MS 461 is so purdy

Just priced the saw: $1210.00 and $1250.00 with the wrap handle. (Both with 25 inch bars) The 661 cm is about $160.00 more than the 441 I was looking at.
I'm going to study it a little more and when I can see a little further, I'm going to jump.

 

My MS461 "Doing work." Felling and stumping.

 

Get the 362 ported and will be able to run a 20 on it through anything at a good clip, it will be nice and light and only cost around a quarter of a new 461 or 661. IMO it doesn't seem like running a 20 on a 661 is taking advantage of what the saw was built to do which is running longer bars requiring lots of torque. A stock 461 with a 20 will probably cut just as fast as a 661 with a 20 and weigh and cost a bit less and you get the manual carb. Just my 2 cents.

 

I forgot to say you could run an 8 tooth sprocket to take advantage of the 661's torque with a smaller bar or go crazy and give a 9 pin a shot.

 

I had a chance to use my friends 461 a couple of months ago it's a good saw and I prefer the traditional carburettor.
Here is a picture of it next to my dual port 460.


I have a 660 dual port with 20" bar and 8 pin sprocket pulling full comp full chisel chain. It's a lot of fun!
And the sound, oh that beautiful sound.



So my experience is that in Aussie hard wood my 365 Husqvarna and Stihl 460 are real close until you get up to about 10-12" diameter then the 460 starts to shine when you start in to 18" or bigger it's 660 time!

When I use my 30" bar on the 660 I put the 7 pin sprocket back on.


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LodgedTree , I think a lot of people over-bar their saws too..........All my saws have traditional carburetors leoht , I prefer the traditional carburetor also.......I only use my 660 for milling...... The 460 or 461 with a 20" or 25" bar is all I need and 7 saws right?

 

Bert you have 6 saws more than I do (not counting junk saws for parts). That would probably surprise people; I only run one saw. Felling, limbing, bucking...even cutting on the landing...just my good ole MS 461.

 

If I only had to pull a 20" a 661 would be overkill, for that matter a 461 is more than you need. If 20" is the most you need go with a 362. If you need 25"-32" occasionally go with a 461. If you need 25"-32" frequently get the 661. I've cut some 30" stumps and bucked some 30" with my 461, but wouldn't want to do it all day. If you need 32" frequently, or just like the extra power get the 661!

 

I really like the 461 and it would give me 1.5 more HP over my 362. The thing that gets to me though is that the 661 only costs about 150 more. Is a 661, or, for that matter, a 461 more saw than I need? Maybe. I had a friend many years ago that always carried a pistol concealed in the small of his back. His reason for doing so was "I'd rather be caught with in than without it." I don't always need a big saw, but when I do, I will want it then and not the next day.
Hell, I just like chainsaws and I want a bigger one than I have now. I know 99% of you probably feel the same way. The 461 is a sweet looking machine.

 

In this case, it souns like either saw would work for you. Boils down to lighter with standard carb vs heavier with m tronic. Of course there is a 3rd option... the so-called "west coast" MS461. It has a high output oiler, bigger cluch cover and full wrap handle.

 

I wasnt aware these were available with a full. I had several with a 3/4 and they never felt right using it pto side up.

 

The carb to me is the biggest selling point of the MS461. Maybe I am old school, but I can tune a carb, and I can blow out sawdust of an air filter, I saw nothing that M-tronic that could do for me that I was already not capable of.

 

They only offer it with 3/4

 

Good choice....... If I could only have one saw it would be a 460 or a 461.

 

But but I read it on the internets.

 

The STIHL MS 461 chainsaw was made for tough cutting jobs and long workdays. This professional-grade saw is up to 20% more fuel-efficient than the MS 460 STIHL MAGNUM®, but delivers every ounce of the power. Now you can spend more time cutting and less time (and money) on re-fueling. It’s ideal for all-around professional forestry and tree care projects, including felling, limbing and bucking of larger diameter trees. And with all that extra cutting, we made sure the MS 461 features our heavy-duty HD-2 filter technology for longer run times between air filter maintenance. This is the saw you need to cut down the hassles of cutting.
MS 461 R
Fuel efficient and low maintenance, now with a wrap-around handle (R).

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The STIHL MS 461 R chainsaw was made for tough cutting jobs and long workdays. This professional-grade saw is up to 20% more fuel-efficient than the MS 460 STIHL MAGNUM®, but delivers every ounce of the power. Its (R) designation indicates that this saw features a wrap-around handle. The wrap handle allows the chainsaw to be used in multiple positions for felling or limbing with hands in the proper positions. The MS 461 R also features our heavy-duty HD-2 filter technology for longer run times between air filter maintenance.





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Ah hah! The nitpicker's club has shown up. I was actually thinking of correcting my post from "full" to "3/4" but honestly, I just didn't want to wast the time correcting it. Now I have to type this response. FWIW, I have a standard MS461 but I did change the plunger in the oiler to the high-out version. It pulls 36RSC105 on a 32" bar buried in oak.

 

P.S. I prefer the standard wrap bar for stumping. Your mileage may vary.

 

Ditto.
Most people don't need more than a 50-60cc 20 inch bar. Imo most could get away with a Paulan pro and a 16".
Size, type of wood and frequency of use should dictate a "need" anything bigger is fun/bragging.

I think for a serious firewood cutter doing moderate hardwood 20+ inch in diameter a 70+cc saw is a nice thing to have, but not necessary.
I cut gobs of wood (some 40inch diameter maple beech30" and oak30")with a 290 20 inch bar for years.

 

The interesting thing about these new saws is, in physical size they are not all that much bigger. Heavier yes, and if you know the numbers, know what each one is capable of, but at the end of the month I'll be going to a firewood cutting Bee where 50 guys will knock down 80 cord of wood in 2.5 days. Because my bar is 18", they scoff at it though any of them could try it, instead they slog all day with under-powered saws with bigger bars. My saw is probably one of the biggest saws there and yet goes unused. Too bad; if they just tried it, they probably would not put it down.