# Identifying Stihl Chainsaw models



## 2rod511 (Nov 2, 2012)

This is my first post in over a year. I have never owned a Stihl chain saw however, I was wondering how to designate a pro saw from a residential version. I own a 262xp and a 346xp so I realize that the xp signals pro status for Husqvarna ,but I am not sure how to determine if a Stihl saw is a pro version from the model numbers (might not be possible). I have been making and sharpening chains for people locally for a little while now and I am thinking about trying to start buying some saws floating around here where I live giving them the treatment and trying to turn a profit. I have had limited success at buying and selling a couple of saws lately but being only learned in the ways of Huskys is not the best way to make the best go of it. Thanks in advance for any advice from the chain saw gods.


----------



## Typhke (Nov 2, 2012)

Hi,

in the past, Stihl used even numbers for pro saws and uneven for the others. The 034 for example is a pro saw. The numbers changed now and the 034 became the 340 -> 341 by now. This is still right for most of the saws, but you have the 181 and that's *not* a pro saw, but you also have the 650 and that one *is* a pro saw. 

An other way to recognize a pro saw is by the handle (with the throttle), non-pro is completely black/orange/white while the pro saws are always black on top while white below.


----------



## mattaggie (Nov 2, 2012)

Professional Chain Saws - Heavy Duty Chain Saws | STIHL USA

You just have to convert new numbers to old numbers. So the 290 used to be the 029. The 271 replaced the 270, etc.


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 2, 2012)

There are no simple "rules", that always will work - so you really need to _know_ what each model is.


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 2, 2012)

Typhke said:


> Hi,
> 
> in the past, Stihl used even numbers for pro saws and uneven for the others. The 034 for example is a pro saw. The numbers changed now and the 034 became the 340 -> 341 by now. This is still right for most of the saws, but you have the 181 and that's *not* a pro saw, but you also have the 650 and that one *is* a pro saw.
> 
> An other way to recognize a pro saw is by the handle (with the throttle), non-pro is completely black/orange/white while the pro saws are always black on top while white below.



There are more exceptions than just the ones you mentioned. That rule is not reliable, and the "handle color rule" isn't either - lots of exceptions!


----------



## Typhke (Nov 2, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> There are more exceptions than just the ones you mentioned. That rule is not reliable, and the "handle color rule" isn't either - lots of exceptions!



Yea, my example about the even and uneven numbers was just an example.

I have never seen exceptions on the handle, didn't know that. Thanks for correcting me!


----------



## shawnw (Nov 2, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> There are more exceptions than just the ones you mentioned. That rule is not reliable, and the "handle color rule" isn't either - lots of exceptions!


Yep! MS311, and MS391 come to mind. White handles and residential units.


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

The only indication I know of is the handle collor, but that appears to be changing to a degree...

All black handles are HO models

Orange and black are the mid-grade or farm/ranch saws. Some of the newer mid-grades have all grey (white) handles though (ms311)






Grey (white) and black are the pro models





On current models the middle number is an inicator

261
362
440
441
460
461
660
880 

The middle digit on the ms### sequence (last digit on 0## sequence) being an even number is Pro, now obviously the 650 was a pro saw that defeats that logic, and I am sure there are others. Some would say the 024 and 028 were not pro models but they fit all the Pro designation I am aware of on Stihl saws. 


Also beware the last digit in the ms### is kind of a version number so the 036 became the ms360 replaced by the ms361 and now ms362.

I am sure others will be along to correct any mis-information I have passed along.

dw


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

Looks like several beet me to the punch whil I was answering the phone.



shawnw said:


> Yep! MS311, and MS391 come to mind. White handles and residential units.



All white not the white black split.... 

ms391







dw


----------



## mattaggie (Nov 2, 2012)

dwraisor said:


> On current models the middle number is an inicator
> 
> dw



This seems to be true with the exception being the MS180C. But ultimately Saw Troll's advice is best, learn about the saws enough to know the answer without having to have a cheat. If you are going to sell them, you should understand them.


----------



## T0RN4D0 (Nov 2, 2012)

The basic rule is odd/even (+0) but there aren't that many and you can memorize the legends...  All the big ones are pro. (88,84,66,64,46,44 and a few less common ) For smaller ones you basically have the 20, 26 and 36. 

The zero shifted from front to back and you can use it estimate the saws age, saws are more or less the same. Lately the 0 changed to 1, and they're not the same spec saws anymore. 

Float around here more and you'll know the inns and outs of every stihl out there, especially the pro ones.  

Heres a nice list to see whats what. Bill's Saw Shop - Stihl chain saw specifications


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

mattaggie said:


> This seems to be true with the exception being the MS180C. But ultimately Saw Troll's advice is best, learn about the saws enough to know the answer without having to have a cheat. If you are going to sell them, you should understand them.



Agreed. Also the 192t is billed as a pro "in tree only" saw yet shares everything but the handles w/ the ms192 billed as a HO saw.... 

No hard rule, but some guidlines. I go by color at the flea markets/swap meets. I don't even stop unless I see a white/black handle 

dw


----------



## 2rod511 (Nov 2, 2012)

Ok I am starting to get a bit confused and coming to realize that experience and knowledge is the best way to identify a saw worthy of flipping. I have a 034av that I bought from a guy last week for next to nothing. The saw looks good but needs to be reringed. Looks like it will be a 200 dollar saw when its finished. Also, I found a 044 for 100 bucks with a no compression. I believe the 044 is a pro saw it is to big for city folk to handle or need to handle. I also have a MS290 that belongs to a man here in town and I have made him a new chain and sanded down the bar. The MS290 is definately newer than the previous two but performs like a turd.


----------



## TonyRumore (Nov 2, 2012)

The MS200 rear handle is a pro saw with a black handle.

Tony


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

TonyRumore said:


> The MS200 rear handle is a pro saw with a black handle.
> 
> Tony




Yea, I think all bets are off on top handles, as by default Stihl claims the are pro saws only...

dw

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk


----------



## TonyRumore (Nov 2, 2012)

dwraisor said:


> Yea, I think all bets are off on top handles, as by default Stihl claims the are pro saws only...
> 
> dw
> 
> Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk



I wasn't talking about the MS200T Top Handle saw. I was referring to the MS200 Rear Handle saw.

Tony


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

2rod511 said:


> ....I have a 034av .... I found a 044 .... I also have a MS290




Pro, pro, & farm saw in that order. The 044 is the predecessor to the ms440, real popular 70cc saw should fetch a nice bit of coin, just keep your cost low. 

dw 

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 2, 2012)

dwraisor said:


> Agreed. Also the 192t is billed as a pro "in tree only" saw yet shares everything but the handles w/ the ms192 billed as a HO saw....
> 
> No hard rule, but some guidlines. I go by color at the flea markets/swap meets. * I don't even stop unless I see a white/black handle *
> 
> dw



It is sort of a clue, but the are exceptions, as mentioned earlier...


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 2, 2012)

dwraisor said:


> Pro, pro, & farm saw in that order. The 044 is the predecessor to the ms440, real popular 70cc saw should fetch a nice bit of coin, just keep your cost low.
> 
> dw



"Farm saw" or "intermediate" just means a larger consumer saw in newer "Stihl language"....


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

TonyRumore said:


> I wasn't talking about the MS200T Top Handle saw. I was referring to the MS200 Rear Handle saw.
> 
> Tony



Yea, I keep forgetting that little booger even exists....


dw


----------



## dwraisor (Nov 2, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> "Farm saw" or "intermediate" just means a larger consumer saw in newer "Stihl language"....



Well, we got to spin it some way to make it sound better. 


dw


----------



## wilsonishere (Nov 2, 2012)

The true pro's are as followed (top handle saws 020, ms200t, ms201) (026, ms260 ms261) (036, ms360, ms361, ms362) a point can be made for the 440 and 441 line but why when there is the 46, the old 041 was a tank but it just rattled to pieces and the way we looked at the pro's at the shop I worked at was if you want the real thing in the around 75cc range stick with the 046 line (046, ms460, ms461) (056, just had iffy ignitions) (066, ms660) (084 but got hot, 088, ms880) there are other old ones but few and far between to find, it is not everyday one runs in to a contra or a lightning.


----------



## 50blues (Nov 2, 2012)

sad thing is, some of the non pro saws (290-390) will bring just as much as the equivelent pro saws. (260-360)


----------



## Stihl 041S (Nov 3, 2012)

TonyRumore said:


> I wasn't talking about the MS200T Top Handle saw. I was referring to the MS200 Rear Handle saw.
> 
> Tony



A pawn shop near here had an ms200 and a 170. 

Both $125. The 170 hadn't been used at all. It sold first. 

Ignorance is bliss. 

Their ignorance, my bliss. 

Love those little 200s.


----------



## Bill G (Nov 3, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> There are more exceptions than just the ones you mentioned. That rule is not reliable, and the "handle color rule" isn't either - lots of exceptions!



I could not agree more SawTroll is dead on. There are many exceptions Stihl tried to follow a line of numbering be the got it screwed up. If you go by the numbering system

07 Consumer
08 Pro

009 Consumer
010 Pro
011 Consumer
012 Pro
015 Consumer

017 Consumer
018 Pro

019T Consumer
020Av Pro

030 Pro
031 Consumer
032 Pro

Anyone see the the grouping there and the fact that the numbering does not follow Pro-Consumer ???


----------



## Roll Tide (Nov 3, 2012)

All pro saws have mag split cases. Done here.:msp_thumbup:


----------



## SawTroll (Nov 3, 2012)

Roll Tide said:


> All pro saws have mag split cases. Done here.:msp_thumbup:



The problem with that is that some older non-pro saws also had...


----------



## Roll Tide (Nov 3, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> The problem with that is that some older non-pro saws also had...



They might as well been pro saws with the way they were built.


----------



## Bill G (Nov 3, 2012)

Roll Tide said:


> All pro saws have mag split cases. Done here.:msp_thumbup:



You can be done but your statement is simply not true


----------



## dumbarky (Nov 3, 2012)

As with what most have said there are two many exceptions to make a hard and fast rule on the numbering. How ever most newer Stihl's "as in the last 20 years" with the numbers 4 or 6 in the model numbers are pro saws. However this being said the 088 and 880 series saws are an exception. And I believe that earlier versions of the piston towards the back handle saws are exceptions to this. So no hard and fast rules but there you have it. Oh, and I think at one time Stihl build an 038 magnum series saw think its a pro. I'd have to dig around and find more but I would think the following are also Pro Grade saws: 
050 AV	
051	
051AVE	
056 AVE	
056 AVSE	
056 AVSEQ	
056 MAGNUM AVE	
056 MAGNUM AVEQ	
064AVE	
066	
070	
070 AV	
075 AV	
076 AV	
084AVE	
088	
090	
090 AV	
090 G
If not they should be are in my consideration. I don't have any Idea why any homeowner / farmer / landowner needs a over 5 cubes. Just my thoughts.


----------



## Roll Tide (Nov 3, 2012)

Bill G said:


> You can be done but your statement is simply not true


so you have a better example or are you just here to call people out:confused2::msp_tongue:


----------



## Roll Tide (Nov 3, 2012)

Bill G said:


> You can be done but your statement is simply not true[/QUOTEis there a stihl pro saw without a split case don't think so.


----------



## dl5205 (Nov 3, 2012)

My limited knowledge of "pro" models you might encounter: (rear handle)
ms200 (no "t")
024, 026, ms260, ms261
028, (ms280 is not "pro")
034, 036, ms360, ms361, ms362 (ms361 is an Arboristsite Superstar)
038
044, ms440 (both are 70cc Legends)
ms441
046, ms460, ms461
064, 066, ms660, ms650 (detuned or smaller ms660)
084, 088, ms880


----------

