firewood saws

[Nosmo]

Ms 260

I don't get into really big stuff but the 362 handles it if I do. I have a MS 260 I prefer to use most of the time for normal cutting.

I did have a MS 250 which was a very good little saw but I traded it off.

Nosmo

 

[saxman]

I will say go with the 261 if you can swing the dollars. I really like mine and I am not the only one who has had good luck with them. Go with the top dog and never look back and wonder, wooda, cooda, shooda.

Steve

 

[Stihl here]

I just got a ms261 and think it's the perfect firewood saw for me.
Before I used a 026, I sold a ms361 because i used my 026 more.
Ms250 isn't a bad saw for the $$$.

 

[One Shot Will]

I have two saws that i use MS310 and MS192T
I run the 192 most of the time
I have 18 and 20 inch bars for regular stuff on the 310 also when i get into bigger stuff
i have a 28 inch b/c for it
i use the 14 inch with 3/8 yellow box chain (RSC?) for the 192 and the 310
Like them both (a bunch) have not found anything i could not cut

 

[PEKS]

MS 261, highly recommended..

 

[Bucko]

I'm interested in the troubles mentioned in one of the earlier posts about the MS250 being a troubled saw. I recently bought one. While it isn't commercial grade I have found it to be a decent tool. Its handy to have around. I have a 440 and a 575xp and sometimes I like a break.

 

[BrokenToys]

I've had my MS250 (18" .063 bar) now for 3 years and it's still never an issue. The easy-start still is tough to get used to after using my 441. I damn near ripped the starter cord out of the little 250 the first time I went to start it.

 

[Jed1124]

I was between a 211 and a 250 and folks here talked me into the 250. I am very pleased with it. It's not a 346 or a 261 but it is half the price. The design has been around a long time. Between my 310 and 460 it is nice to pick up the 10lb 250 to do the small stuff.

 

[FlyLow]

I am looking for a smaller saw to complement a stihl ms 362. Any advice? I have been poking around and looking at the 250, 261, 271, or something in the 40 to 50cc range. Also curious to see if a 251 ever happens, and if the 241 will be available in the U.S.

On paper the ms250 has the same power and is .2lb lighter than the ms241. How they compare in performance in the real world might be a different story. The 241 is a m-tronic saw so it might have better torque. You could buy two ms250s and $200 worth of bar oil and gas to equal the price of a ms241 with shipping. It will not be brought to the US from what I told from all the Stihl people I talked to. With all that said, I have a ms241 on order. I will have it woods ported and I think it will run better than a stock 261. I didn't want a 261 because it is so close to the 362 in weight it didn't make sense to me. Looking to have my cake and eat it too.

 

[Nosmo]

Medium Size Saws

I might throw this into the mix. The MS 250 is a good saw and the cost is a lot less than the pro series MS 260 or the newer MS 26l.


For a person who only cuts firewood for himself and is into medium size trees - say 12" to 15" the MS 250 is great.

I believe when I bought a MS 250 the price was just about $300.00 with tax added on.
I believe when I bought a MS 260 the price was just about $525.00 with tax added on.

The MS 260 is a pro series saw and is 5CC larger than the MS 250. But it is designed to be used commercially (cut all day long). It has an adjustable oiler too. This is great when getting into dryer wood.

Either of these would be a good saw for use as your main lightweight saw when you are not using your larger saw in the big stuff.

Nosmo

 

[JeffHK454]

Find yourself a nice used 260Pro and add a 18" bar and enjoy. I bought mine years back used for $175 bucks and it is been my favorite saw of all time .

 

[zogger]

It's a $tihl fest!

Walll, ya'all need an 090 for a one handed light climbing saw, and...


Man, 40-50 ccs..craigslist, 50 bucks tops. Anything that runs. There's *nothing* in that class that is too heavy to use. Even the old all metal saws.

SHARP CHAIN

FRESH MIX

CLEAN SAW AFTER EVERY DAY WITH AIR COMPRESSOR

Want mo powah? Take the 50 buck saw, after a "crab" cleaning and fuel lines, etc, and try your hand at some porting (get porting tools with the loot you saved buying the used 50 buck saw). Then keep looking for identical models, buy them *cheap*, and grab some spare parts for in the future. You'll have more cover pieces, redundant bars and chains, extree carbs, piston and cylinder "kits", and so on. All the do dads.

Want to take 4 lbs over the weight of a saw when you are cutting? So it seems like you have some exotic unobtanium titanium alloy race saw? 4 whole lbs? Wear two lb wrist weights when not cutting. Go to pick up a saw, take them off.

Just another option over walking into the dealers and buying new.

 

[lone wolf]

I cut firewood just like Scott does for a living, have 2 MS 261's and they are fantastic saws. I have mine set up with 18" .325 set up's. Absolutely love them, prolly going to buy a third, and set it off to be ported as I getting old and worn out, one member who has had this done states it will cut right with a stock 440.
I tried the Husky 346xpne for a year, I'd never go back to a stock one after owning these 261's. They are real fuel sippers, as STLfirewood pointed out. The air filter set up is the best of any saw currently on the market imho. Smooth as silk, the captive bar nuts are nice to have. If I were looking to complement the 362, I'd look no further. I've been using saws for 35 years, imho it is as good as any saw Stihl has put out.
We run the dog snot out of them 5-6 hours a day, somedays more. People can dog them over weighing 9 oz more than some of the competitive saws, but they are built rock solid, just like the old 028/038 tyoe saws.

Cut with a 440 in what diam hardwood?

 

[cheeves]

It must be just me but $600 for a 50cc saw. You younger guys that are working can afford a 261 but I can't. I'd get a 365 Husky or a 7200 Efco and port it. Yah, with my back I'd love a 261 but the cost? Man for that I could search for a 044 and send it to Mastermind or whoever for a serious port. Heck you can cut anything with one. They're fabulous.

 

[jbjake]

firewood saw

I am pretty much a newbie but I love my Husky 346XP. Light yet plenty of power.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[CJ1]

If you don't mind spending a few $$, Stihl 261, Husky 346XP. In my eyes these are about the best firewood saws that I have ran. Non pro saws, my 359 has been a rock solid saw and it was used EVERY day for 5+ days a week in pine thinnings and firewood for over a year. I can't comment on Stihl non pro saw because I have not owned one. I did a quick pine thinning for my buddie on Saturday, about 60 trees and I am happy with the modded 346. Very fast cutting in 16" and down pine. Cut 5 good sized Maples and a couple of Cherrys last night and the 346 did great in the 12-14" Hardwood. Actually faster than I thought it would be. The little saw put a whoopin on the 036 pro again in the smaller hardwood and the pine was no contest. CJ

 

[zogger]

It must be just me but $600 for a 50cc saw. You younger guys that are working can afford a 261 but I can't. I'd get a 365 Husky or a 7200 Efco and port it. Yah, with my back I'd love a 261 but the cost? Man for that I could search for a 044 and send it to Mastermind or whoever for a serious port. Heck you can cut anything with one. They're fabulous.

I think if I wanted a new one at 50 CCs I'd take a chance on one of the new Poulans at $200.

 

[Hitman30]

Speaking of the 261's sipping fuel - I felled, limbed, and bucked a hickory with 16" twin trunks with a bit less than 2 tanks and the saw was not totally broke in. I couldn't believe it! No bogging at all cutting 16" logs with my 20" bar + Stihl RSC chain and I had to lean on it to bog the saw with the nose barried. If there is a better saw out there for all purpose firewood use, it would surprise me!

 

[cheeves]

I think if I wanted a new one at 50 CCs I'd take a chance on one of the new Poulans at $200.

I wonder what the new Poulan 50cc saw would be like ported?

 

[STLfirewood]

What!?!? I have heard that the 261 is good on gas, but that has to be the best fuel efficiency I have ever heard of. Depending on the size and conditions of the tree, it takes me 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon of fuel to cut a cord of wood with 362. I ain't saying you haven't done it... I'm just saying that I have to buy a 261 if that is the kind of efficiency people normally get out of a ported 261. Is the strato port still intact on your saw?

I don't know if the strato port is still intact or not. I just run the saw. Here is a picture of waht I cut this afternoon. I cut 2 full tanks through the saw. The logs were a load I had delivered. So there was no limbing and no falling of the trees. The truck bed is 12 foot loand and 89" wide. The sides are 52" high. Just the back 2 rows are stacked.