Recommend me a saw

Have a 450 rancher with a 20" bar currently. Works great for everything except when the bar gets pretty close to burried. As long as I keep the chain sharp it does ok in the trunks. Looking to make this my limbing/tops saw and want to buy something that will handle the trunks a lil better. I cut about 3-5 cord a year (just to keep up on the 3 yr plan.) At some point I will probably have log loads delivered and I'm sure there will be some big ones! So thinking a 24" bar would be nice. Cutting mostly red/white oaks and elm with a few softwood trees in the mix.

 

I keep thinking in a similar way. I'd really like a 60-70cc saw for bucking.
Something smaller than the 455 for limbing.
Someone will come along to advise, I'm sure.
One thing I did for mine was go to an 18" skinny b/c. Pulls better than the 20 it came with.

 

For bucking with a 24" bar regularly....I think I'd go directly to at least a 70cc saw. Look along the lines of Husky 372xp, 576xp....Stihl 440, 441, 460, 461.....Jonsered 2171, 2172....Dolmar 7900....I'm sure there are others. I'm not confident most 60cc saws will oil a 24" bar effectively.....and you're pushing the limits on power a bit too. Personally, I'd kind of lean towards the MS460, MS461 or Husky 372xp. JMO

 

I would leave everything in the pantry for old Santa if one of them showed up under my tree.

 

How does the weight of one of those saws compare to the 450-455?
The 455 power to weight seems....not great.

 

I had a 455 rancher from 06 to 09 never liked it, i was running a 24 bar on it to cut pine. Ya thats to much bar even in softwoods. Im currently running a 372 x tork with 24 inch bar its a much faster setup. Even if you go with a pro model 60 cc saw any of those saws will cut lots quicker than the 450-455 husky. Stihl ms362 seems to be popular choice with members on here,and i think those are nice saws. 562 husky is popular also. The 70 to 80 cc class saws are a little heavier than these but more power for bigger bars.

 

I cut allot of firewood with a 455 with a 20 inch bar, purchased a 362C its a much better saw with the same size bar. Makes cutting more enjoyable!! haven't tried a larger bar on it but I'm very pleased. For constantly cutting larger wood 28 inches and up I would go to a 70-90cc saw. JMO. Picking up a 661 this week for the big stuff can never have too much power in big wood. granted the 60cc 362 is used 90 percent of the time for my needs.

 

I just upgraded my main saw and had a simular situation.
I went with a 60cc over a 70cc because of price and 24" is starting to be a real problem to handle. A good 60cc saw will handle a 24 " bar in hard wood fine. Here is a dolmar 6100 noodling in some large oak with a 24" bar
Dolmar ps 6100 noodling like a boss:
I picked the 6100 because I have a really good local dolmar dealer , I feel it is one of the best bang for your buck at $575 , it starts very easy with a very easy pull, and is easy to clean, aND has excellent fuel milage.
Another good cost effective 60cc saw is the echo 590.
Stihl has the 362 which is a great saw but in my are is $200 more than the 6100 and $350 more than the echo 590. If I where to buy a 70 cc saw I would look for a good used one the stihl 441 is an awesome saw but new is like $950.
I would look real close at the size of wood and what the majority will be. A lot of people get talked into buying a saw bigger than needed and end up buying another smaller saw and the original bigger one sits or ends up selling. This is why I think it is a lot easier to find 70cc + saws used than 50cc .
If you could find someone local that will let you try out a few saws that would help. A good dealer will let you run a saw in wood which will help you make a good purchase. Take a small log of some of the wood you will be cutting and test it out. Hope this is helpful and keep us posted.

 

My 362 will run and oil a 24 OK for occasional use...but I would go 70 Cc plus if you want it to be your primary bucking saw in wood over 28". I run a 20" 99% of the time and over buck the back of the cut and can handle some pretty big logs that way.

 

There is a guy I know through online only selling a 461 on CRS for $600. Only like a month or so old used for homeowner uses for a few tanks he said.

 

That could be a good deal. I wonder why he is selling the before it is even broke in.
But that kinda supports my opinion that it is easier to pickup a great 70cc+ saw used than smaller saws. A 461 would buck up anything you want and then some.

 

An early 044 is only a few ounces heavier than a 455. The later 044's and MS440's are maybe 3/4# heavier (than the 455).

My 044 is overkill with a 20" bar, right at home with 24", and doesn't complain about 28". That's the longest bar I've got to try on it.

 

Lots of good advice above, but I'll throw in my $0.02 as well. If you're looking for a go-to saw for firewood cutting I would advise you buy based on what you cut most of the time, not for what you cut occasionally. If a 20" bar is going to get you by for the majority of what you cut, but you'd like to be able to run a 24" from time-to-time I'd say go for the 60cc class. I don't know the comparable models well enough from the other top brands, but from a Stihl standpoint I'd say get yourself an MS361 or MS362 with a 20" bar and then keep a 24" bar ready for swap when the need arises. If you're cutting <20" wood most of the time there's really no logic in buying a bigger/heavier saw yielding a 24" bar just for those few times it's needed.

It's all about where your priorities are. Also, there are other things to consider; are you looking to get a new saw, or used? Are you partial to any given brand?

 

I'd say definetly keep the 450 . I know its not a "pro" saw.....but its a good one in my opinion. Better with a good 16" set-up !
Been alot of good comments on here. I personally...would not do the Echo 590.....its a great 20" saw.....but I would never throw a 24" on it.(personal experience lol ! But a darn good Firewood saw....best new saw bang for the buck )
Also..new...used ?
New..idk...I like the old Husky saws better. Cheaper to buy..parts are all over. I'm talking 266se/xp....268xp...272xp..181se...288xp ! I also hear great things about Husky 372xp...Stihl 044/440.
I hate carrying around extra weight....so I go 50cc and down for my normal cutting. I try my hardest to avoid any wood that requires anything bigger ! But I have a 266se.....and hope to have something older and bigger on the shelf for the "rare " bigger tree ! I'd go used Husqvarna any day over new.....just because I grew up around them...and familiar with them !
Hey...good luck with your choice

P.S..a pic of the 242 and 266 !

 

Another vote for a 70 cc saw. Pick your favorite color- I will have a Stihl 461 one day!

 

I'm not a Stihl guy..but I'd have one of them too lol !

 

I wouldn't complain about a 70 cc Husky (372?) either!

 

Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions! I'm definitely toying with the idea of a 60cc, new or used I don't know yet. Been watching the CL for one but havent seen anything that isn't roached up. I will most definitely drop the 450 to an 18" or even 16". I hope to find something with a 24" and will swap it down to a 20" or vice versa. Only using the 24" when its really needed. Pro or non pro is another undecided factor. Little less weight and a little more pull is definitely a plus! Depends on the price gap really. At least I have an idea of some models to keep an eye out for.