Stihl 044/440.....Best saw ever made???

[pioneerguy600]

A big yeppers from me, I have been tooting the 044 horn for 12 years or more now. Many fellows around here run Huskies for pro work and they put out a lot of work,"hours of run time," but the Stihl`s will still be running fine when the Huskies are all worn out.
Pioneerguy600

 

[StihlyinEly]

A big yeppers from me, I have been tooting the 044 horn for 12 years or more now. Many fellows around here run Huskies for pro work and they put out a lot of work,"hours of run time," but the Stihls will still be running fine when the Huskies are all worn out.
Pioneerguy600

Coming from a guy who is no Stihl ho, that seems like a powerful statement. I'm inclined to buy it wholesale because I bleed orange and white, and because it's Jerry who said it. But can you elaborate on that, Jerry? I know pro loggers who swear by Husky. Is the 044/440 that much more durable?

Maybe more importantly, who has a 440/460 top end saw they'll sell me? I'd love to put it up against my ported and muff modded 460. If they are equal in cutting time, I reckon the weight issue might carry the day, and then I could sell the raging beast of a 460 to get back my money for buying the 440/460. Well, I don't really care about saw weight, but it's an interesting comparison. Wait, SELL one of my bigger Sihls? CAD may not let me.

Reckon I just need to get down to Jeremy's neck of the woods with the 460 to compare. After all, he ported the sucker.

 

[bartlanz]

Coming from a guy who is no Stihl ho, that seems like a powerful statement. I'm inclined to buy it wholesale because I bleed orange and white, and because it's Jerry who said it. But can you elaborate on that, Jerry? I know pro loggers who swear by Husky. Is the 044/440 that much more durable?

I realize I am a nobody here... But from what I know and what I have talked to of my friends who do logging, which are numerous... Huskies are fast, and the parts are in expensive, Stihls are slower, but will start easier and have a much longer expected life. Take it or leave it... I buy Stihl because I like their rep, and my local dealer.

To make sure my post has something related to this thread...the 440/044... I know it has an excelent rep... If I was to buy one, I would probably go for the 460, with a wrap handel...

 

[StihlyinEly]

I realize I am a nobody here... But from what I know and what I have talked to of my friends who do logging, which are numerous... Huskies are fast, and the parts are in expensive, Stihls are slower, but will start easier and have a much longer expected life. Take it or leave it... I buy Stihl because I like their rep, and my local dealer.

To make sure my post has something related to this thread...the 440/044... I know it has an excelent rep... If I was to buy one, I would probably go for the 460, with a wrap handel...

Not so (regarding the bolded quote), though I've used that same language here before. There are plenty of folks on here -- who have either not been members long or who have been longtime members but have few posts -- who are stone cold pros.

Number of posts, longevity of membership, rep novas, they only tell part of the story.

I'm just saying.

Oh, and to keep this on topic, from what I've heard the 044/440 ROCKS! It's one of the few Stihls I've never cut with, myself. Um, so far. :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Rounder]

Coming from a guy who is no Stihl ho, that seems like a powerful statement. I'm inclined to buy it wholesale because I bleed orange and white, and because it's Jerry who said it. But can you elaborate on that, Jerry? I know pro loggers who swear by Husky. Is the 044/440 that much more durable?

That's why they're the most common saw in crummies around here. Nobody who works in the woods wants to wrench on saws on the weekend. You can run the snot out of a 440 day in day out and pretty much forget about it after work. (460 is a real close second though, just a weight preference issue) - Sam

 

[StihlyinEly]

That's why they're the most common saw in crummies around here. Nobody who works in the woods wants to wrench on saws on the weekend. You can run the snot out of a 440 day in day out and pretty much forget about it after work. (460 is a real close second though, just a weight preference issue) - Sam

Thanks, Sam.

My ported 460 is one prime saw, IMO. But CAD and the 440/460 top end are making me itch. Hard not to scratch when it's that combo. Correct me if I'm wrong, but most working full-time loggers probably don't give the first #### about paying someone else for porting saws (added expense), but care about porting their own saws or using stock saws that cut good and last a long time, delivering big bang for the buck right out of the box.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Ok, here is a Stihl 044 that I am really proud of, its beat to death, been run pro for 7 years, cut 20-25 cords a day 5-6 days a week year in and out rain or shine. It was a pulpwooders saw, high revving and no mercy given it, only matters how much wood is on the ground at the end of the day. I totally rebuilt this saw a few years back, the comp was down to 130 and on its second ring job but everything else on this saw was OEM, not a part replaced in all that time.

 

[wigglesworth]

Maybe more importantly, who has a 440/460 top end saw they'll sell me? I'd love to put it up against my ported and muff modded 460.

FWIW, Your 460 would eat my 044/046's lunch and make it like it. It is by far the strongest MS460 I have ran.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I have never seen a husky that would still be together with this many hours on it, the plastic covers would all be split, the screws mostly stripped out and most screws would be falling out,missing or stripped, the AV mounts worn out and broken , the plastic recoil covers split and in tatters. This is just my observations spread out over 47 years of wrenching on saws, I am sure others will have different observations and opinions. From my observations I will stick with the 044`s.
Pioneerguy600

 

[Arrowhead]

Is it or is it....and discuss.

Does a bear.....

 

[wigglesworth]

Does a bear.....

I dont know. We dont have bears here. But I do know my chickens poop on the porch, and the dog poops right where you step off of the porch.

Hooray 044!!!

 

[pioneerguy600]

A few of my 044`s, these are everyday work saws, not shelf queens.

Pioneerguy600

 

[wigglesworth]

Jerry, Im curious....why no HD filters?

 

[pioneerguy600]

Jerry, Im curious....why no HD filters?

Jeremy, we only cut green wood up here, the climate is not hot and dusty, actually it is considered fairly damp. A filter could be run for 2-3 full days cutting before it would need cleaning. I do clean mine after every days cutting, once back at the shop each saw gets blown off with comp air, all filters cleaned and all chains sharpened.
Pioneerguy600

 

[pioneerguy600]

Just thought, check out my untouched hardwood thread if you get a chance, it will show you our type of forest.
Pioneerguy600

 

[wigglesworth]

Is that an 046 tank?

 

[Brian13]

I have only used a Jred 2171 to compare it to and only cutting through roofing at that. So my opinion really holds no weight. But I love mine.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Is that an 046 tank?

Yes it is.
Pioneerguy600

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I'll say the 044/440 is a dang good saw. I would even say it's right up there in the best ever category. Has to be the best in it's class.

 

[StihlyinEly]

I have never seen a husky that would still be together with this many hours on it, the plastic covers would all be split, the screws mostly stripped out and most screws would be falling out,missing or stripped, the AV mounts worn out and broken , the plastic recoil covers split and in tatters. This is just my observations spread out over 47 years of wrenching on saws, I am sure others will have different observations and opinions. From my observations I will stick with the 044`s.
Pioneerguy600

Thanks, Jerry. That's the kind of long term, day in and day out experience I was looking for.

FWIW, Your 460 would eat my 044/046's lunch and make it like it. It is by far the strongest MS460 I have ran.

I love you too, man. No, you're not getting my Bud Light.

Seriously, could a ported/muff modded 440 w/460 top end compete with a ported/muff modded 460? I'm not trolling here. I cut with saws a lot, and make money doing it. I don't mod saws (other than some muff mods), so I can't bark with the big dogs when it comes to porting/milling.