The logging crew is done in our woodlot, and I've got a 2-3 year project ahead cleaning up tops. It's all Sugar Maple for the most part, and most of it is under 20". If you were limited to toting 1 saw for this type of work, what would it be???
I'll give this warning up front. Stihl saws are the only thing I'm really familiar with. Husqvarna and Echo make good saws too, but I don't know the ins and outs of their models so I can't make recommendations on them. I own mostly older saws, but I've run a few of the newer models while cutting with others. My go-to saws for 90% of my firewood (mostly hickory with some Locust, and oak thrown in along with a little ash and walnut) are an 026 and an 036, both wearing 18" bars with .325 chains. The 036 performs nearly all of my bucking activities. For anything over about 20", I use my G660 with a 28" bar which also gets used to noodle anything I can't lift onto my splitter.
For your application, my recommendation would depend on a couple of things. First off, what kind of shape are you in? If you haven't hit 45 yet, or are in pretty good shape, I'd strongly recommend a Stihl 400. It's 0.5lb heavier than the 362 (but only 1/4 lb heavier than the older 036 and MS360) but generates over 3/4 hp more power. Get an 18" and a 25" bar for it, and it will meet all of your needs.
If you'd rather not be lugging around a 13 lb power head all day, then I'd go with an MS261 with a 16" and a 20" bar. At 10.8 lbs and 4 hp, if you go any lighter, you have to give up a significant amount of power. The 261 will be noticeably slower in your bigger tops, but it won't wear you out nearly as fast either. While I prefer more power for bucking firewood, clearing tops requires a person to reach out with the saw now and then. That extra 3 lbs makes a huge difference at that point.
If budget is an issue, I can say that I'm pleased with my Farmertech clone (G660), but you HAVE to be willing to wrench on your saw if you go this route. There were a handful of parts that I had to replace on my G660 before I actually put it to work, but I knew that was going to happen up front. Everything was easy to replace with factory Stihl parts, and I had maybe $50 in the replacements. For me personally, if I had to start over and found myself in your shoes, I'd probably buy a G260 and either a G366 or G444 (clones of the MS260, MS360, and MS440 saws). I'd start off with the Holzfforma bars and chains, and upgrade to Oregan/Stihl bars and chains as my budget allowed. I'd budget around $700 for everything which would include the Stihl replacement parts and Holzfforma bars and chains. That's about the going price for a new MS261 in my neck of the woods. Buy from US Stock if they are available. The shipping is free that way, and you get the saws in about 2 business days. Other wise they ship from China, and it can take a month or two. By the time you add the shipping cost, your at the same price (or more) than the cost of the saw from US Stock. If you want to go this route, PM me and I'll give you a list of the parts that I would replace as soon as the saws arrive.
