# Most Under Rated Chainsaw



## wkpoor (Apr 26, 2012)

I rarely have heard anything on this forum about what I consider the most under rated over looked power house of a chainsaw on the market. The Dolmar 7900.  Has less weight and more power than Stihl 460 at least on paper. The weight thing was debunked a few years back on AS as actual real world weights do vary from published but the 7900 just blows the competition away for about a 100.00 less price. Also I have run and tested right out of the box the 660, 395, 681, and 7900. The Solo 681 I put aside for now because hands down there is no equal (and its no longer available in the states). But the 7900 beat both the 395 and 660 with all 3 wearing 28" bars. On June 2nd I hope to continue checking these saws against one another.


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## DexterDay (Apr 26, 2012)

Here is my Subscription to this thread! !!

Seems to be a good one.

I think the 036/360/361/362 is prob the Best All Around Saw out there. 

Hoping to make it to the GTG and see some if the saws you mention. Especially the Solo....


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## MasterMech (Apr 27, 2012)

Dolmars in general are pretty underrated.  They need dealers and support to change that.  MS460 didn't get the reputation it has by being overrated tho.


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## jeff_t (Apr 27, 2012)

I'm completely satisfied with mine. It started out as a 6400, until I burned a piston, so I can't comment on the economics. It does run tho. The 28" bar is just perfect, but it no doubt would do fine with 36". I've been running my HD 6401 a lot, hoping to wear it out, but since it had a new top end when I got it, it's gonna be 64cc for a while. The best $200 chainsaw ever.

On another note, a local dealer says the 7900 is currently unavailable, due to EPA regs. He said dealers were stashing 79cc cylinder kits. He will make a 7900 if a customer wants one.


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## ScotO (Apr 27, 2012)

Dealer support is probably the main reason you don't hear alot more about the Dolmar and Makita in our area.  You put some support in this area, you'd see a lot more of them sold.  That said, I'm a vintage Stihl guy myself......


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## wkpoor (Apr 27, 2012)

> [On another note, a local dealer says the 7900 is currently unavailable, due to EPA regs. He said dealers were stashing 79cc cylinder kits. He will make a 7900 if a customer wants one.


I was just at my Dolmar dealer yesterday and we talked 7900. No mention he could not get one. I did hear through another channel though that they were suffering the same fate as Solo


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## wkpoor (Apr 27, 2012)

Kevin with Chainsawrepair just told me if you actually order a 7900 it will come in as a 7910.


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## smokinj (Apr 27, 2012)

Everyone wants to measure up there saw against the 460,660,395 and so on.....Good enough for me, I already have more saw than I need in a 460. There is really nothing gain out of any of these test unless your having fun!  or making money! As long as I can out cut the splitter its a good day.   Oh the 192 t is the most underated saw.jmho


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## Dakotas Dad (Apr 27, 2012)

I went looking for a 7900 a few weeks ago. The "local" dealer, and at least here, that is most of the problem, 100 miles to the dealer, anyways, he told me the same thing 7900 will not pass EPA, and is not going to be produced anymore. He said that the earliest he thought he would have a big bore saw in stock was Jul-Aug.. Bought a 372xp, from a dealer 5 minutes away, happy.


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## NoPaint (Apr 27, 2012)

My Makita 520i is a Dolmar variant and its never stopped running in the 10 years I've had it (bought used).  I've never replaced the plug, have cleaned the air filter once, and the fuel/oil mix is just whatever is in the premix can.  Always starts first pull and runs like a top.


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## Bigg_Redd (Apr 28, 2012)

wkpoor said:


> I rarely have heard anything on this forum about what I consider the most under rated over looked power house of a chainsaw on the market. The Dolmar 7900. Has less weight and more power than Stihl 460 at least on paper. The weight thing was debunked a few years back on AS as actual real world weights do vary from published but the 7900 just blows the competition away for about a 100.00 less price. Also I have run and tested right out of the box the 660, 395, 681, and 7900. The Solo 681 I put aside for now because hands down there is no equal (and its no longer available in the states). But the 7900 beat both the 395 and 660 with all 3 wearing 28" bars. On June 2nd I hope to continue checking these saws against one another.


 
1) The Dolmer gallery has quieted down in the last year or so but for the previous couple years Dolmer saws - including the 7900 - were all the rage on this board.  

2) Considering how few Dolmers are in this state, a state heavy in chainsaw use and ownership, and how few dealers there are (close to zero) it'd take a lot more than a $100 premium to talk me off the MS 460


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## kingquad (Apr 28, 2012)

Nearest Dolmar dealer is about 2 hours away.  No thanks.  I do check the local home depots for used Makitas 6401's that I would slap a big bore kit on, but no luck yet.


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## wkpoor (Apr 29, 2012)

I've never been concerned about dealer location. When I bought my Solo nearest dealer was PA. Didn't stop me from getting one. Along as my dealer has a phone he can live anywhere. Most saws only have a year warranty anyway. All I need is a way to get parts. UPS, USPS, and Fedex all deliver here. I buy performance not location.


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## jeff_t (Apr 29, 2012)

wkpoor said:


> I've never been concerned about dealer location. When I bought my Solo nearest dealer was PA. Didn't stop me from getting one. Along as my dealer has a phone he can live anywhere. Most saws only have a year warranty anyway. All I need is a way to get parts. UPS, USPS, and Fedex all deliver here. I buy performance not location.



There are three Dolmar dealers less than fifteen minutes from my house. None of them stock much of anything for parts, 'but I can have it for you tomorrow.' Well, that's what one says. The other will have it in a few days, and stick me with a special shipping charge. Wrist pin bearing cost me almost $25, but that was before I knew of the one, and the other has been selling them only a couple of years.


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## Bigg_Redd (Apr 29, 2012)

The nice thing about a competent dealer is it saves you from having to ask a bunch of yahoos on the internet stupid questions


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## wkpoor (Apr 29, 2012)

Bigg_Redd said:


> The nice thing about a competent dealer is it saves you from having to ask a bunch of yahoos on the internet stupid questions


Through mine and other GTGs I've gotten to know the right yahoos in my tri state area. My nearest Dolmar dealer does not carry every part but has never failed to produce the very next day with no shipping. I doubt many dealers carry stuff like bearings and crank seals anyhow or piece parts like special screws or chassis parts. When somebody brings me a saw who knows what I might need to rebuild it.


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