Stihl MS 261 VS Husqvarna 346 XP VS Dolmar PS 5105

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Oregone

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
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I use chainsaw not very often but when I do, it's all day long. I have a small Mc Culloch which is too weak and runs out of gas too quick. Ready for some serious equipment but weight is major isssue because my back is messed up.
I have been looking at buying either of those 3 saws. Went to see the Stihl dealer..said the model did not exist until he checked it on line. Said the 260 is available, 261 is too new. However...Ms 260 does not incorporate the X torq and air injection pre filtering equivalent of Husqvarna and price is too high so it's out.


Went to A1-repair in Elgin IL. Salesguy spend 1.5 hours showing me the Dolmar and Husqvarna in detail. We took the chain bars out,showed me both filtering systems, weighetd the units etc..Most patient and dedicated salesguy I ever met. The Husky with a 20" bar was lighter than the Dolmar with the 18" bar. I am about to buy the 346Xp over the PS 5105 because of engineering look of the innards which seems more thought out, more refined than the Dolmar but I like the starter feature of the dolmar better and it looks prettier overall with the black cover. I know...who cares? Well, before I buy the 346, I'd like to have more opinions on the actual feel of them in action. Has anybody run both of them, what's the actual field experience of the 346 XP versus the 5105?
Thanks for any feedback
Pascal
ps Prices ;10$ difference so not an isssue
:thinking::msp_unsure:
 
Welcome to the forum. There are TONS of posts and info already posted on all of these saws. The 261 has been out since Thanksgiving. It's the strongest saw of the bunch in stock form. The 346 is stronger than the 5105. Just make sure you don't get one with a cat muffler, or plan on replacing it if you do. Also, the 5105 has a rev limited coil, for which there is no bolt on replacement.
 
If I were you I would go to Russo bro's that place has the crazy deals. Don't buy a 260 unless you're into buying old, boring, lackluster (but proven) performance and technology.
 
I havent ran the 261, however I have ran the 5105 and own a ported 346. I couldnt be happier with my ported 346. All 3 are fantastic saws though.
 
like said above, there are hundreds of threads on this subject - try the search function for days of reading material!

any of these saws will suit you well, if the 346 is lighter and more comfortable to you go for it!
 
The ms261 is stihl a myth in my neck of the woods and will be until dealers clean out inventory of the ms260. No trigger time with a 5105 but I have a 5100 and several 346xps. My 5100 is noticeably stronger than my 346xps. It is just a gnats azz behind my ms361, unfortunately it weighs and handles just like it. The 346xp handles like a dream and has explosive acceleration. The 346xp was designed for limbing and excels at that task. If you are going to be using the saw primarily in the wood pile, shoot for the dolmar. If you spend your days flipping a saw around a log or slicing stuff to feed into a chipper, go for the husky. You could get one of each. Always good to have a spare especially if you have a bunch of friends who like to show up just as you are starting to cut. Put them to work.
 
Ya know there are many threads to be looked up on this subject and thats fine and all, but this guy is a new memeber. Let him have all the replies he can get and have some fun..........
 
Oregone...

Hey man, whichever saw you do get consider gettin it ported. The 346 ports out awesome! Its like they say, that once you run a ported saw you will not want a stock saw anymore. Ive found that to be very true.........
 
Waoh..that's a lot of replies in little time. This is exciting. I love to hear opinions about the subject and all advices are very welcome. One that sticks to my mind is from CentaurG2 about how I will use it and it's making me stick to the 346XP. The handle had ridges and felt smaller but that's easily fixable with some nice tape or rope plus the width is less than the dolmar and it flips around easier as if its center of gravity feels higher or more in the center of the handle arc. I will definitely open the muffler and remove the cat or buy the non-cat version from Bailey's. I know there are tons of threads on the subject and I probably have read hundreds already but I never tire to hear on the subject and what's not fun about rekindling the old Husky-stihl rivalry ?. I love to hear the arguments This is healthy mischief.. No one is getting hurt.(except a bit of pride here and there maybe) I think I've become an anti-Stihl at this point just because of the stigmata associated with it...the dealer was just not friendly at all and it was as if I was not worthy or something. Felt like I was driving into a Mercedes Dealership with a Ford escort and getting the look! The are yopu worthy of my ssuperior product look. The MS 260 felt heavy and bulky and not that good looking anyway. Regarding buying both Husky and dolmar...I want to buy a small baby top handle one eventually but my budget is not limitless....For now, I'll just let my friend use my old Mc Culloch (it's a 35cc) so I look like the hero with my 346 XP while he looks like the putz....eh ehe he :laugh::laugh::laugh::
 
Sounds like you've got a great dealer there. :clap:
You can't go wrong with either saw. (Yah, I know, big help. lol)
The Dolmar was the 1st saw I ever bought (3 yrs. ago) and I chose it mostly because I didn't like the plastic controls and cover latches on the 346. I tend to break stuff like that. :msp_rolleyes:
I'm very happy with the saw running 3/8-18"(17" really). It's very smooth and has lots of torque. I can dawg it in pretty hard, if I want to. It doesn't quite have the snap from idle of the 346, but I don't do much limbing. I mostly cut standing-dead or down trees for firewood.
Best of luck with your decision. It sounds like your dealer will take care of you well either way.
 
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the dealer was just not friendly at all and it was as if i was not worthy or something. Felt like i was driving into a mercedes dealership with a ford escort and getting the look!
lol !
 
I tell ya the truth, a ported 346 is a very powerful bucking saw for its size. IMHO, I would choose it over the 5105 I ran. Those 346's are very powerful. Not as powerful as the 261 though........Just my opinion.......
 
Went to A1-repair in Elgin IL. Salesguy spend 1.5 hours showing me the Dolmar and Husqvarna in detail. We took the chain bars out,showed me both filtering systems, weighetd the units etc..Most patient and dedicated salesguy I ever met. The Husky with a 20" bar was lighter than the Dolmar with the 18" bar. I am about to buy the 346Xp over the PS 5105 because of engineering look of the innards which seems more thought out, more refined than the Dolmar but I like the starter feature of the dolmar better and it looks prettier overall with the black cover. I know...who cares? Well, before I buy the 346, I'd like to have more opinions on the actual feel of them in action. Has anybody run both of them, what's the actual field experience of the 346 XP versus the 5105?
Thanks for any feedback
Pascal
ps Prices ;10$ difference so not an isssue
:thinking::msp_unsure:

Love these threads..not for the question which will be asked over again....but the responses this will get over time.:msp_ohmy:

One of the things you have to consider when reading anything posted on a place like this..all the answers typically reflect the focus of the guy you can't see typing that response. Yet another derivative of "If your a hammer, everything looks like a nail" only they are in cyber space here..so everyone will frame an answer based on their perspective and focus of the moment. You have the "Ford vs. Chevy" (Stihl vs. Husqvarna ) where the opposing sides will split hairs to rationalize how one is better than the other..you have the quasi performance saw types who feel the a split second of cookie cutting time difference is the buy sell issue of the decade...the theorist etc...just ignore that crap and use common sense!

The first line of defense should you have a real problem is the dealer. So from your rendition of your experiences that may have eliminated one brand in your mind (dealers here..a learning experience!). Over time this may change if you like to tinker...but for now? Dealer. Very important based on your posting.

Of the two Brands left, one has a long history as a pro saw and one is almost there...in addition to that there is one (should you choose to search) that has had teething issue or so it seems that have been played out here in nauseating length and detail.
.
And Please Listen to the answers (and even search out this subject as there are many discussion here on these saws) from the pro's in the user end of the business as there are may here who make a living and have to make this decision risking their business..the loggers, and tree services etc and put way more weight on them than any other source of info..they live the results of the "package" (Dealer..saw..parts..performance..reliability..etc) My bet is if you research, you will see most of the pros talking about either Stihl or Husqvarna and a lot of what makes the difference is their dealer/brand support in the area.

Bottom line is you would probably be happy with any of those three. Chances are your more interested in a solid saw to work with vs, turning this into a hobby...but you never know where this may lead! Until then...should you choose to buy one..read here for a while until you understand the different actors should you decide to go hobby on us (And you will understand why they post the way they do..consistently)..and don't get caught up into the hair splitting hype.& bling hype..it will just give you a head ache and cost you more money than you need to spend to enjoy a great saw doing its job!

But it sounds like you may have a good dealer. that's a good place to start! Good luck..the hunt is usually more fun than the kill and certainly more fun than the work afterwords!
 
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Based on 10 years with a 346xp cutting firewood (Not Limbing!). I can highly
recommend the 346xp. I liked the old one so much, I just bought another as a
back-up, but don't really need it, just wanted another :)

BTW, most new 346s' don't have the cat muff now. If it's an E-tech model it'll
have a cat. Just avoid the E-Tech.
 
I've never used MS261 and 5105 but I'm happy owner of the HSQ 346xp NE. It's great saw with good filtering, low vibration nad weight. In my modest opinion 346XP NE is the best saw in 50cc class, not including MS261.
 
Why you put the ms261 in there is beoyond me. It's obviously clear you have no intention of buying it and only used it as a means to throw rocks at STIHL.

The guy at the husky/dolmar ship took 1.5 hours with you and took the whole saw apart and showed you the ins and outs of them and yer still here talking about which one you should get? :popcorn:
 
I dont see it that way. You cant throw rocks at Stihl. They are cleary one of the best chainsaw builders in the world.
 
I dont see it that way. You cant throw rocks at Stihl. They are cleary one of the best chainsaw builders in the world.
No one's denying that. No one's throwing rocks at Stihls. He just had a bad experience with the dealer.
This is how pissing matches get started and threads go to hell.
 
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Actually, I had my mind set on the 261 at first. It seemed to encompass everything I wanted...that is until I discovered that it's not available with my local dealer unless you are willing to wait until the next ice age.
I have been looking at some videos on Youtube where the MS 260 and XP 346 are timed right next to each other and it looks as if the Husky is the ferrari while the Stihl is the AMG ...horsepower, explosive acceleration for 346 versus loads of torque for 260 or 261.
Weimedog...thank you so much for your insight..I think you are right and I am not looking for the fastest saw. The reason I posted this thread is to hear feedback on actual field experience with the dolmar versus the Husky, especially in the durability dpt. I have not heard that much about things going wrong overtime with the 346XP. Heard some stories about the dolmar 5100 eating chains up if they derail but mostly good feedback too about them (and that the 5105 has fixed the issue) One major difference I noticed while removing the bar is that the emergency brake is part of the drive sprocket with the 346 and the cover plate on tensioner is very well engineered when the dolmar looks like a fairly simple piece of red plastic but ha the brake remote and looks very basic. My reflection with that is that the Dolmar seems like a less "engineered" piece of equipment and that is not a criticism, simpler is better in my book if it has been tested and proven. Over engineered stuff tends to have more parts that have more chances of breaking. Regarding filtering, the XP had a baffled nylon filter while the Dolmar had a felt filter plus a foam pad over the carb hole. The dolmar has a spark plug cord with heat shield that touches the cylinder cooling blade, the XP has a neatly coiled cord with no shield but does not touch the heated element. After making my mind up on the MS261, I decided on Dolmar 5105 but when seeing it next to a 246XP in great details, I changed my mind again...I think my mind is made up but since this web site has been so helpful educating me about the choices availableI just wanted to hear some final opinions to cement my decision or recondider it. So far there has been a lot of support about the 246XP so I think it will be a safe bet to buy it. Now I need to learn more about the porting business...I don't want to put one of these bulky muffler to end up with some weird cross breed between a motor cross bike and a chainsaw like I saw on some videos but if a ported muffler fits in the original footprint...I'll do it. Thank you for spending time giving your 2 senses...it's much appreciated.:msp_smile:
Have you guys seen the "predator" 300 HP V8 chainsaw?
YouTube - ‪Predator (2.2 second run)‬‏
looks very handy for limbing and tree top work.
 
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