Looking for a 50cc saw

[025Drew]

My 346XP was either spotted and stolen out of truck or bounced out of the back of my truck yesterday and found a new home! A bad feeling to get to where you're going and reach for a saw and it is gone. I just bought her last fall and am extremely bummed out. I looked and looked, but she is gone. $466 down the ####ter.

I am in the market for a replacement to run a 16-18" bar. I have a Jonsered 2172 for felling and bucking, so this saw would be for small limbing, clearing fallen elms off trails, fence lines etc. I see Stihl has their new MS261 out -I sold my 260 before buying the 346XP. I have been looking at the Makita made by Dolmar, but am I going to regret saving money for quality or will I be delighted with a great saw that will cost me a lot less than a 261 or a 346XP? I would love some advice on a saw that will be fast, light, and reliable. Thanks guys.

It sounds like you really liked the 346XP. If that is the case, then replace it with another.

If not, I would go Stihl. I have run an 025 for 14 years, felling, bucking and limbing. It is small, light, and comfortable to lug most of the day. What it is not, is fast. Go bigger for speed, but for just limbing a small saw works great.

 

[SawTroll]

Maybe at your house it is, but not at mine. Not everyone sees anything special about the way a 346 handles, myself included. I see your reasoning about the outboard clutch, and the balance, but I have yet to actually notice it while using one. I have put several hours on a 5100, two 346s (both NE), and a 261 and as far as I am concerned there is no king of the 3, they are all good.

The only thing I did notice about a 346 is the rapid acceleration, but of all the saws I have owned of many different brands, I have never to had to wait on a saw to get wound up in between cutting limbs.

It would be no fun here, if everyone agreed on everything!

 

[Brian_NC]

It would be no fun here, if everyone agreed on everything!

That is sure the truth..

 

[Saw Bones]

My 346XP was either spotted and stolen out of truck or bounced out of the back of my truck yesterday and found a new home! A bad feeling to get to where you're going and reach for a saw and it is gone. I just bought her last fall and am extremely bummed out. I looked and looked, but she is gone. $466 down the ####ter.

I am in the market for a replacement to run a 16-18" bar. I have a Jonsered 2172 for felling and bucking, so this saw would be for small limbing, clearing fallen elms off trails, fence lines etc. I see Stihl has their new MS261 out -I sold my 260 before buying the 346XP. I have been looking at the Makita made by Dolmar, but am I going to regret saving money for quality or will I be delighted with a great saw that will cost me a lot less than a 261 or a 346XP? I would love some advice on a saw that will be fast, light, and reliable. Thanks guys.

I have a dolmar and I love it. (PS 510) Lots of guys here have used the PS 5100 also, I personnaly have not, but I read a lot of good stuff about it.

 

[sunfish]

It would be no fun here, if everyone agreed on everything!

That's right, but with the 346xp, I usually agree with the Troll. :msp_biggrin:

 

[indiansprings]

I've got a 346 and a 261, I prefer the 261. No real difference in handling and it has a wider power band. If you really liked the 346 there sure isn't anything wrong with them they are a great saw. If you want to go cheaper I'd sure look at a 152 efco, their a great saw as well.
I still can't figure out how you can tell people a saw isn't up to snuff when you've never run one, paper specs are just a guide, most of the time they're all a little off regardless of mfg.

 

[D&B Mack]

I dont have the MS261, and have no interest in getting it - I am able to see from the layout and specs that it isn't what a 50cc saw should be, and no-one has been able to disprove that so far - most that have been posted just proves I was right!

Curious...can you elaborate?

 

[roostersgt]

You could look into picking up a Stihl 028AV or Super. They can be had for around $175, or so, and are awesome. Couldn't be happier with mine. Great power, lotta grunt with 16" bar and new yellow Stihl chain. Couple of sweet looking 026's in the classified s at this site. One of them is $275, the other, a Pro version is $325.

 

[SawTroll]

Curious...can you elaborate?

This issue has been beaten to death already, in older threads. I am tiered of repeating myself, and I am sure that some others are as well......:deadhorse::deadhorse:

Just do a search!

 

[slipknot]

This issue has been beaten to death already, in older threads. I am tiered of repeating myself, and I am sure that some others are as well......:deadhorse::deadhorse:

Just do a search!

Man....I didnt think Sawtroll ever got mad about anything....dont mess with the quiet nice guys!!

 

[SawTroll]

Man....I didnt think Sawtroll ever got mad about anything....dont mess with the quiet nice guys!!

I am not mad at all, just a bit tiered of the answering the same thing again and again! :msp_smile:

There are more than enough threads about this!

 

[tallguys]

I have a dolmar and I love it (PS 510).

Count me in too! As nmurph mentioned, when all is said and done the difference is less than one pound.

 

[komatsuvarna]

Its what ever you like to run. Almost all the modern 50CCs are great saws, just a little different from each other. ( Im a 346 man myself )


I let a good friend of mine use my 346 the other day cleaning out for a new fence,, dropping mostly dead pines, and and a few hardwoods. He'd been using his 50cc Echo and it was acting up (tank vent I think) , so I let him use my husky to finish. He bumped a few limbs with it first, then he went and stuck it in about an 18'' dead pine. About half way through the back cut he looked up and said, ''Damn, This babys got nitrous on it dont it'',( ) and went back to cutting. Needless to say, he really liked it. It also had a .325 square chain on it, so Im sure that made a little difference too.

 

[rob066]

Im not brand loyal. Right now I have two 346s Old and new editions. I had an 026 that was a good saw like the 346s Now I have the 346s because of 3 dealers to support them. 346 or 026 no difference to me both great saws I dont care if one outcuts the other and handling dont matter much to me as long as the job is getting done. I can make one work as well as the other if neccessary.

 

[Sagetown]

I used an old heavy 80cc McCulloch 1-43 from 1963 until 1971 .
Decided it was time for a new saw. The STIHL Dealer asked me what I'd be using my new saw for? After chewing the fat over that for a few minutes, he suggested I would be happy with a 50cc Pioneer, Model 2073. That saw still runs today, but I sat it aside in 1991( see below ). So from that old dealer's recommendations, a 50cc saw is a good lightweight all around saw. If one has the money to spend on a pro saw get it, but as rob said , there's nothing wrong with any of them.