What Chainsaw Do You Run?

[F250]

I run a Husqvarna 555 with a 20" bar for the heavier work. A Stihl 170 for the smaller stuff and trail work.

 

[Ben Sellers]

I use a Stihl 044 with a 24” bar. Dad bought it in 1995. I traded him a smaller stihl for it when he got in his mid 60s. Runs great. I have use a Husky before and liked it, but every time the chain came off it would destroy the chain. Keep it sharp and tight and use stabil or similar and it will be a great saw.

 

[Mallardsx2]

562 XP® Chainsaw

Husqvarna 562 XP® is developed for professional loggers, tree care workers and skilled land owners. The saw has a ground breaking design and is loaded with

www.husqvarna.com

This is what I have. Its VERY powerful.

I got it with a 24" bar. It makes cutting wood much faster and I get a little more lifespan out of the chain and I can pretty much cut anything with it.

 

[Mallardsx2]

I also have one of these for pruning trails. Both saws I mentioned have their place. But the Husky is a boss when it comes to doing anything serious....

MS 170 Chainsaw | Compact Lightweight Chainsaw

Looking for a compact, occasional use chainsaw? STIHL MS 170 is perfect for residential cutting and trimming of small trees, firewood or storm clean up.

www.stihlusa.com

Both listed are great saws.

I only run non-ethenol in my saws. Never had an issue with any of them.

 

[MThuntr]

The saw recommendations are well covered here. Don't discount the Echo brand, I've owned 2 50CC saws over the past 25 years for limbing and bucking smaller diameter trees and have been really pleased with their overall performance.

My dad was an Arborist and used these smaller Echos for the same purpose. Solid little rigs that might be perfect for the homeowner.

My Stihl is the MS270 with an 18" bar that we got in an Nebraska Arborists Association silent auction for dirt cheap. This model had some problems (which is why I think they went to the MS271) but it seems to handle about everything I throw at it.

I think as long as you stay away from the $100 Amazon saw and use good fuel and oil most saws will do well for the average user. I also use a Pferd chain sharpener with a portable saw vise and it definitely makes short work of touching up a chain in the field.

 

[wytex]

We run 3 Husqvarnas, a 550, 362 (20") and a 372 XPW (28").
I would go with a 362, great saw. Used it on this big oak that fell and it had little issues other than the bar was too short to cut the trunk in one cut.
The 372 will cut almost anything.
All are professional models, get a pro model saw.

 

[pre6422hornet]

I have had a Husky since 1998 or 1999 when I bought it brand new. 18" bar. Great saw.

Hadn't used it since 2008 or 2009 until last year during a big snowstorm. One of the neighbors had a tree come down and was threatening the house. I grabbed the old Husky, filled her with fresh gas, gave her few pulls on the cord and let her eat!! Still fired up on the third pull after all that time sitting fogged.

 

[Werty]

I have 2 saws, Stihl and a husky, both run good. I'm really looking into the Milwaukee 18v chainsaw, I run Milwaukee at work, so I have a bunch of batteries. I'm hearing good things.

 

[Jim/Wa]

I’ve got 2 Stihl’s pro saws (024 and 026) and a husky (3120). The 024 was a hand me down made in “West Germany”. It’s old but still runs great. The 026 is >25 years old and runs like new. The husky 3120 is used to run an Alaskan chainsaw mill. It’s scary powerful. You can feel the ground shaking under your feet when it sits there idling.

 

[Addicting]

I have a Stihl 361 and have used for around 20 years doing firewood each year. I’ve used it hard and it still outworks my fathers Husq. It has had normal maintenance and I’ve had to replace the muffler twice, going on a third. I think I’m on my 3rd or 4th bar. I have had no bad luck with their brand.

I wouldn’t recommend a big saw like mine for your projects. A much smaller one with 3/8 chain would be much more enjoyable for yard use.

 

[44hunter45]

I’ve been running Husqvarna’s of some sort for the past 25 years or so and don’t have any complaints.

Currently I have a 346xp with a 20” bar and it works well for what I need it for being that it is labeled as a pro series saw. Now that I’m older and I know better I don’t cut firewood for my main heat like I used to and I mainly use it for timber stand improvement and trail clearing.

For a short stint in the early 2000’s I had a Stihl but had a ton of issues with it and quickly went back to Husqvarna’s and have no regrets.

Only advice I can give you is to not get a entry model saw if possible. Try and get the best possible model you can afford. There is a ton of difference in between a $300 saw and a $600 saw.

I've had the opposite experience. I've gone to Stihls for every day use. I still have a Husky 3120XP but I'm getting too old to lift it. Its a big deal to get running when I want to use it.

My day to day saw is Stihl MS361 with a 24" bar.

I do not ever buy new saws. The savings buying a big name saw used is amazing.

 

[mtmuley]

I always look for any 038's for sale. mtmuley

 

[SFC B]

I have been running the MS 251 with an 18" bar for 3 years now with zero complaints. It is used for cutting firewood for the house (not for heat really, but for ambiance), trail work and cutting firewood for hunting camps. Probably 4-8 cords per year of aspen, spruce and pine (I did get about a cord of oak a couple of years ago). I use the Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener and it eats everything I feed it. Look for Stihl Days discounts and have fun.

 

[Dougfirtree]

The one thing I'll add to this discussion is that long bars are largely unnecessary. Most people just don't cut wood that can't be cut with a 16" bar and the shorter the bar, the quicker it is to sharpen.
My saw is a Stihl MS 362 and it's been good to me. The main thing I prefer about Stihl's design, over Husky's is the inboard clutch, which makes it simpler to take apart in the field if you pinch a bar, etc. (Not that that's ever happened to me)...

 

[deer_shooter]

I always look for any 038's for sale. mtmuley

Those are terrific saws. My dad got one when I was a junior in high school and I cut most of a tri-axle load of logs over the last couple weekends with it and I’m 53. Never had anything but routine maintenance and runs great

 

[Jbotto]

The one thing I'll add to this discussion is that long bars are largely unnecessary. Most people just don't cut wood that can't be cut with a 16" bar and the shorter the bar, the quicker it is to sharpen.
My saw is a Stihl MS 362 and it's been good to me. The main thing I prefer about Stihl's design, over Husky's is the inboard clutch, which makes it simpler to take apart in the field if you pinch a bar, etc. (Not that that's ever happened to me)...

Long bar/chain with enough torque to run them well saves the back of a tall person.

 

[44hunter45]

Long bar/chain with enough torque to run them well saves the back of a tall person.

Yes!
I like to keep the power head in tight to my body where I have more control and the weight is not at arm's length. . I buck small stuff with the end of the bar down cut/up cut. I start the day with five chains ready and if I'm not getting good chips I swap out a sharp chain. Its always amazing when you put that new chain on and realize you were doing the work and not the saw.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I run a stihl ms311 20in bar. Mostly for cutting firewood. Dad has a farm boss. Grandpa has an old husqvarna on the farm. Its gotta be older than me and still rips. I've used all 3 a lot and just so you are aware I missed my calling as a person who should test products to see how they handle abuse. If its unbreakable I can break it. My boss loves me.

 

[44hunter45]

I run a stihl ms311 20in bar. Mostly for cutting firewood. Dad has a farm boss. Grandpa has an old husqvarna on the farm. Its gotta be older than me and still rips. I've used all 3 a lot and just so you are aware I missed my calling as a person who should test products to see how they handle abuse. If its unbreakable I can break it. My boss loves me.

Mrs45 has all her own tools and I'm not allowed to touch them. I break stuff.

 

[LuketheDog]

Mrs45 has all her own tools and I'm not allowed to touch them. I break stuff.

We had a guy working for us like that once, he broke everything. One day he put a 30* bend in my favorite 1" wrecking bar, we starting calling him "been-there-broke-that". He was a carney in a former life, made me really question how smart it is to go on the carnival rides...

On topic...I have a Stihl ms250 that my dad bought many years ago, still runs and cuts great, easy maintenance...