Stihl ms 170 vs ms 250

[averagejoe084]

Hi, looking for help in deciding which of these saws to purchase. This will be my first chainsaw and I only have the budget to buy one saw to serve me for the next 5 years. Can only spend $500 CDN or under. My uses will be to prune a few trees, take down a couple pines 10-12 inches in diameter, and have a saw to help with any limbs or small that may come down from a storm. I may graduate to cutting in or maintaining a trail on vacate land in a year. Open to other brands but it seems parts are easiest to get for Stihl. Any help appreciated, thanks.

 

[jblnut]

I’ve no experience with the 170 but my MS250 has cut a couple hundred cord of firewood in the last 20yrs. I have an 18” bar on it and it handles a lot of stuff. The 250 gets a bad rap on here but I like mine and it’s been good to me with very few issues.

 

[SteveSr]

Hi, looking for help in deciding which of these saws to purchase. This will be my first chainsaw and I only have the budget to buy one saw to serve me for the next 5 years. Can only spend $500 CDN or under. My uses will be to prune a few trees, take down a couple pines 10-12 inches in diameter, and have a saw to help with any limbs or small that may come down from a storm. I may graduate to cutting in or maintaining a trail on vacate land in a year. Open to other brands but it seems parts are easiest to get for Stihl. Any help appreciated, thanks.

I would go with the MS250 as it is more powerful 45cc vs. 30cc and not much more weight. If you go this route have the seller set it up with a 16" 3/8" LP (Stihl Picco) bar and chain preferably with a rim sprocket conversion kit. The bar and chain swap shouldn't cost you anything but the dealer might want to add a bit for the rim conversion kit. It will save you in the long run as your will only be replacing rim sprockets instead of complete clutch drums.

The only caveat with the 250 is that these can be hard to pull over due to compression. Not a problem if you are a young buck but if you are 70+ with a bad shoulder you might want to reconsider.

 

[Jasonrkba]

The 250 is a good saw. Keep a good sprocket and sharp chain on it. Use non eth gas and it will last you for years. Im not a fan of the 170 and I've had a couple of both.

 

[kd.rodgers]

I haven't regularly used a Stihl MS 250 before, but I always have an MS 170 on hand with me.

Based on a couple of uses, the 250 has more power and is larger in build. It's great for tougher cutting tasks, but it's a tad heavier due to the engine. If you're willing to spend more, and if you want more power,it's an awesome saw to opt for.

Meanwhile, I love the MS 170 because it's easier to use. The 30.1cc engine is just perfect for most tasks (pruning, firewood and tree cutting). Although it may not have the same powerful engine as the MS 250, it's simply reliable and durable. Mine's a second-hand unit and I've had it for more than 2 years now.

 

[hwrdpromac7900]

https://www.echo-usa.com/chainsaws/cs-4920
5year homeowner warranty

 

[averagejoe084]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I’ve heard of the starting issues for the 250, is there another model from stihl that is similar but doesn’t have that issue?

The only reason I’ve settled on these two models is because they’re on sale at the local dealer.

 

[averagejoe084]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I’ve heard of the starting issues for the 250, is there another model from stihl that is similar but doesn’t have that issue?

The only reason I’ve settled on these two models is because they’re on sale at the local dealer.

Just realized they are on sale because there are replacement models being rolled out. Can you still get parts for repairs from Stihl for models they have discontinued?

 

[holeycow]

Look at echo

 

[SteveSr]

Just realized they are on sale because there are replacement models being rolled out. Can you still get parts for repairs from Stihl for models they have discontinued?

The 251 is the replacement for the 250 is a further cost reduced strato-saw that doesn't take abuse well. It has been out quite a few years but still hasn't replaced the 250. I don't know if I would believe that it is finally being discontinued. I would take a 250 over a 251 any day. I have used and rebuilt both.

Replacement parts for the 250 are everywhere both new and used and should be available from $tihl for a decade or so.

The main starting issue is that users don't pull it fast enough to hear it "pop" when cold leading to more pulling and flooding. This is easily avoided if you learn when to take the choke off.

 

[holeycow]

I've run two of those ms250's. They are cheaply built saws with a very high price tag for what they are.

I was very surprised how hard they were to pull over. They are harder to pull over than every other saw of their size that I have run (idk, 10? different pro saws in that size range) and even larger ones. I have about 7 saws in the 40-60cc range; all pro saws. The only ones that have a similar pull are my 1986 and 1987 Jonny 590's, and perhaps my 1990 262xp. Maybe.

So I can definitely confirm that they are a hard pull, but not nearly so hard once you are ready for it.

And yes, they flood easily. Yes, they have a laughably cheap air filter. Yes, they feel and look cheap. And they vibrate too much for a little saw, imo. My saws from the late 80's are a lot smoother. I let one of the ms250 guys run a tank thru Jonny. His first comment was "wow, is that ever smooth!" Not to mention a lot more powerful.. They are not particularly smooth when compared to a Dolmar 420 or a 5105 or an ms261 or a 550xp, or, or, or.

In my mind, the negative characteristics I noticed immediately were the hard pull (for a little saw) and the vibration.

Anyhoo..,

That being said, they are light in weight and handle nicely, they have decent power, cut good, and miraculously, they seem to be pretty durable. That's why some people like them. I suspect that most of those people haven't compared them to many, or any other saws in their cc range.

I agree with the poster who said get the small 3/8 chain if you get one. Both of the ones I ran had .325 - 16's. My Dolmar 420 with lopro 16" smoked them easily. All the chains were sharp, btw.

I wouldn't pay 500.00 (cad) for one, that's for sure. I might pay 150 bucks for a clean used one. Or not.

I'm not an echo fan boi, not by a long shot. I don't have any brand preferences and no skin in the game either. I do have an echo 590. It's a decent enough saw.

I would be looking at a few options before I sprung for a ms250. There are reasons that people put the ms250 down. They are severely overpriced for what they are. Shame on Stihl. That's the biggest negative, in my mind.

 

[holeycow]

Hi, looking for help in deciding which of these saws to purchase. This will be my first chainsaw and I only have the budget to buy one saw to serve me for the next 5 years. Can only spend $500 CDN or under. My uses will be to prune a few trees, take down a couple pines 10-12 inches in diameter, and have a saw to help with any limbs or small that may come down from a storm. I may graduate to cutting in or maintaining a trail on vacate land in a year. Open to other brands but it seems parts are easiest to get for Stihl. Any help appreciated, thanks.

Parts are not easiest to get for Stihl.

Like I said in my long-winded post. Shop around. If you see something that interests you, then ask on here again.

Knowing what I know, I would start with echo. Well, actually, knowing what I know, I would be looking for a clean used saw. Lots of small saws see very little use, tho many are abused by unknowledgeable owners. And many are not.

Where are you? Abouts...How handy are you? About..

 

[holeycow]

Gotta add one more thing; 500.00 cad is actually a lot of money when it comes to a chainsaw. 500.00 gives you options..

 

[jcquade]

I disliked the hard first pull on my 250 so much I bought an echo 620. been very happy with the decision.

 

[Jasonrkba]

620 and 590 are a different class of saw in my opinion. They are bigger and stronger. All are good saws. You should be able to find a quality used 250 for $150. Ive seen good 590's around here in the same price range. There is an abundance of parts for the Stihl's on ebay. Husqvarna has some good saws in that class also. If you plan on cutting firewood every year I'd recommend around 60cc-70cc. Then get something small and light for limb cleanup. Maybe another consideration is how easy they are to work on. Its just a matter of time before you will be replacing the consumable parts. No wrong answers in this thread.

 

[averagejoe084]

Thanks again for the updated replies- I’m leaning towards the 170. That said i want to throw one last saw out there. Anyone have experience with the echo cs-400? If so, any drawbacks? Is it as hard to start as the ms 250?

 

[Pioneer]

I have a ms250 and just finished rebuilding an 025, it's predecessor. Both are 2 pull start saws, both perform very well. As far as spares go, you can build an entire saw from scratch without using factory parts. I prefer the old style air filter of the 025, but the fuel/oil caps of the ms250.
Probably one of the last saws in my collection I would sell, pretty nice to use for medium size firewood tasks. You can find a good used sample around here (MB) for around $300.

 

[holeycow]

Thanks again for the updated replies- I’m leaning towards the 170. That said i want to throw one last saw out there. Anyone have experience with the echo cs-400? If so, any drawbacks? Is it as hard to start as the ms 250?

Are you somewhat handy with small engines?

Oh, and don't forget that you need some ppe...chaps, hardhat with muffs and screen, decent gloves, steel toed boots.

Round and flat files, an extra chain and bar, wedges, etc...

Just look at some pics of chainsaw injuries. Most of the cuts can be eliminated with protection. Injuries from getting hit by trees or tree parts, not so much.

 

[John Lyngdal]

If you decide on the smaller displacement saw, I'd grab 180/181 over the 170/171 saws.
If you take your time and keep your chain sharp a smaller displacement saw will be up to taking on 12" diameter trees and will be much handier for the limbing tasks.
If you need an excuse to purchase a larger displacement saw, no time like the present.

 

[Jasonrkba]

The 250 does come in an easy start model. I agree with pioneer the 025 makes a great little saw to do a little of everything. Im not sure what the newer equivalent is but I have a Jonsered 2149 turbo that has become one of my favorite saws.