Hi from down under(NZ) just noticed this site while trawling the net, now, the ms200 versus 335/338 XPT 'issue' well I use both these saws commercial pruning pine forests, have done for years, around 200 or so trees per day, day in, day out, month after month, year after year , you get the picture - no mercy on a chainsaw in this job. O.K, out of the two, I waay prefer the XPT,(modified, but we'll get to that soon) mainly because of ergonomics, that's balance and comfort basically. Both saws have closely matched power, the ms has the slightest of edges over the 335 but the power differences are pretty much negligible. Haven't needed to go to the 338 yet as the 335 motor is virtually idestructable ( synthetic 2 stroke oil used always)
Both ms and xpt have a ratsh#t front handle design for tree pruning, the original 019T(just a 'backyard' saw is the 19T) has the best handle design for tree pruning, (some echos have copied the design, but of course echos are absolute sh#t chainsaws) the pics show the 19T handle modded to the xpt, pretty easy to setup. More difficult to mod the side type handle to the ms because of the ms's fuel tank position.
Right, here's the list of what needs doing to a brand new XPT to make it the top notch pruning saw.
1. the 19T handle mod.
2. strip and unrestrict the xpt's lousy fuel tank breather and remove the ridiculous 'plug' that simply won't breathe properly as stock.
3. muffler port cut to re-direct the hot gas away from your trigger hand.(unbelievable design flaw!)
4. Dump the ridiculously frail cheesy oregon bar for a ms200 12" bar running 1/4" chain. An easy mod to fit. (3/8" chain snaps like crazy(both stihl & oregon chain too) and has no place on a professional pruning saw. The 1/4" chain stretches a LOT LESS, and lasts a LOT longer)
5. replace 3/8 drive sprocket and worm with 1/4" sprocket and worm.
6. Hacksaw the ridiculously long chain brake to a short non-tangle, no hassle length.
7. Ditch the stupid muffler screen.
Other annoyances - the airfilter is pathetically frail, and the sparkplug cover is dodgy and weak, ditch the plug cover anyway, as the motor runs cooler without it. Also the bolt-on magnesium cover is weak and fragile too.
So, for a 'buy and use as is' saw, the ms200 would be the first choice. Apart from feeling like an unwieldy uncomfortable brick, and also carboning up the muffler wth oily sludge on stock carb settings, the ms200 is solid and won't dissapoint. Anyway, all in all, the 'modified' husky is better than the stock stihl, but the stock stihl is better than the stock husky.
Always amazes me how the husky designers can put out a potentially brilliant pruning saw with niggly and aggravating 'defects' in design that would be so easy to rectify before manufacture. Anyway, cheers people, as always - just one persons opinion.
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