MS260 pro vs. MS390

[trook]

Which one of these two saws, and only these two saws, would be best for use around the farm and for bucking 16-20" hardwood? I realize the 260 will be lighter, more comfortable and probably last longer, but what about the power if both of these use a 20" bar? Will the MS390 outcut the 260?

 

[KMB]

MS390

Kevin

 

[HittinSteel]

You do not want to be cutting 16"-20" hardwood consistently with a 260. Get the 390 over the 260 if you plan to run a 20" bar.

 

[Paul001]

Which one of these two saws, and only these two saws, would be best for use around the farm and for bucking 16-20" hardwood? I realize the 260 will be lighter, more comfortable and probably last longer, but what about the power if both of these use a 20" bar? Will the MS390 outcut the 260?

Yes. However, do a muffler mod on the 260 and it would be tough. Price wise they should be pretty close.

Now if I was to make a suggestion, I'd say wait for the 391...but that wasn't what you asked

 

[trook]

Now if I was to make a suggestion, I'd say wait for the 391...but that wasn't what you asked

Even though that wasn't what I asked, I am open to suggestions. I just don't want the subject matter to get too far off course (which commonly occurs)!

 

[Muffler Bearing]

Which one of these two saws, and only these two saws, would be best for use around the farm and for bucking 16-20" hardwood? I realize the 260 will be lighter, more comfortable and probably last longer, but what about the power if both of these use a 20" bar? Will the MS390 outcut the 260?

Option #1 If you plan on staying and reading AS
Get the 260 w/18 bar. Than when your CAD matures, and you get the 460. You can use the 260 as your limbing saw!

Option #2 If you will not be a reader of AS
Buy the 390 W/20 Bar. and go have fun!

 

[Paul001]

Even though that wasn't what I asked, I am open to suggestions. I just don't want the subject matter to get too far off course (which commonly occurs)!

Understood. The 391 has a much improved top cover(Gives you access so yu can actually clean/see), gets rid of the uni-body construction, improved filtration, improved AV, replacement of P & C is similar to a Pro Series saw, etc.

Expect to pay about $75 more than a 390.

 

[indiansprings]

With respect to your two saws of choice I would give the nod to the 390, if your cutting over five cord of wood a year. If I were doing fence row work, trimming lanes or tree limbs around the edge of fields and only cutting three or four cords a year for your personal use a 260 would be fine and the lighter weight makes it more nimble. In wood up to 14-16" your not going to see that much of a difference between the two saws, it's when you get up to the 18-24" wood that the 390 will out perform the 260. For typical farm use either saw will last you a lifetime, with proper use and maintainence. Hope that helps.

 

[murf]

GET A 660!!!!!

Ha! Sorry had to be the first one to say it! (Although I do love mine!)

I can say this cuz I do have a 390, with 20" bar.

I do like the saw, it's got quite a bit of grunt, and getting more the longer I run it. (I had a bit of buyers remorse when I ran it for the first time, but she's loosening up!)

It is a little bit on the heavy side, but then I can always go pick up the 350, or if I'm really beat the 170 and take a 'break' for a while.

Lastly, I wanna get her broken in a bit more before I muff mod it, but I think with that and a good carb tuning she'll be my go to saw for felling and bucking medium sized oaks.

All that being said I've never ran a 260 pro. I really only bought the 390 because the wifey woulda killed me if I'da come home with the 361!


Good luck!

Murf

 

[olyeller]

Option #1 If you plan on staying and reading AS
Get the 260 w/18 bar. Than when your CAD matures, and you get the 460. You can use the 260 as your limbing saw!

Option #2 If you will not be a reader of AS
Buy the 390 W/20 Bar. and go have fun!

MB is spot on with these two options because this is exactly what happened to me. I bought a MS 390 thinking it would be the only saw I'd need. And I was right. Unfortunately, I DID NOT RUN AWAY FROM AS!!! I kept on reading and soon became CAD infected from head to toe. So I found a clean, used 260, sold the 390 and got a new 460. (And a few more, but that's another story!)

The 390 cut very well in hard, dry, 18-inch oak--but it's nowhere close to performing like the 460. And the 260 sure is nice and light for trimming little stuff. If you get the 390, do a muffler mod and richen the carb. Get some Stihl RSC chain instead of the RSC3 safety chain. But above all else, if you get a 390, RUN AWAY FROM AS. Because you'll be wanting more all too soon, just as I did.

Olyeller

 

[THALL10326]

Yes. However, do a muffler mod on the 260 and it would be tough. Price wise they should be pretty close.

Now if I was to make a suggestion, I'd say wait for the 391...but that wasn't what you asked

No wait, send him here. Just got done assembling a new 391. Right nice. Got a chance to see one in action this past Monday, they boogie pretty good. Power band is much broader than the older 390. These new saws they keep coming out with haul buggie...

 

[trook]

When is the 391 expected to hit the dealers' shelves?

 

[trook]

"If I were doing fence row work, trimming lanes or tree limbs around the edge of fields and only cutting three or four cords a year for your personal use a 260 would be fine and the lighter weight makes it more nimble"

I currently use a Husky 51 for these chores, and it seems to perform very well.

 

[nmurph]

1) bw the 2 you mentioned, i would def choose the 390 for the cutting you described. i own a muff/ modded 026 and a muff modded 310 (which should be fairly close to a stock 390) and i can tell you there IS a rather large difference in their cutting speed in the size wood you mentioned
2) you mentioned alternatives- i would suggest the husky 346- open the muffler a bit and you can hammer down on those 16-20"ers all day. this is a superior saw to the 260 is all areas.
3) if you stick around here long you will need to add a dolmar 7900 to the mix.

 

[trook]

When will the 391 hit the market?

 

[smokinj]

ms390

kevin

+1

 

[whitemountain]

MB is spot on with these two options because this is exactly what happened to me. I bought a MS 390 thinking it would be the only saw I'd need. And I was right. Unfortunately, I DID NOT RUN AWAY FROM AS!!! I kept on reading and soon became CAD infected from head to toe. So I found a clean, used 260, sold the 390 and got a new 460. (And a few more, but that's another story!)

The 390 cut very well in hard, dry, 18-inch oak--but it's nowhere close to performing like the 460. And the 260 sure is nice and light for trimming little stuff. If you get the 390, do a muffler mod and richen the carb. Get some Stihl RSC chain instead of the RSC3 safety chain. But above all else, if you get a 390, RUN AWAY FROM AS. Because you'll be wanting more all too soon, just as I did.

Olyeller

My story is almost identical. I bought a 390 thinking it would be the only saw a man could ever use. I really enjoyed the saw, especially once I opened the muffler up. It wasn't long after that I thought about a two saw plan. I found a nice used 260. I found an excuse to be underpowered with the 390 on a semi-regular basis and just bought a nice used 441. I plan on selling the 390.

Edit: After re-reading the OP post - yes the 390 will do everything you're thinking of - yes the 260 will pull a 20" bar but not with any gusto. If I had it to do over again, I would have saved a little for a new 260, then sold enough firewood to buy a 70cc saw right from the get go.

 

[STIHLTHEDEERE]

some dealers already have 311/391 saws,391/20" is 570.00 and 14lbs. ouch!

 

[THALL10326]

some dealers already have 311/391 saws,391/20" is 570.00 and 14lbs. ouch!

Suggested retail is 519.95..

 

[Paul001]

When will the 391 hit the market?

Soon. From what I understand, the only thing holding it up is current inventory. However, they expected current inventory on the 361 to take forever to get rid of once they released the 362, it cleared the distributors in days, not the months they expected.

We may be suprised at how soon the 391 is on the shelves.