I’ve never used a pro grade saw. I have a husky rancher 450. If I made the leap to pro grade, what would be the general differences I’d notice?
More power, tend to be lighter, easier to work on, last longer. I started with the 455 and did like the saw, but once I got the used 365 special it didn't used much so sold it. Did I say more power?
I am asking myself the same thing right now. From what I have heard, pro saws are meant to run day in and day out. Like cutting 4+ hours a day. Personally, I just can't see myself paying a couple hundred bucks more for a saw that will not be used much. I mean I like cutting up wood, don't get me wrong, but I don't do it all that much. The saw I'm looking at buying is the Stihl MS 311 with a 20" bar. It's a couple steps up from the "Farm Boss". The "pro" version of this is the MS 362, and it has about 1/2 horsepower more and about a pound and a half lighter than the MS 311. But virtually they are the same saw. I'm pretty sure I'm going with the 311. And I am definitely looking forward to see what the other guys say too.
See if there is dealer that will let you demo 550xp. Since you run a 450, that should let you learn the delta, even if your 450 has some hours. And leave your money at home.
More power, better balance, lighter. I have to be honest, I have very little experience with anything besides pro saws. First saw that I really used a lot was a Pro MAC 850. Kind of spoiled me!
Just as well take your money with you to save a trip back to the house to get $$$$, then drive back to the dealer
The top saw is a 390xp with 36" bar and it would be considered a professional saw. I use it if I'm going to encounter any wood over 24" diam. It could be run with a 20" inch bar. The middle saw is a 562XP with a 24" bar. It would also be considered a professional saw with good power to weight ratio. I use it for most of my bucking even down to 6". I like the longer bar so I don't have to bend over and it is safer in kick back situations. The bottom saw is a 439 with a 16"bar. It is a play toy I use for limbing and cutting the hair on rounds that will not fall apart after being split. The 562 xp in some nice rounds with the 24" bar. I use skip tooth chain so the saw does not bog down with the longer bar.
I'm in the pro saw camp as well. Brand is not as important, but weight & power matter. You mentioned an MS 311. I would drop the coin on an MS 261 & not look back. Lighter, faster = less fatigue & more productivity.
I believe a pro saw will pay for itself in benefits over the years. Unless of course you drop a tree on it or run over it with your truck/tractor. A pro saw won’t stand up to those any better you’ll just cry a little longer.
Pro saws will have much better resale value. The pain of the extra bucks will soon be forgotten but the satisfaction is with you for many years.
Minority opinion on this thread, but I haven't seen my way to spending significantly more $$$ for the pro saws when only cutting a few cords of firewood a year. Yet.
Pro saws will more than likely have more features like adjustable oiler,better anti-vibe,more power than a home owner saw. Probably not worth it if your only cutting 5-6 cords a year.
The pro model saws tend to have better air filters also. As said above you don't need a "pro" saw to cut a few cords of wood each year. And especially if your cutting small or medium sized trees,say 24 and smaller. However the for cutting large trees where bar length needs to be 32 or greater, a large displacement pro model saw just makes the job soooo much easier.
They look the same but there are no parts that interchange. Pro saws are magnesium cases with plastic covers. Home and ranch saws are plastic frames. And aren't generally considered rebuildable.
I'd look really hard at a ms261 10.8#($600) or ms362 12.3#($769). Ms311 13.6# is $510 , but only .2hp more than the 261. 20-50% more money, but usually worth the extra in weight savings alone. Check out the stihl chainsaw comparison chart on their site.
Find yourself a good 272xp . Won't weigh much more than the saw you got but will be a lot more power . Mine has been with me since 1997 , bought it new and has hardly cost anything but gas and oil to run it . Carb clean twice and a couple of plugs is all it has needed in 23 years . Mine wears a 20" or 24" Husqvarna bar and 3/8 .050 Stihl RS on the 20" and m 3/8 .050 skip on the 24" . My new favorite 50cc is the Stihl MS261 C-M , bought one and liked it enough that I bought a second one . My dealer gets $575 for the 16" and $ 599 on the 20" . I have 16"- 20" and use the 18" on the first saw and keep a 20" on the second one I bought . .325 .063 RS chains on both . I think the pro saws are worth every dime you spend on them over the lower grade saws if you use a saw a lot . If you only use one two or three times a year for a few hours at a time maybe not . Me , I'd still go with the pro saw cause they just feel better in my hands than the cheap saws .
I just picked one up to resell... Go to the specs page and compare horsepower of same cc saws. I started with a 450 and after hard use, realized it wasn’t what I demanded from a chainsaw. Sold it and bought a new 357xp. Couldn’t be happier. As mentioned, you typically get more power and lighter weight in a smaller package with better handling. It all adds up after a couple hours of use. Get yourself to a full line Husky dealer(since you already picked the best brand once) and check out the 550, 562 and even a 555. I like XP’s but the triple nickel is a full mag case just like the pro line. If you don’t mind used, the 3 series XP saws are my fav and can be had for a little less sting over a new model.
