Stihl MS261 C-M 3/8 Chain?

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The MS362 is my dads. The chain is 1.3mm or 0.05". Also I am from Northeast WI.
So, none of you guys had any problems with a 261 using 3/8 chain?
And Thanks for all the replies so far.
Not at all here anyways. .325 for me is faster in red oak w/16" guide bar. Really not even close in my eyes. There are different reasons to run 3/8 though....but being faster the cut is not one of them in my opinion. This is comparing 16" .325 vs 3/8 RM semichisel.
 
The expert I talked to was Randy Evans about what size chain to use, either .325 or 3/8 on a 261, as I have read a lot over the past two years about this concerning 50cc. Either is fine for whatever reason you may have. .325 on a ported 50cc isn't gonna over rev or wear out the saw!!

Did I say that .325" would over rev or wear out the saw? You can run either chain on a 261 without problems. If you looked around you may have even seen my 261 running both sized chains in comparisons.
 
Did I say that .325" would over rev or wear out the saw? You can run either chain on a 261 without problems. If you looked around you may have even seen my 261 running both sized chains in comparisons.
Some members were implying before in another thread about this that a ported 50cc should run 3/8 for fear of over revving the saw....that's all.:)
 
MCW -I think this is the third thread about 3/8 vs. .325 on a ms 261 in about two weeks. Since this a saw I run a lot I thought I would share my opinion.
 
Some members were implying before in another thread about this that a ported 50cc should run 3/8 for fear of over revving the saw....that's all.:)

Oh. I hope you jumped into the screen and slapped them :) This sort of wrong advice is starting to infest AS at an alarming rate, hence the other thread I started today.
 
MCW -I think this is the third thread about 3/8 vs. .325 on a ms 261 in about two weeks. Since this a saw I run a lot I thought I would share my opinion.

These sorts of threads have been going on for years around here :) The search function must still be broken. My threads were from 3-4 years ago.
 
Oh. I hope you jumped into the screen and slapped them :) This sort of wrong advice is starting to infest AS at an alarming rate, hence the other thread I started today.
Exactly MCW, not trying to discredit you in any way my friend.
 
Exactly MCW, not trying to discredit you in any way my friend.

It amazes me that anybody would say that. Hopefully they weren't saw builders. If they were then buy a saw from a different builder. If it was a methanol hotsaw then I'd understand the over-reving part, but not in a properly tuned work saw.
 
So then, does a 3/8 chain produce more stress/load on the bearings, crankshaft, clutch etc? It seems as though mfg reccommended setups are not purely based on horsepower.
 
So then, does a 3/8 chain produce more stress/load on the bearings, crankshaft, clutch etc? It seems as though mfg reccommended setups are not purely based on horsepower.

It certainly can, particularly with aggressive chain setups, but the 261's are built pretty solid just like all of Stihl's pro saws. There are a number of ported 261's running with 3/8" in Australian hardwood by guys that put a lot of hours on saws. I'm yet to hear any problems with these saws from a bearing, crank, or clutch point of view. It would be interesting to hear from any Stihl dealers as they generally find out first if there is a known issue with a particular saw model.
 
It amazes me that anybody would say that. Hopefully they weren't saw builders. If they were then buy a saw from a different builder. If it was a methanol hotsaw then I'd understand the over-reving part, but not in a properly tuned work saw.
People tend to theorize and assume based on their own logic. None of my saws are modded and they all tached higher rpms buried in the wood than the max horsepower/rpm mfg specs. Does that mean that I'm wasting horsepower with too small of a bar & chain? See what I mean.
 
People tend to theorize and assume based on their own logic. None of my saws are modded and they all tached higher rpms buried in the wood than the max horsepower/rpm mfg specs. Does that mean that I'm wasting horsepower with too small of a bar & chain? See what I mean.

I can see where some people would have that logic but rpm ratings in the wood really can't be standardised as there are so many variables it's not funny. A saw that isn't over-revving out of the wood certainly won't over-rev in the wood. If it's over-revving out of the wood it's too lean.
 
Good points MCW. For all we know, the guys at the factory are laughing to themselfs right now. "We just thought we'd sell more of them if we listed them with both chain types".
 
Yes I know that this is another MS 261 3/8 thread, but it is different. It is asking about saw failures with the 3/8 chain. After reading the other threads on 3/8 vs 325 I was sold on 3/8 but after my dealer told me about how there may be premature failures, I had to look into it. I would not have started this thread if I would have seen it on another one. Also, there would have not been this thread if I was a Thread Hijacker but I am not. So, you do but you don't have another MS261 3/8 b/c thread.
 
What's so confusing? I was just asking if any of you guys had any failures to the MS261 due to running a 3/8 chain over 325.
 
What's so confusing? I was just asking if any of you guys had any failures to the MS261 due to running a 3/8 chain over 325.
Not your question, but a lot of the replies here.

You can run 3/8 chain on your 261 with no problem. It may or may not be any better than .325.

Gage has nothing to do with the original question...
 
3/8 or .325, whatever is a good choice I'm saying. Some other members stated it might be a good idea to go 3/8 cause you stay in the powerband of a 50cc ported saw better, cutting better, less wear on the saw, no over revving the saw... you name it. All i'm saying is I have faster cut times with .325... I have a masterminded 261cm and before that a Sneller 261 with muff mod and advanced timimg. I got some experience with this so I'm just stating my findings is all. They both work great, try em out and decide for yourself. Im talking modded 261's here...Happy New Year by the way.
 

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