what stihl chainsaw do you recomend?

[simon wilkins]

Hi im new to the forum.
I currently have a husky 240e with a 14" bar whitch i use for cutting firewood but i find that it struggles a bit when i come to larger logs.
I am looking at buying a second hand saw and was thinking of a stihl ms361 with approx 20" bar after reading reviews they seem to be a good saw.
Can anyone recommend a good reliable stihl? there are so many models i get confused! i also read about a ms362 but people say they have had a bit of trouble with them.
Thanks simon

 

[MattG]

Hi im new to the forum.
I currently have a husky 240e with a 14" bar whitch i use for cutting firewood but i find that it struggles a bit when i come to larger logs.
I am looking at buying a second hand saw and was thinking of a stihl ms361 with approx 20" bar after reading reviews they seem to be a good saw.
Can anyone recommend a good reliable stihl? there are so many models i get confused! i also read about a ms362 but people say they have had a bit of trouble with them.
Thanks simon

I bought an ms341 from ebay a while back for the same purpose, as you, i.e. I had a smaller saw (ms211) which struggled on the big stuff.

The ms341 is identical to the ms361 but has very slightly less power. So it tempts lower prices

I'd recommend a nice one of these, mine came with 18" bar (I did fit a 20" later on). This saw then worked very nicely for me, cutting 18-24" ash and oak. It does not have the new-fangled strato/mtronic technology and as such is pretty idiot proof. Cheaper on ebay for a good one, than a 361. (Though of course the 361 is a fine saw).

Just remember with all things second hand - buyer beware!

Good luck mate - tell us how you get on and welcome to AS!

Matt

 

[simon wilkins]

Thanks for the reply.
I will keep an eye out for ms341 didnt know they were both very similar.I have been looking on ebay and bidding on a couple but like you say buyer beware its hard to say how much hammer they have had.
I am not to fussed on the newer mtronic stuff more to go wrong!
There is a place near me that deal with stihl and huskys and they have a second hand 361 with 24" bar and chain he tells me its fully serviced and is asking 250 plus vat so 300quid.comes with 3 month warranty dont know if thats a good price?
thanks

 

[MattG]

Hi Simon,

Yes 341 has pretty much the same parts as 361. Some folk on AS will know more about it than me, but I think that the only difference is the cylinder (port heights different) and slight carb/coil differences.

I bought my 341 for 140 quid on ebay, it was a decent enough runner, but it was sold with the wrong clutch cover. As a result the chain/bar weren't on too secure, which DID cause me issues. However, the seller credited us the 35 quid for a new one. I've since done minor service work on (plug,filter+tune-up). And a while back I upgraded the oil-pump. Which takes me to the ONLY problem of the 341/361 range - the oiler is rather low in terms of output. The one you saw might struggle a bit with 24" bar (a lot of bar for little oil etc.)

300quid is probably ok, considering the warranty, but you'll probably get a better 341 for 200quid I guess. I don't think I spent 300 including everything I spent on my 341 and it's an awesome saw. It's up to you.

Hope this helps, give me shout if you want more advice on either saw,

Matt

 

[MattG]

After my experience with the 341 - I'd advise you to check with ebay seller "that it has the original(ish) parts" or get them to say what parts they know are changed, etc.

 

[Sagetown]

A used MS361 in good condition will do U just fine. Go for it.

 

[simon wilkins]

Cheers for that matt i just found this on ebay he wants 300quid posted he says he has only serviced it apart from that i think he buys and sells from looking at his ebay listings.I will look at ms341 on ebay now seems like you had a good price on yours. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252278355...1&exe=12792&ext=32580&sojTags=exe=exe,ext=ext

 

[MattG]

Yeah, that ms361

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252278355...1&exe=12792&ext=32580&sojTags=exe=exe,ext=ext

looks like it got some love recently (new plastic as well as service parts)

The 341 I'm seeing is way way cheaper,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STIHL-MS341-CHAINSAW-/151988509988

and looks like 100quid or so would get it going good...

Problem with asking me for advice is that I like tickering and spending a bit of time + money on getting an old saw up and running nice

Good luck,
Matt

 

[Shagbark]

MS361 is a great choice for an all around firewood saw.

 

[MattG]

MS361 is a great choice for an all around firewood saw.

Yeah Shagbark, you're dead right there - I just didn't want Simon to overlook the ms341, another great stihl, which we have quite a few of over in the uk!

 

[Oldman47]

A good all around saw for firewood is the Husky 555 I got last spring. It cuts circles around my old Stihl 026.

 

[TreeswingerPerth]

As said a 361 is ideal , but in my opinion runs best on a 18" bar . You could consider a 440 /044 /460 that would give you a lot more bar options .

 

[simon wilkins]

Thanks for the replys guys.I have looked at the 440 460 saws but are a bit out of my price to be onest.
I think i will look towards a 341 or 361 just keep shopping around and looking on ebay for a cleanish used one they seem to be about my price range.
Anything i should be aware of buying seconhand as in make sure its not a chinese copy! how old would a 361 saw be about?
thanks

 

[MattG]

Thanks for the replys guys.I have looked at the 440 460 saws but are a bit out of my price to be onest.
I think i will look towards a 341 or 361 just keep shopping around and looking on ebay for a cleanish used one they seem to be about my price range.
Anything i should be aware of buying seconhand as in make sure its not a chinese copy! how old would a 361 saw be about?
thanks

Hi Simon,

I don't really know about chinese copy detection. I looked over the ms341

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STIHL-MS341-CHAINSAW-/151988509988

and it looks too used to be a s**t copy. Does that make sense? i.e. a cheap copy would probably have fallen apart by then. It does look ok but you need to factor in a few parts to your cost

http://www.lsengineers.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/21404
http://www.lsengineers.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/21437
http://www.lsengineers.co.uk/stihl-chain-loop-rsc-3-8-063-66-links.html
http://www.lsengineers.co.uk/stihl-rollomatic-18-chainsaw-guide-bar-1-6mm-gauge-10350.html

(I'm not trying to plug L and S - they are just the people I use for stihl spares in the uk. Those parts are just shy of 100 quid I think. Of course you could find them cheaper - they are new stihl prices.)

Perhaps some of the US guys can help you spot a fake 361. I bet the 341 aint a fake - cos they'd rather fake a 361 - since they'd see more return on essentially the same investment.

Hope this helps
Matt

 

[MattG]

Simon I just PMd you on this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stihl-MS341-Chainsaw-/191808142867?hash=item2ca8a7fe13:g:3u4AAOSwHaBWj6zs

 

[KodiakKen]

Find a tried and true MS360. I had one for years and only cut firewood with it..sold it way too cheap and bought a MS362 to replace it. other than hitting a spike in a tree..I love the new saw..everything I buy is new with a warranty. I would recommend it to anyone without small engine experience..AND get the Stihl ultra mix..it doubles your warranty