Stihl MS 362 vs MS 362 C-M & more..

[smokedragon]

Stihl 044 is one of the very best chainsaws ever made .. a bit small for big take downs but more than powerful enough for most folks.

What do you consider a "big" takedown? I fell on average 1 tree a year. Most of my wood is scrounge or dead fall. I mostly buck. I have a MS290 that use for bucking and felling now, and anything much bigger than 24" is off my radar cause it's too darn heavy.

The more info the better. Any other old Stihl saws besides the 044 that I should look for?

I have never seen 064/084/046 for sale in this area.....

 

[Ashful]

What do you consider a "big" takedown?

The more info the better. Any other old Stihl saws besides the 044 that I should look for?

I have never seen 064/084/046 for sale in this area.....

Can't speak for _CY_, but I generally consider anything over 40" DBH as a pretty good size. Last year I did three big'uns, a 44" ash, 60" oak, and another ash somewhere around 50" (double-trunk, hard to call).

The 044 is a hard saw to find in good shape around here, as this is the saw a lot of pro's keep in their hands all day. As my local saw shop put it to me, "not many folks get rid of an 044 in good shape."

My 064 was a lucky find. Most that get turned into my local shop have had a lot of hours on them, but I happened to stop in on the right day, when someone had retired and sold this saw with fairly low hours.

084's come up all the time in good shape, as there's not many folks with need to put high hours on a saw like that. They're crazy big, but not as fun to use, because they're comparably slow. Whereas an 064 or 044 will turn chips at scary speed, the 084 just chews, and chews... slowly. The advantage to the 084 is that it won't bog when you put a 60" bar on it, and bury it to the nose in hardwood.

I'd put the 044 at the top of my list, for a two-saw plan, or even a single saw plan if you're tackling mostly larger stuff. But, I would consider an 064 just as strongly, particularly if you're doing a lot of larger trees. Put a 24" bar on the 064, and it balances pretty well. There are guys here running 20" bars on their 064, and they claim it's "light" with that bar. I run a 28" bar on my 064 most of the time, but also have a 36" bar I put on for tackling larger trees (or even mid-size trees I want to fell from one side).

 

[smokedragon]

Yikes....I don't have a need for that......Anything bigger than 26" is getting to the point that it is too heavy for me to move once it's cut(since I have no equipment other than my saw and my axes/mauls).

I have an 18" bar because I find it works well on my 290 and I just don't come into too many trees big enough to need more. The biggest bar I would ever need is a 24".

What do you think of a MS 381 (guy has one for sale for $650 brand new), seems comparable to MS440. He is trying to get rid of all the old saws, and its the last one (like my MS290, it is no longer being made).

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Ashful]

I haven't even heard of a 381! I am peripherally familiar with the old 038 Magnum, which was a big saw. I also see you can buy a 381 Magnum in Australia. I also see some sites list an 038 Super.

The 381 Magnum looks like a mean saw. What's your preference, in terms of weight vs. power?

 

[smokedragon]

MS381 magnum: 72cc 5.3 bhp, 16 - 32" bar (650 with 20"bar, chain, 2 cycle oil, bar oil)

Versus a new 440R Magnum: 70cc, 5.6 bhp, 16 - 32" bar (local dealer lists as 940 with a 16" bar and chain).

I am just not sure it would be a huge upgrade over my 290.

I worry that since the MS381 doesn't show up on stihlusa.com that it is some cheap chinese knockoff (hence the good price)........

Wish I could find an abundance of older saws for sale, just not that many good ones.

 

[Ashful]

Yeah, I see the spec's for the MS381 Magnum, but not the MS381. Is that the one you meant? Never seen one for sale around here. Never known anyone to use one.

Typically, the Magnum and Super saws are larger jug and plug on a given saw chassis. Example:

056 = 81 cc
056 Super = 87 cc
056 Magnum = 93 cc

The 056 Magnum was one of the saws I was considering at the time I bought my 064. Big, mean saw... until you need to carry it more than a few dozen feet from your truck! It weighs 18.3 lb. without the bar.

 

[_CY_]

Craigslist is your friend but you cannot be in a hurry .. when a legit deal comes up .. it will be gone quick, so be prepared to jump on it.

a bit of info on Stihl naming conventions for pro saws. if it's not on this short list then it's probably not a pro model. exception would be brand new models and big saws like 090.

Stihl 024, 026, 036, 044, 046, 064, 066, 084

next series .. MS200T, MS260, MS360, 440, 460, 660, 880

Stihl 026 is essentially a MS260 .. 036 to MS360 and so fort

there are a few standouts like Stihl 064 a big saw capable of taking down big wood, but almost same weight as 046 .. on top of reputation for being one of the toughest of all Stihl saws. who doesn't like an 066/660 .. which is the workhorse for fallers. ALL of the pro models are popular and super solid.

don't discount Husqvarna saws .. they are equal to Stihl, but sticking with pro models becomes even more important.

 

[Ashful]

if it's not on this short list then it's probably not a pro model. exception would be brand new models and big saws like 091.

there are a few standouts like Stihl 064 a big saw capable of taking down big wood, but almost same weight as 046 .. on top of reputation for being one of the toughest of all Stihl saws. who doesn't like an 066/660 .. which is the workhorse for fallers. ALL of the pro models are popular and super solid.

don't discount Husqvarna saws .. they are equal to Stihl, but sticking with pro models becomes even more important.

Excellent post, except maybe that last sentence.

I've handled several Husqvarna saws, and their performance is equal to Stihl, but they always just felt cheap and less durable to me. I recently asked an arborist acquaintance, who has built his one-man business up to where he has a crew of a half-dozen guys working for him, if he used Stihl or Husqvarna. He said he used to buy all Husqvarna, because the prices are a little better than Stihl, at least locally. However, he's switched over to Stihl in the last few years. His comments reflected my own amateur opinion. He said the Husqvarna saws perform great, but they don't hold up very well. He was spending much, much more on repairs and replacements with Husqvarna, and finds his Stihl's hold up in the field much longer.

Probably not nearly as much a factor for a homeowner, as for a guy turning his equipment over to a crew of laborers, but a factor to consider nonetheless.

 

[smokedragon]

a bit of info on Stihl naming conventions for pro saws. if it's not on this short list then it's probably not a pro model. exception would be brand new models and big saws like 091.
Stihl 024, 026, 036, 044, 046, 064, 066, 084
next series .. MS200T, MS260, MS360, 440, 460, 660, 880

I am avoiding looking at anything below 044/440 because I already have a MS290......If I upgrade, it will be a serious upgrade, not a small one.

 

[_CY_]

Excellent post, except maybe that last sentence.

I've handled several Husqvarna saws, and their performance is equal to Stihl, but they always just felt cheap and less durable to me. I recently asked an arborist acquaintance, who has built his one-man business up to where he has a crew of a half-dozen guys working for him, if he used Stihl or Husqvarna. He said he used to buy all Husqvarna, because the prices are a little better than Stihl, at least locally. However, he's switched over to Stihl in the last few years. His comments reflected my own amateur opinion. He said the Husqvarna saws perform great, but they don't hold up very well. He was spending much, much more on repairs and replacements with Husqvarna, and finds his Stihl's hold up in the field much longer.

Probably not nearly as much a factor for a homeowner, as for a guy turning his equipment over to a crew of laborers, but a factor to consider nonetheless.

ergonomics are what separates Husky from Stihl .. either you like Stihl or favor Husky .. there's essentially no difference in performance/durability between the two. note I'm referring to pro models for both.

another major difference is how Husky is retailed vs Stihl .. Husky has been selling lots of home owner models via home improvement chains .. where service is next to non existent. then what few pro-Husky dealer there are .. some understandably refuse to service what they didn't sell. I've seen Husky 359 for sale at Atwoods for dirt cheap. so don't be thinking Husky doesn't sell pro models at home improvement stores.

whereas Stihl only sells through servicing dealers .. there are a few exception that slips through the cracks like rental companies selling Stihl. but for the most part home owner Stihl models are viewed favorably in no small part due to support given after the sale. drawback is no discounting on Stihl.

most home owner Stihl models are pretty darn good saws and that's a good way to go if one has to buy new. for used only go with pro-models with low hours.
one standout is MS170 .. dirt cheap at about $175 new ... especially considering MS170 routinely sell on Craigslist for $155 range.

Asplundt the largest utility tree company in USA uses MS170 as their production climbing saw if that says anything ... that is one rugged little chainsaw!

not a husky guy except for owning a few models like, 359, 365, 394xp, etc.
perhaps a husky guy can help by listing all the pro models ...

 

[Ashful]

When it comes to ID'ing pro saws with Husky, also note that they re-list some of their homeowner saws as pro models. Example: my T435, which comes up listed as a pro saw on their pro site as their favored top-handle/climbing saw. I bought one, and was very disappointed with how cheap and plastic it is, when I got my hands on it. Then someone told me it's really a homeowner saw, re-marketed by Husky as a pro saw:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/professional-chainsaws/t435/

I guess I was duped. I'm not entirely unhappy, since it has a higher power/weight ratio than any competing product from Stihl, but still felt it was very dishonest of them to sell this cheap hunk of plastic as a 'pro' saw. The flimsy chain brake feels like it's going to break off every time it's released.

 

[_CY_]

sorry T435 is not a pro saw .. more like a Stihl 192 .. also a top handle saw not a pro saw. IHMO a very poor saw to own due to dangers of cutting your self and kick back dangers from top handle design.

to be considered a pro saw .. chainsaw has to be commonly used by professional tree folks .. day in .. day out..

the old Husky 335 XPT was a pro top handle saw, but got bad reviews and generally not liked.

the pro top handle saw is Stihl MS200T, but it's a screamer and sets the standard for tree climbing saws. in UK one has to be licensed to be allowed to purchase a top handle saw.

study this from OSHA .. chainsaws are dangerous ... anytime I'm cutting .. wearing Kevlar chaps, Kevlar gloves, Stihl helmet w/muffs, redwing boots and safety glasses.

notice frequency of injuries to hand/arm is higher than leg. which is most commonly protected by chaps .. a top handle saw allows easy one handed cutting. which increases dangers of cutting other hand. And kickback dangers to your face!

can you tell .. I'm not a fan of homeowners cutting with top handle chainsaws?

 

[Ashful]

sorry T435 is not a pro saw ..

My point exactly. Yet, Husqvarna lists it as their top handle pro saw, right on their site. Note the address I already posted:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/professional-chainsaws/t435/

"Professional Chainsaws / T435." Yeah... right.

to be considered a pro saw .. chainsaw has to be commonly used by professional tree folks .. day in .. day out..

That might be your definition, but Husqvarna apparently didn't consult you on their marketing of that model (or any other, I suspect). Saws are considered a pro saw when Stihl or Husqvarna market them as such, whether or not the pro's actually like that saw.

in UK one has to be licensed to be allowed to purchase a top handle saw....

can you tell .. I'm not a fan of homeowners cutting with top handle chainsaws?

Sorry to hear you don't own a home.

Let's not go all Barney Fife, here...

 

[JoeyD]

Hopefully the MS180 and MS362 take care of anything that I would get in to.. I have other toys to buy!

This is the combination I am working with. That MS180 is a hell of a saw for the money. I was surprised how it went through 12"+ oak.

I could see having a top handle if I climbed but I not going to start doing that at this point in my life.

 

[_CY_]

My point exactly. Yet, Husqvarna lists it as their top handle pro saw, right on their site. Note the address I already posted:

http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/professional-chainsaws/t435/

"Professional Chainsaws / T435." Yeah... right.


That might be your definition, but Husqvarna apparently didn't consult you on their marketing of that model (or any other, I suspect). Saws are considered a pro saw when Stihl or Husqvarna market them as such, whether or not the pro's actually like that saw.


Sorry to hear you don't own a home.

Let's not go all Barney Fife, here...

sorry it's not my definition of what's considered a pro saw ... it's what pro's use day in day out ..
who cares what the marketing department comes up with? Husky can call it a pro saw all day long .. that doesn't mean commercial tree climbers will be using their saw. traditionally Stihl MS200T is saw of choice for climbers .. Husky top handled saws just have not been real popular amongst tree climbers.

owned my home for quite sometime ... home owner chainsaw label is not an insult .. merely indicates amount of use/experience expected.

by the way lots of pro tree folks never wear safety gear .. in Tulsa seldom have I seen any pro tree folks wear chaps when cutting. the only exception is Asplundt folks who are mandated by OSHA.

please don't under estimate dangers of operating a top handle chainsaw ... I've got a Stihl MS200T and seldom use it on the ground. sure is tempting sometime knowing 200T will blast through wood.

 

[Ashful]

I appreciate your advice. I do wear chaps anytime I'm running a saw, as leg contact injuries are actually much more common than kickback head and upper body injuries. I also wear nice leather steel-toed boots, although they're not specifically chainsaw boots. My upper body is usually not protected, excepting a helmet with face shield any time I'm felling.

My top-handle saw is used primarily on the ground, since I'm not much of a climber. Yes, it's a little less safe than a rear-handle saw, but it's certainly not at the top of my list of concerns, when perusing the equipment in my shop!

I'm having chainsaw envy again... maybe I should've given the 200T more consideration. I had written it off, based on lower cc's and HP per pound, versus the T435.

 

[Turbo]

For 5-6 cords a year of say 20" trees.. I started at a MS290 Farm Boss, but those are on their way out supposedly. So I thought MS291.. but then for a bit more I could get a MS311.. but for a bigger bit more I could get a MS362..

But should I consider the MS362 C-M at whatever they are above the MS362? Is it worth the extra $$$ for the m-tronic?

Oh, and if you can't tell.. I'm a chainsaw noob...

I ended up going from a MS 250 to a MS 362 C-M with a 16" and 25" bar. That way it's one saw for almost all the work. The saw is heavy with the 25" bar, but a dream with the 16". My 362C-M isn't even close to being broken in yet and it will cut twice as fast as the MS 250 that has 30+ tanks of fuel through it.

The pro saws are just such a big difference over the ranch grade saws. During long days of cutting firewood, it comes down to power to weight ratios, and the MS391 weights a lot more then a MS 362.

 

[Gareth96]

Thanks.. Already got the MS362 and have been real happy with it so far. I just got the straight 362, not the m-tronic one, haven't had to pull it more than about 5 times to get it started and I have probably 8 tanks thru it so far.

Is that a Small Munsterlander in your pic? Probably a GSP, but thought I'd ask just in case..

 

[Turbo]

Thanks.. Already got the MS362 and have been real happy with it so far. I just got the straight 362, not the m-tronic one, haven't had to pull it more than about 5 times to get it started and I have probably 8 tanks thru it so far.

Is that a Small Munsterlander in your pic? Probably a GSP, but thought I'd ask just in case..

It's a Deutsch-Drahthaar, I'm a breeder here in Canada. http://www.vdd-canada.ca/public/the-breeding-system-litter-announcements.htm

Had a failed breeding a few weeks ago, so am repeating it this fall.

Enjoy your saw, just heading out to run a few tanks through mine.

 

[Gareth96]

DD would have been my third choice My eyes are getting old.. I'm planning on getting my first hunting dog early next year. Hunted with a Small Munsterlander in Germany a few years back and am pretty set on getting one of those.

 

[D8Chumley]

I ended up going from a MS 250 to a MS 362 C-M with a 16" and 25" bar. That way it's one saw for almost all the work. The saw is heavy with the 25" bar, but a dream with the 16". My 362C-M isn't even close to being broken in yet and it will cut twice as fast as the MS 250 that has 30+ tanks of fuel through it.

The pro saws are just such a big difference over the ranch grade saws. During long days of cutting firewood, it comes down to power to weight ratios, and the MS391 weights a lot more then a MS 362.

391 is 14.1 lbs, 362 is 12.8 lbs powerhead only. I have a 391 and a 360 but haven't run them in the same day or even same hour, but I guess a little more than 1 lb difference adds up over a long day of cutting. After the fresh rebuild on the 360, if it turns out to be as reliable as I need it to be I might just sell the 391 that only has 4-5 tanks through it

 

[Jon1270]

I'm having chainsaw envy again... maybe I should've given the 200T more consideration. I had written it off, based on lower cc's and HP per pound, versus the T435.

I know this is an old thread, but FWIW I can vouch for the excellence of the 200T. I had one for a little while and thought it was a beautiful machine. If mine hadn't been so darn pretty (near mint condition) I'd probably still have it, but nice ones go for big bucks on eBay and for as often as I need a limbing saw I couldn't pass that up. So, mine's in Australia now, having paid for itself, its lesser replacement and a couple of nice project saws too. If you get lucky and stumble on one at a non-exorbitant price, snap it up.

 

[clemsonfor]

M t ironic won't ever lean out on you and burn a top end. If you get an wait leak it may even save it for a few more seconds till you can shut down. Those m tronics will take a muff modd really well to as well as porting!

Personally I would not buy anything u mentioned...maybe the CM but I would buy used and get a heck of a saw for what the boat anchor of a farm boss would cost.

 

[7acres]

I can appreciate that, but if you're getting the 362, I'd sell that 180 and use the coin to buy a top-handle saw. Even the old Echo top-handles are a joy to use for limbing and clean-up, and I've seen guys here pick those up very cheap (I think I saw 3 for $75 once?). You won't find much use for that 180, anyway, once you have the 362 in your shed.

I couldn't be happier with my Still MS150 TC top handle light weight pro saw. So easy to process everything 5" and under. Smooth as can be.

I've probably got 20 tanks of gas run through it at this point. I'm amazed at what it can handle for being so tiny.