Best chain saw

[check 6]

More reading and more asking questions and looking seriously at what I do and my age have led me to this decision. First, this was all started as I jumped a chain on my ECHO CS 400 with 18 in bar pushing it too hard and possibly binding it. So I go looking for a bigger saw. Here is where my age and ailing back comes in, I do want more power but not a saw so heavy that it would be tiring and or stressful on an already bad lower back. First, I am changing out the bar on my CS 400 from an 18" bar to a 16" bar thus adding slightly more power to the saw. Second I decided that 50 CC would be a nice complement to my 40cc CS 400 adding more power and still basically an 11 lb saw. My dealer tried to find me a Stihl MS 260 p;ro but they are all gone. I will check with him Monday about what deal he can make on the replacement the MS 261. He has a MS 260 (not the pro) in stock and also a ECHO CS 530 both discontinued saws. Depending on the price of the MS 261 I will see what discount he will make on either the CS 530 or the MS 260, either one with and 18" bar . Either should give me a stable of saws to handle all my needs. A bigger saw would be nice but all things considered probably not needed. Comments and thanks to those that have offered suggestions during this process.

 

[Storm56]

I have 2 Echo saws in my stable, both of them you mention. The 530 and the 600P. Both are very good. The 530 is an exceptionally nice saw to use, very light and capable. If you have a bad back it would be a dandy. The 600P is of course larger and heavier, easily the equal of my stihl 360 pro.

I at one time was a staunch supporter of stihl saws. That has changed and now I buy Husky, Dolmar/Makita or Echo saws. And I have No regrets.

That 530 Echo with a basic muffler mod and properly tuned is a little screamer! And a peach to handle to boot!

 

[stihlman]

The best chainsaw is one that starts and runs and has a sharp chain! Seriously go with the one that has a good dealer close to where you live. I have several Stihl saws and like them, the flippy cap issue has been fixed with the newer saws. The main issue with the older caps was the material in the o ring would swell and make the cap hard to operate. If you have a problem with one take to your Stihl dealer along with the serial number of the piece of equipment and they should replace it as there has been a recall on some of the older caps.

Steve

 

[LD1]

I have several Stihl saws and like them,

Steve

I like Dolmars

That's a nice collection of saws you have there though.

 

[rdneckbota]

Just like tractors there are different saws for different applications, I have a small stihl ms170 with 16" bar for small projects, great saw for the money, I also have a Husky 371xp with a 20" bar and skip tooth chain for firewood and bigger projects, good size saw with lots of power!

 

[stihlman]

I like Dolmars

That's a nice collection of saws you have there though.

Thanks LD1, I really enjoy using them. I would really like to use a 7900 sometime but unfortunately there are no real dealers close to me

Steve

 

[LD1]

Thanks LD1, I really enjoy using them. I would really like to use a 7900 sometime but unfortunately there are no real dealers close to me

Steve

You really dont know what you are missing.

In wood 20" and smaller, it is just as quick as my buddies 660. And much lighter.

It is a absolute beast to run. I dont know how it compares to a 441 in the real world, because I havent got my hands on one, but it will eat the 044 and 046mag everyday in anysize wood.

I might get me an 066/660 one of these days and dress it with a 36" bar.:thumbsup: Its not too often we get into stuff that big, but when we do, a big saw would be nice.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have 2 Echo saws in my stable, both of them you mention. The 530 and the 600P. Both are very good. The 530 is an exceptionally nice saw to use, very light and capable. If you have a bad back it would be a dandy. The 600P is of course larger and heavier, easily the equal of my stihl 360 pro.

I at one time was a staunch supporter of stihl saws. That has changed and now I buy Husky, Dolmar/Makita or Echo saws. And I have No regrets.

That 530 Echo with a basic muffler mod and properly tuned is a little screamer! And a peach to handle to boot!

Funny, I am the opposite. I ran Huskies for 30 years, but after losing the crank prematurely in my 346 & my brush saw, I now own an Echo 520 and a small Stihl 0180 for brush work.
The Echo was comaprable to my 346 but $200 less, has already lasted twice as long and is still under warrantee.
The only thing I don't like is the paper air filter, but that's a pretty minor complaint. I bought the Stihl used from the dealer, I like it when it's running but it seems to have a clogged gas vent.

Like tractors though, a good dealer is the deal maker when buying a saw

 

[stihlman]

You really dont know what you are missing.

In wood 20" and smaller, it is just as quick as my buddies 660. And much lighter.

It is a absolute beast to run. I dont know how it compares to a 441 in the real world, because I havent got my hands on one, but it will eat the 044 and 046mag everyday in anysize wood.

I might get me an 066/660 one of these days and dress it with a 36" bar.:thumbsup: Its not too often we get into stuff that big, but when we do, a big saw would be nice.

Well there is a good reason the 7900 has more power than a 441 or a 460, it has a bigger engine. The 7900 is 4.8 ci and 6.3 hp according to Dolmar specs. The new MS441 CM is 4.3 ci and 5.6 hp; the 460 is 4.7 ci and 6.0 hp so the 7900 should cut faster. As to it cutting faster than a 660, I am sure it does in small wood as my 441 will cut as fast or faster than my 660 in smaller wood as long as both are using 7 pin sprockets. In big wood with the 36" bar buried, the 660 really shines and shows it's stuff. I am just a firewood cutter and I like to drop and work up big trees, 40+" diameter, so the 660 comes in handy

Steve

 

[LD1]

I am just a firewood cutter and I like to drop and work up big trees
Steve

Thats all I am too brother:thumbsup:

I was comparing the 7900 to the 441 and 460 because you mention you have not ran the 7900. And I assume you have ran them stihls. And they are the closest in size.

But a bigger engine doesnt always mean more power and faster cutting.

IMO, the 290 is a turd. And there are a lot of smaller saws that are faster. Dolmar 5100/5105, 346xp, ms260, etc.

In the chainsaw world, it is very rare that MFG,s have exactally the same sized engines in their saws. There always was and always will be a few cc's difference. All we can do is compare the ones that are close.

I didnt mean anything negative about the 441/460/660 in my post by comparing it to the 7900. You just mentioned that you would like to run a 7900, and I was trying to give you an idea where it stacked up against the saws you have ran. I have ran the 044, 046, and a 660. But not the newer 441 yet. And my post is how I feel it compares to those models.