Stihl 2#0

[ajklug]

Good morning gentlemen,



I'm considering a new chainsaw and have poured over all of your threads concerning the MS250, MS270, MS280, and MS260. I've hit the Stihl site about 250 times over the last month to check out specs, and called two local Stihl dealers for their opinions. I've narrowed my choice to one of the 4 saws that I mentioned because I want a quality product that will last a long time, and the dealers are in close proximity to where I live and work.

Truthfully, the MS250 would suit me very well, but there are countless posts that state to get one saw bigger than you think you need to accommodate future usage.

That being said, the MS270 is the same weight and less power than the MS280, but is $379.99. Also has anti-vibe features.

The MS280 has more power than the MS260, and about the same weight as the MS270, but is priced at $399.99. Also has anti-vibe features.

The MS260 has slightly more power than the MS270 with less weight and is a professtional model with a 'better build' and a great reputation.

I want to make a very informed decision and spend my money wisely. Neither of my dealers stock the MS280, and have sold very few of them. Of the ones they've sold, they haven't seen any problems with them. Honestly, I think I'm leaning towards the MS280, but would really appreciate any feedback you guys could provide.

I'd be helping with <=10 chords/years (mainly oak and maple), and the average diameter would be between 12-24 inches. Thoughts???

Thanks in advance,
Al

 

[davefr]

MS260. You won't regret it!!

 

[tony marks]

the 260 in my opinion will be the best made.
but i have an friend who replaced his 028 super with the current 280.
he sells firewood and seems to have little trouble.he actually thinks he just bought an new version of his 028 super. i havnt had the heart to tell him they may be different saws altogather. hes happy ,thats all that matters

 

[MikeInParadise]

After doing the research on this

last summer I was in the same position and in the end went with the MS260.

I figure I have about 20 years left in me and the saw should make it as well.

It is a great saw. I have put well over 100 tanks of fuel through it and I love it. Brushing and Clearing and piling I was going through 4 tanks a day so it is good on gas. Starts 2 pulls cold, 1 pull warm. I never use the decompression valve on it when starting. I have the 16 inch bar and it just feels right in my hands.

I would recommend the MS260 without hesitation and would buy another in a second.

 

[KMB]

the 260 in my opinion will be the best made.

I agree. I have the 260 and I like it a lot. I've did the muffler mod and swapped the IntelliCarb for a fully adjustable carb. I've never ran a 280, so I don't know if the extra cc's/cu. in.'s (from the Stihl catalogue: 280 = 54.7 cc/3.05 cu. in. vs 260 = 50.2 cc/3.06 cu. in.) make a noticable difference - I wouldn't think so. I was also thinking about the 280 before I got my 260 and went for the 260 because of the 'pro' qualities. I admit I didn't know much about the 'pro' qualities until I started reading here on AS - then I was glad I had went the route I did. There'll be others here that are more qualified than I to point you in the right direction. Some might point you up to the 361...

Kevin

 

[WRW]

Yes, for 12-24"oak I would say move up to the 361.

 

[West Texas]

I'm only familiar with the 260 Pro and the 361, love them both. If you are running a 16" bar, I assume that most of your trees are closer to 12" than 24". If that's true, I'd favor the 260 Pro, it has an adjustable oiler and decompression valve that are worth the extra cost. If you are going to be cutting a lot of stuff closer to 24" then I'd favor the 361. Good luck with what ever you buy.

 

[computeruser]

Well, you have four good saws on the table. I can appreciate the challenge in picking ONE to meet your needs.

I guess it would depend what portion of your wood is going to be at the larger end of the 12"-24" spectrum that you mention. If the 20"+ wood comprises a large amount of your cutting, I would aim for a larger saw than the 2x0 series. If not, or if you don't need speedy production, any of the saws mentioned should work just fine.

I think you might be a good candidate for a 280, frankly. The extra displacement and HP over the 260 (and for a few bucks less, too) could well make the difference in the larger wood that you'll encounter. I haven't had the opportunity to cut with one, but they seem like solid saws with a fair amount of power for their size. The idea of tackling 20"+ with a 260 or 250 seem like asking more of the saw than it is intended to provide. I've done a lot of cutting over the years with a 290 in good-sized hardwood (18-24"), and I cannot imagine using anything smaller on that sort of wood.

I have found that I usually use a 40-50cc saw on everything under 12-15" unless I have a ton of it to do and want the speed advantage of a bigger saw, and use an 80cc on everything bigger than 12-15".

I cut this stuff up with a 290, 20" bar, RS chain. It was quick enough, but it sure wasn't fast. This is realistically a bit more than I would want to tackle on a regular basis with a 260/280/290 , even if it was being used for home or non-professional firewood use:

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Be careful making your decision purely from specs and prices on paper. They can be misleading. Get to a dealer and simply see how each one feels in your hands. You don't even need to run them, some saws just feel better.

All that said, the wood your describing, and the price range you're getting into with the 260 (which would be my recommendation of the four you mentioned), I'd look at the 361. It's smoke any of the saws you mentioned, and do it easily.

Where are you in MN? My parents live in Brainerd.

Jeff

 

[Lakeside53]

I'm only familiar with the 260 Pro and the 361, love them both. If you are running a 16" bar, I assume that most of your trees are closer to 12" than 24". If that's true, I'd favor the 260 Pro, it has an adjustable oiler and decompression valve that are worth the extra cost. If you are going to be cutting a lot of stuff closer to 24" then I'd favor the 361. Good luck with what ever you buy.

I love both the MS361 and the MS260 so much I have both of them! Great pair of saws.

 

[ajklug]

The prices and specs are/were a baseline for me to start from. The price for the MS260 is most I am willing to spend. Thanks for all of everyone's suggestions so far.

 

[WRW]

The prices and specs are/were a baseline for me to start from. The price for the MS260 is most I am willing to spend. Thanks for all of everyone's suggestions so far.

Of course. Shame on me. I jumped the gun with the 361 recommendation. At 10 cords a year, the 280 would do you quite well. I know of no good reason why it shouldn't last you 20 years at that rate of cutting.

 

[JPP]

AJKLUG,
I just finished going through what you are now. Months and months of research and asking people questions.

Ironically enough I cut 10-12 cords of firewood per year.
I was deciding between 250, 270, 280, 290.
Last Thursday I bought the........

I have been using a Poulan 2450 for 11-12 years, without a problem.
I bought a camp last year and have many fallen oak and hickory tress I will be cutting up for firewood. Most are less than 20".
There are also many fallen pine trees that I need to cut up to clean up the property. So i decided I needed a bigger saw with more power to make my life easier.
Also, my wife's friend is clearing land for a new home and they gave us permission to as much wood as I can cut and take home.
I will be cutting more now than ever before.

I asked many people's opinions, went to a dealer 3 times and handled all the saws.

Ruled out the 250, because I didn't feel it had THAT much more power than what I now have. I KNOW that if I bought the 250, I would be looking for a 270 or 280 shortly afterward.
Ruled out the 290 because it was too heavy to use for extended amount of time. Didn't feel good in my hands, felt like I would get fatigued easily. (I have some arm/neck problems)
Ruled out the 270 because the 280 was more powerful than the 270 and the 280 was slightly lighter.

Felt the 280 with a 16" bar, started it up and ran it. I made the purchase. Real, real nice saw.

I am looking forward to using the 280 for my main cutting and I have put a 14" bar on my Poulan and that will be one heck of a nice limbing saw for me now.

Too bad your local dealers don't have a 280. But go handle the 270 with different size bars and then imagine you are holding a 280....slightly lighter and more power. The dealer said they sell more 270's than 280's, but he said the 280 has a slight edge because of the weight and power. You get a little more for your money with the 280. I paid $399 for my 280 with a 16" bar and I will not feel 'under sawed' for my purposes. Sounds like your needs are similar to mine.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me. I know what you are going through. What a relief it will be for you when you finally bring that 280 home with you.

 

[SawTroll]

Forget the 250 and 270 for reasons already mentioned.

With the wood you have, and the slightly more power and better anti-vibe of the 280, I think I would have preferred the 280 over the 260 for your use.

:bang: ...but what I really would have wanted is the 361, or a Husky 359 if money is tight.

 

[mrk585]

I dont know alot about saws but I am in the same boat but now I decided to do with the 260 pro Some saws are bigger and cheaper but they are for homeowners and will not last i want a saw that can be moded and servicceable thats why i decided to go with the 260

 

[pinus]

The MS270 and 280 have the same weight and antivibe. There cant be another weight-balance difference than only psyhological
Most people will by HP-s, not the saw, thats primeval instinct to get as much as possible:greenchainsaw:

 

[SawTroll]

According to the specs that I have sen, the 280 is slightly lighter than the 270...

Whatever model number you decide on, make sure that the saw you buy is not one of the "C" models with QCA and/or QSS chain brake.

 

[pinus]

According to the specs that I have sen, the 280 is slightly lighter than the 270...

Whatever model number you decide on, make sure that the saw you buy is not one of the "C" models with QCA and/or QSS chain brake.

By DLG
MS270 with 15" bar 6.35kg without 5.3kg
MS280 with 15" bar 6.4 without 5.4kg
So 270 is lighter

 

[JPP]

Description of the MS 280 from Stihl website:

"...More power and slightly less weight than the MS 270 ."

 

[SawTroll]

By DLG
MS270 with 15" bar 6.35kg without 5.3kg
MS280 with 15" bar 6.4 without 5.4kg
So 270 is lighter

You are right, I never read the weight results from DLG/KWF on those models before.
However, the first 270s were adverticed by Stihl as lighter than the current ones, and the tested saws could be from an early batch........

.....not that i care much.