. Mail order from some of the folks on here is some of the best anywhere, but chances are your local support will be poor.

 

[Beetlekilled]

Around here the 361 goes for full MSRP of $609 plus $25 tax and so I tried to buy a 7900 from one of the sponsors for just under $700 but internet sales for Domars were discountinued the day before. The 6401 was $420 to my door from the same vendor you found so assuming similar reliability between the 361 and 6401 I looked at the weight, power and cost of each.

MS361/6401 12.3lbs/13.6lbs 11% difference, 4.4hp/4.7hp 7%, $635/$420 50%. So the 6401 is 11% heavier (I weighed mine at 13.6 with a digital fishing scale, 19lbs with 20 b/c and full of fuel and bar oil) and has 7% more hp and costs 50% less. I bought the 6401 but I am a part time user and I couldn't get the 361 for anywhere near $550. Makita has a service center in Denver.

I realize alot of you guys have forgotten more about saws than I know but it seems the 6401 is under rated. I doubt any pros who use saws everyday would buy one but for a few bucks more than a 455 Rancher the 6401 is a good deal and a good saw I think/hope. Good luck on your decision, especially for the price you can get the MS361.

 

[SAWITALL]

361 vote from me

 

[bigjayfromwa]

Well i can just say that the 361 is a great saw and i have yet to meet anyone that runs it that has anything actually bad to say about it.

Around here most guys will run a 24" bar (doug fir and alder usually). A buddy of mine just picked up a new one and loves it!

just my two cents.

 

[extraspecialman]

The Stihl is the better built saw.I wont say there are saws out there in the same class that wont outcut the 361,but I will say that you will not find a better built saw than a Stihl.A half second faster through a block of wood and a hundred dollars cheaper is not worth shoddy workmanship.And by some chance you ever need a part,its easy to get.Dolmar/Makita are pretty much a rarity around here,internet parts would be the only way to go.There are at least 7 Stihl dealers within a 50 mile radius of my home,and I live in the middle of nowhere.Everything about a Stihl is top notch,even the homeowner saws have features that are better than the other brands "pro saws".Go 361.You wont be dissapointed,and you can rest assured you have the backing of thousands of professional users and dealers across the country.

 

[masiman]

.....Everything about a Stihl is top notch,even the homeowner saws have features that are better than the other brands "pro saws".Go 361.You wont be dissapointed,and you can rest assured you have the backing of thousands of professional users and dealers across the country.

Makes it sound like a pretty snobby product. Next people will start saying you're not qualified to own one.

All the saws and their companies have their pro's and con's.

You won't go wrong with either one of those saws. Any reason not to consider a Husky?

 

[Griffbm3]

Makes it sound like a pretty snobby product. Next people will start saying you're not qualified to own one.

All the saws and their companies have their pro's and con's.

You won't go wrong with either one of those saws. Any reason not to consider a Husky?[/QUOTE]

Because it has the letter "q" in the name... I hate the letter "q". I mean seriously, who needs "q"? You could just as easily use "k", sometimes "c", but why should "q" have its' own spot in the alphabet?

On a more serious note, 6401 a little heavier, parts are easy to get, bar and chains are cheap (large mount husqvarna) and it loves the 20" bar. 361 a really nice saw, light, nimble, popular easy to get parts for, cheap bars and chains as well. Husqvarna also has a good line-up in that size.

I am not exclusive to any of them, but I ran an 036PRO and ran a 6401 almost daily last year until I switched it over to a 7901. Even thought the 036 is of the rubber mount design for AV, and not the newer 361, I wll say, that was an awesome firewood saw. I have used the 361 for about 30 hours of cutting time, and it really was a nice saw, and reminded me a lot of why I liked the 036.

Either way you will be happy...

Hope this babble helps.
Jason

 

[extraspecialman]

Most of us 361 owners are snobs.We admit it and are proud of it.Husky makes some fine products.But hold a pro line Stihl and a pro line Husky in your hands,you will notice a difference.Im sure some will say that their Husky is the much better saw.I dont want to argue with them.My experience is that the Stihl is just built better.The Stihl just feels tighter ,and nobody can argue the fact that a Stihl balances better than any saw ever built.Ive owned some super fast Huskys that were great saws,but they dont compare to a Stihl.Not meanin to be a snob,but Im better than you.

 

[COLD_IRON]

Most of us 361 owners are snobs.We admit it and are proud of it.

You speak for yourself.

 

[extraspecialman]

well I guess to be a bit more on the serious side,I dont remember saying that anybody wadnt worthy of running a Stihl.I just stated my opinion,which I will stand by till the bitter end.If ya like another brand better,so be it.I like Stihl cause to me they are just built better.Not bein snobbish,just statin my own views on the matter.Ive owned about every brand of saw at some sometime or another,with the exception of efco and dolmar.The Stihl to me has beat the crap outta all of them.I have an 83cc PP,over 1 HP bigger than the 361,same as a Jonsered 2083,the Stihl 361 blows it away.I have a 365 Special,a bigger and more powerful saw than the 361,again the 361 blows it away.Figure in weight and balance,the 361 is tuff to beat.Im not even tryin to beat the Stihl drum here either.Ive owned some lamo Stihls,such as the 031 and 032.The 038 FB super is a heavy slow cuttin joke.But compared to other brands in the same class,even these saws are better than the competition.

 

[orange fever]

There are other saws

I recently lost all my saws in a fire. That gave me the oportunity to try something new. I bought 1 Echo, 1 Stihl, 1 Jonsered and 1 Husqvarna. If I had to let one of them go there would be no question, it would be the Stihl. The Echo is the nicest saw to run, and quite frankly the Husqvarna/Jonsered will outrun a Stihl anyday. I have been around saws for 30 years and have yet to be converted to the Stihl camp. Sure, they make a decent saw, but I want performance not great marketing. I don't mean to bash Stihl. For those of you that like them, keep buying them. There is no better value than a CS2153 and a CS2171 or 346xp and a 372xp in my opinion. I have yet to see any saw by any manufacturer that can compete with either of those 2.

 

[J.Gordon]

If an extra pound or two doesn’t bother you and you have dealer support, I would go with the 6400. ($420) That sounds like a good buy!

You get .4 more hp with a gain of 1.3 lb. in weight, and if you ever want you can slap a 7900 piston and jug on it for even for another 1.5 hp with no weight gain.

Or you can just buy a 7900 for around $130 more than the 361 or about $100 more than a new 6400 or $260 more than the 6401 price you got.

I recently lost all my saws in a fire. That gave me the oportunity to try something new. I bought 1 Echo, 1 Stihl, 1 Jonsered and 1 Husqvarna. If I had to let one of them go there would be no question, it would be the Stihl. The Echo is the nicest saw to run, and quite frankly the Husqvarna/Jonsered will outrun a Stihl anyday. I have been around saws for 30 years and have yet to be converted to the Stihl camp. Sure, they make a decent saw, but I want performance not great marketing. I don't mean to bash Stihl. For those of you that like them, keep buying them. There is no better value than a CS2153 and a CS2171 or 346xp and a 372xp in my opinion. I have yet to see any saw by any manufacturer that can compete with either of those 2.

This saw looks pretty competitive to the 372.

I got these numbers off a couple of this sites sponsers

Husqvarna 372XP Chainsaw with Full Wrap Handlebar (75 cc) $579.95

SPECIFICATIONS:
Cylinder displacement: 4.55 cu. inch / 74.66 cc
Power: 5.4 hp / 3.9 kW
Max RPM: 13,500
Fuel tank volume: 1.63 US pint / .77 liter
Oil tank volume: .84 US pint / 0.40 liter
Weight (powerhead only): 14.75 lbs.
Chain Pitch: 3/8"Recommended Bar lengths: 16" - 34"



Dolmar PS7300 20 Chainsaw $579.95
Model: PS-7300 Engine displacement: 4.5 cu. in.
Power Rating: 4.2 kW Power rating: 5.7 bHP
Max. engine Speed (with bar and chain): 13,500 RPM
Fuel tank capacity: 25.36 oz Oil tank capacity: 14.2 oz
Net weight without bar and chain: 13.6 lbs
Standard guide bar: 20 " Chain Pitch: 3/8 " Chain gauge: .050 "

 

[ciscoguy01]

Silly

That's a silly question dude... I love the Stihls, but why be stuck with a saw that'll cost you a ton to mod. You can mod the 6400/1 to get the 6.3hp for cheap. To get the 361 to push that kind of umph will cost you what a new 7900 will... I've had nothing but good luck with mine. If you want a smaller saw, made more for limbing and working on smaller stuff or bucking up small firewood, the 361 is your choice. I'm not sure where they get the numbers that the 361 is 1000rpms faster out of the cut??? Put an 8 pin sprocket on the 6400 and I highly doubt the previous statement... Not to mention the 361 is lacking a bit of low end grunt the 036's had... You also have the option of putting up to a 32" bar on the 6400 if you ever run into a huge old maple or something... NOT happening with the 361 no matter what anybody says. 361 has it's purpose, and is a GREAT saw. Were I going to buy just 1 saw to use mostly all the time, I guess I'd take the 6400. Fast, smooth, and is $125 less expensive. Heck, I think you ought to look around for a used 7900... If yur gonna go out, go all out...

eh?

You get up this way and I'll let ya run'em all.

 

[SawTroll]

.... and nobody can argue the fact that a Stihl balances better than any saw ever built. ....

LOL - what most people think of as balance it lengthways balance, and that will mostly depend on what bars you put on a saw - nothing special with Stihl in that regard.....

Regarding sideways balance, "compact" feel and nimbleness for limbing etc - I don't think anything will beat the smaller Huskys, like the 346xp and 353.
The MS361 aren't too shabby though........

 

[mountainlake]

If you can get the 6401 for $420 + $200 for a 7900 jug and piston = $620 vs $550 for a 361 and don't care about the wieght I'd pay the extra $70 for ton more power. Far as balance my 044 has to be the worst balanced saw I own, want's to twist out of my hand all the time and it's bulky. Steve

 

[NPKenny]

I'm not sure where they get the numbers that the 361 is 1000rpms faster out of the cut??? Put an 8 pin sprocket on the 6400 and I highly doubt the previous statement... ......... .

Tach. I have both saws and a tach. Now if person was wanted to replace the 13,500 rpm coil in the Dolmar, things could change. Sure, if you put an 8-pin vs. 7-pin you will gain chainspeed out of the cut, but not likely gain anything in the cut. A 60cc saw doesn't like an 8-pin sprocket on any bar longer than 16", unless you are just limbing.

You also have the option of putting up to a 32" bar on the 6400 if you ever run into a huge old maple or something... .

I couldn't suggest a person would have good success running a 6400 with a 32" bar in something.

Cisco, I know you love your Dolmars. I have quite an affinity for them as well. But......