Stihl MS271

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Good choice?


  • Total voters
    31
Congratulation to the 271!:clap:

Although I doubt that the 271 is faster than the 291. Further the 271 is probably faster than the unmuffler modded but against the classic hole in the old 029 muffler I am seriously skeptical.

7
 
I would like to know bottom line is my boat anchor ms290 more powerful & faster cutting than the newer ms271 & or ms291?
I could have afforded the ms271 but the dealer I wanted to buy from didnt have any in stock or so he said. I drove out to another dealer and held the ms271 in my hands and it did feel nice. But overall I went with the ms290 because its tried and true and lots of parts and know how available on this saw. Plus I did like the idea of the adjustable oiler which I keep maxed out even with my 16in bar. Better to have more oil, right?
So whats the deal on straight up power and cutting? I dont care about it sipping less fuel, weight or anything else all I care about is the power vs the two mentioned above. I also bought the ms290 because when my warranty is up I am going to MM it. And people seem to really think it makes a noticable difference. I just cant hack up a new saw partially paid for by the GF and then have an issue.
I just cant see the ms271 out cutting the ms290 or ms291 it makes zero cents to me all things being equal.
 
Unmodded the 271 & 291 will out cut the the 290. If the 290 is MM it will be about equal to the 271 but the 291 will still be ahead. But we are always talking about an experimental situation. In real life a pro logger with a 251 will outcut , production wise, joe firewooder with a 261, simply because he knows what he is doing and can do it all day long!

Personally I would have gotten the 271 or 291. Why? Because of the antivibration! Power is so minimalistic in difference that you can forget it.

Your criteria why to buy the 290 is still excelent "because its tried and true and lots of parts and know how available on this saw" and completely understandable. And the possibility for an upgrade is really easy.

Enjoy your saw and let us participate with some action pictures!

7
 
Thanks for the reply... no action here its been pouring rain for a day straight and my spots probably flooded and or super wet. I mainly use the saw for cutting hunting trails and future firewood which I have a good amount of right now. Honestly at the time of purchase a few months ago I was wondering if I should have just got the ms250. Bottom line I was using my gf's fathers ms230 and I mean I can really notice the weight difference vs my ms290. But it is what it is... I gave up on one tree blocking my path and the new saw was able to get it done. I probably could have done it with his saw but felt like I was beating on it. I dont like borrowing things like tools or saw or even someones car. But overall I am happy with my purchase and the dealer I got it from. Dealer said just run it, and that I only need to take it back if the chain is moving at idle. Otherwise just use it! I know how to maintain my stuff but I'm not about to tear an engine apart. I just read and see what guys on here do to be honest. I'm a no body and never will be when it comes to saws... but for some reason I find it very interesting I'm on my 5th tank of gas so we shal see if it gains any power or not. But i'm happy
 
Once the bug bites you ... My 044 stayed stock for over 20 yrs, and I was always very impressed with it. But since joining this site it now has a duel port muffler cover, K&N air filter, and square file chain (20" bar). These minor changes have made a noticeable improvement in performance, and the engine has still never been apart.

Enjoy your saw and beware of the addiction!
 
Thanks for the reply... Honestly at the time of purchase a few months ago I was wondering if I should have just got the ms250. Bottom line I was using my gf's fathers ms230 and I mean I can really notice the weight difference vs my ms290. But it is what it is... I gave up on one tree blocking my path and the new saw was able to get it done. I probably could have done it with his saw but felt like I was beating on it. I dont like borrowing things like tools or saw or even someones car. But overall I am happy with my purchase and the dealer I got it from. Dealer said just run it, and that I only need to take it back if the chain is moving at idle. Otherwise just use it! I know how to maintain my stuff but I'm not about to tear an engine apart. I just read and see what guys on here do to be honest. I'm a no body and never will be when it comes to saws... but for some reason I find it very interesting I'm on my 5th tank of gas so we shal see if it gains any power or not. But i'm happy
In your cutting situation your chainsaw will last forever, even if you are 2 years old at the moment... :laugh: The 250 would have fit the bill totally. Although your dealer didn't say to come back I would still consider it after 10-15 refills, just to be on the safe side. I hope you got the extended warrenty with your saw.

As MustangMike said:

Rule Nr. 1: Safety first!
Chaps, Helmet, Eye & Ear protection and chainsaw safety boots! Wedges will save you often. Don't be stupid cutting down what you cannot safely take down!

Nr. 2: Sharp chain

Nr. 3: fresh fuel mix

Nr. 4: regular maintenance

If rule 1 to 4 are always considered your sawing future is quite bright! Have you thought already about your second saw... ;)

7
 
I do all of the above and the reason I purchased the chaps is because of this website. I got the black Stihl chaps that came with a nice helmet (kit) and was aprx $100 and to me money well spent. No places ever mention chaps, why IDK to me its another item they(the dealer) could easily be selling. My dealer set me up with a non green chain I think its the RS. Originally he had it set up with an 18inch bar but honestly speaking it seemed unbalanced and intimidating compared to what I was used to. So I asked if he could set it up with a 16inch bar which he gladly ordered so I had to wait a week. I have a HF grinder/sharpener and while I can manipulate it to work pretty well I can get it razor sharp by hand. So I dont plan on using the grinder unless I mess up the chain pretty good.

I really want to pick up some cut retardant boots but I really dont have the money... Like I am currently broke to be honest!

Maintenance wise, I am the king of maintaining my stuff. I bought the Stihl synthetic oil and got the 2 yr warranty which was a no brainer. And yes after x amount of tanks I do plan to bring it in to have it looked over. Esp since it was set up initially in cold weather. And yeah... the ms250 would have been fine for my needs! I bet a lot of guys over saw themselves, even I was doubting my purchase after coming on here.

Heck with heating the house I need to keep those trails clear for the deer(hunting)! Its all about hunting for me... Anyway thank you

To be honest I was kinda hoping to hear that the ms290 would have been the saw to have over the newer ms271/291. The other thing that pushed me to the ms290 was bar oiling issues like recently posted. But I am thankful for what I have and it should last me a very, very long time!

I use a clip belt/strap to carry it where it needs to go in the woods. So weight wise once I'm using it I dont notice the added weight. Maybe the added weight even aids in cutting cause I really never have to force it.
 
@njsawgeek

I like your analytic way to your situation! And the bar choice was also very good. Add a cheap 20 inch bar for the few times you need something bigger. And you can always get a spare muffler cheaply to do a muffler mod...

For cut retardent boots you can get by, until money is in the bank again, with a pair of steel towed boots. Steel!!! towed boots and not plastic toed!!! because the chainsaw will easily cut through the plastic toe cap boots!

7
 
Congratulation to the 271!:clap:

Although I doubt that the 271 is faster than the 291. Further the 271 is probably faster than the unmuffler modded but against the classic hole in the old 029 muffler I am seriously skeptical.

7


I see no reason to congratulate on getting any of those homeowner class saws - none of them really is a good choise! :(
 
The reason they make different classes of saws is because people have different needs. If the purchaser is satisfied with his saw, no one else's judgement is relevant.

I prefer the Professional Level saws because I think they make sense over the long term, but someone who does far less cutting may not think the cost is worth it.

You are very knowledgeable Troll, but also very judgmental at times.
 
No disrespect troll but its obvious to me that you have not run a 271.
I've run an owned a 270, and they are considered to be a mid-range saw not professional. They preform well enough and I did like the torque but if you have run a properly tuned ms 261 or husky 346xp, 550xp, 535, 545 the 270's and 271's aren't really in the same range. I think many who know would agree there.
 
I see no reason to congratulate on getting any of those homeowner class saws - none of them really is a good choise! :(

I have learned to really enjoyed your point of view, mostly because it is so unwavering when speaking about professional grade saws and how it is pro of nothing at all.
 
I have learned to really enjoyed your point of view, mostly because it is so unwavering when speaking about professional grade saws and how it is pro of nothing at all.

Thanks - I am not a pro, but it doesn't take a pro to like high quality saws! :)

As I do everything myself , from felling to splitting and stacking, including a lot of limbing - it also matters a lot how the saws handle in the woods, and "trigger response". That narrows the possible choises down even further.
 
Well, the new MS 271 made it home today. I am, so far, very satisfied with my purchase. It definitely outcuts my 029 and MS 290. The anti-vibe is really a great feature. Super smooth running when cutting. Also, I noticed a huge difference in run time. I think I'd average about 40-45 minutes of run time on a single, full tank. I went for over an hour on my first tank, and ended up shutting it down because I needed a water break. Still had fuel in the tank! Refilled fuel and bar oil, started snowing again, cut for about another 50 minutes. I noticed that the bar and chain was getting dry so I shut it down. Still had fuel and bar oil, but not much. Couldn't get any oil to pump out and I was starting to get concerned, but then I remembered others having issues when the oil was low. Refilled both tanks and fired it up. Coupla throttle blips and then had a wet bar and chain again. I was pretty relieved because I was certain I had screwed up by buying a saw without an adjustable oiler. (Did not know the 271 lacked that feature until this am when I went to pick it up.) It cuts like the dickens! I'm running 33RS60 on it and the chips are really flying. Even did a couple of bigger juniper stumps with it and it just went right through them.

Sawtroll may disapprove of my decision, but I think I did pretty well. This saw is doing what I need it to, and does it very nicely. It is a light, nibble saw that seems to cut well, and smoothly. Just what I was looking for. I did take it down a little to clean it up after I was done cutting. By the way, I put a HD2 air filter on it from the get go, and a rim sprocket. The filter was hardly dirty at all after about 2 hours of cutting, and I was cutting some dry, dirty stuff! I think this is a result of the pre-filtration/air separation feature of this saw. I did compare it to my MS 261 C-M, and there are noticeable differences in materials and construction throughout the saw, but the overall design is the same. I would definitely say that the 261 is built for heavier duty use than the 271, and the differences in quality are reflected in the differences in price! Just as you can really tell the difference between this saw and the "home owner" grade saws. While I am certainly glad that I was able to get the 261 and 362 earlier this month, I am really stoked about this saw. It's really perfect for my needs for what I wanted it for, and that is what it should boil down to in the end anyway. Is it a "pro saw"? No. I have those for my main firewood saws. Is it a good quality, effective saw? Seems like it so far!
 
Excellent comment Spectre!!!

This is one of the main problems I see that all the advocates of pro saws always leave out of their equation. Will a pro saw make you cut your wood any faster? The realistic answer is no. At the end of the day any pro with the elcheapo homeowner/famer grade saw is going to have cut more wood than any hobby firewooder with the pro saw. The reason is simple experience and technique. So maybe the few cuts that a firewooder makes are faster but will they make the remaining processing any faster? I highly doubt it.

7
 
Well, the new MS 271 made it home today. I am, so far, very satisfied with my purchase. It definitely outcuts my 029 and MS 290. The anti-vibe is really a great feature. Super smooth running when cutting. Also, I noticed a huge difference in run time. I think I'd average about 40-45 minutes of run time on a single, full tank. I went for over an hour on my first tank, and ended up shutting it down because I needed a water break. Still had fuel in the tank! Refilled fuel and bar oil, started snowing again, cut for about another 50 minutes. I noticed that the bar and chain was getting dry so I shut it down. Still had fuel and bar oil, but not much. Couldn't get any oil to pump out and I was starting to get concerned, but then I remembered others having issues when the oil was low. Refilled both tanks and fired it up. Coupla throttle blips and then had a wet bar and chain again. I was pretty relieved because I was certain I had screwed up by buying a saw without an adjustable oiler. (Did not know the 271 lacked that feature until this am when I went to pick it up.) It cuts like the dickens! I'm running 33RS60 on it and the chips are really flying. Even did a couple of bigger juniper stumps with it and it just went right through them.

Sawtroll may disapprove of my decision, but I think I did pretty well. This saw is doing what I need it to, and does it very nicely. It is a light, nibble saw that seems to cut well, and smoothly. Just what I was looking for. I did take it down a little to clean it up after I was done cutting. By the way, I put a HD2 air filter on it from the get go, and a rim sprocket. The filter was hardly dirty at all after about 2 hours of cutting, and I was cutting some dry, dirty stuff! I think this is a result of the pre-filtration/air separation feature of this saw. I did compare it to my MS 261 C-M, and there are noticeable differences in materials and construction throughout the saw, but the overall design is the same. I would definitely say that the 261 is built for heavier duty use than the 271, and the differences in quality are reflected in the differences in price! Just as you can really tell the difference between this saw and the "home owner" grade saws. While I am certainly glad that I was able to get the 261 and 362 earlier this month, I am really stoked about this saw. It's really perfect for my needs for what I wanted it for, and that is what it should boil down to in the end anyway. Is it a "pro saw"? No. I have those for my main firewood saws. Is it a good quality, effective saw? Seems like it so far!
Good luck with all your saw purchases--keep us updated with the comparisons as the saws break in!
 
Nice objective comment Spectre. While I would love to have a 261CM I cant justify it because I already have a the 271 and it does what I need and does it well especially with a 16" bar. Now I will get a 70cc saw probably a 441CM. That I can justify but another 50cc saw when I have one that meets my needs in that department is something that I cant justify.

What size bar are you running on the 271?
 

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