OK... Went to the "event" today, talked to the local Stihl rep and asked about the catalog and such. He told me in no uncertain terms that the indication in the catalog (he even verified that his printed versions had the same statement) is a typo. He told me that he can only order the saw from Stihl with an 18" bar, and stepping down to the 16" is a dealer option.
I grabbed the MS-250 and had the bar changed out with a 16. Also grabbed the 6-pack of oil to double the warranty (which is now "policy" - they do it on all new saws) and took a hardshell case at half price. Brought it home and ran it for a bit through some of the 6"-8" stuff I'm cutting, splitting, and stacking. It's clearly not as powerful as the 290, but it cuts quite nicely and is very light (especially after tossing the 290 around for a while). I believe it will serve me nicely and I'll never head off someplace to cut without having both saws with me.
The Husqy is officially up for sale to clear some space in the garage - it simply won't get used any more.
I grabbed the MS-250 and had the bar changed out with a 16. Also grabbed the 6-pack of oil to double the warranty (which is now "policy" - they do it on all new saws) and took a hardshell case at half price. Brought it home and ran it for a bit through some of the 6"-8" stuff I'm cutting, splitting, and stacking. It's clearly not as powerful as the 290, but it cuts quite nicely and is very light (especially after tossing the 290 around for a while). I believe it will serve me nicely and I'll never head off someplace to cut without having both saws with me.
The Husqy is officially up for sale to clear some space in the garage - it simply won't get used any more.