70cc saw opinions based on these factors...

[sean donato]

400 is a 70 wanna bee , so although not a wanna bee performer not a true 60 cc class saw , especially with consideration of it magnesium piston . Might as well run a muffler mod 365 vs a stock 365 not a fair or reasonable comparison , even reed valves alter the torgue factor within saws effectively ! P.S. Although , if I ever need a fill in saw a new Stihl 400 would be at the head of the line , if I could find a honest dealer lol .

Hey now, I like my wanna be saw..

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

I mostly run a 20", just finding the 24" real handy recently, it's been an added bonus the 400 handles it well. I have multiple time ran a 24" on the 390xp or 394xp but often times just feel its a waste of gas to run that size if a saw with such a little bar on it. I'd be lying if I said I ran the 394xp much at all anymore. The 390xp is much more nimble for felling and limbing and has plenty of power for a 36" bar.

A 20 is a nice bar in the log pile.

Mates got a 390. Nice saw.

Haven't got a bigger bar for the 395 it wears a 24 and yeah is silly but fun too. The 82cc Mac's do the 32 work. Really need to sort that as the 395 will be magic

 

[North by Northwest]

Hey now, I like my wanna be saw..

Only on cubic centimeters not performance Big Guy

 

[sean donato]

A 20 is a nice bar in the log pile.

Mates got a 390. Nice saw.

Haven't got a bigger bar for the 395 it wears a 24 and yeah is silly but fun too. The 82cc Mac's do the 32 work. Really need to sort that as the 395 will be magic

Get your wallet out my friend. I have a std husqy (Oregon) 36" bar on the 390xp it's front heavy as all get out. Can't find a decent light weight bar for a reasonable price right now either.

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Get your wallet out my friend. I have a std husqy (Oregon) 36" bar on the 390xp it's front heavy as all get out. Can't find a decent light weight bar for a reasonable price right now either.

Yeah needs to be done. Thinking 32 or 36 for the big girl. Probably sugi but won't be a light 1. We get sugis pretty cheap here

 

[North by Northwest]

Yeah needs to be done. Thinking 32 or 36 for the big girl. Probably sugi but won't be a light 1. We get sugis pretty cheap here

That's where my P-51 excells , loves to eat 30" Red & White Pine with its 36" Skip tooth Carelton . Front heavy most certainly , but during bucking that's acceptable !

 

[Parkerpusher]

I guess it’s all preference with bar length and what you expect. I keep a 28” on my 400 also, and I’ve never had any trouble with power at all. We went through a decent patch of white oaks Friday, good many were 24-25” at the cut and the 400 eats it up.
With steep ground here I quit carrying a bigger saw around.

Now I know that’s not a big tree, but I am trying to work quickly and the saw definitely doesn’t slow me down any. I bore cut almost every time, and I don’t feel the need for more power.

 

[bwalker]

This will just have to be another topic we will not agree on. I have several of both the 15 and 10 platform in multiple calibers. I just truly don't have the ambition to argue with you over it.

That's fine. Anything will kill a whitetail in Pennsylvania.
Out here you really need more for elk and deer when the threat of a grizzly encounter is always in the mix and the ranges are longer.
I had a Colt Hbar that I use tonshoot prarie dogs with the thought faster shots would be an advantage over a bolt gun. It wasn't and even match grade AR's are not as accurate as a good bolt gun with a Bartlein or Krieger cut rifled barrel. Plus chasing brass sucks and cleaning an AR is more involved and needs to be done more often.

 

[Hermio]

The 359 was never a real hot saw.
Last week I was using a 400C with a 28" in Idaho Douglas fir. It cut very well.
Our wood in MT and Idaho is super soft. No comparison to eastern hardwoods. With that said a 60cc saw is a good firewood saw back east because it handles everything to 20" pretty easily. Hardwood bigger than that is a pain to deal with for firewood and you don't don't unless your not very smart.
For an eastern hardwood falling saw it really starts at 70cc and hopefully ported with a 20" bar. Something like a 90cc saw is much better if your cutting anything over 28" DBH. That's just my opinion from logging back east.

Our local timber buyer/sawmill operator uses a 372XP with a 24" bar for almost all of his bucking and felling. He drops up to 56" diameter trees that way. Not sure how he bucks them with a 24" bar though. For my part, I prefer the speed I get with a 20" bar and the MS500i.

 

[North by Northwest]

Can't do stihl. Kinda like apple fones. Not the saw more the brand. Kinda like specialized bikes. Cloak and dagger.
Great marketing. Although love stihl chain.

Just enjoy husky. Ran my mates 576 a bit. Meh. And that saw cost him alot to keep running. Since then I've never had an interest in 5 series until now I guess. Love my 395.

As for chains , ran RS for over a decade . Then the dealer got pissy . So went with Oregon or Carelton , which now are pretty well one an the same . EXL has been my favorite especially in knarly winter hardwoods . You have to keep a sharp eye since their beginning to source offshore . May end up back with RS , although I picked up a few Laser chain in London Ontario for $28 a loop , that a neighbour had asked me to square grind . The metallurgy & hardness scale is proper at least so far !

 

[North by Northwest]

That's fine. Anything will kill a whitetail in Pennsylvania.
Out here you really need more for elk and deer when the threat of a grizzly encounter is always in the mix and the ranges are longer.
I had a Colt Hbar that I use tonshoot prarie dogs with the thought faster shots would be an advantage over a bolt gun. It wasn't and even match grade AR's are not as accurate as a good bolt gun with a Bartlein or Krieger cut rifled barrel. Plus chasing brass sucks and cleaning an AR is more involved and needs to be done more often.

Cleaning of any Rifle or Carbine is routine maintenance , owned a truckload of Bolt Action , lever Action & Semi-auto's . By far the most labour intensive was Black powder Breech & inline . Although with Silver backs around , a proper bolt or lever is my weapon of choice capable of sending 240-325 grain partitions down range North of 3000 fps . I always have my 45 acp. loaded with 230 grain Hornaday ATP , just in case a curious bruin drops by the gut pile .

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

As for chains , ran RS for over a decade . Then the dealer got pissy . So went with Oregon or Carelton , which now are pretty well one an the same . EXL has been my favorite especially in knarly winter hardwoods . You have to keep a sharp eye since their beginning to source offshore . May end up back with RS , although I picked up a few Laser chain in London Ontario for $28 a loop , that a neighbour had asked me to square grind . The metallurgy & hardness scale is proper at least so far !

Yeah oregon not too bad too. Sorta get shafted a little in town with oregon. I popped in 1 day to grab a loop n they always had oregon and this time was E&S and was garbage. And was no cheaper than down at the Stihl dealer so bugger it won't be going back and now I got the boss an account at Stihl and get gst off as well as trade price. Works out at 28usd for a 20 inch loop

 

[North by Northwest]

Yeah oregon not too bad too. Sorta get shafted a little in town with oregon. I popped in 1 day to grab a loop n they always had oregon and this time was E&S and was garbage. And was no cheaper than down at the Stihl dealer so bugger it won't be going back and now I got the boss an account at Stihl and get gst off as well as trade price. Works out at 28usd for a 20 inch loop

That's a fair price for Stihl product . They were doing the same as Oregon is doing now when I jumped ship lol. Really a volitile market today for perishables . My hand loading supplies & powders , primers have gone through the roof . Still available conveniently , no bare shelves up North here , yet just real pricy though !

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

That's a fair price for Stihl product . They were doing the same as Oregon is doing now when I jumped ship lol. Really a volitile market today for perishables . My downloading supplies & powders , primers have gone through the roof . Still available conveniently , no bare shelves up North here , yet just real pricy though !

Yeah everything is getting ruthless now everywhere. 20 bucks ain't 20 bucks no more

 

[bwalker]

Cleaning of any Rifle or Carbine is routine maintenance , owned a truckload of Bolt Action , lever Action & Semi-auto's . By far the most labour intensive was Black powder Breech & inline . Although with Silver backs around , a proper bolt or lever is my weapon of choice malleable of sending 240-325 grain partitions down range North of 3000 fps . I always have my 45 acp. loaded with 230 grain Hornaday ATP , just in case a curious bruin drops by the gut pile .

You have no idea what it's like to shoot prairie dogs. I've shot up 500 rounds in a day. It's easier to clean the barrel on a bolt action, vs the barrel, BCG, reciever, locking lugs etc on a AR. This applies to a direct impingement guns. The gas piston guns are even less accurate, but require less cleaning.

 

[Brufab]

60 c.c saws are only firewood saws primarily , unless your a pulp wood production cutter . To small for any serious hardwood production cutting around here !

No doubt brother our cs 590's wear Oregon 24" bars, great firewood saws and they pull the 72lgx081g with authority up to 24" red oak but I haven't ran a husky or Stihl or dolmar of similar size for comparison. It just feels like it's doing a pretty good job. Saws are stock other than aftermarket larger double spikes. Best thing is 2-3 pulls cold 1 warm/hot. I still go by my dad's knowledge of the best saw is the one that has a sharp chain and starts.

 

[Brufab]

That's where my P-51 excells , loves to eat 30" Red & White Pine with its 36" Skip tooth Carelton . Front heavy most certainly , but during bucking that's acceptable !

Heck yea just sit it on a log and let it eat, that's what I do, and she's always hungry that's full comp chain I'm running, rpms sounding great, got her tuned for the bar

 

[North by Northwest]

You have no idea what it's like to shoot prairie dogs. I've shot up 500 rounds in a day. It's easier to clean the barrel on a bolt action, vs the barrel, BCG, reciever, locking lugs etc on a AR. This applies to a direct impingement guns. The gas piston guns are even less accurate, but require less cleaning.

Why would I not understand varmit shooting , grew up on a 360 acre hard wood forest & farming operation . 50 head of cattle . 30 chickens , cut firewood & felled trees & skidded logs with a team of Belgians , since this was production felling of White birch to J.B. Eddy in Northbay & Espinola Ontario . I shot over a few hundred ground hogs with my Uncles 22 hornet & .222 Remington @ 100-150 yrs . Nothing , like seeing your favorite horse or prize cattle injured from stepping into a ground hog hole . I also shot my quota of coyotes & brush wolf's during my trapping days due to calfing mortalities . Again , I used family acquired 22-250 or .220 swift bolt actions of my dads . The most recent coyote kill , was at moose camp a few yrs back @ 300 yds with my .378 Weatherby . So I have hunted & cleaned every conceivable Rifle configuration ever manufactured , even my Uncles Army issued Lee Enfield & Great Grandfathers 1856 Snider 45 Caliber converted Musket also Army issued . Although I agree , the AR-15 platform is not my 1st choice or style , however many perhaps would disagree with us on that point ! Ever shoe a team of 1200 # Draft horses Ben , try it sometime then call yourself a real man . I did it routinely at 16 brother , had to it was part of the life style that you have never observed let alone lived . If you don't appreciate my memory lane , thats just tough brother !

 

[Brufab]

I guess it’s all preference with bar length and what you expect. I keep a 28” on my 400 also, and I’ve never had any trouble with power at all. We went through a decent patch of white oaks Friday, good many were 24-25” at the cut and the 400 eats it up.
With steep ground here I quit carrying a bigger saw around.

Now I know that’s not a big tree, but I am trying to work quickly and the saw definitely doesn’t slow me down any. I bore cut almost every time, and I don’t feel the need for more power.

24" pretty big to me, but I'm no production cutter just a firewood guy and a clear cutter for food plots. 24" dia x 16" long rounds are ball busters

 

[bwalker]

Why would I not understand varmit shooting , grew up on a 360 acre hard wood forest & farming operation . 50 head of cattle . 30 chickens , cut firewood & felled trees & skidded logs with a team of Belgians , since this was production felling of White birch to J.B. Eddy in Northbay & Espinola Ontario . I shot over a few hundred ground hogs with my Uncles 22 hornet & .222 Remington. Nothing like seeing your favorite horse or prize cattle injured from stepping into a ground hog hole . I also shot my quota of coyotes & brush wolf's during my trapping days due to calfing mortalities . Again , I used family acquired 22-250 or 222 swift bolt actions of my dads . The most recent coyote kill , was at moose camp a few yrs back @ 300 yds with my .378 Weatherby . So I have hunted & cleaned every conceivable Rifle configuration ever manufactured , even my Uncles Army issued Lee Enfield & Great Grandfathers 1856 Snider 45 Caliber converted Musket also Army issued . Although I agree , the AR-15 platform is not my 1st choice or style , however many perhaps would disagree with us on that point ! Ever shoe a team of 1200 # Draft horses Ben , try it sometime then call yourself a real man . I did it routinely at 16 brother , had to it was part of the life style that you have never observed let alone lived . If you don't appreciate my memory lane , that just tough brother !

Colony varmints are a different deal. 500 rounds in a single day is not uncommon. Much more shooting than geounhogs and I shot tons of those in my youth.. Bring 3-4 guns and rotate as barrel heat up. Clean with ammonia based cleaner as needed.