Stihl ms261 c-m smaller bar and chain

[ChetGreenwood]

So, after the advice I read here I purchased the 20 inch bar 261. I would like to get a 16 bar and chain to supplement the 20 inch.

what bar and chain would you suggest? I have the safety chain for the 20.

I live in Michigan and cut both hard and soft woods.

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[blsnelling]

Why another shorter B&C? The longer bar is great for preventing you from having to lean over as much when limbing. When bucking, just don't use the whole bar if you don't want to.

 

[lone wolf]

So, after the advice I read here I purchased the 20 inch bar 261. I would like to get a 16 bar and chain to supplement the 20 inch.

what bar and chain would you suggest? I have the safety chain for the 20.

I live in Michigan and cut both hard and soft woods.

Any advice?

Thanks!

Actually an 18 in would be nice on that saw. Get the Stihl chisel chain with no safety.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

I loved running a 16" on my 261. I ran both full sized 3/8 and .325. I liked 3/8 for firewood and .325 for limbing and thinning because it is less grabby. For brands, I ran stihl, tsumura, and GB.

 

[82F100SWB]

I run a 16 on my 026 and 261 usually.
.050 is standard up here on the cold side of the border, so I have been running the 23 RS Pro narrow kerf for quite some time.

 

[user 122190]

I agree with Brad. There is little advantage to running a shorter bar in most all cases. Certainly running a 28" B&C is a better then a 60" B&C on the ms880 in most ALL cases. But between a 20 and a 16, on a 50cc saw, nothing.

 

[lone wolf]

I agree with Brad. There is little advantage to running a shorter bar in most all cases. Certainly running a 28" B&C is a better then a 60" B&C on the ms880 in most ALL cases. But between a 20 and a 16, on a 50cc saw, nothing.

Sharpens faster, less nose heavy ,less weight!

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Sharpens faster, less nose heavy ,less weight!

Agreed. Bars and chains are cheaper too. Also, and probably the biggest deal to me, is that the bar is less likely to stick out through the log you're cutting and contact the next log in the pile. Obviously this doesn't matter all the time. For cutting firewood, I think the 261 is a great saw up to about 16-18" wood. In that size wood I'd rather run a 16" bar anyway.

 

[computeruser]

Consider 13” or 15”. .325” Oregon 20-series would be good. I run 13”/.325” on my 346XPs and find it a great combo for most uses.

 

[BradSt]

I'd just run a Rollomatic E bar and either 26RS or 26RM, both yellow label. Could get one of each and see what you like best. The RS cuts like a laser beam, and the RM lasts longer between sharpenings. I run a 16" on my 261. Anything bigger and I use my larger saws. I like my 261 to be light and nimble.

 

[SteveSr]

Sharpens faster, less nose heavy ,less weight!

Forgot better balance with a 16" bar. 20" is nose heavy on a 261.

 

[Trailsawyer]

I'm on the west coast, so hardwoods are rare, but I've run 20" bars on my 026 and 260 for years. The Stihl 3/8 - .050 20" light bar is my favorite!

 

[Pepster]

I agree with Brad. There is little advantage to running a shorter bar in most all cases. Certainly running a 28" B&C is a better then a 60" B&C on the ms880 in most ALL cases. But between a 20 and a 16, on a 50cc saw, nothing.

Big difference in a 50cc saw running a 20" bar @ .325/.50 chain & a full blown 3/8" on a 20" bar.
Drop down to a full 3/8 chain on 16" bar & it's a different beast!
Pure Physics.

 

[user 122190]

Forgot better balance with a 16" bar. 20" is nose heavy on a 261.

What does it matter if it is a little nose heavy cutting firewood? Yeah, if you are doing chainsaw wood carving, otherwise who cares?

 

[lone wolf]

What does it matter if it is a little nose heavy cutting firewood? Yeah, if you are doing chainsaw wood carving, otherwise who cares?

When you cut your leg at the end of a hot long day when tired is when you will see when it matters.

 

[Trailsawyer]

Big difference in a 50cc saw running a 20" bar @ .325/.50 chain & a full blown 3/8" on a 20" bar.
Drop down to a full 3/8 chain on 16" bar & it's a different beast!
Pure Physics.

I would agree that there is a difference in the HP required to pull a 3/8-.050 chain vs. a .325 -.050 in a cut.
There is very little difference in the HP required to spin either chain on a 16" or 20" bar! The size and type of wood being cut
is the real "load" being placed on the saw. If you are cutting smaller diameter logs there is little difference.
Doing trail clearing work in the northwest we encounter a lot of rotten or punky wood. The wider 3/8 chain kerf is helpful in releasing binds.
As mentioned, a little extra reach can be easier on your back, and it sure is nice when you find a 36" tree across the trail 5 miles from the truck!

 

[Big Block]

I run a 16 3/8 Tsumura L&T with a full skip EXL in the soft clean wood and it hauls ass! I run my factory 18 325 non safety chain for the dirty jobs.

 

[user 122190]

When you cut your leg at the end of a hot long day when tired is when you will see when it matters.

Is there any other time it matters? Cause if that's it, then just about every saw with a bar over 24 inches is going to cut your leg off.

Everybody consult your lawyer, we have been warned.

 

[tfp]

The leg thing doesn’t bother me because at the end of a long hot day I still have my protective pants on while ground cutting… but if you put a pair of ms361 (I think) dogs on the 261 with a 20 inch .325 bar it isn’t nose heavy while sitting on the ground (annoys the heck out of me if they tip forward). I can count on my hands and feet how many times a year I do a full day of cutting though, so your experiences may be different.

 

[user 122190]

The leg thing doesn’t bother me because at the end of a long hot day I still have my protective pants on while ground cutting… but if you put a pair of ms361 (I think) dogs on the 261 with a 20 inch .325 bar it isn’t nose heavy while sitting on the ground (annoys the heck out of me if they tip forward). I can count on my hands and feet how many times a year I do a full day of cutting though, so your experiences may be different.

I think he meant sleepy tired. If you actually fall asleep while running a chainsaw you will cut your leg off, IF your chainsaw is nose heavy. We need to hear how nose heavy. Ounces, pounds, requires two people to move the saw, having some planetary gravitational pull (Mercury, Saturn, ?), etc.