Considering a 261 C-M or a 362 C-M, QC my logic

[PA452]

Hi guys, I'm looking at my first new saw purchase. Uses will be primarily for firewood (I cut quite a bit each year) and clean up of fallen trees over trails or in yards. The saw will see a lot of use in the fall at firewood time, but throughout the rest of the year I'd say I will still use it at least once a month if not a fair amount more.

I currently own an old Echo saw, haven't used it in years. Couldn't even tell you the model number or anything. It was given to me, but it has at least a 25" bar and I don't normally need that, but sometimes it is handy when we get into big logs. It runs, but it could use some work. The chain brake is snapped off for one (given to me that way). For quite some time now most of my sawing has been with my dad's MS290 FarmBoss (discontinued) with a 20" bar. I help him cut a lot of wood and borrow his saw when I need it. But, I'd like to get away from having to do that.

My decision making process has evolved as I've been thinking about this. My first thought was to get a 261 C-M with 20" bar, but I was worried I'd be under-gunned for some applications. Then I started thinking about the 362 C-M with an 18" bar and a 25" bar, switching out to the 25" bar as the occasion calls for it. However I've read that the 362 might be a little over-taxed with a 25" bar. I've also read that the additional power of the 362 over the 261 isn't quite enough to justify the additional weight and cost. I do love the feel of the 261 weight, seems like that will be really nice for limbing.

So my latest feeling is maybe I should get a 261 C-M with an 18" bar, keep the Echo around for the times I need a much longer bar, and down the road maybe sell the Echo and pick up a Stihl 70cc model, maybe the 462 if it's available by then?

What do you guys think?

Also, I've been focused on Stihl so far, but I won't buy one until I can check out a Husqvarna in person as well. But, the Stihl dealer support in my area dwarfs the Husqvarna support, so I'm pretty heavily leaning toward Stihl. I have two Stihl dealers within 10 minutes of home.

Thanks

ETA: I should also mention, 99.9% of my cutting is cherry, oak, and sometimes walnut or hickory. I'd have added ash in there too but we're starting to run out of even the dead ash trees around here.

 

[snowracerh]

I have a 261cm and use it for a lot of tree thinning and walking. Mostly cutting stuff under 14 inches. It bogs down easy in big trees it seems like. I am using the full chisel yellow chains. I have a 16 inch bar. I also have a 70 cc saw from 1978 (042) and only has a half hp more but alot more torque (likely attributed to bigger stroke), so the 361 may have alot more torque, but havent used one. If I wasnt walking as much I would have got the 361 with 20" bar. If i was getting into anything that required a bigger bar than 20", ms441 would be my choice. If money wasnt an issue, Id have a ms441 for felling and bucking the larger truck portions and a ms261 for limbing and bucking the upper portions of the tree.

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[homemade]

261 ftw

 

[Jed1124]

362 is a great firewood saw that will last you a long time with the use your describing. I like the idea of a smaller bar for regular use and a larger for occasional use. I would go 20" and 25".

 

[jackjcc]

25” is a lot for the 362, but if it’s occasional use you won’t see anything worse than premature bar wear. It’s really about the oil output of the Saw to match the bar. I feel like I don’t get enough oil with the 20” bar, so I make a few cuts then spin the chain at half throttle until it throws oil. If you do the same with 25” bar and it will last.


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[1Alpha1]

I subscribe to the two-saw plan. I get by just fine.

 

[Conquistador3]

Just a quick question: what do you plan to cut with this saw? Trees how big?
A 25" bar is a long bar by homeowner/farmer/professional landscaper standards and needs a suitably large powerhead attached. Do you really need such a long bar? Personally I've downgraded from 20" to 18" on my largest saw two years ago and I am still wondering why I didn't do it earlier: granted, this is not redwood country, but it can tackle everything and I prefer the shorter bar anyway.

If you have no experience of modern saws, know they are in a completely different league from what you are accustomed to: chain speeds are way higher, they vibrate far less, they require far less bar and premix oil, they run far leaner etc. All major manufacturers have 60cc modern saws which can tackle a whole lot more than their predecessors and work all day without issues, no matter how much the oldtimers complain about the lack of smoke and dripping bar oil.

 

[TurboA2]

I would get the 261. Get a 441, 461, 462 down the line. I never touch my 311 (same cc size as 362 but farm and ranch not pro) any more. I grab my echo 330t, ms 250, or my 461. If I didn't climb, I'd subscribe to the two saw plan and upgrade to a 026pro or 261 with my 461.

I use a 20, 24(5), and 32" bar on the 461. I may pick up a 16" for 311. I've found the shortest bar possible for firewood is best. Before I got my 461 I ran a 16" on my step dad's echo cs8000.

 

[oldfortyfive]

I went with the 261cm and 18” bar. Very happy with it. Slows down some when cutting the full bar length, but that shouldn’t be a surprise with most saws.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

One of my 362s I have a muffler mod and a timing bump on and it pulls 84 drivers pretty damn good, I put the HO pump guts in and it keeps the bar wet..seems to run tank for tank as far as fuel and oil goes when I have the pump turned all the way up.

It goes without saying it rips pretty good with an 18-20" bar.

It's all in what you want.

 

[PA452]

Just a quick question: what do you plan to cut with this saw? Trees how big?
A 25" bar is a long bar by homeowner/farmer/professional landscaper standards and needs a suitably large powerhead attached. Do you really need such a long bar? Personally I've downgraded from 20" to 18" on my largest saw two years ago and I am still wondering why I didn't do it earlier: granted, this is not redwood country, but it can tackle everything and I prefer the shorter bar anyway.

If you have no experience of modern saws, know they are in a completely different league from what you are accustomed to: chain speeds are way higher, they vibrate far less, they require far less bar and premix oil, they run far leaner etc. All major manufacturers have 60cc modern saws which can tackle a whole lot more than their predecessors and work all day without issues, no matter how much the oldtimers complain about the lack of smoke and dripping bar oil.

Tree size varies quite a bit. I think an 18" bar would be fine most of the time. My gauge is thinking about in the past 10+ years has the 20" bar on my dad's saw been adequate. I would say it is for most things. There are times when you just have to make a small extra cut on the other side, or sometimes a significant cut on the other side. I can only remember a couple of times when that 20" bar actually wasn't doing it when cutting from both sides. Still managed to get through it, but it was a major pain because the chains weren't sharpened correctly and the saw had a tendency to curve as you worked your way down through the log. Naturally when you switch to the other side it wants to curve the opposite direction from your first cut.

I know 25" is a little long, but I'm just thinking about those occasions when I'm just cutting larger logs into sections for firewood or lumber.

Here are some firewood pics, as you'll see it can vary quite a bit.

This one became boards.

On the smaller end:

 

[Ozhoo]

I'd be getting a 441 now and wait on the 261.

 

[Dph1256]

Maybe try a 18 and 22 bar combo for the 362? I don't hear much about 22 inch bars but they are in the stihl catalog.

 

[PA452]

I'd be getting a 441 now and wait on the 261.

Well, I should say those first pics aren't the norm, that's on the larger end. For every cut I'm making on a log like the one in that first picture, I'm probably making a thousand cuts on smaller logs and limbs that an 18" can handle.

 

[2 Stroke Pete]

2 Saw plan all the way! You won't be disappointed with the 261 C-M, it great on the smaller stuff, will cope in larger logs albeit not as fast. I am running a 16" on mine, and it has never let me down, will cut whatever I sink it into. I keep the 461 for the bigger stuff...

 

[Cody]

If you're able to fix up the Echo and use that for whatever larger logs you run into then I'd pick up a 261 as you won't regret owning that saw. However, if you don't think the Echo is worth fixing up, then the money saved by not having to purchase parts for it may be the difference needed to get the 362, again, not likely a decision you'll regret. I run 3/8 on my 261 and was just running through some red elm yesterday with a 20" bar/chain and you can put just a bit of pressure on it. Usually though I run a 16" on it and absolutely love it.

I vote 261 now, and a 70cc later, though I'm surprised nobody has brought up ported saws.

 

[PA452]

Checked out the Echo tonight. It's a 702EVL with a 24" bar. That thing has some real weight to it, I forgot how heavy it is.

I don't really want to put any money into it. But, I think more and more I'm leaning toward the 261 with 18" bar and then down the road get a 70cc. Still, I've switched positions twice today, so we'll see how I feel in the morning, haha.

 

[Conquistador3]

A 60cc saw with a 20" bar will be able to handle everything that size and be far lighter than the ship ballast you are presently hauling around.
I've cut and noodle'd large size English walnut (about the size of picture #4) with an 18" bar: no problem but given what you have in your area 2" more surely won't hurt.

 

[PA452]

A 60cc saw with a 20" bar will be able to handle everything that size and be far lighter than the ship ballast you are presently hauling around.
I've cut and noodle'd large size English walnut (about the size of picture #4) with an 18" bar: no problem but given what you have in your area 2" more surely won't hurt.

Haha, the Echo hasn't been used in years; it's only really been brought out for big logs like the first pic I posted. But point taken. It's the MS290 that I'm currently accustomed to for everything.

 

[Conquistador3]

Haha, the Echo hasn't been used in years; it's only really been brought out for big logs like the first pic I posted. But point taken. It's the MS290 that I'm currently accustomed to for everything.

In that case if you have an MS290 and switch to an MS362C-M like I did you won't believe the difference between the two in speed, handling and noise. Night and day is not enough to describe it.