Buying Advice Need Second Stihl Commercial Chainsaw, Larger Than MS261

[mike69440]

Because I heat with wood and have a quarter mile driveway that frequently has trees across it. When I tug that starter rope, it HAS to fire up and go. Cheap saw is $400, pro saw is $1000 (or a little less). I pay 1500 per year to my insurance company for effectively nothing but peace of mind. Paying up an additional $600 for so vital a piece of equipment seems a wise investment.

Finally, I plan to keep my saw until my death, some 50 years from now. A pro Stihl will likely last that long, a consumer grade anything will not.

Great Thread! That Stihl Commercial Chainsaw, MS-462 is quite a saw at under 14 lbs and all of 6 HP.

I regret not getting the Husky XP372 and again going cheap with a Rancher. Many years ago I had a small Pro 50cc Husky with 16" Bar. People used to laugh at it till they say what I could do with it. It had very fast chain speed. It lasted +20 years. I've been thru 4 "homeoner/ farmer" saws since.

 

[LD1]

How many people advising against a pro saw actually have one? You can keep your farm boss and I’ll keep my 372. And I’ll cut 5 times much wood in a day.

Agreed.

Dont have to be a "pro" to use a pro saw.

They are just built better, more power, less weight, longer lasting.

Thats alot of benefit weather you are a weekend warrior or a "pro"

 

[s219]

To me one of the biggest benefits of the pro saws is power/weight. The 261 is a good example -- it was lighter and less cc, but easily out-cut bigger heavier consumer saws (ie, Farm Boss) in the Stihl lineup. Pay a little extra for the 261 and you'd have a saw that was a lot nicer to use day in and day out. I've been using saws a long time, sometimes for 6-8 hours a day, and when you can save weight and get more power from smaller cc, that translates into a lot less fatigue during use. Makes it easy to justify the cost increase because you will realize the benefit over hundreds of hours of use.

 

[/pine]

...And I値l cut 5 times much wood in a day.

No it just seems like it...

 

[rScotty]

Agreed.

Dont have to be a "pro" to use a pro saw.

They are just built better, more power, less weight, longer lasting.

Thats alot of benefit weather you are a weekend warrior or a "pro"

I think that is true of any tool that you use a lot. That's when to get the best.
rScotty

 

[crazyal]

I have a Husky 357XP that I used for years with a 20" bar and really like the saw. The internet says 12lbs and 4.4hp. I was always worried about getting a larger saw and hating the extra weight/ bulk when I'm deep in the woods trying to selectively pick the trees that aren't healthy for firewood. I few years ago I stepped up and got a new Dolmar 7900. It's 13.6lbs 6.3hp. I don't know Stihl models but I think you can do the cross reference. I really do notice the extra weight of the Dolmar and with it's 24" bar the extra bulk is also there. Being 20 years younger I suspect that at 70 I may feel differently but what I can say is the extra weight is offset but how much easier the cutting is. My plan was, like you are thinking, to just break out the 7900 when the 357xp just is too small. That's not the case. The 7900 cuts so fast and once the saw is on the log the weight and bulk aren't an issue. I usually just use the 7900 now. The longer bar means not bending over to limb (my back thanks me).

My advice is probably like most here, step up far enough in HP to notice it, I think the 70cc to 80cc class of saw is a nice place to be for most people who are looking for lots of power but not a monster. If they are testing the 462 up in Alaska it sounds like it's probably going through the EPA right now. That could mean days or a year before they get approval.

 

[4570Man]

Where can you buy a 6.5 hp 7900? The biggest new dolmar saw I can find is 5.7 hp. Has the epa ruined them that bad?

 

[motownbrowne]

Where can you buy a 6.5 hp 7900? The biggest new dolmar saw I can find is 5.7 hp. Has the epa ruined them that bad?

IIRC, the 7910 is pretty much the same saw. I think the piston is actually a little lighter, which is a good thing. My memory is that they really stuffed up the muffler, which is why the HP rating is so low. Also, they lowered the max RPM with the new coil. Both of those are fairly easy fixes. So, no, you can't walk into a dealership and buy a 6+ HP dollar, but if you want, you can make one pretty easily.

 

[4570Man]

So claiming a 7910 is significantly more powerful than a 372XP is false. I’m betting Husqvarna isn’t immune to the EPA either and you could get more power out of it.

 

[motownbrowne]

So claiming a 7910 is significantly more powerful than a 372XP is false. I’m betting Husqvarna isn’t immune to the EPA either and you could get more power out of it.

I'm not sure if anyone claimed the new 7910 is more powerful. It is more powerful at 5.7 vs 5.3 HP, but not by that much. Seriously, those are both great saws. I know the 372 has gone through several versions as well, OE, XT, XPW, etc. With different power ratings and attitudes. I'd be happy to own either one. Well... I mean I'd be happy to also own a 372. My 7900 with a full wrap is an excellent saw. It starts easy, is super smooth, pulls a 28" bar buried very well, and I paid $450 for it used. Zero complaints about that one.