buying a 3120 or a 880, Which one ??

[WidowMaker1]

he guys ,looking into buying a stock 3120 or 880, Australian spec ...$2200 for a New 3120, and $2500 for the New 880 ! Cant decide which i like more, there both very capable !! just wanting to know which saw has the strongest bottom-end/ over all build and the most durable, and any other weaknesses/strengths that either saw might have ...Ill be using it mainly for milling and bucking. Im not to concerned with the 3120 being a fixed jet and having a limited coil as i can always Mod this if needed ..and the outboard clutch is not a problem, actually I think the outboard clutch has more positives than negatives ....just want your "honest" opinion about both saws and any problems that either saw might have down the track ....cheers

 

[MacLaren]

I think you would win either way really. Just my 2 cents I vote for the 3120. But I also vote for the 880 as well LOL. Seriously, if it were me I would get the 3120 and save 300 bucks. Good luck with that BTW.

 

[splitpost]

mate cant speak for the husky but really like my new model 880,pulls 42 inch full comp milling QLD bluegum no worries:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:
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[mikefunaro]

3120 has much better AV if that is of concern.

3120 is available somewhat widely on ebay...might be worth importing

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Paul, you took the word's right out of my mouth, either one can't loose. I have a good friend fell alot of timber, with 880's. They took evreything thrown, and it, and much abuse. They kept going, and going, We have a 3120 at work, very stoutl'y built as well. I am impresse'd. The fact that it is still running, and together, because the guy's I work worth. Well saying they are hard on equipment is a huge understatement. So it has a vote too. If I were you I would go look at, and handle them both, just grab the one that feel's right, not just in your'e hand's, but gut feeling too.

 

[The Count]

seems to me that specs do favor the MS 880

 

[woodworkorange]

Does bar mount matter at all? I believe that the 3120 is a standard husky mount, but the 880 is not a standard stihl mount.

 

[pdqdl]

I don't know about Aussie specs, but I have had my 3120 for about 15 years, and it never really needed servicing until it got a new piston and cylinder this last summer. I melted a piston down on one tree, and it was sounding real good at the time, so I think it got some bad gas. We went through about 3 engines on different chainsaws, so I'm blaming the gas.

It routinely pulls a 50" full comp .404 chain, so having enough torque isn't a problem.

I think the 3120 is more durable than the 088's, and I believe they turn a bit faster. On the other hand, I think the 088's had a little more torque on the bottom end. I can't talk about an 880, since I have never had my hands on one.

 

[WidowMaker1]

I think you would win either way really. Just my 2 cents I vote for the 3120. But I also vote for the 880 as well LOL. Seriously, if it were me I would get the 3120 and save 300 bucks. Good luck with that BTW.

good point ! the husky seems most likely being, the dealer/price is negotiable and comes with a 42" bar as well. well it will come with what ever Bar length I want at no extra cost !

mate cant speak for the husky but really like my new model 880,pulls 42 inch full comp milling QLD bluegum no worries:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:
View attachment 208723

I like the 880 a lot , its a contender !! just the dealer seems a little up him self, and extra bar length is extra $$$ again.

3120 has much better AV if that is of concern.

3120 is available somewhat widely on ebay...might be worth importing

yeah I have 2 395xp's and love them, so smooth and loads of grunt there the best saws Ive got !! own a 066, 394 and use them extensively in Australian hardwood and there very strong saws ...

Paul, you took the word's right out of my mouth, either one can't loose. I have a good friend fell alot of timber, with 880's. They took evreything thrown, and it, and much abuse. They kept going, and going, We have a 3120 at work, very stoutl'y built as well. I am impresse'd. The fact that it is still running, and together, because the guy's I work worth. Well saying they are hard on equipment is a huge understatement. So it has a vote too. If I were you I would go look at, and handle them both, just grab the one that feel's right, not just in your'e hand's, but gut feeling too.

there both ideal !! its a hard decision based on saw alone ... just trying to get as much feedback as i can from people using these saws in the field ...

seems to me that specs do favor the MS 880

nearly the same cubic displacement, there both got there own design i guess ....its a close race i think! it might come down to little things I don't like on the saws ...eg: flippy flappy fuel/oil caps on the 880 are not a possitive in my opinion ...I liked the old ones much more !

Does bar mount matter at all? I believe that the 3120 is a standard husky mount, but the 880 is not a standard stihl mount.

Not really, I do have other husky's, meaning the bars are all interchangeable ...

I don't know about Aussie specs, but I have had my 3120 for about 15 years, and it never really needed servicing until it got a new piston and cylinder this last summer. I melted a piston down on one tree, and it was sounding real good at the time, so I think it got some bad gas. We went through about 3 engines on different chainsaws, so I'm blaming the gas.

It routinely pulls a 50" full comp .404 chain, so having enough torque isn't a problem.

I think the 3120 is more durable than the 088's, and I believe they turn a bit faster. On the other hand, I think the 088's had a little more torque on the bottom end. I can't talk about an 880, since I have never had my hands on one.

I like the outboard clutches, cooler running and less build up of oily gunk around the clutch, also puts the chain closer to the center of the crank, which takes stress of the clutch side crank bearing when running extra long bars ...some 880's had a problem with long bars and tight chains (seems a few operators tightened the chain excessively, trying to stop the chain derailing on extra long bars, from Bar sag) thumping out the crank case at the bearing ...tho the newer 880's are apparently fixed?

 

[pdqdl]

3120 hasn't changed much in over 15 years. That almost says it all about form and function, doesn't it? Stihl keeps changing the rules.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I own and run both. There is very little between them.

I think the Husky has a better filter system, the bar option thing is far better, and they run very well. But why in the last decade or so, have the only saws I have had coil trouble with have been huskys?

The 88 is a fine saw, but why they dont even offer the standard stihl bar mount as an option seems stupid.

Either way you will be well served

 

[ChrisF]

From what I gather, several of the Aussie guys on here are less than pleased with the 880s filtration vs the 3120. I'm sure more of them will pipe here soon.

 

[Dennis W.]

Are there any information about a follower of the 3120XP? :msp_biggrin:

 

[WidowMaker1]

3120 hasn't changed much in over 15 years. That almost says it all about form and function, doesn't it? Stihl keeps changing the rules.

when your onto a good thing ,stick with it i say ...just like the 090 had a outboard clutch for durability, cooler running clutch and less clutch-engine heat transfer ...and the outboard clutch also gets the chain closer to the center of the crank, reducing bearing/crank stress! the 090 was governed for a longer life, which helped take stress of the crank and bearings from a big bore saw, same reason a limited coil is used on the 3120 today ... lower RPM = less stress and heat. Slower chain speed = longer life for powerhead-Bar & chain. OLD SCHOOL slower cutting but it lasts the distance. hard working torque saws are un-kill-able in big wood.

I own and run both. There is very little between them

I think the Husky has a better filter system, the bar option thing is far better, and they run very well. But why in the last decade or so, have the only saws I have had coil trouble with have been huskys?

The 88 is a fine saw, but why they dont even offer the standard stihl bar mount as an option seems stupid.

Either way you will be well served

yeah there both good !! the husky's just in front at the moment in my opinion, based on design.

From what I gather, several of the Aussie guys on here are less than pleased with the 880s filtration vs the 3120. I'm sure more of them will pipe here soon.

the 395xp with air injection filtration, was a god sent in the cutting conditions i deal with in Aus ...I realize the 3120 isn't air injected, but being husky there filter wouldn't surprise me if its better than the 880's

 

[gink595]

I have a 880 and I've run 3120's and I will say if "I" had to do it again it would be a 3120. It had more balls than the 880 I had. It seemed my 880 you had to be light handed with it or it would stall in the bigger wood. This was a brand new saw I traded some guns for to a friend who didn't have any real use for it. SO there might have been some power gain with it breaking in fully, seemed the 3120 had more RPM's. It just felt totally different from one saw to the next in the 3120 favor. I sent it out to Copsey to have it ported and it runs really good now.

 

[RVALUE]

Does bar mount matter at all? I believe that the 3120 is a standard husky mount, but the 880 is not a standard stihl mount.

That would be a huge consideration.


I voted for the 3120!

 

[dl5205]

In true forum fashion, I say "get both!" Then reply back w/pics. And periodical opinion updates.
dl

 

[Stihlman441]

The filter problems with 440,460,660 and 880s has been fixed with the new HD2 filters.
I have an older model 880 (alloy muff) and a mate has the new model 880 (stainless muff) and i think they are much the same,but if i had the newer one it neads the muff port enlarged.
This is the older model with a 50'' on it cutting Redgum.
[video=youtube;9HpSx52attc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HpSx52attc[/video]

 

[blsnelling]

The 3120 has a fixed jet carb, if that matters to you. I'm not sure you can put an unlimited 088 coil on the new version of the 880, but the 3120 is rev limited too. I want whatever can be made unlimited and fully adjustable.

 

[mdavlee]

The ones I ran were stock and the 3120 would be my choice.