MS361 VS 365 Special

[lmalterna]

Pulling 24" bar in oak mainly. How much better will the 365 pull and is there a real good reason to move up to 372? I am not a saw racer, I just need the saw to pull it reliably and without strain.

Thanks,
2Door

 

[SawTroll]

Sounds like 70cc territory to me! opcorn:

 

[Farmertim]

Get a 372

I don't have any experience with either the 361 or the 365 special so take my experience with a grain of salt. I do, however, have a fair bit of time on a 357xp (similar power to 361) and it starts to work pretty hard in hardwood of 20 inches. The 372 on the other hand, pulls through 20 - 30 inch hardwoods quite handily and is fun to use in that size wood!

Tim

 

[lmalterna]

I am wanting a MS440/372 but budget is tight... guess it means just waiting a little longer. I had the MS361 but resold it like new- as I felt it was not suited. With all the praise lately of the 365 S, I thought maybe I could get by with that.
2Door

 

[DougNH]

I've had at least two of all the saws mentioned - if cutting hardwood bigger than 18", I would normally put the 361 down in favor of something bigger. The 365 has a more torque than the 361 and will easily handle a 24" bar. If you have the money, get the 372 - if not get the 365.

 

[Farmertim]

Again, others with experience with the 365 will have to chime in -- I am sure you could get by with it. It depends if you are buying new and what your budget is. I bought a used 372 for a little less than $500 Canadian - less than half the price of new - it is an 05 model and in great shape! If you want new and the warranty that comes with it the 365 is more economical. From what I have gathered from AS the 365 will pull a 24 just fine, the 372 just has a bit more power and is more of a hotrod. If you read the thread about underrated saws the 365/ 2165 shows up more than any - so you can be quite confident in its quality and performance.

Tim

 

[WACutter]

Pulling 24" bar in oak mainly. How much better will the 365 pull and is there a real good reason to move up to 372? I am not a saw racer, I just need the saw to pull it reliably and without strain.

Thanks,
2Door

I have a 361 and a 362XP, which is pretty close to the 365 (which I have run but not owned). While the 362XP/365 do have more poop than the 361, it is not a huge difference. If the 361 is not enough for you, you need to step up to a 70-80cc saw one way or another. 440/441/460, 372, 7900, etc.

One option would be to get a Makita 6400 at Baileys for $469 and then upgrade to the bigger p/c later when you have the cash.

At the end of the day you are probably better off waiting and saving to get what you really need.

 

[FATGUY]

My brothers 2165 really surprised me. The saw is bone stock and ran on the heels of my ported 361, needed a stop watch to tell the difference.

 

[Dale]

Honestly, a well-filed chain on a 361 with a 20" bar should do just fine in ANY Hardwood you can throw at it, so long as the diameter fits within that bar (20"). Shoot, Oak won't even make my 028 Super hesitate up to the diameters of the bars length, 18". Same goes for Locust which is a stretch denser than Oak. The Locust will dull a chain in a NY minute though. Keep yer chain sharp.

 

[lmalterna]

I know it is another case of "I know what I want/need, but what can I get by with for what I can spend" I would rather buy a well cared for used saw that is what I need with ease than a new saw that is marginal. But with 2cycles... so easy to get one that has been abused and still looks good.

If it can comfortably pull a buried 24"- it can occassioanlly run the 28 I may need at times & will spend years pulling a 20" without wrecking bearings. Ergo the 24" benchmark.

With all the praise of the 365 lately and it being 150.00 cheaper than its cousin 372XP... I thought I might get by with it. Maybe wait another month until I can scrape up a little extra and find a good MS440/460/372....

Thanks,
2Door

 

[WACutter]

... I thought I might get by with it. Maybe wait another month until I can scrape up a little extra and find a good MS440/460/372....

Thanks,
2Door

Smart move!

 

[mattmc2003]

if you want more power on a budget get a 6401 makita. its got more power than the 365 and is over a hundred dollars cheaper new. its a great saw. i ran a 365 a lot and its not worth stepping up from a 361 to a 365. you could get the makita with the big bore kit for the price of a new 365 and you'd have tons of power at a good value. i had a 6401 and only had 150 bucks in it. i sold it and bought a 460 then traded down to the 361. i wish i still had the old makita a lot. great saw.

 

[WoodChuck'r]

The MS361 is a sweet saw..... But....

The 365 is a modular saw and can be upgraded to a 372, the 365 (to me) seems like it's the obvious choice. That or a 6400/6401 - it has the modular body as well.

I dunno, it all comes down to personal preference of how the saw feels. But looking just at the facts, it kinda makes sense to go with something that can just have it's P&C swapped later on down the road for more power.

But realistically, you can't go wrong with a 365 Special or an MS361.

:greenchainsaw:

 

[STIHLTHEDEERE]

my 362 runs an 8 pin driver & a 20" full skip setup. i have yet to see it have any trouble handling it. if you lean on any saw,no matter how big,you can pull it down. if i run a 25" bar on my 660,i can pull it down,if i try hard enough.

 

[albert]

A 365 special is pretty close to a 372. It will run a 24" in hardwood great! You can't go wrong with it. It would be a better choice than the 361 with over a 20" bar.

 

[lmalterna]

I would love to consider the 7900... BUT the ONLY dealer nearby- is primarily a stihl dealer and he will order Dolmar but his prices are terrible.

I am still searching but may end up with something like the 365 Special and just look to swap the upper end as money improves.

I saw a 576XP NEW for 600.00 on CL but guy never responds to emails!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!

P.S. I already sold the MS361 as I realized I would be pushing limits and likely wear it down prematurely.

2Door

 

[Muffler Bearing]

The MS361 is a sweet saw..... But....

The 365 is a modular saw and can be upgraded to a 372, the 365 (to me) seems like it's the obvious choice. That or a 6400/6401 - it has the modular body as well.

I dunno, it all comes down to personal preference of how the saw feels. But looking just at the facts, it kinda makes sense to go with something that can just have it's P&C swapped later on down the road for more power.

But realistically, you can't go wrong with a 365 Special or an MS361.

:greenchainsaw:

I'm going to frame this post!
1st time u didn't recommend a 7900!

 

[Turkeyslayer]

365 is a great saw, and not much different then a 372. It will pull a 24" bar no problem, but if cutting alot with the bar buried you would be happier with a 80cc+ saw.

 

[SawTroll]

The MS361 is a sweet saw..... But....

The 365 is a modular saw and can be upgraded to a 372, the 365 (to me) seems like it's the obvious choice. That or a 6400/6401 - it has the modular body as well.

I dunno, it all comes down to personal preference of how the saw feels. But looking just at the facts, it kinda makes sense to go with something that can just have it's P&C swapped later on down the road for more power.

But realistically, you can't go wrong with a 365 Special or an MS361.

:greenchainsaw:

The problem with the 365 and 6400 is that they are too heavy and bulky for their power - but for stationary cutting it doesn't really matter.

 

[REJ2]

The problem with the 365 and 6400 is that they are too heavy and bulky for their power - but for stationary cutting it doesn't really matter.

The power to weight debate is always going to be SUBJECTIVE. I'm 52 years old, 5' 10", 210lbs., and arms like popeye. The stuff I cut surely weighs more than my saws and I'm not leaving it on the ground because its too heavy to lift. Like another member said, "think of it as a gym membership". REJ2