Husqvarna 572 XPG vs Stihl MS462CM W vs Stihl MS500i W

[Nibbles]

Hi everybody!

I'm looking for a new big-ish saw for climbing arborist use and ground work, both for blocking/chunking down stems and regular falling.

I currently have a Husqvarna 550 XPG MK2 for this duty, but it's a bit small. I currently run it with an 18" bar and find that working pretty good, I really have no desire to stretch that too much.

I'm not a brand fanboy at all, I currently run Makita battery top handle saws, the Husqvarna 550, and have been borrowing a Stihl MS661 from my brother in law when needed. I like them all, and they all have pros and cons.

The weird thing is that all my candidates are almost identical in price. The Husqvarna 572 I can get fully "race" custom ported and whatever else they do, the Stihls will be stock. I was leaning quite heavily towards the ported 572 over the stock 462, until I stumbled over the 500i, which complicated matters.

The 462 is basically out I think, but what would you choose between a custom 572 and a stock 500i, and why? This is not in the US, dealer support is pretty similar, as is price.

(A stock 572 will cost me the same as the custom/ported, so that is not an option to save money.)

I plan to run it primarily with around a 28" bar, and more in pine and fir than oak.

Any insights are greatly appreciated, especially if you own and/or climb with one or several of these saws.

 

[Paul Silvestri]

462 is freakishly light for it's power. Hard saw to beat.

 

[Nibbles]

462 is freakishly light for it's power. Hard saw to beat.

From what I can see, the 500i is almost as light and a bit more powerful? They're both lighter than the 572.

Edit: 6.1 vs 6.3 kg are the listed weights I can see. 200 gram difference is less than half a pound, seems like a very small increase for the extra power to my eyes at least.

 

[huskihl]

I’m not sure of the generation on the 462, but the early ones ran better and would outrun a 500 with a shorter bar. Anything after 2021 (Silver tag on front versus white tag ) I believe doesn’t run like the originals and is more on par with a normal 70CC saw. So an early 462 with a 24” bar up in the tree is great for blocking down. The later 462 is also, just not as fast.

 

[Nibbles]

I’m not sure of the generation on the 462, but the early ones ran better and would outrun a 500 with a shorter bar. Anything after 2021 (Silver tag on front versus white tag ) I believe doesn’t run like the originals and is more on par with a normal 70CC saw. So an early 462 with a 24” bar up in the tree is great for blocking down. The later 462 is also, just not as fast.

Wow, that's really weird. Did they actually change them for the worse? Very interesting information.

These would all be new saws, so I have to assume they're 2022 models. I don't really have the option to pick and choose an older 462 I'm afraid.

 

[huskihl]

Wow, that's really weird. Did they actually change them for the worse? Very interesting information.

These would all be new saws, so I have to assume they're 2022 models. I don't really have the option to pick and choose an older 462 I'm afraid.

I believe the owners were running them wide-open too often. Or doing factory calibrations on them improperly and the piston would hit the case and shatter. It’s not like the new ones are dogs, but they don’t stand out like the original 462 did

 

[huskihl]

It definitely wouldn’t prevent me from buying one if I wanted a lightweight 70cc saw

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Interesting, I thought everyone wanted the newer version 462 because it was a little better. Now it doesn’t sound like it, Glad mine is the og version lol. I love that saw. Yes it’s true you can have a ported version of a 572 husky for the cost of a stock 462. Buying a 572 wasn’t something I was willing to do, ported or not.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

Just my opinion, but I have both an early 462 (not sure of exact manufacture date) and a semi-early 500i. The 500i is slightly heavier than the 462 but not noticeably. It IS noticeably more powerful though.

I have about 20 tanks through the 462 with everything from a 20", 24", 28", and 32" bars both on the ground falling and climbing.

I have about 15 tanks through the 500i with 28" and 32" bars. I have not had it in the tree yet as I just haven't had the opportunity to with the climbing I have been doing lately. Quite a bit of falling and bucking big wood with it though.

The 500i pulls the 28 and 32" bars far better than the 462. I wouldn't run a 462 with a 32 other than randomly. Obviously the 462 will pull the 20 and 24" bars with authority as would the 500i I have no doubt.

For the record, after running both for a few months, I have decided to sell the 462 to a buddy of mine. I just don't have a need for it anymore considering that when given the choice, I will almost always grab the 500 over the 462. I plan on it being my big blocking saw up in the tree as well. I have no issues believing it will be as good or better than the 462 in the tree.

I can't talk on the 572 stock or ported...never ran one.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

One thing I would caution when considering a ported saw and use as a climbing/blocking saw:

A lot of ported saws (at least the ones I've used) are high compression and don't have a compression release....when climbing those compression releases are sure nice when starting in awkward positions up in the tree.

 

[huskihl]

Interesting, I thought everyone wanted the newer version 462 because it was a little better. Now it doesn’t sound like it, Glad mine is the og version lol. I love that saw. Yes it’s true you can have a ported version of a 572 husky for the cost of a stock 462. Buying a 572 wasn’t something I was willing to do, ported or not.

Don’t get me wrong. Like I said previously, I believe the piston shattered because they were doing something wrong. Under normal operating conditions, and without holding the throttle wide-open without load for extended periods of time, I believe the original 462 will last just as long as any other comparable saw

 

[ValleyForge]

I’m not a climber but let me share an experience I had this past weekend. I was cutting a stump from a blow over I already cut up in early spring as I needed a few sticks to finish of a cord stack. The stump was a 36 inch maple and I had a clear cut for a 14 inch log. About 60% through the stump with my 500i with a 24 inch bar the saw kicked back, clear out of the cut with enough momentum to swing 180 degrees back before I stopped it. I hit a fault in the wood. This isn't an issue for me in the ground, but it may be for you in a tree.

I have said here a few times here before, the 500i is an on or off saw. It’s not good at slower cuts, it wants to be full open. I consider it a felling saw, not a utility saw.

 

[link]

From what I can see, the 500i is almost as light and a bit more powerful? They're both lighter than the 572.

Edit: 6.1 vs 6.3 kg are the listed weights I can see. 200 gram difference is less than half a pound, seems like a very small increase for the extra power to my eyes at least.

I dont have any experience with any of these saws, but I do have a comment about the seemingly small weight difference.
Consider a bigger gas tank, a bigger oil tank, a physically bigger powerhead, and probably a 4 to 8 inch longer bar and chain.
That weight difference and less maneuverable lumpiness is sure gonna build some before you are ready to buck that oak, and if you want to use it for jumping happily around the woods to do some heavy limbing aswell that sum might make all the difference in the world.
Personally I think that if all you want it for is felling a big tree with a long bar you might as well go 90cc.
You can put all your trust in magic but that 500i at 79cc / 5kw aint gonna do that better than a 92cc at 5,2kw.

Now look at that cut surface...

 

[Nibbles]

I dont have any experience with any of these saws, but I do have a comment about the seemingly small weight difference.
Consider a bigger gas tank, a bigger oil tank, a physically bigger powerhead, and probably a 4 to 8 inch longer bar and chain.
That weight difference and less maneuverable lumpiness is sure gonna build some before you are ready to buck that oak, and if you want to use it for jumping happily around the woods to do some heavy limbing aswell that sum might make all the difference in the world.
Personally I think that if all you want it for is felling a big tree with a long bar you might as well go 90cc.
You can put all your trust in magic but that 500i at 79cc / 5kw aint gonna do that better than a 92cc at 5,2kw.

Now look at that cut surface...

I definitely get your point, but in addition to the 200 gram powerhead difference we're talking a 0.06 liter difference in fuel capacity, which is basically nothing. I couldn't find the oil capacity at first glance, but I imagine that difference will be slight as well. Bar length obviously can make a big difference, but I'm planning on the same length here regardless, so I'm really not worried about that difference.

For chunking down a large stem, I think I would prefer any of these over a 90 cc saw, that quickly becomes a bit too heavy and unwieldy.

The 661 is indeed nice on the ground, but it's like 3 pounds heavier. I can't see the logic in first talking about the weight difference that fuel and oil makes, and then recommending a saw that is that much bigger.

 

[link]

I definitely get your point, but in addition to the 200 gram powerhead difference we're talking a 0.06 liter difference in fuel capacity, which is basically nothing. I couldn't find the oil capacity at first glance, but I imagine that difference will be slight as well. Bar length obviously can make a big difference, but I'm planning on the same length here regardless, so I'm really not worried about that difference.

For chunking down a large stem, I think I would prefer any of these over a 90 cc saw, that quickly becomes a bit too heavy and unwieldy.

Most people in here are exceptionally pleased with their 500i, perhaps except the air filter issue.

I would prefer a MS241cm over a MS261, so in that context you might consider the 462 or not.
The difference to me is that my Dolmar 5105 at 18" which I simply love - exhausts me, the MS241 at 14" don't, and I found its all I really need. A small difference yet all the difference in the world - to me.
If you want a solid long lasting saw perhaps the 572 comes in to the equation, I don't know anything about that.

 

[HumBurner]

Just my opinion, but I have both an early 462 (not sure of exact manufacture date) and a semi-early 500i. The 500i is slightly heavier than the 462 but not noticeably. It IS noticeably more powerful though.

I have about 20 tanks through the 462 with everything from a 20", 24", 28", and 32" bars both on the ground falling and climbing.

I have about 15 tanks through the 500i with 28" and 32" bars.

The 500i pulls the 28 and 32" bars far better than the 462. I wouldn't run a 462 with a 32 other than randomly. Obviously the 462 will pull the 20 and 24" bars with authority as would the 500i I have no doubt.

I can't talk on the 572 stock or ported...never ran one.

I had to put a 32" on my stock 572 (10+ tanks at the time) one morning when the 390 said no. Brand new chisel chain in big, old live oak. Close to fully buried, maybe 29-30" at the cut.

It got the job done, but I'd hesitate to do that often, especially in good hard wood.



OP if you're leaning towards Husky, I'd try to find a 372xpg. I'm really not impressed with the 572. It has good balance with a 24", though.

 

[link]

That's a 372 with a big bore and a popup piston at 76,5cc, nothing less.
Id prefer a stock 572 with a factory guarantee though.
That is if I didn't prefer to build my own chainsaws myself.

 

[SCHallenger]

FWIW, I have an early 462 that normally wears a 24in Tsumura. I have also used a 32in Tsumura with full skip to block a fallen white oak which was 53in dia. I was very happy with the performance. I'm a small person (125lbs soaking wet), so I do not regularly stall a saw of that capacity, but I was not babying it either. Was that a job more well suited for a 90cc saw? I would say yes, but the 462 was not at all overmatched.

 

[tramp bushler]

FWIW, I have an early 462 that normally wears a 24in Tsumura. I have also used a 32in Tsumura with full skip to block a fallen white oak which was 53in dia. I was very happy with the performance. I'm a small person (125lbs soaking wet), so I do not regularly stall a saw of that capacity, but I was not babying it either. Was that a job more well suited for a 90cc saw? I would say yes, but the 462 was not at all overmatched.

If you let the saw do the cutting , with a good chain and bar. The 4 cube saw cut just fine. I've fell timber up to 96" across the stump with my madsen modified 044 Stihl with a 34" Sugi Hara bar and chisel ground full ship 3/8 chisel chain. It did Great.
No it didn't cut as fast as a bigger saw would have. But I was still beating a dollar a minute.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I have no experience with the 572, but I own a 500i and run a later model 462R at work.

The 462 is an alright saw, IDK if it lives up to the hype that some people give it. The light weight is impressive and I do like the air filtration on it. That being said, I've been ruined by running ported 75cc+ saws, so the torque isn't that impressive to me. I also prefer my ported 400 to it, similar power and even less weight.

The 500i is a great saw IMO. Really strong runner, almost feels like a ported saw...especially strong for the weight. Air filtration sucks, some of the other Stihls and virtually all Huskies kill it in this regard. That being said, the rest of the saw is so brilliant, I can overlook the air filter to a certain extent.