Pittsburgh area Stihl ms261

[chainsaw kid]

I haven't run one but from what I read here, go with the 261. The guys using them talk from experence.

As far as the 291, never seen or used that either. If it is anything like the 029/ms290, I can't stand that toaster ovens! Yeah, you can make them go but the pwr to weight ratio sux... you're holding this big bulkie box....it's a homeowners saw IMO, but on the other hand I've seen people run the daylights out of em'.

I am a fan of the 028/028S. What a proven solid well built saw. I'd rebuild that one! Put a meteor piston/rings, new crank seals, carb kit, intake boot/impulse line, newer style gas/oil caps for maybe $150.00 and get another 30 years out of it... Oh yea, and open the muffler up a tad.

026/ms260, like those too.

Kevin

 

[Birdhunter1]

I don't know much about the 291 but I've had an 029 super for 10 years and my new 261 will run circles around it without breathing hard. If you like your dads 260 then you'll love the 261, I would outfit your 034 with a 20" bar and put an 18" on a 261 and cut anything you feel like dealing with for firewood. Like you I don't like messing with big logs either, really anything bigger than 24" is too big for me to want to mess with, but I also have enough access where I can be picky.

 

[Murph015]

New information for this thread and still looking for some advice. I found a very lightly used 261 (looks brand new) with 2 chains and a case for around $500 still under warranty. I also found a new ms361 that was only run to make sure it functioned correctly for $550. Both saws are more than I need but maybe the 361 would be a one saw do it all for me. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[asdf4240]

If you are going to be on this forum any length of time then you just need to buy them both. CAD can't be that far off.

Honestly either saw is a win they are both great saws and you can't go wrong. The choice should be made based on your needs. I know you mentioned firewood in previous posting but are you cutting down the tree or is it already in long form? What types of wood are you cutting? How much cutting are you doing?

I own a MS260 and MS361 and this past weekend I was cutting down a hickory tree. The 260 was more than capable of cutting everything but the 361 was better at felling, flush cutting the stump, and the larger logs. There was a noticeable time difference between the 260 and 361 when cutting up the main trunk. However, the 361 was a little too heavy for the limbing and cutting of the smaller branches. To me a smaller saw is lighter and more nimble which makes it much better and cutting the smaller stuff.

My choice are as follows:

Best all around one saw solution hands down the Stihl MS261 (simply for the power to weight ratio).

A serious two saw solution would be the 361 and a Stihl ms250 (just to save money) as a backup and smaller saw.


Again either saw is great and good luck with your decision.

 

[Murph015]

All of the wood we cut are trees on the ground. My dad and I cut between 20-30 full size pickup truck loads of wood per year. When I am cutting with him we have the pick of what we want so most of the time we leave the bigger stuff alone because it isn't worth our time with all the other wood around. I have been scrounging around where I live and run into bigger stuff once in a while so maybe the 361 is better for me. I don't want to offer to take wood and then leave big stuff behind when people are nice enough to let me have it.

 

[asdf4240]

All of the wood we cut are trees on the ground. My dad and I cut between 20-30 full size pickup truck loads of wood per year. When I am cutting with him we have the pick of what we want so most of the time we leave the bigger stuff alone because it isn't worth our time with all the other wood around. I have been scrounging around where I live and run into bigger stuff once in a while so maybe the 361 is better for me. I don't want to offer to take wood and then leave big stuff behind when people are nice enough to let me have it.

Based on this I would recommend the 361. I find this saw to be very addicting. I run a 20" bar on mine and I would not go any bigger. This setup is able to handle almost anything. I've noodled 3-4' silver maple with this setup. It worked okay but it did take a while.

 

[lone wolf]

I think you would love the 261, I'm using two of them in my firewood operation, after they are broke in which will take 15-20 tanks, they are right of the heels of a stock 361. I run my 361 with a 18" 3/8 and the 261's with .325 18" setups. If money isn't a factor I'd take the 261 over the 290/291 any day. I've had the priviledge of cutting side by side with a 310 and the 261 will out cut it.
They have an excellent power band after they are broke in, a very torquey saw, I sold the 346xpne I had to buy the second 261. The 261 hands down out of the box is stronger than a 026/260. A 034 super is really the same saw as the 036, you would prolly lose a little power going from a strong running 034 super. But you gain a saw with the best air filter system on the market, it is unlike any other Stihl you have ever seen, literally once a month is all you need to check it/ clean it, I was doing it once a week, but it was a waste of time. The filter's pleated auto style has much more surface area than any other filter.
It has great anti-vibe, I like the attached bar nuts, can't lose them. It is a rock solid saw, built like the old 028, they didn't cut corners to save 9 oz to make it weigh under the competitor.
We cut logged tops and cull logs mainly, basically a lot of wood 20" and down, as you can see by my list of saws we have plenty of 70cc saws, it seems like every time you look for a 261 it is being used by one of the crew, it has become one of my all time favorite saws, I've owned a bunch of saws in the last 35 years and I think it is as good as any I've ever owned.
I did do a thread the other day comparing the one that is well broke in compared to the one just out of the box, big difference, it does take 15-20 tanks for these saws to break in and develop max power, there was significgant difference in power between the two, I know the new one will start getting stronger with each tank.
They are also extremely easy on fuel use. As far as I'm concerned they are the cat's azz, wish I were closer, I'd let you run one all you wanted, I'd prolly have to pry it out of your hands at the end of the day though. Depending on what we decide to do with our business after this year I may very well buy another one.

You need to stop talking about the 261 that way so much because I am going to buy one!Damn Im going to go broke!

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

Based on this I would recommend the 361. I find this saw to be very addicting. I run a 20" bar on mine and I would not go any bigger. This setup is able to handle almost anything. I've noodled 3-4' silver maple with this setup. It worked okay but it did take a while.

i may be jumping to conclusions here but how in the heck do you noodle 48" wood with a 20" bar?

to the OP,

it seems you are searching for validation in wanting to buy the 361. it should be a fantastic saw for you, get it! but in truth i think the 261 will do almost everything the 361 will and be lighter, maybe even more fuel efficient. if you read some of the info here on the 261 you will see that some members have compared the 261 to the 361 power-wise.

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

If you are going to be on this forum any length of time then you just need to buy them both. CAD can't be that far off.

Honestly either saw is a win they are both great saws and you can't go wrong. The choice should be made based on your needs. I know you mentioned firewood in previous posting but are you cutting down the tree or is it already in long form? What types of wood are you cutting? How much cutting are you doing?

I own a MS260 and MS361 and this past weekend I was cutting down a hickory tree. The 260 was more than capable of cutting everything but the 361 was better at felling, flush cutting the stump, and the larger logs. There was a noticeable time difference between the 260 and 361 when cutting up the main trunk. However, the 361 was a little too heavy for the limbing and cutting of the smaller branches. To me a smaller saw is lighter and more nimble which makes it much better and cutting the smaller stuff.

My choice are as follows:

Best all around one saw solution hands down the Stihl MS261 (simply for the power to weight ratio).

A serious two saw solution would be the 361 and a Stihl ms250 (just to save money) as a backup and smaller saw.


Again either saw is great and good luck with your decision.

a 260 is far from a 261

 

[asdf4240]

i may be jumping to conclusions here but how in the heck do you noodle 48" wood with a 20" bar?

I will do my best to describe it. if you are looking at the end of the log I cut a 4x4 tic tac toe grid but it had to be done in quadrants removing 4 noodles at a time (2 x2 ). Repeat on a quadrant basis. And once the bottom was a manageable size I cross cut it off the log and grain cut it separately. I hope this makes sense.

 

[asdf4240]

a 260 is far from a 261

Personally, I love my 260 and I think it runs incredible. Better than any 260 or 026 I've ever used. I've read the reviews here about the 261 and it does sound like a better saw. So much so, that I've seriously thought about trading mine in for one. However, if what I've read here is true then the 261 is close to a 361 but a 362 is less than a 361. So that means the 261 is better than the current 362, huh? I'm not denying the 261's increase in performance. But with the bigger saws you just have more torque. As the old saying goes, there is no replacement for displacement.

 

[Murph015]

Do the prices look like they are around the ballpark for each saw I listed?

 

[asdf4240]

Do the prices look like they are around the ballpark for each saw I listed?

Yes, the 261 pricing is pretty good. Guessing it's about a $70-100 savings over new (including extras and tax).

The 361 pricing is okay. I don't know what they went for new, but that should be a least a $100 savings. Plus the 361 is no longer made, so new ones are getting pretty scares.