What next after MS-250?

Been using the MS-250 for 10 years now, bought it when the neighbors said "county don't clear the road" (when storms bring down trees) and they weren't kidding. And use it for "opportunistic" scrounging, where, the opportunity presents itself to back the truck up to the log and its flat on the ground.

I'm in a big pile of storm fall white oak this week, one of those scrounging jobs that remind me why I pay the firewood man. While a great for a home owner saw or the occasional pine tree across the road, I'm finding this saw a bit under powered for a weekend of 30-50" oak. It gets the job done (and yes I'm using a sharp chain and field dressing it) eventually. Maybe I'm impatient, but what's the next step here in terms of torque and horsepower? I want to tell the difference, but I don't want a 1000$ saw either.

 

If I could only keep one saw it would be my MS 361. It's enough saw to buck some decent sized log but not to heavy to limb with above shoulder level for a while. If you're looking for new it would be a ms 362. If I were cutting regularly 30 to 50" oak I would consider my ms 461 to be the minimum saw and it's 1,000 bucks.

 

You're going to have a hard time buying a new chainsaw that will cut and oil the bar through 30"+ oak for less than $1000. You could potentially get a Echo 7310 or makita 7900 and stay below a grand. You could buy a used 70+ cc saw and possibly spend less. Best of luck.

 

"but not to heavy to limb with above shoulder level for a while."
I like that feature!

 

Just seen your location Wingshooter ...didn't realize there was a "west Mansfield...thought Mansfield just morphed into Ontario...

 

I was going to say buy a Makita 7900.

 

I should have clarified: I can get through 30" oak with my 18 going at it from both sides. Don't really carry a tape measure, but I've gotten this 250 thru some pretty big stuff. Pain in the azz, but it gets done. But even on the smaller stuff, I can tell this saw is underpowered.

 

Under $1000 probably a 362. (About $700 or so) and
A 261 is a excellent saw that would pull an 18" (or 20 max) chain all day and is very light. (About $600)
A 462 is an awesome saw but well over the $1000 limit

 

At least it's not like "south Detroit" in that one Journey song, and you'd actually be in a different country.

 

Kinda like me felling and bucking a 15-16" ash with my ms170. It did it, but definitely above its pay grade

 

If you are staying with Stihl instead of an "off" brand the 261 will jump you from 3 hp to 4hp and a huge jump in quality. I have a 260 pro with a 20" bar and love it as a lighter saw. Go with the 362-cm and you have 4.69 hp and pro features. I have one and agree with Wingshooter . I could live with it alone. Really snorts with a 20" bar and can handle a 24" bar for occasional use. In between is the 391 with 4.4 hp, kind of a pro rancher saw. I have one with a 20" bar and use it a lot. I have used it with a 24" bar in a pinch and it did OK but does not have the adjustable oiler that the 362 has. This saw gets passed over by a lot of people but is a great value. I would go with a 391 rather than the 271, 291 and 311 saws if I was going in between the 261 and 362. Drifitingnorthpole Forgot to say welcome aboard! Look forward to lots of good posts!

 

I would meditate on the not wanting a saw over a thousand. If you get up to 700, might as well spend a little more and spend a grand. Three or four hundred more for a 462 will be money well spent. If you don't like a pro saw, it'll sell for more dough. I bought the only 500i in the county a year ago, and because a fella had the pee pee dance for one, I sold it for 2200. I only cut maybe 20 cord with it, and some falling. Not trying to blow the budget for you, but it sounds like you actually need some pro cubic inches.

 

660

 

Thats what im looking at getting myself

 

462 is pretty beastly! Lots of power and very light for 70 cc.

 

I have a 362, 261, and a 250(muffler mod)

I think a 261 18” would be a good step up in your plan as you describe.
Mine pulls a 20” bar with .325 chain but I keep sharp chain on it. The bar saves my back. I scored a great used deal on mine.

Though I like my 362(new), if I had found my 261 first, I’d probably used it as my primary saw and got a 462, 500i, 660 for my big saw instead of the 362. Now I’m patiently(kinda) watching for a bigger saw to play with some milling.
And used the 261 as the go to saw. I plan on doing a muffler mod on it and getting it ported someday.

The 250 rides around on the tractor for those “grab it” times.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

My vote would be for a 261 or a 400, leaning to the latter. The latter being about $900, and, obviously, more powerful. But all the saw most anyone would ever need within reason. I think 36" to 50" white oak is quite demanding and a 400 or more saw is apropos. More being a 462 or a 500 but I think the 400 would suffice because I am cutting a huge scrounge job now with a 400 and a ported 362 and it's nothing but large oak. You will own a pro saw for many, many years, even decades, and I would just buy pro. A 261 is a great saw but if I had to choose and stay under $1k, it would be the 400 with a 20" bar. And get a 25" bar down the road.

 

I keep my 241 on the quad. It's my go to saw and use it about 90% of the time in the woods. The 261 sees bucking duty in the log yard, the 066 only comes out for special occasions. (I do like to get the 066 out and rattle the neighbor's windows just to let them know I'm still alive...)

 

I got lots!