MS 250, not so bad.

[Poley4]

Yeah, I know, I will probably catch a lot of crap for this post, but I finally ran a Stihl MS 250 today and it really wasn't that bad. I went to my Dad's house yesterday and he gave me his nearly new 250. He bought the saw new two years ago, but really has a hard time starting it cold. He is 74 years old and he says his arm strength isn't up to starting this saw. Believe it or not, he says his 31 year old 041 is easier for him to start.
I had several trees blow down on my place compliments of Ike, so I decided to try it out on one, a good size red oak. The saw came wearing a 18" bar and I put on a fresh loop of 23RS chain, filled the tank with 91 octane, ethanol-free gas, mixed at 50:1 with 2T oil. The saw started fine for me and seemed to rev quick, maybe a even little quicker than my Shindaiwa 488. Sawing limbs with it, it seemed to be on par with my 488 as far as speed goes, but it wasn't until I starting sawing wood 6" and larger did the Shindaiwa's extra grunt become evident.
All in all, it didn't seem to be a bad saw. Is it built as well as the 488? No, but that doesn't make it a bad saw either. I know that I haven't spent that much time with this saw, but based on Stihls that I've owned in the past and the way this one performed today, I would be comfortable recommending a MS 250 to someone who needed a entry level firewood saw.:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

It sure isn't a really bad saw - it is just that there are better ones out there for about the same money.....

 

[Rookie1]

It sure isn't a really bad saw - it is just that there are better ones out there for about the same money.....

:agree2: Troll is right,they are good homeowner saws but they wouldnt last long being used profesionally. I worked on one in the spring and ran it in some wood and I felt it was powerful enough for the 18" .325 chain.

 

[Bowtie]

I agree with all you guys. Its not a terrible saw, it just isnt worth putting much money into to fix if or when it has problems. They are a pretty reliable saw. They work well for the market they were designed for.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Would you trade me that Stihl MS 250 for my Echo 3900 with a 16" bar today if I asked you?

Probably not.

Would I trade saws, if you somehow said yes? No, I would try to back out of the trade, and here is the reason: I own a Stihl MS 361. ' nuff said.

 

[epicklein22]

A guy I worked with over the summer doing tree work used a ms250 a lot. It was he go to saw for climbing and bucket work. We have all kinds of saws ranging from 460, 361, 360, 260, and 200t, he choose the ms250. He beats on it pretty good and it is still kicking.

 

[pastryguyhawaii]

I got a great deal on my 250 that I use for my carving saw. It has that easy start system, (whatever it's called), which is a little weird at first but I like it. It's a good saw. A new one is not cheap but what Stihl is?

 

[Trigger-Time]

You can call them pro's or not, but their are few guy's
around here that cut and sell fire wood for a living that only
use 250, 290 and such saw's.........some times you run what think will give
you the most for your money or what you can afford.

 

[stihl sawing]

I like my 250, it will run the 18 inch bar with no trouble in red oak. Actually have used it more than the others lately even on 20 inch trees.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

ya know.. I dont know why people are so down on the MS250.. I have had one for over 3+ years and it had NEVER let me down. It was my main saw and I have cut a lot of wood with it.. used and abused and never missed a step, cut stuff that there is no way I should have cut with it stuff where cutting both sides it still left some inside.. had to pick the log up with the grapple and drop it to break it. that is one tough little saw. I agree it is a great go to saw.. ( I have scissor lift that I use for many things and liming next to buildings and it is great to use there.

 

[Poley4]

ya know.. I dont know why people are so down on the MS250.. I have had one for over 3+ years and it had NEVER let me down. It was my main saw and I have cut a lot of wood with it.. used and abused and never missed a step, cut stuff that there is no way I should have cut with it stuff where cutting both sides it still left some inside.. had to pick the log up with the grapple and drop it to break it. that is one tough little saw. I agree it is a great go to saw.. ( I have scissor lift that I use for many things and liming next to buildings and it is great to use there.

Yeah, they seem to get about as much respect as a Wild Thing, but it's a Stihl, so it has to be good! :greenchainsaw:

 

[Wood Doctor]

I like my 250, it will run the 18 inch bar with no trouble in red oak. Actually have used it more than the others lately even on 20 inch trees.

Yes, but as SawTroll has already pointed out, once you take the plunge and buy an MS 361, all you have to do is put a 16" bar on it and go limbing with it. Kind of like running a Hemi 'Cuda or a Mustang Cobra.

So, I'll keep my Echo 3900, which is controllable and still purrs like a kitten. Then when I want to drag race, I'll drop a 16" bar on the MS 361.

 

[Poley4]

Yes, but as SawTroll has already pointed out, once you take the plunge and buy an MS 361, all you have to do is put a 16" bar on it and go limbing with it. Kind of like running a Hemi 'Cuda or a Mustang Cobra.

So, I'll keep my Echo 3900, which is controllable and still purrs like a kitten. Then when I want to drag race, I'll drop a 16" bar on the MS 361.

Not disagreeing with you, to each his own, but I like a smaller handier saw for limbing. I have ran an 036 a lot cutting firewood and if it was my only saw, I could deal with that, but since I also have a 50cc saw, I'll usually grab it to limb with.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Not disagreeing with you, to each his own, but I like a smaller handier saw for limbing. I have ran an 036 a lot cutting firewood and if it was my only saw, I could deal with that, but since I also have a 50cc saw, I'll usually grab it to limb with.

Ok. I give up. I'l trash my 1996, 16" Echo 3900 that runs flawlessly and has done so for 12 years and upgrade to an MS 250 for limbing and occasional bucking. What have I got to lose? About $400 or so?

 

[Poley4]

Ok. I give up. I'l trash my 1996, 16" Echo 3900 that runs flawlessly and has done so for 12 years and upgrade to an MS 250 for limbing and occasional bucking. What have I got to lose? About $400 or so?

LOL! No, only about $300, but you need to keep the Echo for when you get the 250 hung up!

 

[Brushwacker]

I think their sweet little saws to run, not very powerful or fast for their size but easy on the operator, where I used to work it was like taking a break when running a tank of gas through an 025 only you was still cutting wood. I worked for a state tree nursery and the saws saw plenty of abuse from prison inmates and careless employee's and I would have to say the 025 series is very reliable even if its cosidered homeowner.

 

[andrethegiant70]

+1 on the 250/025. Hang an adjustable carb on it, mod the muffler and it makes a respectable firewood saw. Once you get familiar with how it's put together, it's a piece of cake to work on also. This is a nice feature for us cheapskates.

These are fun, useful little saws. You've gotta hand it to Stihl, they managed to design a lower cost saw while still providing some nice saw characteristics.

 

[Wood Doctor]

LOL! No, only about $300, but you need to keep the Echo for when you get the 250 hung up!

Wait a minute. I haven't hung up a saw in a tree for 14 years. I learned my lesson very well about that little maneuver. Therefore, once the MS 250 shows up (or it's little brother, the MS 210), the Echo will be residing in pasture land.

I'm not sure I can part with a saw that works that well.

 

[belgian]

Not disagreeing with you, to each his own, but I like a smaller handier saw for limbing. I have ran an 036 a lot cutting firewood and if it was my only saw, I could deal with that, but since I also have a 50cc saw, I'll usually grab it to limb with.

If you have to deal with the small stuff on a cut down tree, there's nothing better than a fast revving light weigth saw. I use the ms200 and it makes me smile all day long. No heavy arms, no fatigue, not to mention the safety issues involved. The big stuff is always easy if you have a decent size saw, and the least time consuming. Therefor, everyone needs at least one small saw :greenchainsaw:

 

[Wood Doctor]

If you have to deal with the small stuff on a cut down a tree, there's nothing better than a fast revving light weight saw. I use the ms200 and it makes me smile all day long. No heavy arms, no fatigue, not to mention the safety issues involved. The big stuff is always easy if you have a decent size saw, and the least time consuming. Therefore, everyone needs at least one small saw

+1! I may drop all the way down to an MS 210. Then, whatever it can't handle, the 361 can. Plain and simple. That's how I'm operating now with the Echo 3900, and that strategy is working like a charm.

I read somewhere that 40% of the above-ground mass of the average free-standing tree is the branches. My firewood pile seems to tell me that also, even after I've shredded all the under 1" twigs.