I got a 16'' bar for my MS 261 C-M

[user 188535]

My usual bar is a 20'' Light 04 with a semi-chisel green chain. I have now upgraded to have an extra 16'' bar for light work. I will be using this as a limbing saw when I go out deep into the sticks to cut down a bunch of trees on my dad's friend's ranch. I will also be using the small bar for when I need to go out to a customer's Airbnb property to thin out trees killed by lanternflies. This is a good photo.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

My usual bar is a 20'' Light 04 with a semi-chisel green chain. I have now upgraded to have an extra 16'' bar for light work. I will be using this as a limbing saw when I go out deep into the sticks to cut down a bunch of trees on my dad's friend's ranch. I will also be using the small bar for when I need to go out to a customer's Airbnb property to thin out trees killed by lanternflies. This is a good photo.



View attachment 1129385View attachment 1129387

Add an 8t rim.

 

[holeycow]

Recipe for extreme kickback; fast chain with short bar...

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Add an 8t rim.

And get it ported! Mastermind 261, 8T and 16” is awesome!

 

[sean donato]

Recipe for extreme kickback; fast chain with short bar...

+1, add in an inexperienced user = recipe for disaster.
I hope you're taking someone with you for back up / help on these endeavors.

 

[bwalker]

+1, add in an inexperienced user = recipe for disaster.
I hope you're taking someone with you for back up / help on these endeavors.

In theory you are right.
With that said I ran a 16" bar on a ported MS260 and Ported 346 for years. Neither seemed to kick back more than any other saw.
The tip on the bar pictured is a reduced kick back type. As long as you don't get crazy on the rakers I don't think its an issue.

 

[user 188535]

Recipe for extreme kickback; fast chain with short bar...

What do you mean?

 

[user 188535]

Recipe for extreme kickback; fast chain with short bar...

I also ran an 18'' bar with the yellow chain. I will be buying a green chain for it.

Now if you wanna talk short and fast...

 

[holeycow]

You will experience a pro, well ported 50cc saw the way it was meant to be when you move from a 20" bar to a 16" bar.

It's gonna rip!

Increasing chain speed with a bigger drive sprocket on an already fast chain (and a short bar with almost no resistance to kick due to being short and lightweight) will kick like lightning if you don't thoroughly respect the top corner of that little bar. I would try it as is before going to an 8 pin. I doubt that you will want any more speed.

Hey, it's pretty much all about the chain tuning anyway.

Let us know what you think of that saw with the shorter bar. I bet you will discover the raging animal within..

I have some nice 50cc saws, all with 16" bars. Every one will sink bar deep in almost anything without even noticing. I am getting tired of stooping tho...I may put an 18 on a couple of them soon.

 

[NSEric]

I run 15 or 16 inch oregon bars with .325 chain on my 50cc saws.
It's the go to set up locally that's in stock at most of the local saw shops.

The kickback thing is a six of one half dozen of the other kinda deal... Short bars do kick back harder than longer bars but you hit way less stuff with the tip on a short bar so it kicks back way less often, .325 also kicks back less than 3/8.

 

[TN Cattleman]

Have a 16" bar on my 261 cm, it works very well as a farm saw.

 

[Bill G]

What do you mean?

Young man do not let some folks discourage you. Some just like to be negative Nancy's. They think it is odd I run a 16" on a Husky 3120 also.

Bill

 

[sean donato]

Young man do not let some folks discourage you. Some just like to be negative Nancy's. They think it is odd I run a 16" on a Husky 3120 also.

Bill

No, we think it's stupid and a waste to run a 16" bar on a 118cc saw. We think you're odd because you horde saws.
Concern come in when an inexperienced kid starts acting like he's got 20+ years of experience and going off into the woods by himself. Telling the kid to be careful is different then being discouraging, and I've never once heard someone warn against kick back as a bad thing.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I always try and run 16" on 50cc saws. Even been known to do 12" on ported 026.

Your saws do what you want. Nothing wrong with it IMHO.


Even bigger 122cc saws. Even 118cc ported 3120 too

 

[Bill G]

No, we think it's stupid and a waste to run a 16" bar on a 118cc saw. We think you're odd because you horde saws.
Concern come in when an inexperienced kid starts acting like he's got 20+ years of experience and going off into the woods by himself. Telling the kid to be careful is different then being discouraging, and I've never once heard someone warn against kick back as a bad thing.

Well Sean lets review............

When the young man said he was going to run a 16" bar on a 261 another user said...............

Recipe for extreme kickback; fast chain with short bar...

You then said.................

+1, add in an inexperienced user = recipe for disaster.
I hope you're taking someone with you for back up / help on these endeavors.

You were agreeing that a16" bar on a 261 was a recipe for extreme kickback Just what size bar would be the best to reduce extreme kickback on a 261?

 

[sean donato]

Well Sean lets review............

When the young man said he was going to run a 16" bar on a 261 another user said...............


You then said.................

You were agreeing that a16" bar on a 261 was a recipe for extreme kickback Just what size bar would be the best to reduce extreme kickback on a 261?

I agreed he needs to worry about kick back, bar size is irrelevant, although shorter bars have proven to kickback faster and harder. Your logic is a stretch at best.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Well Sean lets review............

When the young man said he was going to run a 16" bar on a 261 another user said...............


You then said.................

You were agreeing that a16" bar on a 261 was a recipe for extreme kickback Just what size bar would be the best to reduce extreme kickback on a 261?

I believe my 8t rim suggestion started that fight

 

[Bill G]

I agreed he needs to worry about kick back, bar size is irrelevant, although shorter bars have proven to kickback faster and harder. Your logic is a stretch at best.

Everyone needs to be concerned about kickback no matter their age or experience. I was cutting logs Monday night in a situation where the chance of kickback was very high. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the length of the bar, it was the situation I was in. You and another tried to relate kickback on a 261 to a 16" bar which was wrong. The young man is doing a lot to learn as much as he can and folks that are posting misleading info does not help. A better suggestion might have been to start with RM2 or RM3 instead of RM.

 

[Bill G]

I believe my 8t rim suggestion started that fight

The young man is trying to learn as much as he can and that should be commended not discouraged. It seems too many folks would rather pick at the negatives. I spent a career working with young men and women his age and older and they are great, hell they are our future. Some might be changing our diapers later.......

 

[user 188535]

Well Sean lets review............

When the young man said he was going to run a 16" bar on a 261 another user said...............


You then said.................

You were agreeing that a16" bar on a 261 was a recipe for extreme kickback Just what size bar would be the best to reduce extreme kickback on a 261?

I used it today. It has no more kickback than my 20-inch bar with a green chain.