460 for sale but is 38 inch bar required?

As has been said the friction is negligible. because of the directional change being the same for both bars and only the "straight away" distance changing not much of a difference in cutting speed exists. A little puttering around with a stroboscope tachometer will make a believer out of you.
This is not to say that you won't notice subtle changes in acceleration/deceleration and other effects of inertia on handling.

 

I definitely wouldn't run a38" bar on that....as these guys have stated, it won't oil it, unless you get the HO oiler....I don't honestly think a stock 460/461 would oil a 32" good enough....

 

I have two MS 460's. One runs a 20" bar the other a 24" bar. That is all that is needed for 90% of the trees around here.

 

I would like to make it clear that I have not given any input on the best bar for the saw in question. I have never run a 460.
Not saying that I wouldn't mind though..

 

I've run a 34" on 46s a lot. Idling and felling. HO oiler does fine on it. Oils about like a 660 does with the same bar. Kickback with a 20" is way faster and violent than with a 32".

 

I just do not want the extra weight if I do not have to and I think what I have is actually a 25" bar. Kick back is not good no matter what bar is used so I try not to get complacent when using any saw.

 

My 28 and 34 are lightweight. 28 weighs about what a 20 and the 34 a 25".

 

That is some nice bars you have there. My junk is the standard Stihls bars that come with the saws.

 

Stihl has some new 20 and 25 light weight bars. A little over $100 for them. My longer ones are Oregon reduced weights.

 

I probably have 50 bars so I will keep using what I have but If the weight becomes an issue and I need a long bar then I might consider spending the money for something good. I am still getting by.

 

More cutters= more friction. You can go skip tooth chain to mitigate that effect.
There's the handling thing as well. Gyroscopic effects as spinning things are further away from the fulcrum. That longer bar is also a lever if you allow the running chain to contact stuff in the kickback zone.

 

Yes key word here is have the a HO oiler for the 32" plus bar....

Let me ask you, are you burying the 34" bar in hardwood....Just curious...

 

A simple rule to follow is one inch of bar per 3cc... so a 77cc = 25".

If a 460 won't pull a 28" bar, then there is something wrong with it.

Exactly. A 28" ES light feels just like a 20" ES... I'd rather have a little too long of bar, than one that's a little too short.

 

Yes. HO oiler or modded one.

Yep. Used it a lot even milling on the 46s with the mill maxed out at 27" wide cuts. These were all ported but I have run 32" full comp on stock ones and even 32" 404 skip on stock 044s some.

 

I have a bunch but I'm going to see if my dealer will cut me a break on 2 25" this week. Want me to see if he will do better on 3?

 

That is nice of you to ask Mike. Sure I will take you up on that.

 

He usually helps me out on price. If I get 3 he may get all the way down to cost.

 

I do have some longer bars here they are for my 2100 and Poulan 505's. So I just take the bar and saw for what the job calls for.

 

Yup, all is true. All I said was that contrary to popular belief changing bar length has no effect on cutting speed.