about to purchase MS261 - HELP

[littletimber]

Looking to upgrade from my MS290 to the MS261. I have enjoyed my 290. It's been great, trouble free really for about 14 years. It's getting heavy. I usually cut 5-6 cord per year with some other randoms. With that said I use my MS170 for half my task it seem and use the MS290 on the other half( on my big logs for bucking them up). I run a 14 in bar on the 170 and 18 on the 290. With the 18in bar I can get through most stuff and only about once a year have to cut from both side with a large log.

Anyways I anticipate having the new saw, likely MS261 for, hopefully, the rest of my life. I am concerned with the new feature that I am not familiar with, primarily the M Tronic and the decompression valve. Can anyone give me some direction or words of encouragement before the large purchase?

I have watched a few youtube videos about the MTronic and how to reset depending on the version. Regarding the decompression valve, just push it once during starting and go through the normal start procedure? Anything else to it?

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Evan]

No need to use decomp valve.

261 is a great saw though not the saw id choose to heat my home with. Dieing with a 261 to me is nothing cool i think a 500i with 28" light bar would be a much better candidate to die with. Also more fun to cut that 5-6 cord a year

 

[ammoaddict]

I know nothing about mtronic but have a 50cc auto tune saw. I never use the decomp on it.

 

[cscltd]

261cm excellent choice, power of a 290 or more and lighter.
if 290 is feeling heavy, 500i is more,
as you get older, you will sacrifice power for weight.
261 is best for both.
deco valve is no issue, along with latest mtronic version

 

[Bubster]

I might catch some heat for this, but I always thought that the 026/260/261 saws were overrated. I know the 290 saws were the brunt of many jokes, but there is no sub for cubes. If you want a quality "pro" saw, sure the 260/261 is a good choice. But if you are wanting power, a 390 weighs the same as 290 and will smoke a 261 all day.

 

[Bubster]

Also, m tronic does not react well at all to even the smallest amount of water in the gas.

 

[cscltd]

He never said anything about power, the 290 was getting too heavy, looking for less fatiguing options

 

[ammoaddict]

Pretty sure a Husqvarna 390 weighs about 3 lbs more than a ms290.

 

[Evan]

I garauntee you a 50cc will wear you out faster than a 70cc class even with a 32" blade on it..

You might start cutting 12 cords a year stocking up a few years in advance.

 

[Bubster]

Pretty sure a Husqvarna 390 weighs about 3 lbs more than a ms290.

I was talking about the Stihl 390. Those saws were actually all based on the same thing 290/311/390 and weighed the same.

 

[ammoaddict]

If you are concerned about the m tronic, they make the regular adjustable carb 261.

 

[ammoaddict]

I was talking about the Stihl 390. Those saws were actually all based on the same thing 290/311/390 and weighed the same.

My bad, I forgot about the stihl 390. I'm not a stihl guy, but you are exactly right, really no use for the 290.

 

[littletimber]

Thank you all for the great responses! I am not looking for anything larger than the MS290 weight wise. Thanks for the insight into the decomp valve and the positive feedback of the mTronic. I feel like for every 2 threads I read praising mtronic I read another negative.

My local dealer will cut me a deal on an instock 261 with mtronic that he has had for several months and needs to move. It does not have the new 04light narrow kerf bar...I figured once those are out for a while I may get one of those...to me that means like 4 or 5 years. lol

04 light bar: https://www.stihl.com/masterclass.aspx

 

[littletimber]

What kind of prices are folks seeing for an MS261?

 

[Bubster]

didnt mean to tag you in this one, won't let me delete it for some reason

What kind of prices are folks seeing for an MS261?

$689 here for C-M with 18" b/c

 

[Evan]

You gota do what makes you happy. For the most part forumns like thos dont do much for helping make decisions.

Walk in the store buy what makes you feel warm and fuzzy, youl be a bout 6 steps ahead of all this ass crap bs.

 

[cuznguido]

Must be a macho thing refusing to use the decomp valve. To each his own, but the push of a button is not a hard thing to do, and makes life easier. Also prolongs starter rope life. My current 261 has been an excellent saw for roughly ten years now. I run 3/8. 050, 20 inch bar on mine and 90 per cent of what I cut is hardwood. The saw is light, dependable, and pretty stout for its size.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I was talking about the Stihl 390. Those saws were actually all based on the same thing 290/311/390 and weighed the same.

same case, etc...different motors

 

[thompsoncustom]

I guarantee you a 50cc will wear you out faster than a 70cc class even with a 32" blade on it..

You might start cutting 12 cords a year stocking up a few years in advance.

I'm in this camp. My main firewood saw is a 92cc and while it's twice as heavy as my 50 or 40cc saws it also cuts 10x times faster so less time is spent holding the saw.

Maybe you could try to get the best of both worlds and send the ms261 off to be ported so it's lighter than the 290/390 but produces the same power. Also I believe the older ms260 is 1lb lighter than the 261 and mofo saws can make a really mean 260.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Thank you all for the great responses! I am not looking for anything larger than the MS290 weight wise. Thanks for the insight into the decomp valve and the positive feedback of the mTronic. I feel like for every 2 threads I read praising mtronic I read another negative.

My local dealer will cut me a deal on an instock 261 with mtronic that he has had for several months and needs to move. It does not have the new 04light narrow kerf bar...I figured once those are out for a while I may get one of those...to me that means like 4 or 5 years. lol

04 light bar: https://www.stihl.com/masterclass.aspx

you will like the 261 over the 290 but not just for the big weight difference. I have two of the 290s to work on...the things weigh almost the same as my 40yr old 038 Mag 2, lol, and handles about the same...with the same 20" bar/chain... I would never try to use one of these things all day long. The 261s are completely different technology and build, smaller and lighter. It is a much better woodcutting saw, IMO. Don't worry about the Mtronic, it works just fine.
prices around here are just under $700.