Lots. The Stihl MS261 is a professional saw. The MS291 is a clamshell design and usually considered a commercial saw but not professional saw.
Stihl ms261 Awesome
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GenXer
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Thanks, I always thought I had a good farm saw, but now I'm not sure.
You have a good farm saw, don't worry. For pro guys that need weight savings for day-in day-out use the 261 would be a better choice, but for general use the 291 will do fine.
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Kinda the symmetry of the three, 50cc, 65cc, 80cc. If there ever was one, this is the trifecta of the 3 saw plan. 50cc to run a 20" B&C, 65cc to run the 24" B&C, and for me the 80cc to run the 32" B&C.
The 500i was to run the 24 and the 32, but to rationalize the purchase the 400 gets the 24" B&C duty.
johnsayen
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I added the 400. I couldn’t help it. CAD
Hi All,
another vote for the 261/500i combo.
28" ES Light bar is perfection, great performance and balance.
I did have a 400 but it was stolen and I'd only use it for a few hours.
I don't feel a need to replace it at the moment, maybe if I had to do long shifts with the 500i the extra pound in weight would change my mind.
another vote for the 261/500i combo.
28" ES Light bar is perfection, great performance and balance.
I did have a 400 but it was stolen and I'd only use it for a few hours.
I don't feel a need to replace it at the moment, maybe if I had to do long shifts with the 500i the extra pound in weight would change my mind.
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To the original poster I think you said you had a 291. A buddy of mine cuts more firewood than anybody that I know. Heats his big home with an outdoor furnace, cuts wood all year long. He uses two 290's so they are good saws. Is the 261 (and other pro level saws) better than the 290/291, yes I think so. Plenty of data to back that up, but if your happy with the saw and it does what you want I think thats what is important. I think the other thing to remember is that what say people cut (and how much) is different than what others do or cut elsewhere. I have a bunch of Stihl chainsaws more than I need really they all have their pluses and minuses depending on what your doing and cutting. So to sum it up I love Stihl chainsaws, if yours works for what your doing keep using it.
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I had a 290. Great saw that taught me a lot over the 10 years I ran it. The last 4 or so it was bogging a little and becoming more and more annoying. The last thing the saw taught me was to rebuild the carb. I had to go into it twice and finally got it exactly right. Then I sold it.
I think in another thread I posted I turned an almost new 290 (straight gassed by someone else) into a 390. One of my favorite saws. Just bought a new 400 a few months ago. I have thought about selling the 390 but I just can't do it. I don't need it, it runs fantastic but every time I get close to selling it I just can't do it. Went to check/winterize a couple saws last week. Pulled the 390 out after sitting 2 months. 2 pulls on full, burps, go to half choke and it starts. How can you get rid of that?I had a 290. Great saw that taught me a lot over the 10 years I ran it. The last 4 or so it was bogging a little and becoming more and more annoying. The last thing the saw taught me was to rebuild the carb. I had to go into it twice and finally got it exactly right. Then I sold it.
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When I sold my ms290, the guy was about to run off with it, and I said, "don't you want to run it first". I hadn't started it in several weeks, and I thought just watch this be a PITA. We walked it over to my neighbors property that had some downfall, and it started on the first pull. It sure impressed the buyer, and me too. I sold that saw at the very peak of all my efforts to maintain it.
