What 50 cc saw

[bcorradi]

There is no contest, the 50cc class is owned by the 550xp. The 261 can compete after a $250 port job. End of story. If you get a 550xp and mm it nothing can touch it and the power to weight ratio is the best EVER.

Ok

 

[rullywowr]

Hey Grey, sell the saw on CL. You know the guys in the Area all are drinking the Kool-aid. Its a damn shame you didn't make this post yesterday. Today at work I tried and tried to talk a parts dept employee out of buying a ms290, but he left at lunch and brought a new one back with him.

That's rough. One big heavy piece of ****. The air filter clogs up after about 1hr of cutting and you spend more time listening to it bog in the cut..bwaahhhhahah cough cough cough.....

Spend the extra $150 and get the best: Husky 550xp

 

[bcorradi]

That's rough. One big heavy piece of ****. The air filter clogs up after about 1hr of cutting and you spend more time listening to it bog in the cut..bwaahhhhahah cough cough cough.....

Spend the extra $150 and get the best: Husky 550xp

Easy to tell the posers from the users.

 

[H 2 H]

You forgot (in reply to nmurph)

0) I agree on the air filtration, but when the 026/260 was out everyone said how anemic it was compared to huskies. Now that the 346 air filter is adequate, but not quite as good they say it is good enough. I've built a ton of 026/260's...probably just as much if not more than the 346's you have built and I haven't seen signs of wear due to dirty air filters on them either, but everyone said they had an anemic air filtration system.

1) I personally haven't ever seen a valid argument on why you would build an outboard clutch on a 50cc saw vs an inboard. ST's sideway, gyro balancing thing doesn't seem to do it for me personally.

2) May be a non issue really, but I think he was commenting on his personal feel that the chain adjuster on the 261 was more robust. How many modern stihl chain adjusters have you seen fail? I have seen a couple of bent ones from time to time, but that is few and far between. If anyone needs any new stihl chain adjusters let me know because I have about 50+ new ones sitting in a drawer.

3) If your going to take ST's opinion as fact you've missed the boat.

4) I agree

5) That may be a constant drumbeat of his, but to be honest he has worked both a 346 and a 261 in a more commercial environment than 95% of the people recommending either saw. ST has had the same drumbeat since I've been on here (2004 or 2005) and I don't see a lot of people critiquing his posts. Anyone can feel free to take his points of view as gospel, but I'd rather learn from the people that have actually put significant time on their saws.

6) I have worked on a lot of huskies and I haven't really noticed much if any cost savings buying husky parts from my dealer (who is a both a husky and stihl dealer) vs buying stihl parts.

I personally don't have much use for a 50cc saw, but I get a kick out of the arguments that go back and forth amongst the brands.

Yep had to clean my screen after reading you post because I was laughing so hard :msp_thumbsup:

 

[bucknfeller]

The 346 makes a lot of high end power, which is great for cants and small wood races, but is outperformed by the low end power and broad torque band of the 261. Easy decision for me; get the 261.

If you enjoy setting the dogs and prying through every cut than that low end of the 261 is perfect... Personally I like to let the saw do the work, wind it up, set it down, let it eat!! 346 without a doubt. :msp_tongue:

 

[bcorradi]

If you enjoy setting the dogs and prying through every cut than that low end of the 261 is perfect... Personally I like to let the saw do the work, wind it up, set it down, let it eat!! 346 without a doubt. :msp_tonugue:

To each their own I guess. I pry through the cut with an 044 myself because I don't care for 50cc saws, but to each their own. In all honesty if i only had a between saw I would agree with ST and buy a 361.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

If you enjoy setting the dogs and prying through every cut than that low end of the 261 is perfect... Personally I like to let the saw do the work, wind it up, set it down, let it eat!! 346 without a doubt. :msp_tongue:

I do wonder how many of you fellows have actually ran a 261. Set them both down in a cut and see which one goes to work. A 261 has the power advantage, even though those stopwatch seconds don't mean sheit to me.

Geez, you sound like a Husvarna salesman.

 

[Jet47]

Both great saws.

Coming from someone who has run both, I would choose the 550 everytime.

 

[nmurph]

Lots of fun here, and this thread hasn't gone as sideways as some 346/261 threads.

Brad, I guess my tongue-in-cheek reference to ST didn't translate so well. I prefer the way the 346 feels, and the 261 does weigh more, but "handling is definitely in the hands of the holder."

I see parts pricing like this:

Stihl = MB money
Husky = Cadillac money
Dolmar = Chevrolet money

Doug, no offense meant.

 

[Hustihler]

To the OP, you really can't go wrong with any of the pro 50cc saws. I personally am lucky enough to own a Husqvarna 550xp, 346xpne, and a Stihl 261, among others. I'm also a firewood cutter/firewood scavenger(we heat exclusively with wood, although we do have a heat pump for back-up,but it doesn't hardly ever get run during the winter), I even started selling a little firewood this year. I get most of my wood from Craigslist, 3 family farms, and the occasional neighbor, including blowdowns and standing timber. I'm not a professional by any means, and I'm definitely not "big time", but all my saws are used at various times throughout the year. My saws are tools, I don't have any "shelf queens" or "collector" saws(even though I like to keep my saws well maintained and looking good). With that being said, here are my opionions on these 3 saws(all 3 are bone stock and have been owned by me since new).
The 346xp has great acceleration, smooth a/v, handles excellent, and starts easy. It's also my first Husky, after being a huge Stihl fan. I haven't had any issues at all and in no way is it cheaply made or any less durable or dependable than the other two. It really bothers me when people make claims that it's flimsy or not well built, but those same people haven't produced any fact based, evidence that something was broken off the saw or that it experienced "pre-mature failure" vs. any other saw in it's peer group. My 346xp does fall over when you set it down, but I think that is the dumbest argument ever used, to try and discount the quality of a saw, it really is a "clutching at straws" type of argument. I also don't believe that the 346xp "cures cancer", or that any other saw ever made now or in the future will achieve that feat. I have used this saw to limb, buck, and even felled some hickory with it, and it did a great job. The 346xp is just a great light-weight, good running saw that does what it is designed to do very well. I have never been dissappointed by my 346xp.
The Stihl 261 is another fine 50cc saw. It always starts easy, runs strong, and has more torque than my 346xp. It handles well enough, just not as nimble as the 346xp or 550xp. Some people complain about the weight of the 261, to me it is heavier than the 346xp and 550xp, but a few ounces is not a big deal to me. I wouldn't call the 261 a fat pig, by any means; the reason I say the 261 doesn't handle as good as the other 2, is that I believe the 261 is a bulkier design and is not as ergonomic, compact, and slim as the Huskies(I also do not buy into the "sideways" balance thing). The 261 also has the best air filtration between the 3 saws, not to say the other 2 or bad, but I believe the Stihl is just better in this department. The Stihl also has great a/v and is also comfortable to use. You can't go wrong with a 261, it is a very solid saw.
The 550xp is the "new kid on the block". IMHO, the 550xp is phenomenal, it seems to combine the best elements of both the 261 and the 346xp. It is the lightest of the 3 saws, but has the acceleration and throttle response of the 346xp and the torque of the the 261. I think it handles better than either saw and is the smoothest of the 3. I haven't felled with it yet, but I have bucked, limbed, and even noodled some 30" pin oak with it this summer, it is an impressive saw to say the least. The 550xp has all the bells and whistles auto-tune, rev-boost, and captive bar nuts(just like the 261). The only thing I don't like about the 550xp is that it is in the shop right now for warm/hot restart issues. I try to be fair and honest of my views and opinions, the 550xp is the only saw out of the 3 that I've had any trouble out of and the only 1 that I've had in the shop for any reason. I knew(before I bought the saw) that with any new technology there might be some "growing pains". I also strongly believe that my 550xp is the exception and not the rule. I don't think one "bad apple" spoils the whole bunch. I have zero "buyer's remorse", and IMHO the 550xp is the best of the 3, but what works for me may not work for someone else. If you are looking at purchasing a 50cc saw, the 550xp is definitely worth a second look.
I have also heard alot of great stuff about the Dolmar 5100 series, but I don't have any experience with Dolmar saws yet, so I won't comment on a saw that I haven't used.
Just so you know, my opinions are not influenced by Sawtroll, Indiansprings, or the internet/AS in general(no offense to these 2 aforementioned members). These are my real world impressions of 3 great saws from the point of view of a "firewood hack". To the OP, I hope this helps.

 

[chadihman]

I stupidly drank the Kool aid and got a Stihl 290 farm boss and sold my Johnsrude to a friend, most regretted thing I ever done! The Stihl was super hard to start when you run it out fuel it will not start for sower ####.
It has no prime blub and could sure use one, when i #####ed to the dealer his answer was ya I know, so don't run it out of fuel was his answer. As far as I think Stihl is gold dipped hype, best day of my life was when I sold that turd to my next door neighbor that still beleves the hype Stihl has out there selling the damn saws.

So hold out for what you want, sell what you have now on Ebay and slap the money on the new saw! And do your self a favor look at the Echo saws there all made pro tough so last a long time. The replacement for the Stihl was a Echo cs 600p less money and 10x the saw!

Buy cheap = get cheap. Stihl got to where they are somehow. I wish I could find me a gold dipped saw.

 

[tallguys]

There is no contest, the 50cc class is owned by the 550xp. The 261 can compete after a $250 port job. End of story. If you get a 550xp and mm it nothing can touch it and the power to weight ratio is the best EVER.

So then we would be comparing apples to apples because right now I can buy the M261 for $599 with a case and extra chain whereas the 550XP as it sits would be around $800.

Otherwise a saw that costs $200+ more than others should perform quite a bit better.

 

[nmurph]

So then we would be comparing apples to apples because right now I can buy the M261 for $599 with a case and extra chain whereas the 550XP as it sits would be around $800.

Otherwise a saw that costs $200+ more than others should perform quite a bit better.

The price difference in Canada does change the equation.

 

[tallguys]

Lots of fun here, and this thread hasn't gone as sideways as some 346/261 threads.

Brad, I guess my tongue-in-cheek reference to ST didn't translate so well. I prefer the way the 346 feels, and the 261 does weigh more, but "handling is definitely in the hands of the holder."

I see parts pricing like this:

Stihl = MB money
Husky = Cadillac money
Dolmar = Chevrolet money

Doug, no offense meant.

Exactly what I've always been saying, which is why I just can't stand platitudes like "saw A handles way better than saw B" because it depends on who and what they like.

Now FWIW, when it comes to parts here in Canada, Husky would be the Mercedes-Benz, Dolmar about right and Stihl just a Chevy with a slight premium, like a Buick.

 

[nmurph]

Both great saws.

Coming from someone who has run both, I would choose the 550 everytime.

My hang up with the 550 is the Autotune. Not the technology itself, but the requirement that the ignition and carb be replaced as a unit if either needs to be changed. Does the small increase in power and loss of weight off-set the potential additional cost when parts have to be replaced? Probably so, but right now I'm still on the fence about the "upgrade." One of the beauties of a chainsaw is it's utter simplicity. Until the advent of Autotune/M-tronic electronics were very limited in their application in saws. And while AT/MT do make it easier to keep a saw in running condition (tune) for the untrained user, the off-set is the increase in complexity, equipment required to repair, and in initial and repair cost.

BTW, what do the parts (ignition and carb) cost?

 

[Tree Feller]

Wow lots of in put about this size saw! All i can say is get the one you like and don't worry about if another brand saw will out cut it by .25 sec or weighs .10 pounds less! I was in the market for a 50CC saw about 2 years ago. I have ran alot of Stihls but never really like the way they felt and the price didnt help them at all either. And I never had alot of dealings with Husky except a 262xp & 288xp. So when i went to my dealer I ran a Dolmar 510, it felt good, was a little heavier and it was the last one with out a cat muff he had so he made me a deal. It might not be the best balanced, fastest cutting largest name brand saw but it fits my needs and pleases me and thats all that matters. I have never been one to worry to much about what others have or at the end of the day I could have cut two more sticks of wood if I had got a Husky or a Stihl. Bottom line they all make good saws and bad ones. And you have to decide for yourself by yourself what you like best. Have fun cuttin and be safe. Oh yeah if it where me I:biggrin: would get a Dolmar!

 

[rullywowr]

Easy to tell the posers from the users.

Yeah if you think the Farm Boss is the best choice in the 50cc class you must be a poser. It always cracks me up when stihl fanb0is say "my farm boss is the best"

Oh, here my crew is "posing" next to a oak that is about 5+ feet in diameter.

 

[rullywowr]

So then we would be comparing apples to apples because right now I can buy the M261 for $599 with a case and extra chain whereas the 550XP as it sits would be around $800.

Otherwise a saw that costs $200+ more than others should perform quite a bit better.

I bought my 550xp for $545 with a 18"...

 

[SawTroll]

Buy cheap = get cheap. Stihl got to where they are somehow. I wish I could find me a gold dipped saw.

Stihl = cheap in Norway (regarding pro saws, but not parts), but very few seem to want them anyway around here any more, and the few good dealers that was some years ago are gone - only hardware stores, some even without service, left....

 

[Cbird14]

Jonsered 2153/2153wh.