Buying a MS 260 Pro Tomorrow

[Woodie]

Sorry Red but I have to stay with Stihl... I never even considered another brand. I think I am going with the MS 361 with the 20" chain/bar after hearing the advice on here!

If you're deadset on Stihl and want to run a 20" bar regularly, then the 361 is definitely the way to go. If you're interested in taking a look at other brands, the Jonsered 2156/Husqvarna 357 would be good alternatives.

If vibes hurt your medical condition, definitely go with one of the three above vs. the 260.

.

 

[blsnelling]

Not sure what rim sprocket will come with the 361 but what ever it comes with get both a 7 pin & an 8 to try out. For $ 10 more have the dealer upgrade the bar to an ES rather than the farm boss style. Sence you know how to run a saw forget the safety chain its for little girls & children.

I found that even my ported 361 is faster with a 7 pin rim. If your worried about weight, I'd stick with the E bar, not the ES bar. They are lighter and will serve you fine.

 

[Erick]

Hawkfeather, I gotta say I quit reading Reds drivel a while back so I'll just throw in my opinion and experience on your real question.

The MS260 is a great saw, in fact my 260 is the one saw that goes with me every time I cut and I burn more fuel in it than any other saw I own. I think a 20" bar on a 260 is asking a bit much, it will pull it just fine but you will be working the saw harder than I think you would want to. The 260 is best with a 16" and an 18" isn't to hard on it, but a 20" is starting to push it a little.

The 361 is the better choice here and will pull that 20" bar very nicely. Yes the 361 is a little heavier but you will actually work a lot less with it due to the fact that it will get the work done faster, and you're not holding the weight anyway when it's in the wood.

My opinion/recommendation get the MS361 with the 20" Rollomatic E bar and the RSC chain, and stick with the factory 7-pin sprocket that comes on it. Get your dealer to throw in a spare chain and some bar oil and mix oil. He should give you a discount on the case, some chaps and a helmet with muff's and a face screen..... and you want/need all three. If you have to go without one of them make it the case. You should also pick up a "chain maintenance kit" from your dealer while you at it (part# 5605 007 1029).

I know some have recommended the ES bar and it's a great bar, I have eight or nine of them myself, but the E bar is a tad lighter and you said weight is an issue. The E bar will probably last you a lifetime anyway, but if you do manage to wear it out it will be cheap enough to replace in say 10 years or so.

Just my

Good luck with your purchase, you can't go wrong either way.

 

[Erick]

I found that even my ported 361 is faster with a 7 pin rim. If your worried about weight, I'd stick with the E bar, not the ES bar. They are lighter and will serve you fine.

Get out'a my head.

 

[blsnelling]

Get out'a my head.

Great minds think alike. You just say it so much better than I do.

 

[7sleeper]

No missunderstandings please.
I understand that you feel obliged to get a Stihl saw out of rather emotinal instead of logical reasons.

Just for the record there are other choises out there as well: (in alphabeticle order)

- Dolmar 5000 ~ 400$
- Husqvarna 346NE ~ 550$
- Solo 656 ~ 530$ at Baileys(a site sponser from here)

That you shouldn't leave out of your descision. The above are qualitywise in the same leage as Stihl but pricewise a bit cheaper.
Some are more powerful than the 260, some are less available, some are more troublesome to find spare parts (which schouldn't be needed in the first few years if you are a homeowner and don't abuse your equipment, by the way you still have an spare saw incase something happens or even worse
"THE BIGGEST OF ALL SINNS" NEVER BOROW YOUR CHAINSAW TO ANYONE ONLY THE OLD SPARE JUNKER)
and all are a more modern design with better av.

Please donot let your emotional euphoria over a new saw exclude some logical alternatives.

Please do a logical evaluation of what you really need and not of what you believe CAD 'holics (Chainsaw Addiction Disease) want.

I believe the 70$ up to the 361 is a definate must but do you really expect to cut 20' wood on a regular basis?

Cutting foot wide cookies of 20' wood still sure is heavy to move around after cutting and you mentioned you were physically impaired.
Donot let the fun of cutting wood beat you into the dirt!

Please AS community donot let us loose his needs over our wants!!!

7sleeper

 

[woodbooga]

If you're deadset on Stihl and want to run a 20" bar regularly, then the 361 is definitely the way to go. If you're interested in taking a look at other brands, the Jonsered 2156/Husqvarna 357 would be good alternatives.

If vibes hurt your medical condition, definitely go with one of the three above vs. the 260.

.

I've used the 260 with a 20" with some frequency - my brother owns one and we trade off cutting to keep us both fresh. The set up works well for us, but we're not taking down very large trees. I agree that a 361 would be a better longterm value if your needs will warrant the upgrade, Hawkfeather. Also, someone earlier noted the different forest composition your way: in my part of NH, there's lots of red maple, birch, etc. Softer woods on average than the hickories and tight-grained oaks you'll be reckoning with.

There's been some good input from folks so you should be able to make an educated decision.

Welcome to the site. And be sure to check out the firewood forum where there's a lot of good advice relating to equipment, seasoning, advice on bucking, etc.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Hawkfeather, et al., When I was shopping last winter for a new saw that would do what you intend to do with a new saw, most of the members of this forum recommended that I kick out an extra $100 and buy the Stihl MS 361. It was the best advice that I have ever received.

The Stihl MS 361 is the finest piece of equipment I have ever owned, irrespective of purpose. Everyone who has seen me operate the saw this year simply cannot believe their eyes as to how well it works, and I'm just running a stock chain and a 20" bar. When I lean forward on a big log, this saw will throw chips back almost 20 feet behind you like a shower. One tree trimmer said it reminded him of a hydroplane rooster tail.

Stihl MS 361 Rocks!

 

[walexa07]

If you pass on the case for whatever reason (and I agree that PPE is more important), get the case as soon as you can.

My old 026 has no more than 20-30 hours on it, yet looks like it has seen way more hours than that. The paint gets scraped off the bottom, the plastic gets scratched and faded, etc. Of course for half of its life it sat in an open-air shed........no walls. But the scratches came from transporting in a pickup, on a 4-wheeler, etc. It's just a shame to age a saw so quickly. If I had always kept it in a case it would be worth 50% more than the condition it is in.......minimum. No way to convince anyone by looking at it that it is a low-hours saw.

Don't get me wrong.......some use their saws to make a living and looks do not matter.......their saws will most likely get replaced every couple or 3 years.......what matters is they are dependable, easy to service, and have a long life. But I, like you, am a homeowner/weekend warrior type saw user, and personally I like my stuff to look good for years. This is why my 361 is wearing a hard case anytime it is not on the bench getting cleaned, or when it is cutting wood. Take this with a grain of salt though, we are all different, and this is just my opinion/outlook.

It would be really cool for you to be able to run the 2 saws you are interested in side-by-side, in the size wood you plan to use the saw for, for you to make the best decision. Either saw is a winner though!

Waylan

 

[blsnelling]

I strongly recommend the case as well. My Dad has a 046 Mag he bought new probably 15 years ago. Its always been kept in a case and looks better than most saws that are only a few months old.

 

[Ghillie]

OK... I'm a little confused about which chain I should use primarily. One suggested the RM because of the mix of woods and chance of dirt, the other says RSC and another said RSLFK. Any more? LOL BTW, thanks for all the help!
Basically, I just want to be able to blast through any wood I come across that will work for firewood with ease and speed... There will probably be a lot of maple and some cherry in the mix.

RSC (chisel) chain will cut faster at first, but if you get into dirty wood it will dull quickly and need to be touched up.

RM (semi-chisel) chain will not cut as fast as chisel chain but it will stay at that speed longer in dirty wood or overall conditions.

Skip chain (in my opinion) is meant for long bars to help clean out chips. I would not even worry about it unless you have extra money you want to play with.

I prefer to use Stihl chain as it seems (to me) to stay sharper longer.

My second choice was Carlton, but I am not sure if the quality will still be there for long as they have been bought out by Blount who I believe owns Windsor and Oregon.

Baileys sells Woodland Pro chain at a good price which I am told is made by Carlton.

Amick's has good prices also. Both have links in the sponser forum.

I would get an extra Stihl chain and get a couple more from those sponsors at a third the price of stihl.

If you want more info on saw chain, Oregon has chain guides or Carlton does to at sawchain.com

Hope this helps,

Fred

 

[hawkfeather]

Got 'er done!

Well, I went and picked it up... I finally decided (with all you guys help) on the MS 361, ES Bar, RSC chain, and he threw in a free hard case. This guy at Dave's Saw Shop in St. Mary's PA was really nice and very helpful and knowledgeable. He gave me a block of instruction on proper use and care and he even threw in four files and a handle... If anyone is ever in the area and you need some Stihl stuff, I would highly recommend this guy. This saw is awesome... I can't wait ta get er in the woods!!!

Ain't she a beaut... Thanks to all on here for the great advice! I'm hooked!

 

[blsnelling]

Congrats. You will enjoy it. If you have any problems, give us a holler first.

 

[cpr]

MMMM Nice... you know, for a Stihl... Just Kidding. Enjoy it you'll be very happy.

CPR

 

[2dogs]

Well done!

 

[Lakeside53]

What's next? Sure not an echo

 

[RED-85-Z51]

If you're deadset on Stihl and want to run a 20" bar regularly, then the 361 is definitely the way to go. If you're interested in taking a look at other brands, the Jonsered 2156/Husqvarna 357 would be good alternatives.

If vibes hurt your medical condition, definitely go with one of the three above vs. the 260.

.

Woodie Woodie Woodie, Cant you read son? Why wont you respect this OP's wishes and not mention the fact there are better saws than the 260 and 361 that will most likely be easier on him in the long run? Dont sit there and offer up some outside of the box thinking in this thread because the OP has already clearly stated that other brands arent even in the running, and he isnt even going to bother thinking about them, very well looking at/touching them. I mean,. God forbid we should interject an opinion or something...Heck I work on these things everyday, Ive run 026's, 260's, 260 Pro's, 088's, 066's, 044's, Husky's ranging from a 161 up to a 395XP with a long bar for milling, Ive run all current production Echo's and pretty much at least one of all the older echos with the exception of the 2 cylinder model...and I clearly dont have a clue at to what models may be easier to start and prove to have less wear and tear on the end user. The OP has me beat...I gotta say.

Come on Woodie..dont make me neg rep ya man...:monkey: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[RED-85-Z51]

What's next? Sure not an echo

Confuscious say...wood chips and numb hands.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[meangreen92lx]

Congrats on the new saw. You will love it. Good choice on the bar and chain as well.

 

[2000ssm6]

Freaking sweet! Now run a few tanks through her and we will show ya how to mod the muffler, she really wakes up then.