Stihl MS 261 C-M 18" vs 20" Bar

[Johnkn]

As I only use a saw a few times a year, I always perfectly clean and oil the saw, and sharpen the teeth after every use, never know when I might need it in an emergency. Thanks for the tip on the loppers, I might give my current loppers to my son-in-law and pick up the Fiskars for me.

 

[TomSeller]

Done, LOL, purchased a new MS 261C-M with 18" bar, hard case, 9 ply chaps, cut resistant gloves, helmet system, bar oil, pre-mix fuel, files, etc. etc.. Thanks everyone for your help. Long, long overdue (especially on the safety items) , guess I'm getting a bit wiser in my old age.

Congratulations, I really like my MS261. I have a 20" bar for soft wood and it runs it fine in that wood, sits fine too. But for all around your 18" is perfect. By the way, what model was your old saw?

 

[TomSeller]

I was at the hardware store today and checked out the new pro saw MS241 and MS 261. THE 241 is nice and light. But a 3.9 hp the 261 is pretty light. My 361 never tires me out hauling it around i think you'll like the 261.

Curious what you thought of the MS241. I am looking for a live-aboard saw for my tractors when I come across something that needs to be cut, cleared or whatever. Wind fall, etc. My 261 and 441 seem too large and my MS192T too small. I am looking for a 14" bar, maybe 12", but enough power that I don't have to baby it like the 192. Did you run the 241?

 

[xring100]

Curious what you thought of the MS241. I am looking for a live-aboard saw for my tractors when I come across something that needs to be cut, cleared or whatever. Wind fall, etc. My 261 and 441 seem too large and my MS192T too small. I am looking for a 14" bar, maybe 12", but enough power that I don't have to baby it like the 192. Did you run the 241?

It looked like a pretty descent saw i didn't check to see if the oil resivoir was plastic or metal like the other pro saws. Thought of it after i left. It was significantly lighter than the 261 which is not really much lighter than my 361. The 261 is definitely lighther than the 362 which seems to have gained weight with all the new emissions and just enough horsepower to keep the power to weight the same.

I didn't get a chance to run it, i dont know any dealers who demo saws around here.

I've definitely been considering a smaller saw to keep on my tractor as well for getting branches and small trees. The 241 would fill that gap and compliment my existing collection. I really have no interest in farm grade or home owner saws. As they lack power to weight, and one would suspect long term durability.
I think I'm an addict as i would also love to add an MS880 to my collection for no other reason that it would be cool. The 660 takes whatever i cut with ease. I would never ever want to lug an MS880 around.

 

[Johnkn]

Congratulations, I really like my MS261. I have a 20" bar for soft wood and it runs it fine in that wood, sits fine too. But for all around your 18" is perfect. By the way, what model was your old saw?

My old saw is a Sears saw from the early 1970's as I recall. My father bought it from his neighbor 25 years ago in the original (large) metal box, the saw was virtually new at that time, I doubt if it had an hour's time on it. Even had a newspaper from the early 70's in the box under the saw. Not sure who actually built them for Sears at the time. In the last 25 years I've owned it I probably average 1-2 hours run time a year tending to my 2 acres. I put a new replacement 21" bar and chain on it 15 years ago. I clean and oil the saw and sharpen the chain after every use, it's always ready to go. Never had a single problem with it, never fails to start and runs and cuts perfectly. Only problem is that it's getting heavier every year LOL, the handle and fore grip are solid mount not isolated like the new saws. I guess you could say I wanted more than needed a new saw, and buying the new 261 has re-energized me and makes me want to go out and cut something. LOL. Anyone know who built them for Sears at that time? I'll go out tomorrow and see if there are any markings on it. I guess I'll just put it up on the shelf and retire it, pitty, it's never failed me. thanks

Edit, while this is not an actual pic of my old saw, it think it looks just like this (only clean and with new bar, LOL). Found this picture on the internet, appears it's a Sears saw made in ~1970 manufactured by Roper, ~60 cc.. Heck, I'm almost 60 and I've never even heard of Roper ?? But it runs like a champ. I'll take a look at it tomorrow.

 

[TomSeller]

Anyone know who built them for Sears at that time? I'll go out tomorrow and see if there are any markings on it. I guess I'll just put it up on the shelf and retire it, pitty. thanks

I don't know anything about the older Sears saws, but I have an appreciation for the sound of the old time Homelite saws, back when they were serious saws. I still like to hear them run. Not so much to cut them them.

 

[sdef]

I would recommend against the 20" bar -- it makes the saw too nose heavy, and unbalanced (it won't even sit flat on a table with a 20" bar). The saw can pull a 20" bar in softwood, but not in hardwood, so it's of limited use anyhow. It'd stick with 16" or 18" bar. I have all three sizes for my 261, and 18" is the most versatile.

If you really need a 20" bar, I'd step up to a 60cc saw. In that size range, the Husky 562XP is the best option right now.

I have a fairly new 562XP (4.7HP) with 20" bar and it cuts through oak very quickly and easily. An awesome combination for me. I think a 20" bar is perfect for this saw in hardwood.

I Have an old Husqvarna 353 (3.2 HP) that had a 20" bar, which was at the max. of its recommended length and I was never satisfied with it. This is more of a 16" bar saw for limbing or the typical smaller stuff, which I will be using it for now as I have received the necessary 16" bar and four chains (my standard number).

I would think a 3.9 HP saw like the 261 would be in the middle, performance wise, and 18" may be a perfect, all around bar. All depending on what one is cutting.

 

[dgeesaman]

Great saw that runs great with an 18" bar. It can probably handle a 20 but with a sharp chisel chain it will pull 18" at full speed. You'll love that saw.

 

[Johnkn]

Thanks everyone for the help, I'm confident I made the right choice. Hopefully the weather will cooperate this weekend and I'll get to test the MS261 out.

 

[TomSeller]

Anyone run any of the M-tronic Stihls side by side with a Carb Stihl? Same base model of course. Curious how much difference there is.

 

[s219]

Anyone run any of the M-tronic Stihls side by side with a Carb Stihl? Same base model of course. Curious how much difference there is.

Done it with a 441 a couple years ago when the m-tronic model first came out. I can't say I noticed a huge difference, but you'd really need to test across variable weather conditions to really notice. Theoretically, m-tronic is continuously varying the fuel/air mix to be optimum at all times. With a carb saw, that only happens when the weather matches the conditions when the carb was tuned.

 

[94BULLITT]

Curious what you thought of the MS241. I am looking for a live-aboard saw for my tractors when I come across something that needs to be cut, cleared or whatever. Wind fall, etc. My 261 and 441 seem too large and my MS192T too small. I am looking for a 14" bar, maybe 12", but enough power that I don't have to baby it like the 192. Did you run the 241?

Get a MS170 with a 12'' bar. A carb swap and muffler mod really wakes up the MS170. An ignition timing advance helps too.

 

[RDW8932]

I came to this thread for opinions about chain saw bar length. I wanted to decide between the 18" bar and the 20" bar for a Stihl MS 261CM chain saw I wanted to buy. I saw a lot of opinions but no facts. Here are some facts I found: The 261CM head weighs 10.8lbs. I have an older 026 that weighs 10.4lbs at the head. My 026 has an 18" bar and hangs level when held by the upper handle and full of fuel and oil. The dealer had a 261 with a 20" bar and and it hangs level when held by the upper handle (without the fuel and bar oil). This would suggest the 261 should be slightly nose light with shorter bars but would have more power cutting logs at the bar limit because the engine would be pulling fewer cutters through the cut. However, this would also suggest there should be little or no power difference between all bars in the same size log because there would be the same number of cutters in the cut. I purchased the 20" bar for the reach and because most of my trees are softwood between 12" and 20". Any bar that will reach will use almost the same power in the same tree. Hope this helps.

 

[4570Man]

Stihl MS 261 C-M 18" vs 20" Bar

I’ve got an 18” bar on my 353, a 20” bar on the 372 and a 28” for the 372. The 353 only cuts limbs so I like the longer reach and I really don’t think the balance is that bad. The 372 feels good with the 20” bar and I cut a lot of wood that’s that big so it doesn’t really matter how a smaller bar feels. I only run the 28” bar when necessary because it’s like strapping a brick on the end.

 

[Johnkn]

I came to this thread for opinions about chain saw bar length. I wanted to decide between the 18" bar and the 20" bar for a Stihl MS 261CM chain saw I wanted to buy. I saw a lot of opinions but no facts. Here are some facts I found: The 261CM head weighs 10.8lbs. I have an older 026 that weighs 10.4lbs at the head. My 026 has an 18" bar and hangs level when held by the upper handle and full of fuel and oil. The dealer had a 261 with a 20" bar and and it hangs level when held by the upper handle (without the fuel and bar oil). This would suggest the 261 should be slightly nose light with shorter bars but would have more power cutting logs at the bar limit because the engine would be pulling fewer cutters through the cut. However, this would also suggest there should be little or no power difference between all bars in the same size log because there would be the same number of cutters in the cut. I purchased the 20" bar for the reach and because most of my trees are softwood between 12" and 20". Any bar that will reach will use almost the same power in the same tree. Hope this helps.

Really, 3 year old thread and your first post here.... "Nose light"? huh, really? select a bar length and deal with it. its a frickin chainsaw not rocket science.

 

[4570Man]

Really, 3 year old thread and your first post here.... "Nose light"? huh, really? select a bar length and deal with it. its a frickin chainsaw not rocket science.

Agreed. If the debate is between a 18” and 20” flip a coin or something.

 

[RDW8932]

The two points I was trying to make were 1: I found the 20" bar in the Stihl 261CM is not nose heavy, it is perfectly balanced for 20", and 2: the number of cutters in the cut determine how much power is needed, not the bar length. In other words, the size of the tree or log not the bar length determines the power needed. The smaller bars only seem more powerful because they are only making smaller cuts.

 

[motownbrowne]

The two points I was trying to make were 1: I found the 20" bar in the Stihl 261CM is not nose heavy, it is perfectly balanced for 20", and 2: the number of cutters in the cut determine how much power is needed, not the bar length. In other words, the size of the tree or log not the bar length determines the power needed. The smaller bars only seem more powerful because they are only making smaller cuts.

Anyone who thinks that the bar being smaller makes the saw more powerful is kidding themselves. The reason to run a short bar on a small saw like that is weight savings and handling. Also, you just mention 20" bars. There's a big difference between a replaceable sprocket tip bar, a laminated bar, and a reduced weight bar. Also there is a big weight difference across manufacturers, and also weight will vary depending on the pitch.

I have a 261cm version 2 and it's got a 16" .325 bar on it. It's light, powerful (well, it is ported), smooth, and compared to sharpening a 20" .325 bar, it's much less of a PITA. Personally, I'd rather move my feet than work with a longer bar for reach on a saw this size, but that's just me. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I have an 026 (not ported/modified) and I run a 16" and a 18" bar. I can feel power loss ofthe 18" bar, and my thought was always that it is because of the added drag of the chain in the bar. A longer chain and bar has more friction area to overcome by nature, and I feel that my stock 026 just does not have the guts to pull that longer and bar as strongly as it does the 16". With the 16" it feels like a beast. With the 18" I can easily choke out the cut by applying minimal pressure. I run standard green link chains on both, or Forester brand equivalent chains.

 

[s219]

Agree that there are too many variables here with bar size and weight, plus the 261 was updated within the last year or so to lighten it up a bit, and that will change any older opinions (both weight and balance have changed). Finally, the saw needs to be fueled and oiled up to really say for sure. This is not something you decide on paper or in the showroom.