Stihl MS-250 & "Bang per Buck" saws

[weimedog]

I see a lot of mixed reviews on the Stihl MS-250...Why? It looks really good as compared to some other options....A little comparison of UNDER 11lbs (power head only) saws from older spec sheets:

1) Stihl MS-250: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.3KW/3.1HP 45CC Aprox $300

2) Homelite 45cc saws: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.3KW/3.0 HP 45CC Aprox $150 bucks
3) Husqvarna 350: 4.8kg/10.8lbs 2.3KW/3.1 HP Aprox 50cc Aprox $350
4) Husqvarna 353: 5.0 kg/11.0lbs 2.4KW/ 3.3 HP Aprox 52cc Aprox $420 (At wt limit)
5) Shindiawa 488/490: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.6KW/3.5HP 47CC No Idea of Price
6) Stihl MS-260: 4.8KG/10.6lbs 2.6KW/3.5HP 50CC Aprox $550
Dolmars..TOO heavy in competitive saws sizes.
7) Dolmar 5100S: 11.2lbs 4hp 50cc $450 (Over 11 lbs w/o bar and chain..I'm looking for the 10.5lbs range)

So a quick glance says the MS-250 should be a great little saw..and its crank case is metal of some sort....(Aluminum probably) Still (Stihl) its lighter than the comperable husky's and Dolmars...Seems to spec out at reasonable HP..

Dolmars seem to rip on paper relative to Cc and HP but seem heavy..
Solo's? They seems too expensive in a line by line PAPER comparison. Maybe a Solo 651?
Poulan's? No HP listed same as Echo's...NO HP data to compare.

Whats a better small saw deal than the Stihl MS-250 and why?
(For farm use...)

 

[tree_beard]

most of us here are saw snobs to a certain extent.... so if its not an expensive pro saw it just doesnt cut it...

all the low-mid range saws have their own good and bad points, it comes down to how much you want to spend before entering pro saw territory, and what feels best in your hands.



and by your own spec analysis the shiny 488 would be the best bang for buck saw...

 

[AOD]

(Over 11 lbs w/o bar and chain..I'm looking for the 10.5lbs range)

Good god, is 1/2 a pound really THAT big of a deal! C'mon! If you have any kind of upper body strength you won't even notice 1/2 a pound, and if you do you probably shouldnt be running a saw.

 

[weimedog]

Maybe. One other interesting detail I see pop up from time to time...EPA rating relative to hours of use ...50-125-300hrs.

Echo makes a big deal out of this and claim all their saws have a 300hr epa rating and 5 year warrentee matched onlt by the other brands "pro" saws.

Does that put those Echo 400-440-510's into the hunt with pro saws?

Does that mean an Echo will out last a MS-250 Stihl of the same price and size range?
On paper the 488/490 does look pretty good. I don't have a dealer close by and also the rap is they are also (along with Solo) optimistinc about their HP ratings. (I have an old Shindiawa in the garage. Its a good old saw)

 

[weimedog]

Good god, is 1/2 a pound really THAT big of a deal! C'mon! If you have any kind of upper body strength you won't even notice 1/2 a pound, and if you do you probably shouldnt be running a saw.

Just an arbitrary number..I had to pick a line. 11.0 lbs is it for the small saws.

 

[Brian S]

So a quick glance says the MS-250 should be a great little saw..and its crank case is metal of some sort....(Aluminum probably) Still (Stihl) its lighter than the comperable husky's and Dolmars...Seems to spec out at reasonable HP..

I'm pretty sure it is plastic, at least I think I am pretty sure!

Don't rule out the Echo brand either, I see the cs-400 and recently saw some cs-440 saws NIB for under $200 on CL regularly. Great bang for the buck.

 

[brages]

If you're just looking at a spec sheet, the John Deere (Efco) CS46 or CS52 have good power-to-weight ratios, and are made with magnesium parts like a "pro" saw. You can get them pretty cheap on Ebay: low $200's, new. (is JD dropping Efco because of their new deal with Stihl?)

I think the MS250 is not a bad saw... but you are paying for the huge Stihl dealer support network, and the name recognition, and some very good industrial design features (flippy caps, toolless air filter removal...) A John Deere would be a "pro" saw for less money, but who is going to get you parts/service?

If you can get an MS250 for $300, that's 10% off MSRP... I would consider that a pretty good deal.


I really like the numbers on the John Deere CS62... they go for about $350 on Ebay, new, and they have a better numbers than an MS361 (more power, same weight).

 

[Poley4]

I'm pretty sure it is plastic, at least I think I am pretty sure!

Don't rule out the Echo brand either, I see the cs-400 and recently saw some cs-440 saws NIB for under $200 on CL regularly. Great bang for the buck.

Nope, the crankcase is all metal of the clam shell type. Now it does have a plastic engine cradle which houses the oil tank.

 

[SawTroll]

I see a lot of mixed reviews on the Stihl MS-250...Why? It looks really good as compared to some other options....A little comparison of UNDER 11lbs (power head only) saws from older spec sheets:

1) Stihl MS-250: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.3KW/3.1HP 45CC Aprox $300

2) Homelite 45cc saws: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.3KW/3.0 HP 45CC Aprox $150 bucks
3) Husqvarna 350: 4.8kg/10.8lbs 2.3KW/3.1 HP Aprox 50cc Aprox $350
4) Husqvarna 353: 5.0 kg/11.0lbs 2.4KW/ 3.3 HP Aprox 52cc Aprox $420 (At wt limit)
5) Shindiawa 488/490: 4.6KG/10.3lbs 2.6KW/3.5HP 47CC No Idea of Price
6) Stihl MS-260: 4.8KG/10.6lbs 2.6KW/3.5HP 50CC Aprox $550
Dolmars..TOO heavy in competitive saws sizes.
7) Dolmar 5100S: 11.2lbs 4hp 50cc $450 (Over 11 lbs w/o bar and chain..I'm looking for the 10.5lbs range)

So a quick glance says the MS-250 should be a great little saw..and its crank case is metal of some sort....(Aluminum probably) Still (Stihl) its lighter than the comperable husky's and Dolmars...Seems to spec out at reasonable HP..

Dolmars seem to rip on paper relative to Cc and HP but seem heavy..
Solo's? They seems too expensive in a line by line PAPER comparison. Maybe a Solo 651?
Poulan's? No HP listed same as Echo's...NO HP data to compare.

Whats a better small saw deal than the Stihl MS-250 and why?
(For farm use...)

The Dolmar 5100S sure is a nice saw, but those numbers are very optimistic......

The Shinny 488 never put out anywhere near the advertised power (independent dyno tests), and the MS 260 has more cc and less power in the current US version.

The current US Husky 350 is 52cc, 3.2 hp.













...........but bottom line, the MS250 just isn't a very nice saw.

 

[orange fever]

50cc 16" saws

I own Stihl MS250, Echo CS370, and Jonsered 2153. My son and I cut wood today, 2 Echo's, a Stihl, and 3 Jonsered's to choose from. 3 Jonsered's went to the timber, all others stayed in the shed. That being said the MS250 is gutless and absolutely miserable to operate. For about $425 go buy a Husky 346XP or get the same thing in black and red Jonsered 2153, you will never look back.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Never saw a spec sheet make chips.

Bottom line if the saw, MS250, does what the owner needs and isn't being used for the wrong application and they're happy, then life is good all around. It's your tool, if you're pleased and have a decent dealer to support it, then that's all that matters.

Take Care

 

[weimedog]

...........but bottom line, the MS250 just isn't a very nice saw.

OK, be specific. Why isn't it a nice saw? The controls and air filter seem to be pretty "Stihl standard"...and its lighter than the rest. Its has metal where metal should be and plastic where plastic should be...and its a Stihl.

Tell me that the materials in the cylinder barrel are different..maybe a cast vs. forged piston or something like that. Maybe the powerband is a midrange vs. a high RPM tune....something technical. What makes it a dog?

Is that Husky 350 (Now 450) a nice saw?

Is there anything to that Echo line of EPA logic? Are they as well built and have a similar power to weight ratio as the "Euro saws" with similar EPA ratings?

 

[sawinredneck]

I love the 350, lots of power, great bang for buck saw. I am not holding much promise for the new 450 though.
I never have liked the Echo saws, I am afraid I am going to break them, but others are happy and they are priced right!
Shinnies are built like a tank, but a little heavy for the power. (I used to work on them, really well built machines)
The Dolmars seem to be the rage right now, maybe I'll get one someday?
For Stihl, I have yet to find a saw in the 50cc class that does anything for me! They don't rap out as fast and don't grunt as low as the other saws in that range. But others love the 260, so what do I know?
Remeber I was also less than impressed with the 346xp.

 

[weimedog]

Thankyou for an answer that actually means something....

 

[Poley4]

OK, be specific. Why isn't it a nice saw? The controls and air filter seem to be pretty "Stihl standard"...and its lighter than the rest. Its has metal where metal should be and plastic where plastic should be...and its a Stihl.

Tell me that the materials in the cylinder barrel are different..maybe a cast vs. forged piston or something like that. Maybe the powerband is a midrange vs. a high RPM tune....something technical. What makes it a dog?

Is that Husky 350 (Now 450) a nice saw?

Is there anything to that Echo line of EPA logic? Are they as well built and have a similar power to weight ratio as the "Euro saws" with similar EPA ratings?

There is nothing wrong with the MS 250. Most guys on this site like pro grade saws and the MS 250 isn't pro grade, but it is a good saw for the money.

 

[Just Mow]

I own Stihl MS250, Echo CS370, and Jonsered 2153. My son and I cut wood today, 2 Echo's, a Stihl, and 3 Jonsered's to choose from. 3 Jonsered's went to the timber, all others stayed in the shed. That being said the MS250 is gutless and absolutely miserable to operate. For about $425 go buy a Husky 346XP or get the same thing in black and red Jonsered 2153, you will never look back.

Put the crack pipe down. Nothing wrong with a 250. I would take it over an Echo anyday.

 

[Rookie1]

I have an 021 ,the 250's little brother,and feel that its a decent homeowners saw. Id never give it to a pro or someone making a living with it,or give it to employees who dont take care of equipment. For a saw that will get occasional use Id buy it.

 

[Javelin]

ms 250 is guteless! Decent and durable but guteless! Jonsered Husky and Dolmar will spank it! Take a look at a Dolmar PS-420! Or even the Jonsered 2141!

 

[windthrown]

The 250 debate rages on! For whatever reason. :deadhorse:

Not my favorite saw. I used my 025 today to take down a hawthorn tree. I have had several in the Stihl 1123 line over the past 2 years. 210 is under powered. 250 has some power, but it seems wasted in the power curve. All I do is run it full out on high throttle. It does not drive a .325 B&C very well, and I switched it to 3/8 low profile which cuts better. The saw has too much plastic, and they are a PITA to work on. I have torn several down and I dislike working on them, and they way that they are put together. Cheap oil pumps, and plastic clutch surround that is prone to melting. The plastic side covers are pretty useless at catching chains too. They tend to break off.

I have been wanting to replace my 250 and 025 for about a year now. I was hoping to get a Dolmar 420, but there are no Dolmar dealers here that actually have chainsaws of that type on the shelves (long story, several threads posted on that issue on AS). Never mind getting parts for one. The Husky 346xp NE is really expensive, and it has an outboard clutch. I HATE outboard clutches in saws. I also dislike the way that they case the saws in mis-matching plasitc. Seems cheap to me.

So maybe I will get a Stihl 026/260 and be done with it. As for Echo, as much as I dislike the 1123 line from Stihl, I hate using and working on Echos even more. The cahins are cheaper and softer steel, the plastic holds up for a while but not as long as a Stihl, and they tend to be as problematic at starting as most saws are. My brother loves them, but his new CS-306 is down more than my old 025 is, is gutless, and it throws chains and it also has a :censored:ing outboard clutch!

Anyway I have come to agree with the Troll on the 1123 Stihl line.

 

[brages]

Here's a question: is the homeowner-grade MS250 substantially crappier than the "mid-grade" MS290..? Both seem to share the lots-o-plastic design. At least the MS250 isn't 13 pounds or whatever the Farm Boss is.