MS361 vs. 460... which to keep?

This is probably unanswerable. Also, I'm pretty much done cutting for the season so there's no immediate import, and half the wood I scrounge is cut for me by tree services anyhow. So of course I have to worry this decision to death, and hoped the community here could help with that.

I'm trying not to let my chainsaw habit bite too deeply into the household budget or storage space. To that end, I intend to regard no more than 3 saws at a time as "keepers;" the rest I'll fix up and sell off as time permits. The smaller saws are pretty well settled; I have a rear-handle 192 that's great for small stuff, and a Husky 350 that I recently rebuilt with a 353 piston. But, I can't decide which of the larger saws to keep. I have a 361 and a 460, each of which I brought back from the dead in one way or another. Both are fully functional but compromised in ways that would cut into their resale value. The 361's muffler is aftermarket, the cylinder's got a spark plug insert and the muffler bolt holes on the cylinder have been tapped out to M6 because the original M5 threads were stripped out. Also the previous owner managed to bang a hole in the magnesium under the flywheel; that's neatly patched with an aluminum plate. The 461 is cosmetically more scuffed up and has a Bailey's big-bore top end instead of stock.

The 361 is lighter and quieter (good in my neighborhood), but it's heavier than the Husky and overlaps its function somewhat. The 460 is, well, a 460. It's heavier, louder and more powerful. If I keep the 460, it may not get used very often. If I keep the 361, either it or the 350 may start to seem superfluous. What would you do?

 

I'd keep the 460. Like you said the 361 somewhat overlaps the Husky 350 somewhat.

That way you'll have all bases covered. 192 for small stuff/limbing,350 for most firewood cutting & the 460 for all the occasional big stuff that laughs at the other smaller saws.

30-32 cc,50 cc,76 cc sounds like a perfect balance to me.

 

You kinda answered your own question. The 460 is the keeper.

 

Tough choice . But having said that , I'd keep the 460 .

 

Keep the 460 ​

 

Et tu, HoneyFuzz? The bigger one? I didn't expect it to be quite so unanimous.

 

Logically that makes sense, but I'm too attached to the 350 to consider selling it. I coveted these big saws, and they really are great tools, but now that I've owned several they feel easy come - easy go.

 

In some quarters the 460 would not be considered a big saw.

 

Maybe so, but I'd rather not lift a round from any tree big enough to require a larger saw.

 

I s'pose I haven't had real fun until I've spent quality time with an 090?

 

Lee has all the cool stuff...

 

Sound advice all around, but my own personal opinion on saws (and how many to own) has evolved a bit in the last few years. Thistle and others are probably right, but I'd keep both. My entire family burns wood so there's always an option of storing the 361 in the Uncle's barn as needed. Do you have a cottage/cabin that needs a saw hanging around just in case? Your spare 361 could be a good lender saw to that annoying buddy most guys have haha.
Having said that (David, Larry), do what feels right which is probably what Thistle said haha.

 

460

 

I'd find an oem cylinder for the 460 and maybe get it ported while you're at it. Sell the 361 and go on. A 046/460 mutt is my smallest saw and ported.