O.K., I know I am opening a can of worms here, but looking for some info.
Here's the rundown,
I have been using my neighbor's (dad's) Poulan 16" saw to take care of downed timber and cut firewood for camping etc. on the family 'farm' (only about 65 acres total) for the last 7 years. I recently ran into a couple larger trees that have me wishing I had a saw with a whole lot more power, it is about a 20-22" dia. oak, and is very hard (fell within year.) I am looking for a saw to run a 20-24" bar, but will also be relatively comfortable when outfitted with a 16-18" bar for general light cutting & limbing. (Kind of a one size fits all powerhouse.) I do have a budget, and have found many new saws from $350-525 in my area. All considered are either Stihl or Husqvarna (#1 and #2 respectively by all accounts.) Models I have handled are, Husky 455 Rancher, 460 Rancher, 359, Stihl MS290, Stihl MS390. I have local dealers / repair centers for both.
How about some help here? I've been told I am looking at too big of saws for my application, but I'm tired of wishing for a bigger saw, so I'm ready to take the plunge.
Here's the rundown,
I have been using my neighbor's (dad's) Poulan 16" saw to take care of downed timber and cut firewood for camping etc. on the family 'farm' (only about 65 acres total) for the last 7 years. I recently ran into a couple larger trees that have me wishing I had a saw with a whole lot more power, it is about a 20-22" dia. oak, and is very hard (fell within year.) I am looking for a saw to run a 20-24" bar, but will also be relatively comfortable when outfitted with a 16-18" bar for general light cutting & limbing. (Kind of a one size fits all powerhouse.) I do have a budget, and have found many new saws from $350-525 in my area. All considered are either Stihl or Husqvarna (#1 and #2 respectively by all accounts.) Models I have handled are, Husky 455 Rancher, 460 Rancher, 359, Stihl MS290, Stihl MS390. I have local dealers / repair centers for both.
How about some help here? I've been told I am looking at too big of saws for my application, but I'm tired of wishing for a bigger saw, so I'm ready to take the plunge.