Guys, I am considering a new saw to replace the old 026. Pretty much settled on a new MS261 but undecided on which bar she should wear. This saw will be used for cutting tops and smaller stuff so I think a 16" bar is perfect. Can't decide on .325 or 3/8....any suggestions?
With that 026 you probably have some .325 chains. I would stick with that just to save having a bunch of different specs on my chain.
That is how I ended up with 3/8" on my 260-I had a few chains already and a couple dozen 7/32" files.
I have 2 50cc saws. Both .325, one 16", one 18"; the extra length is nice when limbing, don't have to bend over as much and have a little more reach. Either length bar will be fine though.
I prefer a shorter bar for my limbing saw, my 550xp has a 13incher on it! But of course a 16" is a very common length for 50cc saws. I'm not sure you'd notice a real world difference between .325 and .375 chain. The .325 may be slightly smoother for limbing, and the .375 may be slightly faster for bucking, but in reality the only difference most people would know is the size of file they need to sharpen.
I added a MS261 with 16" bar to the family in early spring. It's really great for all kinds of cutting. I highly recommend them. After cutting a few tanks in the MS261, it still feels good to crank up the 044 to finish the bigger bucking. The MS261 runs a long time per tank.
I think a 16" bar is perfect on that saw. The only reason I would run 3/8 is if I had a spool and spun my own. You already have .325, so use it. I haven't used mine a whole lot, but enough to know I love m-tronic. It's a real pleasure to run.
