Stihl recommendations

[Hay Dude]

I just dropped 75-80 24”-36” diameter trees with a Stihl 261C and 20” bar. Cut them to lengths and bucked them all, too. The guy helping me had a Stihl 362 & 20” bar and it didn’t seem to do any better. He liked mine better because it was lighter.
The 261C did an excellent job.

 

[chander]

I just dropped 75-80 24”-36” diameter trees with a Stihl 261C and 20” bar. Cut them to lengths and bucked them all, too. The guy helping me had a Stihl 362 & 20” bar and it didn’t seem to do any better. He liked mine better because it was lighter.
The 261C did an excellent job.

View attachment 821897

Pine?

 

[yomax4]

My cutting buddy has a new 362 and would rather cut with my muff modded 361. Mine with a 20" cuts at least as fast as his with an 18".

 

[Hay Dude]

Pine?

Yes, but some Cherry & Poplar, too. Really didn’t make much difference.

 

[stumblinhorse]

My 261c is more saw than I could ever use. I only cut 10 cords a year for myself. To me it is about how truly hard you‘re gonna run it. I can’t imagine anyone that could use more saw for personal use than a 261c. If you cut everyday all day for money, sure. But for my 10 cords annually it does amazing. By the time my back gets used to cutting wood for 3 weeks, I am usually finished! So I like the weigh to power.

 

[4570Man]

My 261c is more saw than I could ever use. I only cut 10 cords a year for myself. To me it is about how truly hard you‘re gonna run it. I can’t imagine anyone that could use more saw for personal use than a 261c. If you cut everyday all day for money, sure. But for my 10 cords annually it does amazing. By the time my back gets used to cutting wood for 3 weeks, I am usually finished! So I like the weigh to power.

If you’re dragging a saw through the woods weighs matters but if you’re bucking up firewood rounds a bigger saw is easier to use than a smaller one.

 

[Skeans1]

I personally own and run both falling timber the 462 reminds me a lot of the first generation Husqvarna 562’s that run good with up to 28’s sometimes 32’s. That 500 is completely different animal in that if you don’t have a long enough bar with an aggressive enough chain on it, it’ll four stroke in the cut. Some complaints about it are the suspension on it was too soft for the 36 I normally run on it all the time and the air filter sucks on the 500.

air cleaner after a few trees without the outerwear it’s plugged up with bark, it’s not uncommon for falling saw here to have some fine run through it.

 

[ruffdog]

I am looking for feedback on 362, 462, or 500. I will be using a 25" bar or possibly a larger second bar?

Using it for dropping oak and pine varying from 8" to 30". Then using saw for bucking and firewood.

Currently using 250 and 291, that is not enough for the bigger jobs but will still be utilized.

I am not opposed to the older models if I can locate a reasonable saw.

If your big wood is only 30", why do you need a 25"+ bar? I cut a bunch of White Oak that size this year with my 361 and 20" bar. If your chain and bar are in good shape, you can easily match the cuts with a shorter bar. If you don't need a long bar, a shorter one is easier to handle all day and quicker to sharpen. There was no reason for me to get the 460 out of storage for the wood I cut. Now, if the job had a strict time limit on it, the big saws come out.

 

[Snobdds]

I use the right saw for the right situation. I have Stihl, Husqvarna, and Mcculloch saws that I use depending of the situation.

I love running my MS151 to limb up a spruce or pine. I love my 272, or 361 to block up pine logs.

If I'm cutting cottonwood, I'm using my 461, 2100, 090, or SP125 to block up the logs. They are big heavy powerful saws, but once they are in the wood, you don't feel the weight.

The 260 rides in the truck all the time incase a tree falls in the road.

If you notice, none of my saws are Mtronic or Autotune. I tune my stuff with a small screwdriver. I buy old saws that are simple and easy to fix.

 

[xyz123]

I personally own and run both falling timber the 462 reminds me a lot of the first generation Husqvarna 562’s that run good with up to 28’s sometimes 32’s. That 500 is completely different animal in that if you don’t have a long enough bar with an aggressive enough chain on it, it’ll four stroke in the cut. Some complaints about it are the suspension on it was too soft for the 36 I normally run on it all the time and the air filter sucks on the 500.View attachment 822273View attachment 822274air cleaner after a few trees without the outerwear it’s plugged up with bark, it’s not uncommon for falling saw here to have some fine run through it.

Jason's filter set up can be used with stock covers. UNI and oiled. Air Filter Kit (Stihl 500 & 661)