What to buy? MS460 or MS660?
- Thread starter stihl034
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StihlyinEly
Addicted to ArboristSite
Raise the price.
Tempting, isn't it? But that's not how I roll. Wigglesworth made me a good price on it (he did the modding). Couldn't really turn around and stick it to the next fella.
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stihl034
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks everyone for the help. I have decided to go with the 461!
Nice; I got to use a 461 a few weeks ago and it has plenty of power for what i was cutting :msp_smile:
bryanr2
Addicted to ArboristSite
If you are considering getting it ported get the 460 or 461. They respond great to mods and will out cut a stock 660. If you want something with power real close to a 660 with 460 weight then get a 390xp/2188
:help:
That's the best suggestion in the thread.
otstir: ..... but Im a Husky guy (Converted)
Ms 650?
Some say one of the biggest mistakes Stihl ever made was when they quit making the MS 650. For $250 or so less than the MS 660 you got a whale of a saw that easily pulled a 36" bar.
Some say one of the biggest mistakes Stihl ever made was when they quit making the MS 650. For $250 or so less than the MS 660 you got a whale of a saw that easily pulled a 36" bar.
fir
ArboristSite Operative
Go for the 660 and you will never buy another saw. Up here the fallers swear by them and don't like running the 460,they blow them up. I don't think you will blow one up though. I run a 660 with a 30" on it with a 8 pin for fire wood and a 36" for the big stuff. They are the most liked saws in B.C.
Locust Cutter
Sawing for Sanity
I guess I'm either impatient or have unreal expectations... I had a 660 (burned up in a truck fire) and used that saw almost every time I cut. A Rancher friend has a 1/2 section of ground that was never managed properly and there's a mature Oak, Hack, Ash, Hedge, Mulberry, Red Elm, or Honey Locust tree every 10'-20' in every direction. With the exception of some access paths we cut for firewood removal or fence maintenance, you'd never know that I've been pulling 10-20+ cords a year for the last 15 years...
I loved that 660 and with full comp full chisel, it would smoke through all of the aforementioned woods with a 25" (24" actually) Stihl Bar and the 8 pin rim that it came with. With the 36" bar and a 7 pin rim, it was night and day different however. I tried full-comp and skip chain, but was never satisfied with the way it pulled. A good friend has an 044 and 460 and the 460 is a bit less powerful that my 660 was, but it was faster in smaller wood and a joy to use. I was also raised, however, with a Mac 35 pulling about 45rpm with a darn near trencher chain attached. Little teeth moving fast can remove a lot of wood, but in bigger stuff, I want torque. In all reality, unless I'm leaning on it, with a sharp chain my Stumpbroke 372xp will out-cut the old 660 with it's 28" bar. The next 90cc class saw will be a 395xp or a 9010 Dolmar as I don't have the funds for an 880, 3120xp or a nice 084... I may be inheriting a 2100cd though, so we'll see. I'm not sure if I was ever in the same vicinity as the OP but I have family North of Montgomery Creek and got to do some felling years ago out there, in different areas, including near the 3 Shastas... Beautiful area, especially for a Kansan like me! Good luck with the 461 as I am interested to see how that saw works out.
I loved that 660 and with full comp full chisel, it would smoke through all of the aforementioned woods with a 25" (24" actually) Stihl Bar and the 8 pin rim that it came with. With the 36" bar and a 7 pin rim, it was night and day different however. I tried full-comp and skip chain, but was never satisfied with the way it pulled. A good friend has an 044 and 460 and the 460 is a bit less powerful that my 660 was, but it was faster in smaller wood and a joy to use. I was also raised, however, with a Mac 35 pulling about 45rpm with a darn near trencher chain attached. Little teeth moving fast can remove a lot of wood, but in bigger stuff, I want torque. In all reality, unless I'm leaning on it, with a sharp chain my Stumpbroke 372xp will out-cut the old 660 with it's 28" bar. The next 90cc class saw will be a 395xp or a 9010 Dolmar as I don't have the funds for an 880, 3120xp or a nice 084... I may be inheriting a 2100cd though, so we'll see. I'm not sure if I was ever in the same vicinity as the OP but I have family North of Montgomery Creek and got to do some felling years ago out there, in different areas, including near the 3 Shastas... Beautiful area, especially for a Kansan like me! Good luck with the 461 as I am interested to see how that saw works out.
I think it's hard to beat a 460/461 as an all around felling saw in the Northwest. You could go a little lighter, like a 440 or Husky 372, and still be fine most always. I rarely bring out anything bigger. All would be quite a step up from your 34. If you have to have something more, as someone else mentioned, the Husky 390 is darn near as powerful as a 660, but much more comfortable to use. I am not sure what your cutting, but I wouldn't want something in the 80-90cc range as my main saw; they are just too heavy for all around use IMO.
user 64030
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I agree, but the OP's question was 460/660. I try to refrain myself from throwing in other saws to muddy the water. Figure the OP has researched down to a point and just wants honest feedback. Owning 2, and having ran the 3rd I would take the 441 M-Tronic hands down. Of course he decided on the 461, nut that is a brand new model of the 460 so that argument can go either way.
OP, I see you decided on a 461, a good saw I was really impressed at the WKY GTG to see people lean on them and not bog it down...
For the others curious, if you go to Stihl's Canadian site stihilca.com it is there w/ specs
dw
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stihl034
ArboristSite Lurker
Stihl has recently updated their website within the last few days and the 461 is in there. with the same spec as the 460. and as for other brands of saws I'm a Stihl man and just about every logging outfit runs Stihls up here so parts and dealers are every where! and yes i would love to some day own a 660 461 & a 261 for crawling around in the slash piles!
Anthony_Va.
XPW Fan Club
Boogieman142
ArboristSite Guru
660 hands down, was the first saw I ever bought and will always be my "baby"
@ Locust cutter, we have(had) a 660 and an 880. We were so impressed with the 660 I thought the 880 would be off the charts. Either we got a lemon or something is off, but the 660 outperforms the 880 with a 36 in bar. We have had it in several times and the dealer just says bad fuel...same fuel we run in all the saws. This week my crew ran over the 660 and destroyed pretty much everything but the engine. Anyone have recommendations for a good aftermarket parts source?
Locust Cutter
Sawing for Sanity
The classifieds here can be handy, otherwise it's about a wash price-wise between the dealer and fee-bay... I know there's a saw parts place online I think in the advertising dashboard above,... Northwood or Chainsawr?
I've heard a lot of people have the same remarks about the 880. What I wonder (as I've only run one and it was a Snellerized version) is how many of the people who aren't impressed, are running 3/8" chain? To reach it's full potential it needs .404 and on a short bar, 32" or less, I'd be filing the rakers a bit and running 1-2 pins higher. Either way, running the Snellerized version, opened my eyes, and that's the only benchmark I have. The 084's are fun as well. My 660 cut a decent amount of wood, and was decently fast, but it just seemed to tap out earlier than I thought it should have,...
:bang:
sawfun9
Addicted to ArboristSite
The 880 may not seem impressive coampared to a higher chain speed saw but on 40" hardwood it has way way more torque than a 660. I know because I've run them side by side with 36" bars burried in a cherry stump and both using new Stihl RMF chain. The 880 had .404 and the 066 had 3/8 and had the dual port muffler. Other than that both saws were stock. In fact the 066 really wasn't up to the job and the 880 was about the minimum you'd want to use. Also ran a 090 with a 42" bar and it handed the 880 is behind in short order.
If your cutting 30" wood the 066 may indeed be more impressive but once the wood NEEDS a bigger bar or is very hard then the 880 will have noticeably more power. For that matter in 25" wood my 460 seems more impressive than the 066 again due to speed. THe smaller the wood the better fast saws SEEM. My 200T at 14,500 rpm is better at limbing 2-3 inch stuff than my 026 or 346 but not in the 4"+ wood.
If your cutting 30" wood the 066 may indeed be more impressive but once the wood NEEDS a bigger bar or is very hard then the 880 will have noticeably more power. For that matter in 25" wood my 460 seems more impressive than the 066 again due to speed. THe smaller the wood the better fast saws SEEM. My 200T at 14,500 rpm is better at limbing 2-3 inch stuff than my 026 or 346 but not in the 4"+ wood.
goincrazyinvt
ArboristSite Lurker
The classifieds here can be handy, otherwise it's about a wash price-wise between the dealer and fee-bay... I know there's a saw parts place online I think in the advertising dashboard above,... Northwood or Chainsawr?
I've heard a lot of people have the same remarks about the 880. What I wonder (as I've only run one and it was a Snellerized version) is how many of the people who aren't impressed, are running 3/8" chain? To reach it's full potential it needs .404 and on a short bar, 32" or less, I'd be filing the rakers a bit and running 1-2 pins higher. Either way, running the Snellerized version, opened my eyes, and that's the only benchmark I have. The 084's are fun as well. My 660 cut a decent amount of wood, and was decently fast, but it just seemed to tap out earlier than I thought it should have,...
If you have a stihl don't bother with Chainsawr, I have a 660 and live 20 minutes away from his shop, I wanted new plastics as my top cover is cracked, more cosmetic and annoying to me than needs to be fixed, but he had nothing for parts for it really. Did walk out with a shiny new 32" bar though
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