New Husqvarna 346XP Yikes
- Thread starter JimR
- Start date
CHDinCT
Veteran Member
johnk
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2003
- Messages
- 2,649
- Location
- western NY
- Tractor
- Kubota GST Grand L3130 w/ 723 loader, Ags
What size bar you running on your 385? I have a 36" on mine and running it on an Alaskan Mill. Darn nice saw. Drinks a lot of fuel though...
Nitro-Fish
Silver Member
Husqvarna's line of XP saws are excellent choices for the average firewood gathering even though they are pro saws. The smaller ones (338xpt & 346xpNE) are a bit more affordable of course, but all are worth the extra bucks IMO. The difference in the 346 and all of the other small Husky's is that it uses a magnesium case, most of the other small husky's use a plastic case (with the exception of the 353 and the 351 which both have the mag cases too), it also has a much more desireable Piston & Cylinder set-up, just look at the difference in the transfers. The 346 is not based on the 372 frame, two totally different animals; the 362xp shares the same case as the 372 (the new ones that is, the old ones use the small bar mount). The 346 does have the "Fat transfers" like the 372, just on a much smaller frame. the 346xpNE is a great saw, but the old 346xp's should not be frowned upon; they are very quick revving saws too, just about .3hp less. The older 346's (stock) will rev 14,500 with no problems at all, not 13,500 as stated. I have built a 346xpNE from an old model 346xp that I replaced the P&C on that is a pleasure to operate, but I'm sure not going to throw away my other 346xpOE. I would love to have a 262xp, as it was probably the best power to weight ratio saw ever made, the closest thing to it in the husky line up today is the 357xp (yep got one of those too!), but it's down on power to the 262 by .2hp. I have run the 385's and they are great runners too, just can't justify one right now as I have 2 of the 372's and an 056 Super AV Stihl that is still going strong. I cut on average 10-12 cords of wood per year for my use and also help others when needed, if I had to choose just two saws to keep it wouild be a 372XP and a 346XPNE!
crazyal
Super Member
I love my 357xp. I have a couple of friends with the rancher 55 and if you push to hard on the saw the clutch slips. I'm thinking hard of getting the 576xp to go along with that 357xp. The more I use the saw the more I realize that extra weight in a saw is not a bad thing. The effort when cutting a felled log from the bottom up with a smaller saw for longer amount of time to cut through it offsets the extra weight.
When i first bought my land I only had a small Homelite. I must have spend three or four weeks clearing a real small opening to build on. I didn't even come close to having a large enough space before upgrading to the 357xp. I probably cut almost 10x the wood in the same amount of time. It was really one of those 'why did I wait so long' moments in life.
When i first bought my land I only had a small Homelite. I must have spend three or four weeks clearing a real small opening to build on. I didn't even come close to having a large enough space before upgrading to the 357xp. I probably cut almost 10x the wood in the same amount of time. It was really one of those 'why did I wait so long' moments in life.