Stihl MS440 Magnum w/32" Bar - Deal or No Deal?

[John Lyngdal]

Stopped into a pawn shop today and they had a MS440 Magnum with what looked like a 32" bar on it. Asking price was $379 and it was in decent physical shape. I didn't have a T-27 wrench or compression tester with me, so I left it sitting on the shelf. Have several 026/260 and 036/360 saws, a 038 Magnum II, a Husky 288, plus an 056 in a box. I withstood the CAD willpower challenge, but I'm really tempted to go back and compression test it and check the piston skirt. I might burn 3 cords of wood during a really cold winter, so this isn't a need situation in the least. I just like having the right tool for the job(and spares<LOL>) when the time presents itself.

And the question is...
Go back or Not?
If you vote to go back, what would you offer for the saw in the condition stated if the skirt is clean and the compression is 150psi or higher?

 

[sld961]

I'd go back and check it out. If it's a good clean saw, and the bar has paint on it, I'd say it's worth close to the asking price. Either way, I'd say it's worth $300 if it runs good.

Make sure you take and post pics. Pics are much more useful to determine value.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Rudedog]

Nice saw if its in decent shape. I would sell the bar and put on a 25" Stihl bar. That 32" is waaaay too much bar if you ask me. Belongs on a 660.

 

[David Guptill Jr]

Stopped into a pawn shop today and they had a MS440 Magnum with what looked like a 32" bar on it. Asking price was $379 and it was in decent physical shape. I didn't have a T-27 wrench or compression tester with me, so I left it sitting on the shelf. Have several 026/260 and 036/360 saws, a 038 Magnum II, a Husky 288, plus an 056 in a box. I withstood the CAD willpower challenge, but I'm really tempted to go back and compression test it and check the piston skirt. I might burn 3 cords of wood during a really cold winter, so this isn't a need situation in the least. I just like having the right tool for the job(and spares<LOL>) when the time presents itself.

And the question is...
Go back or Not?
If you vote to go back, what would you offer for the saw in the condition stated if the skirt is clean and the compression is 150psi or higher?

I see them go for $350- 400 every week.
I guess the question is, what's the pawn shops name and where is it.
Seriously. . I would check it... and if it looks good offer $300. Some pawns are willing to deal. It's summer.. and the garage sales are just starting.
So the slow way down.. so unless they want to sit on it till fall.... they may hit you back at $ 325
. If it's nice.. that's my opinion. . The bar and chain, subtract that from the price..
The other thoughts are make sure it's running for that price. And not scored
Because with the 32 bar.. she may have had a tough life... i have one 038 super, with a big bar.. it's only used for felling and stumps.
.

 

[smokey7]

Pawn shops have a mile of room to negotiate. Getting it down to 300 shouldn't be a problem. At that price id just make sure it runs atall. If so you are real safe.

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

The 288 or 056 will turn the 32inch bar.

 

[John Lyngdal]

The 288 or 056 will turn the 32inch bar.

Indeed they will. My 056 box saw came with a 36" bar, which is now on the 288. I'd probably put a 28" on the MS440 if it came home with me, as I cut more fir than oak.

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Indeed they will. My 056 box saw came with a 36" bar, which is now on the 288. I'd probably put a 28" on the MS440 if it came home with me, as I cut more fir than oak.

Oh sorry, I read the post as the pawn shop had those saws on the shelf. My bad. But hey everyone needs another saw!
I have a nephew who is a hot shot fire fighter and a smaller guy. He runs a 440 with a 28.

 

[rynosawr]

I would go back to the pawn shop and tell them you are interested in it, but worried that it might have been overworked with a bar that is way bigger than that saw was ever intended to run.

Tell them you want to pull the muffler and check the compression and offer them $250 cash.

If they balk and say they have no room to move, tell them you don't need it, but it might be an ok saw......

Start walking out..... test their nerve.

I bet they have $100-$150 in it, tops

 

[John Lyngdal]

Wouldn't even consider purchasing it without a compression check and a peek at the cylinder skirt. Shopped at the store before and checked the compression on a 142 Husky saw that didn't make 120 psi so I left it behind. Don't think they'll have an issue pulling the muffler to take a peek at the skirt.

 

[blsnelling]

The OP is from Oregon. A 32" bar on a 440 is not at all uncommon in those parts.

Condition is everything. A really clean 440 might be worth $500-$600. It's definitely worth checking out.

 

[jd548esco72]

since its a 440 ya cant hardly lose less its a total junker-- yea check it out!!

 

[BrokenSVT]

I would go back to the pawn shop and tell them you are interested in it, but worried that it might have been overworked with a bar that is way bigger than that saw was ever intended to run.

Tell them you want to pull the muffler and check the compression and offer them $250 cash.

If they balk and say they have no room to move, tell them you don't need it, but it might be an ok saw......

Start walking out..... test their nerve.

I bet they have $100-$150 in it, tops

Agreed. Pawn shop shopping is akin to used car shopping. They want it gone. And I doubt they have $100 in it.

Wouldn't even consider purchasing it without a compression check and a peek at the cylinder skirt. Shopped at the store before and checked the compression on a 142 Husky saw that didn't make 120 psi so I left it behind. Don't think they'll have an issue pulling the muffler to take a peek at the skirt.

Meh, if the price is low enough, piston and rings are cheap enough. Worst case scenario, a burnt piston equals haggling.

The OP is from Oregon. A 32" bar on a 440 is not at all uncommon in those parts.

Condition is everything. A really clean 440 might be worth $500-$600. It's definitely worth checking out.

Agreed, softwood. And agreed. If you could get it cheap enough, the bar and chain could recoup a large portion of the investment.

since its a 440 ya cant hardly lose less its a total junker-- yea check it out!!

Yup!

 

[hseII]

Agreed. Pawn shop shopping is akin to used car shopping. They want it gone. And I doubt they have $100 in it.



Meh, if the price is low enough, piston and rings are cheap enough. Worst case scenario, a burnt piston equals haggling.



Agreed, softwood. And agreed. If you could get it cheap enough, the bar and chain could recoup a large portion of the investment.



Yup!

Uh,

I'd keep the bar if he's out there: that's a good combo once it has been muffler modded, timing advanced, & the base gasket done away with, space permitting.

 

[BrokenSVT]

Uh,

I'd keep the bar if he's out there: that's a good combo once it has been muffler modded, timing advanced, & the base gasket done away with, space permitting.

I also agree with that notion. My point was just that, if the price left him gun-shy, he could recoup a fair amount of investment quite easily, since he obviously has some Stihl bars as options already.

 

[rynosawr]

Good points about location and what kind of wood is there.. that bar isn't too long for softwood

I am used to a mix of very tough hardwoods like slow growth maple and some pretty tough conifers since we live in/near the mountains...

$250-$300 out the door is a great deal for a nice MS440.

I have sold nice rebuilt ones locally for $550 with a 25 inch bar....

 

[John Lyngdal]

No deal today. Best price was $360 as the boss wasn't in the shop to dicker further.
Compression was 170 psi. The spark plug was blackened, so clearly the carb wasn't set too lean.
The piston skirt and cylinder were descent, just a few light score marks.
Pulled the sheath off the bar and it was fitted with a ~28" replaceable tip Oregon bar without a stitch of paint on it.
The chain was so worn that I'd toss it.
The saw started easily, I'm guessing that someone else had looked at it and fired it up that day or the day before.
Clearly they didn't pull the muffler cover based on the difficulty of removing the top two screws.
Stop by in a week or two to see if it is still there.
I figure for what they are asking I could almost pickup a Home Depot Makita/Domler DCS6421 and put a big bore kit on it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

No deal today. Best price was $360 as the boss wasn't in the shop to dicker further.
Compression was 170 psi. The spark plug was blackened, so clearly the carb wasn't set too lean.
The piston skirt and cylinder were descent, just a few light score marks.
Pulled the sheath off the bar and it was fitted with a ~28" replaceable tip Oregon bar without a stitch of paint on it.
The chain was so worn that I'd toss it.
The saw started easily, I'm guessing that someone else had looked at it and fired it up that day or the day before.
Clearly they didn't pull the muffler cover based on the difficulty of removing the top two screws.
Stop by in a week or two to see if it is still there.
I figure for what they are asking I could almost pickup a Home Depot Makita/Domler DCS6421 and put a big bore kit on it.

In most cases, a Makita DCS6421 doesn't need a big bore kit. It pulls a 24" or 28" bar with no problems. I put a BBK on my 6401 only because I needed to pull a 30" bar into big logs. Frankly I was unaware that HD offered these saws, unless they were loaners. Good to know, even if they are loaners.

 

[John Lyngdal]

In most cases, a Makita DCS6421 doesn't need a big bore kit. It pulls a 24" or 28" bar with no problems. I put a BBK on my 6401 only because I needed to pull a 30" bar into big logs. Frankly I was unaware that HD offered these saws, unless they were loaners. Good to know, even if they are loaners.

They rotate their rental saws on about a three year cycle and sell them for ~ $300. Not crazy about the Makita blue color, but they have switched back to Domler orange so in a couple years they should be showing up for sale at Home Depot.

 

[Wood Doctor]

They rotate their rental saws on about a three year cycle and sell them for ~ $300. Not crazy about the Makita blue color, but they have switched back to Dolmar orange so in a couple years they should be showing up for sale at Home Depot.

Nothing wrong with blue, really. Homelite used it for years. Makita has hundreds of other tools that are blue and many are top rated. It's kind of a trademark in disguise. The blue saws may eventually become classics and I may have to gobble a couple up. Not many even know that Dolmar makes them. Mine runs like a champ and with the BBK, it will stay even with my Stihl 046 Mag.

Thanks again, John.