I don’t think you will be disappointed with any of the three saws with the bar lengths you’re talking about. For longer firewood sessions I personally appreciate a lighter saw. It’s not that I can’t handle the weight. I just tend to cut for a while. Typically I’ll pull out 2-3 saws. Start with the most applicable saw, run it till it’s out of fuel. Set it down to cool off, and grab the next saw. Rinse, repeat. I started off with just a 462RCM, then added a 261 CM, and recently a 500i R. The 462 isn’t heavy per se, but I appreciate having a lighter saw in the mix. I hear you on the cost between the 462/500/661. But I’d be cautious of power/cost ratio being the key metric. Again it really depends on how much/long you typically are cutting for.
462 vs 661
- Thread starter Zane.b
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
I don’t think you will be disappointed with any of the three saws with the bar lengths you’re talking about. For longer firewood sessions I personally appreciate a lighter saw. It’s not that I can’t handle the weight. I just tend to cut for a while. Typically I’ll pull out 2-3 saws. Start with the most applicable saw, run it till it’s out of fuel. Set it down to cool off, and grab the next saw. Rinse, repeat. I started off with just a 462RCM, then added a 261 CM, and recently a 500i R. The 462 isn’t heavy per se, but I appreciate having a lighter saw in the mix. I hear you on the cost between the 462/500/661. But I’d be cautious of power/cost ratio being the key metric. Again it really depends on how much/long you typically are cutting for.
MS460WOODCHUCK
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ya know ya could just buy a 395 and forget the 056 all together...
1,359 with a 28" light bar is what I paid. Not cheap!
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
660s are dogs compared to a 661, even ported 660s, I have both. They have a non Mtronic now for the 661 if you’re hell bent against the technology. I have a 661C and have had no issues with it. Awesome saw! Wanna have some fun, throw a 20inch bar on it and noodle some rounds.
I priced one yesterday with a 25" and it was $1350
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
461 is an amazing saw. I will never get rid of mine. It’s also a saw that sees amazing gains from a knowledgeable porter. Treemonkey aka crabby cooter aka Scott out in Wisconsin did mine. Night and day difference from stock. That and my 261C are my go to saws.
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
There’s a vid here of my 461 vs 462 stock and then again ported 461 vs ported 462. They’re not even comparable. I’ll find it later.
Ported with a good carb and coil the 461 is way stronger, larger displacement. Stock for stock I like the 462 though, and it's way smoother and lighter. The 461 is really held back stock. In my opinion the 500i is the true replacement for the 461, the 462 is the successor of the 440, the saw the 441 should have been.
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
Here’s the stock video of my 461 vs 462 before porting.
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
And after porting.
To add to that, the 500i do to it's weight replaces all of them. And one could argue the 462 do to weight makes the 362 obsolete. Stihl has really shaken things up with these light, smooth, powerful saws.
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
Yeah, I agree 100%, lots of power was left on the table with the 461, very little with the 462. I also don’t consider them in the same class. I haven’t run a 500i so I can’t comment on that.
Exactly, the 461 has more displacement. But stock for stock I give the 462 a lot of credit, it pulls above it's class right out of the box. The porting is pretty good and certain tolerances are much closer than they were just a few years back, so less gains to be had, well at least without turning it into something other than a work saw.
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
All these new saws, 261, 462, maybe the 500i, all that’s needed is a muffler mod imo. Unless you’re after bragging rights as a criteria.
Sounds about right. Quit a few saws are that way. Take a 390xp open up the muffler and advanced the timing and you have one strong saw, out of the box it's a slug.[emoji111]
Short timer
Wish you'd stop being so good to me captain
Yeah, forgot about the timing. I hate filing those cast in keys on the flywheel like the 261.
Huskys? That’s a foreign language to me. I get too many bars stuck to deal with that ********. Lmao!
one thing worth mentioning, going from a 461/462/361/036 weight saw to a 661/660 size will throw your felling cuts off for a bit before you compensate.
worth noting... I have watched it happen, even with very experienced fallers typically the first few cuts with a heavy saw the weight throws your cut's off.
can be dangerous depending on the situation!!!
worth noting... I have watched it happen, even with very experienced fallers typically the first few cuts with a heavy saw the weight throws your cut's off.
can be dangerous depending on the situation!!!
Since you already have a 361...
If you aren't making a living with a chainsaw and need a big saw to cut some big wood here and there just buy a 661, I'm assuming you're somewhat in shape..these weight stories are ridiculous and seldom told by guys that actually use these things, you'll have the ass when you need it and won't regret it.
My opinion.
If you aren't making a living with a chainsaw and need a big saw to cut some big wood here and there just buy a 661, I'm assuming you're somewhat in shape..these weight stories are ridiculous and seldom told by guys that actually use these things, you'll have the ass when you need it and won't regret it.
My opinion.
