I ran the MS250 a little today

[orange fever]

I didn't run it much yet, but so far I am not impressed. I know this is not one of Stihl's PRO models, but the Echo I had before was a much more comfortable saw to run. I will probably either trade this MS250 in on a MS361 or just give the MS250 away and buy myself another CS370 Echo. The Echo has better vibration control, it didn't smoke like this Stihl does, and the Echo ran better than this Stihl. No it wasn't a powerhouse, but it is only 37cc and I could run it all day long with no fatigue at all. If any of you get a chance to try a CS370 for the light cutting it's intended for it really is a great little saw. I don't mean any disrepect to Stihl, and I still plan on buying a MS361. This is just my honest opinion of the MS250 with very little run time on it.The Echo is much handier, smoother, easier to start, and easier to use, and seems to be made of better materials.

 

[mini kahuna]

opcorn:

 

[martrix]

opcorn:

+1

 

[jack-the-ripper]

I talked to my local Stihl dealer about the 361. He doesn't understand what all the hype is about, after running one he said they aren't that impressive. He said it is a good saw though.

 

[ericjeeper]

find a new local dealer

Thats my advice

 

[jack-the-ripper]

Thats my advice

No need to. I run Huskys only. But I do buy Stihl chains and bar oil.

 

[Erick]

Your gonna need to run that thing for more than 10 min. before you can actually tell what it's gonna do.

 

[jack-the-ripper]

Your gonna need to run that thing for more than 10 min. before you can actually tell what it's gonna do.

He owns the business. He heats his home and the business with wood. Pretty sure he ran it for more than 10 minutes.

 

[Erick]

He owns the business. He heats his home and the business with wood. Pretty sure he ran it for more than 10 minutes.

I didn't say it was gonna be his favorite saw and it wouldn't be my choice if I were going to recommend a saw. But it will take at a bare minimum 3 to 5 tanks of fuel to seat the rings. I would ask if he put the fuel mix in the saw or if he is still running what the dealer filled it with?? A lot of the time a dealer will fill the saw with a 32:1 mix when he sells the saw to make sure the first tank has adequate lubrication for the initial break-in, could be why the saw smokes so much. There’s no reason why any saw would smoke more than any other saw if the fuel mix's are the same. Like I said I'm not saying it's gonna be his favorite saw or that he's even gonna like it. The whole "feel" thing isn't gonna change and neither will the vibe issues, all I'm saying is run the saw first and then call it a turd not vice-versa.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I like the ECHO CS-370 too, it's a good reliable saw, capable of being run for hours on end with little fatigue, also pretty lightweight.

You might consider stepping up one day to a CS-520, it's not much heaveir, but can easily pull a 20" bar, still has the low vibes, and reliability.

 

[ciscoguy01]

Dang

Sorry to hear that dude... From the minute I brought my little PS-510 home I LOVEDDDDDDD it!!!! Smooth, VERY easy to start. Runs like a jewel, prolly got 30 tanks through it and it's just gotten stronger... I'm sooooo happy with this little saw I'd recommend it to anyone for a light saw. Built VERY tough, aluminum instead of plastic mostly... Maybe you should run a few tanks through it before you get rid of it. Also, I had to tune the carb on the little ms-210 I bought my wife as the dealer didn't seem to know sh1t and it ran like crap. Now she's very happy with it... Good luck bud.. opcorn:

 

[Justsaws]

I didn't run it much yet, but so far I am not impressed. I know this is not one of Stihl's PRO models, but the Echo I had before was a much more comfortable saw to run. I will probably either trade this MS250 in on a MS361 or just give the MS250 away and buy myself another CS370 Echo. The Echo has better vibration control, it didn't smoke like this Stihl does, and the Echo ran better than this Stihl. No it wasn't a powerhouse, but it is only 37cc and I could run it all day long with no fatigue at all. If any of you get a chance to try a CS370 for the light cutting it's intended for it really is a great little saw. I don't mean any disrepect to Stihl, and I still plan on buying a MS361. This is just my honest opinion of the MS250 with very little run time on it.The Echo is much handier, smoother, easier to start, and easier to use, and seems to be made of better materials.

The MS250 is not an impressive saw. I would doubt that it was intended to be an impressive saw but rather a moderately low end name brand starter saw for someone new to cutting or the perfect saw for Grandpa and Grandma when the 038s, 048s, 056s start to be to much to carry.

The Echo will be a fine saw as long as you can get parts for it and keep within its limits.

The MS361 has yet to impress, but I have only run a couple of hard used ones so I cannot comment on new off the shelf. Just do not see the reason for the hype.

 

[windthrown]

I own both the 361 and the 025 (250 equivalent) as well as a 210. The 210-250 line is a light limbing and small tree thinning saw at best. They are nice and light, which is why I bought a 210 originally. The 210 had (and still has) some carb issues, so I got an 025, and later a parts pile of a 230/023 hybrid. I had another 025 that I smoked as well. I know these saws inside and out, and have swapped parts around in them and run them a lot. I will probably keep the 025 for my girlfriend, and sell the rest on Ebay. They fetch a nice price there. Then I will get a Dolmar 401 to replace them. It is hard to find a good light saw for limbing and thinning. At least in the Stihl lineup.

The 250 is not in the same league as the 361, or even close. Nor is the 250 even in the same league as the 290-390 line (I also run a 290 regularly here). The 361 has far more metal parts and much better plastic on it. It is also spring loaded, and has a decomp button. I can fell just about anything here with the 361 (and also the 290), and I can run a 16-24 inch bar on it. Yes, it is not a 460. But if you need or want a 460, then get a 460. Or a 440 if there are any left out there, which is (and has been) the saw of choice for loggers around here. I wish they would upgrade the 260... seems that there is a need for that size saw in an updated pro line. But if you think that the 361 is underpowered, you will not be happy with the 260 either.

My 2 saws worth...

 

[kevlar]

okay being a stihl dealer myself I find it hard to believe another stihl dealer would tell you the 361 was not a good saw,Unless he was trying to upsell you on something bigger.I'm not saying the 361 is the best saw around but it ain't no crap saw!

 

[jack-the-ripper]

I talked to my local Stihl dealer about the 361. He doesn't understand what all the hype is about, after running one he said they aren't that impressive. He said it is a good saw though.

You obviously didn't read my post.

 

[maccall]

I didn't run it much yet, but so far I am not impressed. I know this is not one of Stihl's PRO models, but the Echo I had before was a much more comfortable saw to run. I will probably either trade this MS250 in on a MS361 or just give the MS250 away and buy myself another CS370 Echo. The Echo has better vibration control, it didn't smoke like this Stihl does, and the Echo ran better than this Stihl. No it wasn't a powerhouse, but it is only 37cc and I could run it all day long with no fatigue at all. If any of you get a chance to try a CS370 for the light cutting it's intended for it really is a great little saw. I don't mean any disrepect to Stihl, and I still plan on buying a MS361. This is just my honest opinion of the MS250 with very little run time on it.The Echo is much handier, smoother, easier to start, and easier to use, and seems to be made of better materials.

Well, this just shows we're all different. With this post you will probably get as many "we could have told you so before you bought it" as you got "good choice, great little saw" from the other post.

Anyhow, I haven't run your Echo, but I sure can run my 250 all day without having to care about any fatigue. The smoking however is a bit strange. Either, as someone said, the gas has been mixed with to much oil, or maybe the dealer set the carb up way to rich. To know, mix your own gas to Stihls recommendations, and if it still smokes, go back to the dealer and ask him to re-tune the carb. Tell him you're not happy with performance and that you think it's giving out to much smoke. It might be something he can fix for you.

It takes some use for the saw to reach it's potential, so use it a lot these first days. If you still want to get rid of it I do think Stihl has a 7-day take-back guarantee you might use to get at 361 instead.

 

[mountainlake]

Sounds like your disappointed with the power, give it ten tanks before you make your final decision. As mentioned smoking too much is either too much oil or way rich, way rich would cut the power way down. That being said all of my Echo's cut way better cc for cc than homeowner Stihls and Huskys. and handle real nice. If you could get a Cs520 reasonable it's one sweet saw. The Dolmar 5100s would really have some snort for around $400 but it's around a pound or 2 heavier than the CS520. Echo CS670 can be bought online for around $460 and are a nice saw. Steve

 

[SawTroll]

The MS250 is not an impressive saw. ....

That sure is true, there are several things I dislike with that saws, cutting performance is one of them.....

.....and the same class Huskys are better in several ways.:greenchainsaw:

 

[maccall]

I didn't run it much yet, but so far I am not impressed. I know this is not one of Stihl's PRO models, but the Echo I had before was a much more comfortable saw to run. I will probably either trade this MS250 in on a MS361 or just give the MS250 away and buy myself another CS370 Echo. The Echo has better vibration control, it didn't smoke like this Stihl does, and the Echo ran better than this Stihl. No it wasn't a powerhouse, but it is only 37cc and I could run it all day long with no fatigue at all. If any of you get a chance to try a CS370 for the light cutting it's intended for it really is a great little saw. I don't mean any disrepect to Stihl, and I still plan on buying a MS361. This is just my honest opinion of the MS250 with very little run time on it.The Echo is much handier, smoother, easier to start, and easier to use, and seems to be made of better materials.

Oh, on another thought, what chain are you running? That saw should run RMC, but is usually sold in the US with the crappy RM2. If your saw is running the latter you need to get an (25)RMC, or even (25)RSC on it before you sentence it to return. If Oregon, then the chain should be 21BP (=RMC) or 21LP(=RSC).

The chain makes a big difference.

 

[reachtreeservi]

I didn't run it much yet, but so far I am not impressed. I know this is not one of Stihl's PRO models,

This is just my honest opinion of the MS250 with very little run time on it.The Echo is much handier, smoother, easier to start, and easier to use, and seems to be made of better materials.

I told you to buy the 260....LOL