Stihl equivalent to 550xp

[Mick!]

Silly question really, what's the Stihl PROFESSIONAL equivalent to the husky 550?
I dropped a clanger a while ago and bought a 271, which is a semipro saw and was rubbish.
I just sold it to a guy that works for me and its left a hole in my top shelf.
I like to keep a range of both marques so I need the orange and white one to keep it even.
Thanks.

 

[mistahbenn]

Just buy a 441

 

[Mick!]

I've already got two 560s a 372 and other bigger saws, I want a small chipper/light ground saw.

 

[Reddog]

MS261 cm is the 50cc Stihl.

 

[Mick!]

Thanks Reddog.

 

[stig]

MS241c if you want to go even lighter.
I'm VERY happy with mine.

 

[Cut4fun]

They are updating the 261. Let me go get link off my site.

 

[Cut4fun]

We were talking about this in the 442 462 thread and a member that works for stihl said in Nov he heard updates to the 261 coming. Looks like updated 362 too.

Thread http://chainsawrepair.createaforum.com/stihl/new-ms462/


261 - new cylinder
- new, thinner sidecover/chaincover
- better spikes
- new materials like aluminium screws
- 300 gramm lighter
http://www.stihl.de/STIHL-Produkte/...t/22271-1582/MS-261-C-M-mit-Rapid-Duro-3.aspx

362 http://www.stihl.de/STIHL-Produkte/...t/22318-1582/MS-362-C-M-mit-Rapid-Duro-3.aspx

more copy paste = most weight reduce is by mounting a other plastic handle. The version with heating handle will just be 100g lighter.

The new Stihl catalog says: Stihl MS 261 4,1 HP and 4,9kg - Stihl MS 362 4,8 HP and 5,6kg. Specs are for the normal version without VW, Q, R and so on .

 

[ianwhite]

FWIW I absolutely love my 261. It's stock and I run and 18" bar and really like it. For some reason it seems to have bad luck though and somebody always breaks it or runs it over. I keep fixing it and it keeps getting broken. Really sucks cause my next sized saw up is a 460 and as ya'll know, that's not all that much fun to climb with. At least not for my pansy ass.

Do many of you guys have stihl and husky saws? I've never had anything other than stihl for work really.

Any opinions on running both brands?

 

[Mick!]

Thanks for the info.
I run a range of both brands.
Stihl 201x2 066. 076. 088
Husky 540.560.562.372.288.395
Both good. More newer huskys.

 

[sawman]

Hell a couple echo's in my rotation
What ever gets it done

 

[MasterBlaster]

You crazy!

 

[Peter]

Why have you gone off the 550?

Never used the 241/261, but the 260 was always a fat stodgy pig IMO.

 

[Limbrat]

FWIW I absolutely love my 261. It's stock and I run and 18" bar and really like it. For some reason it seems to have bad luck though and somebody always breaks it or runs it over. I keep fixing it and it keeps getting broken. Really sucks cause my next sized saw up is a 460 and as ya'll know, that's not all that much fun to climb with. At least not for my pansy ass.

Do many of you guys have stihl and husky saws? I've never had anything other than stihl for work really.

Any opinions on running both brands?

We run both Ian, mutts and greyhounds come in many colors. What amazes me about saw manufacturers is when they create a dependable, popular, beast of a saw, they seem to modify it for the worst or discontinue it. I hunted up your way a couple of years ago with a gentleman named Brent Van Hovlen, ever heard of him?

 

[Mick!]

Why have you gone off the 550?

Never used the 241/261, but the 260 was always a fat stodgy pig IMO.

I have dealers for both Marques within ten minutes or so.
I need a balance of the two.
Not really a quantifiable thing.
Anyway I just dropped €8000 on a tipping trailer, so I need to stop shaking for a while before I buy it!

 

[stig]

Why have you gone off the 550?

Never used the 241/261, but the 260 was always a fat stodgy pig IMO.

Sure, but a fairly unkillable one.
The one our apprentice runs stopped oiling today, so I swung by the dealer with it for a quick fix.
As I watched him take it apart, I realized that it was originally my saw, used for small stuff and x-mas trees for a couple of years. Then it was given to one apprentice, who abused it for 3 years, then to another, who used it for 4 and now our new guy has it.

It is not the size saw we run the most, but still.

 

[Peter]

Yeah, until or unless they do go wrong, and they are a bitch to fix too.

I never really ran a saw in that size class until I got my 560. Climbing wise just went straight from 200T to 441, never did much ground work so didn't really need one. Nowadays my back is really glad of a lightweight saw, the 550 with 3/8 Lo pro chain and 14" bar is perfect.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Try a 590 echo. Tad heavierthan the 261 and grunt like a husky. I own 2 now

 

[Burnham]

Jeez, but am I ever a saw snob...

 

[sawman]

open up the muffler alittle bit and you will be a happy man..
im glad im not the only one digging the echos

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Now, if you are willing to open up a muffler on the 261......
That chunk of wood on that gin pole vid I posted was being cut with an 026 with muffler mod.

 

[Mick!]

Sorry Echos are verboten.

 

[sawman]

Sorry Echos are verboten.

had to look that up(verboten)

 

[stig]

Ehrlich?

 

[Mick!]

Anyway, buying a Stihl just to even up the numbers was, on reflection, stupid.
I wanted a 550xp so I got myself a goddam 550xp!