# Best bar length for the Stihl MS440



## 338RUM (Nov 21, 2005)

Guy's, I am going to my Stihl shop tomorrow. What is the best bar length for the Ms440. I only cut, cherry, oak, walnut, ash, beach, hemlock, maple ext.....

Thanks
Duane


----------



## begleytree (Nov 21, 2005)

To do what with? removals, 18" firewood, carving, landclearing, underbrushing?
Makes a difference.
-Ralph


----------



## DanManofStihl (Nov 21, 2005)

I run a 24 inch bar on mine and cut oak, poplar, hickory, gum. I use stihl chain keep it sharp and it works really well in hard woods. I wouldn't go much bigger then that though. It really also depends on what size wood you cut and the weight you want to tote around.


----------



## jokers (Nov 21, 2005)

The 440 will handle pretty much anything between a 16" to a 32" with ease so it is as Ralph says, "To do what with?"

The most popular bar for felling and bucking on the 440 in my area is a 20"er.

Russ


----------



## cunrya (Nov 21, 2005)

I primarily use a 24" bar on my MS440 with regular stihl chisel chain when cutting oak, ash, and various bottom ground softwoods (cottonwood ect.) Saw handles the 24" very well and seems to be the best all around setup for power and balance. When felling or bucking larger timber I run a 28" or 32" bar with full skip chisel chain. As far as power I am sure the saw would run regular chain on these bar lengths but I prefer the skip as it keeps the R's up, labors the saw less, and keeps the chips cleared out of the cut quite well. seems to make the day go smoother for me at least. The 440's a great saw!


----------



## computeruser (Nov 21, 2005)

Depending on how often you come up against really big stuff, I'd be inclined to get a 20" for everyday use and a 28" for those occasions when you have something big to cut. I normally run a 20" on my 7900 and find that you can get a lot of work done with that sort of setup. Here in Michigan I've only come up with a couple instances where I needed a bigger bar, save for taking a stump down to the ground. A 20" E-Super bar would be my everyday choice, and then I'd pick up a 28" when the mood struck or when somebody had a good sale going.


----------



## 338RUM (Nov 21, 2005)

Thanks for all the great info. It will be used for felling and bucking trees. Most of the trees around here are 24" to 36" around.

Duane


----------



## fishhuntcutwood (Nov 21, 2005)

Most everyone here will run a 28" on that saw. If you're in wood 24"-36", you'd be fine with a 24". The saw will handle it nicely.

Jeff


----------



## ShoerFast (Nov 21, 2005)

338RUM
Here on the east slope, the Colorado foothills, I run into some bigger softwoods, Ponderosa pine and Douglas Fir. Some run 3' dia. For me, it never seems to work to make 2 cuts meet consistantly, I'm more of a curly-fries cutter, so I bought a 36" bar for my MS 310 and run RSLKF , or full-skip chain and barely get away with it, if I rock the saw and not get too much bar cutting at one time. Your saw would handle a full comp. chain at that length, but I cant wait to get the shorter bar back on, purly as a saw that is out of ballance is just no fun on my back! I would bet that a 20" bar on that saw would ballance nicely and span most of your work.


----------



## DanManofStihl (Nov 21, 2005)

No way you actually run a 36 inch bar on a ms 310. I have never heard of any one who would run a bar that huge on a 310. I ran a 36 inch bar on my ms 440 once and that thing was slow enough I couldn't imagine that on a ms 310. I would stick with a 20 in bar on that saw.


----------



## 338RUM (Nov 21, 2005)

I just got back from the Stihl shop. I bought the MS440 with a 20" bar. It came with a case and two 33RS 72 chains. Man does that thing have compression to it. And scream, wow..... Alot more power than my Ms260. I'll be cutting with it this weekend, I'll know then what kind of power it has!

Duane


----------



## bwalker (Nov 21, 2005)

A 440 with a 28" is less than optimal IMO, let alone a 310 with a 36". I would bet just form the weight of the bar the cheesy AV mounts on the 310 would be flexed out.


----------



## rdbee (Nov 21, 2005)

I notice in the east everyone wants to use the shortest bar for the job. If your cutting anything on or near the ground it's way easier on your back to run a little longer bar than you need. I ran a 440 with a 28" bar all summer and it had lots of snot. And anything like brush or trailcutting you can go all day no problem. If you are falling people say technically you only need a bar half of the diameter of what you are falling. Maybe so but this increases your chances of getting squashed about a thousand times.


----------



## ShoerFast (Nov 21, 2005)

*Too much bar, for the saw,,,,*

Yes, my MS 310 has all it can do to spin 36" of full skip chain, its an after thought, as my day job gets slower in the winter, wood cutting has always been a passion and this is the year to sell some firewood. I had no idea that I would get so many offers to clear trees for new builds and defendable space (forest fire protection) . Free logs have an appeal, but the winter is not a good time for me to make major purchases, my Stihl dealer has my 046 Mag. just sitting on his shelf,,,,,, is $670 a good price (for powerhead only)?
Dose anyone know what the downlaodable file size is here, or a place that I can down load, if anyone would be interested in seeing the ms 310 turning 36" of chain in good sized green wood? It surprise me that it cuts as well as it dose! It is clear that it might pay for its own replacement, just hope that its the day before it gives up the ghost!


----------



## z4lunch (Nov 22, 2005)

Steve here...
20" max


----------



## bvaught (Nov 22, 2005)

I have a 20" and a 24". The 24" is considerably heavier and slower in the cut. Anything bigger than 24" in hardwood would be slow going. The saw seems very happy with a 20" bar.


----------



## 338RUM (Nov 23, 2005)

The man at the Stihl shop sold me a 7/32 file for my new 440. Now my stihl book tells me I should be using a 13/64 file... Will the 7/32 file work, or should I take it back? BTW, I have a 33RS 72 chain.

Thanks 
Duane


----------



## Lawn Masters (Nov 23, 2005)

The 7/32 file will work, the 13/64 file will also work.


----------



## rbtree (Nov 23, 2005)

13/64 is better, and switch to 3/16 when the cutter is 1/2 gone or more. Much easier to maintain proper profile with the smaller file.


----------



## Sizzle-Chest (Nov 23, 2005)

i always run 44's with 32 inch bars and no problems at all


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 23, 2005)

rbtree said:


> 13/64 is better, and switch to 3/16 when the cutter is 1/2 gone or more. Much easier to maintain proper profile with the smaller file.


Agreed, regarding Stihl chain!

Oregon though, recommends 7/32 for _most_ of their 3/8" chain - and they are right too! On those it works well to swich to the 13/64 for the last part of the chains "life".


----------



## M-tooth (Mar 14, 2012)

28" is not less than ideal, and my back would agree with me. What about all that weight you ask? easy, stop being such a wuss


----------



## Bushmans (Mar 14, 2012)

338RUM said:


> Guy's, I am going to my Stihl shop tomorrow. What is the best bar length for the Ms440. I only cut, cherry, oak, walnut, ash, beach, hemlock, maple ext.....
> 
> Thanks
> Duane



Nice choice! Rep sent for the new saw EH?


----------



## d in the tree (Mar 14, 2012)

*more oil please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*

A 440 will oil a 28" bar sufficiently, much bigger and it will depend on type of wood and age. Dead snag vs. green.


----------



## mopar1rules (Mar 14, 2012)

I personally like the 20" bar the best on my 044. Seems to be well balanced and cuts 90% of what I need it to.


----------



## dwraisor (Mar 14, 2012)

ShoerFast said:


> ...my Stihl dealer has my 046 Mag. just sitting on his shelf,,,,,, is $670 a good price (for powerhead only)?...



For that price I would really consider adding a few bills and walking away w/ the ms441 (get the M-tronic while your at it). New saws use far less fuel, the AV mounts are superb, there is warranty, and the M-tronic comps for elevation automatically... and since you mentioned cutting near the Rockies, I guess elevation could be an issue.


Just my two-cents.

dw


----------



## blackoak (Mar 14, 2012)

Bushmans said:


> Nice choice! Rep sent for the new saw EH?


The saw is 7 years old now since this was posted in 2005


----------

