MS261CM 16 vs 18 inch bar

[A31unit]

It's gonna stay .325. Which bar seems to work best. I could get away with either for the size wood I'm cutting. I would assume it's just preference and not any major weight difference between the two.
If you have used both in this saw which did you like better and why.
Thanks

 

[CentaurG2]

I really don’t think it much matters. The 16 will be a pinch lighter and have a few less teeth to sharpen. I used to like 16”NK setup with 95vp chain for limbing with my old 346xp but the new 550xp does just as well with an 18” bar. I would just run whatever it has on it now and no lose any sleep over it.

 

[USMC615]

My 261-CM pulls an 18" bar just fine...I'm tall so the extra length is good for me. The weight difference btwn a 16" and 18" Rollomatic E bar is negligible at best. I do have a couple of extra 16" E bars I could put on it, just haven't. Saw came with an 18" and I left well enough alone.

 

[logeeland]

That will saw will run an 18" bar with ease. Especially if you keep it at .325. It would run 3/8 is needed also. No loss of power.

 

[AndrewF]

Mine has a 18" and goes great. Cost me a bit extra as it certainly with 16" by default. Very pleased I got the 18 though.

 

[CR888]

I have both and they both balance well however IMO the best bar for a 261 is 16". Keep the saw light and nimble.

 

[AndrewF]

I have both and they both balance well however IMO the best bar for a 261 is 16". Keep the saw light and nimble.

Good point. 16 would make for a lighter, more manoeuvrable saw. 18 gives a touch more reach though. Depends on one's circumstances really doesn't it.

 

[USMC615]

Splittin' hairs...put both bars on it, see whatcha cone up with. Ya ain't gonna break the bank trying both bar lengths.

 

[A31unit]

Splittin' hairs...put both bars on it, see whatcha cone up with. Ya ain't gonna break the bank trying both bar lengths.

I like it! Guess I'll have to get both!

 

[USMC615]

I like it! Guess I'll have to get both!

I think you'll like the 18" if ya got any height to ya. It's a zippin' ass little light-weight saw. I don't think you'll have any problems with the 18". Little more bang for the buck.

 

[A31unit]

My saw actually came with an 18" bar. Seems good! I just read more users go with the 16, although I haven't read one negative about the 18 either. Like you said its splittin hairs

 

[USMC615]

My saw actually came with an 18" bar. Seems good! I just read more users go with the 16, although I haven't read one negative about the 18 either. Like you said its splittin hairs

An 18" is the absolute stretch on a 261...it'll zip a 16" a little quicker, no doubt. Buy a 16", try it. The saw will handle either, obviously a 16" is probably the people's choice award here. If the 18's cuttin' to your satisfaction, leave well enuff alone.

 

[lambs]

In .325, either bar. In 3/8, stick with 16". It will slow a stock 261 down a bit in my experience.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I've run 16", 18" and 20" bars with .325 chain, both full and semi-chisel, and while it pulled them all well I found the 18" to offer the best in balance, power and efficiency for the wood that I cut.
I currently run an 18" 3/8 pitch semi chisel chain and hope I don't have a reason to go back to .325 pitch chain.

 

[A31unit]

16! Its an awsome machine!

 

[Cody]

My first 261 was just a regular carb version and I had a 20" bar with the .325 chain and it pulled it fine, but was a bit nose heavy. I now have an Mtronic 261 and ordered it with a 3/8 16" bar and just love the setup. I would think that with the 18" .325 setup it would be about perfect. I only went with 3/8 chain because of other saws/bar lengths that are all 3/8 chain.

 

[CR888]

You will like that saw, they are a well built unit that will cut a lot of wood day in day out. Good adjustable oiler, best air filter on a 50cc saw. The only thing you need now is a set of factory 361/362 slightly bigger double felling dawgs with ceramic roller catcher.....buy the kit with everything in it. If you look closely on the inside of your clutch cover you will see the two hex shaped areas where you drill two holes.

 

[Andyshine77]

So far I really like my 261, ideal firewood saw IMHO. Mine hasn't missed a beat the whopping two tanks I've ran it, I have too many saws!!

 

[lambs]

The 261 is a really nice saw, and I'm glad I got one. But I didn't start mine all last year; I used my 046 / 20" at all of our firewood events because I am usually the go to guy when we get into bigger wood. I think when I get older, or as a friend at work put it, "older, older", I will be running it a lot more. Don't know why on earth they think I'm already "older"; I try to convince myself they are just generally "less mature" than I am.

I did switch to the 16" 3/8 because like another poster noted, all my others are on 3/8, there's a lot more useable tooth there to work with if the saw will pull it, and I don't have to change out grinding wheels all the time. My bar needed to be replaced on the 261 so it was a good time to step up to 3/8 and try it. The rpm's in the cut definitely dropped when I went to the bigger pitch on the same size bar, but not that badly.

 

[thetoolnut]

I bought my Stihl ms261 c-m second hand and it had an 18'' .325 Stihl rollomatic, I sold the bar and chain and bought an 18'' Sugihara solid pro bar and five Oregon semi-chisel chains. I also got the saw ported and modded and it's a weapon. I like to have two bars of different length and a multiple of chains for my saws so I'll be getting a 16'' .325 Sugihara pro-light for it soon. Happy cutting!