# CHAIN SAW?



## SWAMPFOX

I'm in the market for a new chain saw. I had a Stihl and it was ok other than being hard to crank.  Just wondering if Husqvarna might be better. Or some other brand? I don't want one made in China.
Thanks


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## Gaswamp

what model stihl did you have?  Also, what kind of use are you planning?


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## Milkman

I have owned Stihl and Poulan but now am a Husqvarna man.


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## SWAMPFOX

I had a Stihl MS 250 with an 18" blade. It was a work horse. But I found out this morning that it is toast because evidently I screwed up and failed to put oil into the marine gas when I last used it. Repair guy told me that it has no compression and it should be tossed. 

I use it at my hunt club to clear roads and trails. 

I'd be interested in opinions on Echo chains saws. I understand they are American made. 

Thanks.


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## baddave

you probably won't do better than stihl . if it's hard to crank then it's not cause its a stihl . not being ugly


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## Mr Bya Lungshot

SWAMPFOX said:


> I had a Stihl MS 250 with an 18" blade. It was a work horse. But I found out this morning that it is toast because evidently I screwed up and failed to put oil into the marine gas when I last used it. Repair guy told me that it has no compression and it should be tossed.
> 
> I use it at my hunt club to clear roads and trails.
> 
> I'd be interested in opinions on Echo chains saws. I understand they are American made.
> 
> Thanks.


Order a set of rings on ebay.
You can probably clean up the piston and cylinder for $15.
The stihls are easy to repair from this kind of damage. Paying someone to do it you might as well buy a new saw.
You have to take it down pretty far to get the cylinder and piston off.
But in the long run you only spent $15 for rings.
I’ve done it many times.


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## SouthPaw Draw

The new Stihls do seem finicky about cranking, my brother has a tree business and he just bought a new Stihl. It is a task to cold crank but once it cranks it runs hard. One thing I don’t like about the Huskys is the chain adjustment screw location.the Echos seem decent too, he has a couple Echo limb saws and no complaints, they are a lot cheaper too than the Stihls too.


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## kmckinnie

I got a echo and it’s a running machine. 
Seem great. Had it for several years.


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## Gaswamp

go with the stihl 261...its more high performance


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## tr21

if you use it alot the stihl cant be beat. but if you only use it every once in awhile you   get buy with cheaper brands. overall stihls run forever with few problems IMO ! but they are expensive


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## Thunder Head

Ive had a stihl for years. If i screw around and flood it. Its a bear.

Co worker has been cutting firewood his whole life. (60s) He use nothing but husky.

Ive got a husky packpack leaf blower. Some of the best money i ever spent.

If something happened to my stihl. I wouldnt be afraid to own a husky. I dont know about echo chainsaws. No echo weedeaters for me though.


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## Nicodemus

I use and prefer a Husky. I`ve used a Stihl and they seem to be just as good.


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## Otisman

First new saw I ever bought was a husqvarna. I can say for sure it was tough. I threw it many times because it rarely would run. Could take a beating. Finally gave it away. Own a couple stihl’s now, farm boss and a smaller saw. Very happy with both. Have a friend who carries a battery saw on his side by side. He’s happy with it for limited use.


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## NE GA Pappy

SouthPaw Draw said:


> The new Stihls do seem finicky about cranking, my brother has a tree business and he just bought a new Stihl. It is a task to cold crank but once it cranks it runs hard. One thing I don’t like about the Huskys is the chain adjustment screw location.the Echos seem decent too, he has a couple Echo limb saws and no complaints, they are a lot cheaper too than the Stihls too.



the cranking issues is from the gooberment mandated self compensating carbs.  They are suppose to lower emissions.  I hate 'em, but you can't buy the older type carbs for them anymore


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## buckmanmike

Ive had several Stihls, but they were small homeowner saws. I wore them out. I bought a used husquvarna at the pawn shop, 455 I think. That saw will wear me out. Its a cutting machine. And the Stihl would shoot out saw dust, the Husky shoots out chips. Hard to compare because of different size/purpose saws.


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## Mauser

I like husky,but stihl is just as good. Main thing is to stay away from the smaller home owner saws. A 55cc saw is small as I'm going.


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## NE GA Pappy

Mauser said:


> I like husky,but stihl is just as good. Main thing is to stay away from the smaller home owner saws. A 55cc saw is small as I'm going.



in a Stihl, that would be the MS291.  A MS311 is 59cc


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## TJay

I'm a Husky guy myself.  Can't go wrong with Stihl or Husky.


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## bullgator

They’re both good. They both make homeowner and pro level (commercial grade) saws. Spend the extra money on the pro grade and you won’t outlive it. I have Huskys but wouldn’t hesitate to own a Stihl. Husky takes 50:1 mix. Stihl used to take 40:1 but I’m not sure about that anymore.


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## Gaswamp

stihl takes 50:1


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## NCHillbilly

As someone who uses them for a living, get a Stihl or Husky. Both are good. Get the real one, not the homeowner grade one from Lowe's or Home Depot. Really big difference in quality. Either one will about last you a lifetime if you're not using it commercially every day. Echo used to make a good saw, but the new ones I've run are absolute junk.


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## 7Mag Hunter

I have all of them, Stihl, Husky, Poulan, and an old monster of a MCculloch (26'bar".. my grandson has a new Echo...but my go to saw is a 50cc Husky with 18" bar....not much i can't cut with it...


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## 1gr8bldr

Spoke to a recently retired friend from the saw business last week. Asked about the brands. Mine was stolen from the back of my truck so I need to replace it. I've always been a Sthil man on everything. He sold Sthil and Husquvarna. He said go with the Husquvarna. His words, much better, Sthil in recent years were going cheaper on build. Compared to my Sthil that was stolen, he recommended the 455. I liked the saw that was stolen, I can't remember the numbers... comparable to an 026. Although, I disliked the rubber band style pull cord.


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## NCHillbilly

1gr8bldr said:


> Spoke to a recently retired friend from the saw business last week. Asked about the brands. Mine was stolen from the back of my truck so I need to replace it. I've always been a Sthil man on everything. He sold Sthil and Husquvarna. He said go with the Husquvarna. His words, much better, Sthil in recent years were going cheaper on build. Compared to my Sthil that was stolen, he recommended the 455. I liked the saw that was stolen, I can't remember the numbers... comparable to an 026. Although, I disliked the rubber band style pull cord.


That Husky 455 is a good all-around saw. We have a couple of them at work.


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## Slewfoot

I was a logger before I did 29 years as a  career firefighter.  Get a Stihl.   Next is echo or Husky.   Even for an occasional homeowner saw, do not get the cheaper saws as they will usually let you down and cost you more in the long run but there are occasional exceptions to the rule.    Get a good saw and use good non ethanol gas and you will not be dropping 75.00-150.00 at the local small engine repair shop.  This goes for most small engines.  Good luck !!!


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## Ugahunter2013

I have a stihl 311 with 20” bar. Cranks everytime on 2nd or 3rd pull. Wouldnt own anything else.


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## Gaswamp

Ugahunter2013 said:


> I have a stihl 311 with 20” bar. Cranks everytime on 2nd or 3rd pull. Wouldnt own anything else.


good saw


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## walkinboss01

I have a 20+ yr old echo and it’s a beast. Not sure about the new ones. I’ve used a few stihl saws and have been impressed.


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## Robust Redhorse

I've been a Husky guy for 30 years, but recent experience with higher tech Huskys are making me lean towards Stihl for my next purchase.



I work with guys who do a whole lot of chainsaw work and they almost all prefer Stihl.


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## king killer delete

kmckinnie said:


> I got a echo and it’s a running machine.
> Seem great. Had it for several years.


I got 3


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## JROESEL

I have 5 huskys, I worked at a tractor dealership and we were a husky dealer, I have rebuilt 4 of those five, do to people not properly mixing the gas, And not wanting to spend the money to repair them, I bought the 5, all are either 50 or 55 ranchers, the one I bought is the 460, You can get a piston and rings for less then 100 dollars, hone the cylinder, and drop in the new piston, it’s not that hard, but neither is mixing gas, I always mix my gas a little heavy on the oil, a fowled spark plug is a 2$ Fix, and I keep spares in every saw box, it’s up to you, but I love my huskys!!!!


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## southernman13

Echo fosho! We run CS590 and the 620. Never had a breakdown on a 7 year old saw. They’re the best imho. We have stilhl and a big husky w 3’ blade. Worst saw I’ve ever owned. I’ll never buy another. I’m sure I had a lemon. We were running saws every day practically for going on two years. The ms291 and 391 I believe did ok but I prefer the echos.


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## Dan DeBord

I purchased a Stihl  MS362 this spring.  Does a good job .


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## killerv

My husqvarna has been going strong for over 10 years, I make sure to use trufuel in it. I recently bought a 14in echo to keep in the truck, echos are lightweight and perfect for the small stuff instead of welding that big old husq of mine.


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## northgeorgiasportsman

After my dad picked on up and I used his, I bought a Husky 545 last year.  It's almost 3 pounds lighter and a bit stronger than the 455 Rancher.


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## ngamtns

Still has $50 off right now on the ms250. Good saw this makes my second ms 250. Had a 291 it was a too big for everyday use.


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## CamoDawg85

Ugahunter2013 said:


> I have a stihl 311 with 20” bar. Cranks everytime on 2nd or 3rd pull. Wouldnt own anything else.



Have same model and you couldn’t give me another brand. Middle of summer or dead of winter, fires right up and runs like a raped ape. Have had mine for 10 or 11 years meow.


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## Ugahunter2013

ngamtns said:


> Still has $50 off right now on the ms250. Good saw this makes my second ms 250. Had a 291 it was a too big for everyday use.



I had the ms250 for years before somebody decided to steal it out of my shop. It was a dang good saw too. When i had to replace it I went with the bigger 311. The only issue I have ever had with the 311 is when i cut my thigh pretty bad. Painful lesson learned. I wear chaps and a helmet no matter what now!


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## baddave

sounds like this is like asking what's the best deer caliber or best truck - blondes , brunettes or redheads -


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## nrh0011

I have had good luck out of stihls, but my advice would be to buy whatever you can get the best local support out of.


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## divinginn

I would gladly trade my Sthil 025 for another Echo saw.  I want one that cranks every time.


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## NE GA Pappy

baddave said:


> - blondes , brunettes or redheads -


yes


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## hunter rich

buckmanmike said:


> And the Stihl would shoot out saw dust, the Husky shoots out chips.



I have been programming and operating CNC routers for over 20 yrs, and one of the things we strive for is the production of chips vs dust. Chips carry heat away from the material and the tool leading to longer tool life and a better cut.  The same is true for chainsaws, chips = less work on your part and longer time between sharpening.


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## baddave

haha - chips and dust is a direct relation to the chains condition , sharpness , depth gauge . , lol , ain't got a thing to do with the brand


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## Dusty Roads

I tried an electric and MAN,is it light weight and quite....One could cut firewood/clear trail in the National Forrest and no-one could hear you.
And they can cut-ended up buying several with additional batteries-have carried in my backpack-Black&Decker
 Showed my neighbor and next thing you know ,he got a big lithium Stihl.


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## Buckhead

I have owned several saws over the years.  First one was a Poulan from the early 80s.  Great saw until my neighbor borrowed it.  Lesson learned.  After that, 2 Stihls.  Great saws when they run.  As a typical homeowner, only use them a couple times per year.  Even running them dry and using fresh fuel, was constantly rebuilding the carbs.  After reading reviews on the E-Go battery saws, bought one from H Depot.  It is amazing.  Works well enough for any job I would take on.  Have the blower also and share batteries.  Only complaint is the chain comes off easily, but simple to reinstall.  Quiet, no fuel or starting issues.  Would never go back to a gas saw.


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## JWF III

bullgator said:


> They’re both good. They both make homeowner and pro level (commercial grade) saws. Spend the extra money on the pro grade and you won’t outlive it. I have Huskys but wouldn’t hesitate to own a Stihl. Husky takes 50:1 mix. Stihl used to take 40:1 but I’m not sure about that anymore.





Gaswamp said:


> stihl takes 50:1



I did have a guy that could work miracles with a chainsaw (The Saw Shop, in Covington). Unfortunately he had to shut the doors a couple years ago. He said the 50:1 was mandated by the EPA for emissions. He recommended 40:1 in everything. Said the worst that can happen is a fowled plug. I’ll go even heavier when I mill with the 066.

Also saw mention of marine gas/oil. I’ve been told by someone else, also more knowledgeable than me, that marine oil is made for engines cooled by fresh (not recirculated) water. Chainsaws are a completely different animal being air cooled, and not to use marine oil in them. I’m undecided on this, but it does make a lot of since.

Wyman


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## buckmanmike

In reference to chips vs dust  I meant comparing brand new chains. The Stihl chain was smaller vs the Husky. A Stihl of the same size may have thrown the same size chips, but love my Husky.


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## Cool Hand Luke

Own several gas stihl so decided to try their battery saw and let me tell you, that little saw will cut. Used it today at my lease. Light weight, quiet, push a button, it's cranked. Have blower and trimmer as well so batteries are interchangable. Highly recommend for light duty cutting.


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## dusty200001

SWAMPFOX said:


> I had a Stihl MS 250 with an 18" blade. It was a work horse. But I found out this morning that it is toast because evidently I screwed up and failed to put oil into the marine gas when I last used it. Repair guy told me that it has no compression and it should be tossed.
> 
> I use it at my hunt club to clear roads and trails.
> 
> I'd be interested in opinions on Echo chains saws. I understand they are American made.
> 
> Thanks.


Sthil and echo are both top of the line. Pick either


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## Evergreen

Not sure on models but we have a stihl, echo, and 2 maybe 3 huskys at the farm, maybe a few others in there but those get the most use, I took a chance in a bind and bought the craftsman 18" from lowes and it is what it is, a cheap saw for seldom use, but I will admit it surprised me granted I only ran it for 4-5 hours over the coarse of a weekend (I live a few hours away from my family's farm and didn't want that drive that particular day) solid little saw but I will def upgrade the chain. I was working on a few decent sized oaks and it performed as it should. I would recommend it but only use non ethanol and try to leave it empty, havent looked to see where its made but honestly it should last a fair amount of time for me at the house, it won't ever get any serious use like the saws at the farm do


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## Bowbenderman

From what I understand the newer smaller Huskies are made by Poulan,  I have an old Husky 477, kinda heavy but it’s a commercial saw, cuts more wood than I can keep up with,  bear in mind a very sharp chain is the key,  bad chain on a great saw just won’t do the saw justice!


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## aabradley82

Husky and Stihl are both good saws. I like a husky better but that’s just me. Don’t overlook the makita either. Dad and I each bought 6100’s and they’re great. Be sure to buy from a saw shop, you’ll get better service than boxmart


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## NCHillbilly

divinginn said:


> I would gladly trade my Sthil 025 for another Echo saw.  I want one that cranks every time.


You don't want an Echo, then. The old ones were good. The new ones are pure-out junk. We bought several for work a couple years ago. Won't hardly start, won't run right, don't cut good. Junk. All of them. Never worked right from the beginning. I would rather have one of those old junker Homelites than the new Echos. Lesson learned. Stihl or Husky.


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## Cmp1

NCHillbilly said:


> You don't want an Echo, then. The old ones were good. The new ones are pure-out junk. We bought several for work a couple years ago. Won't hardly start, won't run right, don't cut good. Junk. All of them. Never worked right from the beginning. I would rather have one of those old junker Homelites than the new Echos. Lesson learned. Stihl or Husky.


Definitely agree,,,,Stihl or older Husky,,,,


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## hopper

Echo 590 and a 310 both have been great. I talked to a tree guy here and he said he has been switching over to them with good success. He also pulled a stihl out and said he dont leave home without it.
 Crazy about the Echos not cranking, never once has either of mine given me trouble. Did have a friend of mine say his new stihl is a pain to crank, but I grabbed my neighbor's stihl while helping him out and it cranked no problem after 2 yrs of sitting after putting fresh gas in it. So who knows.
 Happy with my 3yr old Echos though. The 590 will slice some wood.


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## NE GA Pappy

If a Stihl is hard to crank, something is bad wrong.  If mine doesn't crank by the 3rd pull of the rope when it is cold, something is off. 

When it is hot, they crank first pull.  Every time.


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## Para Bellum

Husky.  Mine sits outside until needed.  Always cranks on the 3rd yank.  Echo and Shindaiwa make good ones too.


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## WayneB

I have a source for parts for all brands, so burning up a saw is not a concern to me, nor is rebuilding one.
 I have a 20 y/o Husky rancher 55 that's had a new $120 piston and cylinder put installed. Cranks every time. With a good sharp chain, it will eat.
The new saws with the primer bulb can be retrofitted with earlier carbs and bypass the primer, then you can have a decent to good saw for cheap. 
If you buy a saw from the big box places, you are getting the lowest cost saw to make the sale. Buy from a hardware store or saw shop, and you'll pay more and get a better unit.
 Don't be too quick to ignore the Jonsered saws, they are pretty solid too, and at TSC.


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## NE GA Pappy

WayneB said:


> If you buy a saw from the big box places, you are getting the lowest cost saw to make the sale. Buy from a hardware store or saw shop, and you'll pay more and get a better unit.
> Don't be too quick to ignore the Jonsered saws, they are pretty solid too, and at TSC.



how do those two statements jive?


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## tree cutter 08

I've run stihls everyday for years. I tired a few huskys about 10 years ago. They was little more finicky to crank but cut fast and smooth. I just couldn't keep the nuts and bolts tight on them.  Also think about service. Those huskys would be in the shop for weeks if needed repair. Local stihl dealer will have them ready in a few days.


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## WayneB

NE GA Pappy said:


> how do those two statements jive?


they are still relatively new to the market, and have some ground to gain.
Jonsered is Sachs/ Dolmar rebranded for US market.


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## NE GA Pappy

Jonesred has been around for years.  I am familiar with them.

I was wondering if you didn't consider TSC a big box store.  They have no service department.  They contract with people who come by every few weeks to repair what they have there under warranty.  If the part isn't on the guys truck, then your equipment sits until the next time he comes by.


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## WayneB

NE GA Pappy said:


> Jonesred has been around for years.  I am familiar with them.
> 
> I was wondering if you didn't consider TSC a big box store.  They have no service department.  They contract with people who come by every few weeks to repair what they have there under warranty.  If the part isn't on the guys truck, then your equipment sits until the next time he comes by.


I consider TSC about like family dollar lol. If they have what I need, I'm in and out. Only noticed they had Husky and Jonsered last time I was in. The huskies are the same models as lowes, so I consider them junk. I bought mine at an ACE hardware years ago, and they had a service department.
Northern Tool carries Stihl, and they have a service dept in every store I've been in.
Didn't look closely enough to see if they were the same models you'd find at a saw shop or not. Probably homeowner grade cheap-o version.


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## NE GA Pappy

WayneB said:


> I consider TSC about like family dollar lol. If they have what I need, I'm in and out. Only noticed they had Husky and Jonsered last time I was in. The huskies are the same models as lowes, so I consider them junk. I bought mine at an ACE hardware years ago, and they had a service department.
> Northern Tool carries Stihl, and they have a service dept in every store I've been in.
> Didn't look closely enough to see if they were the same models you'd find at a saw shop or not. Probably homeowner grade cheap-o version.



from what I hear, you get a heavier duty Stihl if you buy the ones with an odd number... like a 271 instead of a 270.  I will have to check this out with a friend of mine who has been a Stihl dealer for over 35 years.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot

Its the second number and it should be even for a stihl pro saw.
As in 660 vs 650 which has a smaller ring piston and cylinder by 2 mm.


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## Ray357

SWAMPFOX said:


> I'm in the market for a new chain saw. I had a Stihl and it was ok other than being hard to crank.  Just wondering if Husqvarna might be better. Or some other brand? I don't want one made in China.
> Thanks


It's more to do with the model than the brand. Stihl and Husqvarna are about equal quality for price point. Their professional saws are jam up. Their home owner saws are, well.....

Makita and Echo are both jam up in their top tier saws.


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## NE GA Pappy

Mr Bya Lungshot said:


> Its the second number and it should be even for a stihl pro saw.
> As in 660 vs 650 which has a smaller ring piston and cylinder by 2 mm.



ok.  
thanks for clearing that up.  I had heard something about odd/even number but thought they were talking about the last digit


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## OleCountryBoy

I've owned Stihl, Echo and Husky.  Echo CS-440 - about 12 years old, easiest to crank, runs like top but I can't keep the bar/blade tight for more than 5 minutes.  Stihl 250 an absolute PITA to crank but other than that ok and my Husky 550 XP is about 6 months old, love it.


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## WayneB

SWAMPFOX said:


> I had a Stihl MS 250 with an 18" blade. It was a work horse. But I found out this morning that it is toast because evidently I screwed up and failed to put oil into the marine gas when I last used it. Repair guy told me that it has no compression and it should be tossed.
> 
> I use it at my hunt club to clear roads and trails.
> 
> I'd be interested in opinions on Echo chains saws. I understand they are American made.
> 
> Thanks.


hlsupply.com if you have not already looked up parts.
I also find myself looking at new saws, hardest thing is they are out of stock about everywhere I call..


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## feathersnantlers

For those hard to start saws, try some Mechanic in a Bottle in your fuel


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## killerv

my husqvarna has performed flawlessly for over 10 years, I picked up an echo recently too, its junk compared to the husq.

Husq or stihl and you wont go wrong.

Run a premixed fuel like trufuel, will save you a lot of headaches.


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## killerv

Thunder Head said:


> Ive had a stihl for years. If i screw around and flood it. Its a bear.
> 
> Co worker has been cutting firewood his whole life. (60s) He use nothing but husky.
> 
> Ive got a husky packpack leaf blower. Some of the best money i ever spent.
> 
> If something happened to my stihl. I wouldnt be afraid to own a husky. I dont know about echo chainsaws. No echo weedeaters for me though.




I picked up a 125bt blower back in the mid 2000s, had to buy a bulb for it this past summer and was telling the guy that I can't kill the dang thing...he said they used to build them with kawasaki engines. Still going strong.


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## hawkeye123

Husky with Trufuel, no issues, I will wear out long before the saw will


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## SWAMPFOX

I was looking at Stihl saws on their website and they offer a professional grade saw. Naturally, they are more expensive. I'm just curious...What is it specifically about the construction of "professional" grade saws that make them better than the "home owner" varieties.


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## Dbender

The professional saws have metal cases, the cheaper homeowner saws just use the plastic housing as part of the crankcase. Average person won't wear out a homeowner model with proper care. Some pro saws have a better filtration system and carb setup but once again homeowner will never notice. Stihl saws as a rule are generally a little tickier with carbs than huskys. I personally would recommend a husky.


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## greg j

I have a Husky and my son has a Stihl ,  i much prefer the Stihl.  His Stihl is a newer "easy pull" model and my Husky is a few years older and mush harder to pull.


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## finnhunter

I am a Husky guy, never owned a Stihl.  Nothing against Stihl, but Husky feels better in my hands.  Currently have the 550 XP with 18" as an all-round saw and a 562 XP with 20" blade for the bigger stuff.  Just bought a small Echo. At 34 cc, doesn't have much power, but light weight and good for small stuff.


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## crackerdave

SWAMPFOX said:


> I had a Stihl MS 250 with an 18" blade. It was a work horse. But I found out this morning that it is toast because evidently I screwed up and failed to put oil into the marine gas when I last used it. Repair guy told me that it has no compression and it should be tossed.
> 
> I use it at my hunt club to clear roads and trails.
> 
> I'd be interested in opinions on Echo chains saws. I understand they are American made.
> 
> Thanks.


Echo is a good saw.


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## The Original Rooster

I just finished up cutting up a bunch of trees on my place with a 16 inch Husqvarna. It could handle as big a tree as I was comfortable. One of my buddies has an 18 inch Husqvarna that did well too and we left the really big stuff to another buddy with a 20 inch Stihl. All three saws were cutting machines and gave us zero trouble so long as we fed them only non-ethanol fuel. I think a lot of the trouble folks have with saws is the fuel more than anything else.


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## Shadow11

Love my husky 455 rancher. Had it for 12 or 13 yrs I guess. I've cut I don't know how many trees into firewood with. Never had a problem with it, other than replacing a few chains. I had to pull it out the other day to cut a big tree for my dad. It's been in the garage for about 2 years. Fired right up and did great.


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## elfiii

RoosterTodd said:


> I think a lot of the trouble folks have with saws is the fuel more than anything else.



This right here. ^ I've got a Sthil MS 362 and a Husky 051 and I've learned if they are going to be in storage for a while the gas gets dumped back in the gas can and I crank them and run all the gas out of the carb so they get stored dry and don't gum up. Ethanol gas is bad nationwide.


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## Robust Redhorse

My small engine guy told me that he has tried everything, and the only thing that he has found that works all the time so far is:

- only use non-ethanol fuel    (he has seen every additive fail)
- crank every small engine 1 time every 4 months and let it run for about 30 seconds


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## bullgator

My 372xp is 22 years old and the 346xp is about 17. Both still run strong with A little care and maintenance. That picture is from a week ago.


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## nmurph

bullgator said:


> My 372xp is 22 years old and the 346xp is about 17. Both still run strong with A little care and maintenance. That picture is from a week ago.View attachment 1079469




I just stumbled across this thread. That's a fine pair of saws you have. I have 3- 372's and 5- 346's, all of which are ported. In total, I have something like 40 saws. I used to buy every saw from the largest ROW and tree service in the NE USA. I've rebuilt and sold in the neighborhood of 500 saws, mostly Husqvarna but I've worked on practically every brand and have saws from the 40's to modern, 2 cylinder saws and several that are 2-man saws. I agree that ethanol is a problem, but I use Stihl Ultra oil which is a synthetic with a stabilizer. I try to crank my saws every few months but don't always do so. I have some that only run annually and some go even longer bw firings. They fire up and run without hesitation with year-old mix-I'm a firm believer in fuel stabilizer. If you aren't going to use it in the next couple of months, dump the fuel and run it dry if you aren't using a stabilizer.


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## bullgator

nmurph said:


> I just stumbled across this thread. That's a fine pair of saws you have. I have 3- 372's and 5- 346's, all of which are ported. In total, I have something like 40 saws. I used to buy every saw from the largest ROW and tree service in the NE USA. I've rebuilt and sold in the neighborhood of 500 saws, mostly Husqvarna but I've worked on practically every brand and have saws from the 40's to modern, 2 cylinder saws and several that are 2-man saws. I agree that ethanol is a problem, but I use Stihl Ultra oil which is a synthetic with a stabilizer. I try to crank my saws every few months but don't always do so. I have some that only run annually and some go even longer bw firings. They fire up and run without hesitation with year-old mix-I'm a firm believer in fuel stabilizer. If you aren't going to use it in the next couple of months, dump the fuel and run it dry if you aren't using a stabilizer.


I put Seafoam in my fuels, except Trufuel. I had my dad’s 1960’s Skil chainsaw stolen in 1999. That thing was one heavy metal beast. It was probably 60cc and heavier than my 372. I wish I still had it, but the insurance money is what bought my 372.


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## headwaters

Get a stihl or husky. Either one will last you for decades.


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## chehawknapper

I’ve run husky’s since the 80’s, stihls since the 90’s and recently an echo. All professional grade. Always use ethanol free gas properly mixed with oil, keep the air filter clean and I’ve never had a problem with any of them. i have a husky that’s about 30 years old still going strong.


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## 1982ace

Have a husky 235 but bought a 450 rancher with a 20” bar today. Had a few big pines fall and needed a bigger saw. Pretty impressed with it.


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## benellisbe

I have a Stihl MS 391 (bought in 2021) and a Husky 455 Rancher I bought a long time ago.  Both crank up without issue. I am running a 24" bar on the Husky to slab out some white oak.  I haven't had tremendous issues with either. I do like the stihl better than the husky.  Cranking seems easier to me.  The husky wants to  flood and needs to sit a while, especially if you turn the saw on it's side while cutting.


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## poohbear

If your not going to be cutting firewood every day I would go with an battery powered they have come a long way.


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## earlthegoat2

If you go Husky, I wouldn’t buy it from Lowe’s. I would buy but from a real chainsaw dealer. 

If Husky, I would get a smaller pro saw like the 550xp. (XP means “xtra plastic” haha). The pro saws breath better and have more power from smaller CCs. Same with Stihl. 

I would get a MS261 if Stihl. Same class as the above Husky. 

I personally own an old 024 Super and an MS660 for milling. I use the 024 95% of the time and it only has a 16” bar. Small, light, and handy as heck. A bit small for a GP saw that is why I would suggest something a bit bigger for the average homeowner and hunting land manager. 

If the 16” bar of the 024 is not enough, the 25” or 32” on t he 660 will get it done.


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## Havana Dude

Ran a stihl for many years. Was happy with it. Decided to go with a husky this time. I miss my stihl, but the husky works fine. It is a heavier saw though than my stihl was, only negative I can think of.


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## whitetailfreak

I run a 20" Stihl MS271 here around the farm, cutting fire wood and cutting trees out of fs rds when need be. I've been happy with it and great service from a mom and pop dealer here in Murray County.


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## Gaswamp

elfiii said:


> This right here. ^ I've got a Sthil MS 362 and a Husky 051 and I've learned if they are going to be in storage for a while the gas gets dumped back in the gas can and I crank them and run all the gas out of the carb so they get stored dry and don't gum up. Ethanol gas is bad nationwide.


how you like the 362?


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