New trimming saw

[albirk]

Iam looking for a new trimming saw i have a ms250 with as my freinds say (the lady start) the saw works great but would like something a little bigger 260pro? my big saw is a ms 460

[sablatnic]

You could take a look at the Stihl ms261.

[JohnG28]

If your not partial to Stihl then maybe look at a Husky 346xp.  I haven't run on but from what I've heard here there's not a much better small saw.

[cheyenne]

I have 2 husky 346XP's & I run 3/8" chain.... 1 is setup with 16" bar......1 set up with 20" IMHO you can't beat the balance & weight  to power ratio........Cheyenne

[albirk]

I looked at the huskeys but not a good dealer just a farm store service ? I will look at then price is a lot better thanks for the info new to the site looks like a lot of great people here.

[Rocky_J]

The good thing about Husky is that you aren't tied to a dealer if you need parts. There are many places to find parts online, whereas Stihl forbids online sales.

As far as service, I can swap parts as well as any kid working in a saw shop. Most of them can't even diagnose anything, they just swap the part that you tell them needs swapping and then they look at you dumb when you ask them why it still doesn't run.

[albirk]

thanks for the info i had a 310 with 20" bar didn't care for the saw so just looking for something like the 250 with a little more power.

[JohnG28]

Do you have a Stihl dealer locally? If so see if they have a MS361 still available.  I like mine a lot, its a little lighter than the ms310 but more powerful.  Real nice saw that might work well for you.  Not exactly a small saw but not too big, likes the 20" bar I keep on it, sure it would shine even more with a 16" or 18". Good luck to you.  Welcome to the forum.

[HolmenTree]

Its hard to beat the little Husky 346XP for a saw in its class. Yesterday I was felling and blocking up twenty 24"-30" dbh spruce for a customer.Felled with my 395XP-32".Limbed with the 346-16" blocked back from the top with it then switched back to the 395XP to finish blocking.
Excellent duo of saws for that application.

Willard.

[Al_Smith]

I guess I get confused when someone makes reference to a "trim " saw. To me that's a 2 cuber you either climb with or use out of a bucket truck . I suppose you could with a 346 though if you choose to .

Actually if it's not real big stuff I use a 200 T knock the limbs off on the ground  simpley because I have no 3 cuber that cuts as fast as it .Kinda limited on the 3 cube stuff --like one total .

[albirk]

sorry about that it should be limbing saw i only cut firewood most of the trees have been blown down in wind storms over the past years   stait line winds (70mph) 1/4 mile wide

[Al_Smith]

Well you already have 4 plus cuber seeings the 460 is just a tad under 80 cc ,76.7 or something like that .

The 346 and 260 are 3 cubers so about the only thing left in between  is a 60 cc saw .Then you get to the point of actually how much would that save other than being a tad bit lighter .On smaller stuff like 12 inch it wouldn't be a whole lot slower than that 460 if it were in good tune and a nice sharp chain .So then you go trotting off to the woods and the 460 sits at home on the shelf .Mean time you've ponyed up 7-800 for a new saw .On the other hand the 460 would last forever because it wouldn't get any use . .

[albirk]

A lot of the trees that went down are in the 24 to30" range river bottom ground so the 460 still gets a good workout but so do i by the end of the day.
just thinking of something a little lighter but with good power

[JohnG28]

Id think that something around 60cc would work well for what you are describing.  Something smaller might not have the kind or power your looking for.

[Cut4fun]

I guess I get confused when someone makes reference to a "trim " saw.

Trim saws to me is something I can one hand for making cuts.    Then I love them 3 cubes for the 16" and under cuts.


And you know Al never ever buck wood on the ground with a top handle,  those things are dangerous some say    let alone race them down cuts with change overs with a up cut. 

[Al_Smith]

Well yes some do caution about top handles .Then too a few of us pay little  attention to others or so it seems . One must keep in mind that we seem to live in an area where for one reason or another we have the fastest top handles in the country .---Maybe it's the water ---- Roger will be along shortly for a rebuttle .

[albirk]

I have 2 stihl dealer within 10 miles of my house and drive by another one the way to work each day my fav. open 7 days a week ace hardware no service on sunday but the parts counter is always good prices on the saws .

I stoped and looked at the huskys delt with a 17 year old that text 3 times in 5 min. then had to go on break not happy with the help you find now days. So went to the stihl dealer (ace) another 17 year old this young (LADY) HELPED me and then got the manager to get me the best price ($450 for a 260 pro 16" bar) so i may own one today. Looked like a good price to me

 

[Cut4fun]

$450 for MS260 16" is a good deal. Same prices for a 346xp. Just pick one you feel will give you the best support down the road and go with it. The 260 is lighter then the NE 346xp 50cc. Thats what I like about the older 346xp's they were lighter then the new 346xp's too.

[albirk]

Thanks for the info i had 3 gift cards from work (free money) $25 from stihl new saw out the door $230 now i need to go cut some brush

[Al_Smith]

 I kind of have my own classification for various sized saws .The little ones like the 200T's are the bumble bees .The 80's are the grayhounds,the 100 plus are the Clydesdales .

These little 3 cubers are the Jack Russel terriers of chainsawdom .I've seen these things souped to the point they out a stock 80 over the blocks .

You did real good on that price .Actually you might find yourself using this little saw more than you think in your wood cutting .