# Husqvarna 455 Rancher vs. Stihl MS 271 or 291



## Andrew Clarke (May 15, 2015)

I have about 25 acres of bush on our 100 acre property. We just moved here last year, and so far I've been time sharing my brother's Poulan Pro with an 18" bar. It gets the job done, but it's time for my own saw. Most of the wood on our property is softwood. The saw gets used for cutting down dead trees, lopping them up, sawing for firewood, etc. I might get one of those chainsaw mills too at some point as I could see getting some decent use out of one.

I'm not a brand zealot, so I don't really care what it is in the end. I want a chainsaw I can maintain and keep for at least 20 years. I want it to start and run winter or summer. There are two Stihl dealers near me and one Husqvarna dealer. I have very little experience with any of them, but I suppose there's a point for Stihl because if I end up hating one I can go to the other.

On the Husqvarna side, the 455 Rancher seems like a good bet for me. I imagine it's going to be good quality long term, but I just don't have that 100% sure feeling. Is this a good reliable long-term saw or am I having to spend a couple hundred more on an XP saw? The Husqvarna dealer won't throw a thing in, and the Huskys aren't on sale at the moment.

The one Stihl dealer recommended the MS 271, and thought the MS 291 might be more than I'd need. However, on these ones too I am not sure they're great long-term saws. My dad had two cheaper Stihls, and when he died my brother tried to get them serviced as was told to throw them out as they weren't worth fixing. Granted, my dad didn't do a great job maintaining machinery, but that's not what I want to hear in 10 years when something goes wrong. The Stihl dealer at least said he'd give me $20 off a case, and of course they have their "spring sale" on now, which they'll probably have on until their fall sale.

I'm definitely price sensitive, and I don't need to buy more than I what need to satisfy my ego. In the end though I'd rather spend the money once and do it right than cheap out and spend the rest of my time until retirement wishing I'd gotten something better.

I'd be very interested in any opinions to help point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
- Andrew.


----------



## sunfish (May 15, 2015)

I would not buy any of those. 

If ya want a Husq, get a 545.

If ya want a Stihl, get a MS261.

Both pro quality with metal cases and will last a loooong time.


----------



## KenJax Tree (May 15, 2015)

I've heard nothing but good things about the Echo 590 and can be had for around $400


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 15, 2015)

Thanks to both of you. I'll take a closer look at those options. I believe I'd narrowed down the Stihl side to the 261 a few months ago and then forgotten that.


----------



## sunfish (May 15, 2015)

Andrew Clarke said:


> Thanks to both of you. I'll take a closer look at those options. I believe I'd narrowed down the Stihl side to the 261 a few months ago and then forgotten that.


The ms261 is a good saw, as is the 545. The 545 is basically same saw as a 550xp, but with a very slight decrease in HP. The 545 will be a bit smaller & lighter than the 261.


----------



## Cope1024 (May 15, 2015)

I have the MS390, predecessor to the MS291, and after a simple muffler mod, it's pretty good. The Husky 455 is Chevy-Dodge to the MS291, you won't go wrong with either saw. That said, if you can afford to upgrade to a pro saw in the same cc class, you'll be miles ahead.


----------



## SAWMIKAZE (May 15, 2015)

Buy the 590 for a firewooder , my stepbrother bought one..nice saw for the price.


----------



## SawTroll (May 15, 2015)

If I had to choose between the 455, 271 and 291, I would likely have taken the 455, just because it has an outboard clutch, so it likely handles better, despite more weight - but I don't want any of them.
I suggest you forget all those, and go for the metal cased pro quality 545 or 555. Stihl has no counterpart to those semi-pro saws, after the MS341 was discontinued.


----------



## MontanaResident (May 15, 2015)

I have a Stihl 290 (think 291) that has been great. I also have a Husky 460 (think 455), again great. Both are quality, so get the best bargain, that includes an extra chain or two.


----------



## SawTroll (May 15, 2015)

MontanaResident said:


> I have a Stihl 290 (think 291) that has been great. I also have a Husky 460 (think 455), again great. Both are quality, so get the best bargain, that includes an extra chain or two.



The 291 is a smaller and lighter saw physically then the 290, and it also has less cc and a bit less rated power. It may still perform better, as the 290 has a very inefficiant powerband - but I don't really know how the 291 is. I will never care to use any of those saws anyway, and the 290 wasn't even offered for sale here, nor was the 310. Stihl Norway obviously deemed them "not competetive" in this market, and they surely was right.


----------



## bag-o-donuts (May 15, 2015)

I think Sunfish & Sawtroll have it right, the 545 & 555 Husqvarna would be best quality per dollar, along with the ms261 Stihl. Also as suggested above, the cs590 Echo is a solid value. You didn't mention having an Echo dealer in the mix though.


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 15, 2015)

Thanks everyone. I can find an Echo nearby as well, but I wasn't sure they were quite up to an A+ grade. I'm not knocking them, but it seems more like the Echo is maybe an A- or A saw, dollar for dollar. They're probably worth looking at if I get a chance though.

I'll hit up the Stihl and Husqvarna dealers again and look at the Stihl MS 261, Huskvarna 545 and 550XP models. Husqvarna seems to have done a good job of getting me to scale up to considering the 550XP in a hurry. Well, this saw's "only" $100 more, but wait, this one's "only" $100 more than that. I'm going to check in with a couple other semi-local Husqvarna dealers tomorrow to see if there's another one more interested in making a deal with me than the nearest one was.

I'd love to throw a Jonsered dealer in the mix too to cross-shop those with the Husqvarnas, but there's no dealer nearby.

Thanks again.


----------



## SawTroll (May 15, 2015)

bag-o-donuts said:


> I think Sunfish & Sawtroll have it right, the 545 & 555 Husqvarna would be best quality per dollar, along with the ms261 Stihl. Also as suggested above, the cs590 Echo is a solid value. You didn't mention having an Echo dealer in the mix though.



The MS261 is not in that league, as it is a pure pro saw with a high price tag, but also bulky and clumcy for 50cc + a little heavy, despite a plastic handlebar.

The Echo 590 is not in the same league as the 555, as it is much heavier despite a plastic handlebar and clutch cover, and has a slightly lower power rating as well. Regarding price, it likely is closer to those plastic cased saws that was mentioned in post #1 though, so surely an option if the budget is "tight". Heavier than all saws mentioned in post #1 though, unlike the 555.


----------



## SawTroll (May 15, 2015)

Andrew Clarke said:


> Thanks everyone. I can find an Echo nearby as well, but I wasn't sure they were quite up to an A+ grade. I'm not knocking them, but it seems more like the Echo is maybe an A- or A saw, dollar for dollar. They're probably worth looking at if I get a chance though.
> 
> I'll hit up the Stihl and Husqvarna dealers again and look at the Stihl MS 261, Huskvarna 545 and 550XP models. Husqvarna seems to have done a good job of getting me to scale up to considering the 550XP in a hurry. Well, this saw's "only" $100 more, but wait, this one's "only" $100 more than that. I'm going to check in with a couple other semi-local Husqvarna dealers tomorrow to see if there's another one more interested in making a deal with me than the nearest one was.
> 
> ...



550xp likely will be the end result then, if you try them all. The 261 isn't really competetive, too bulky and clumcy + a little "sluggish" regarding trigger response.


----------



## shorthunter (May 15, 2015)

KenJax Tree said:


> I've heard nothing but good things about the Echo 590 and can be had for around $400



Find an Echo dealer who is having a demo day with a regional sales rep and you can get a 590 for $320 plus tax


----------



## shorthunter (May 15, 2015)

If you are looking for a quality saw at a good price buy an Echo or a Dolmar. If you know how to sharpen a chain and you want the best performance possible, buy a Husqvarna pro saw. If you can't sharpen a chain and you aren't willing to spend a lot of time learning the trade, buy a poulan. If you want a saw that is a little pricey and heavy, buy a Stihl.


----------



## Fishnuts2 (May 15, 2015)

I currently have a Stihl MS290, and had a Husqvarna 455 for awhile too. The 455 is much smoother and just cuts better than the 290. The 290 is a disappointment to run in my opinion. It will be for sale soon on CL, they're more fun to sell than run.

My Jonsered 2252 (same as Husky 545) outclasses either of the fore-mentioned and cuts faster to boot.


----------



## shorthunter (May 15, 2015)

I would buy a Dolmar 510 or an Echo 590 for $400+/- before I would pay $500+/-for a plastic cased saw. I have a Husqvarna 460 that I just fixed for a customer and it is a big turd, even with a muffler mod

Pretty sure an Echo cs-450 would out cut this turd of a 460 and there is one on the trading post that could be had for $250+/-


----------



## bag-o-donuts (May 16, 2015)

Don't overlook the 555 husqvarna.


----------



## Tim Gott (May 16, 2015)

I had a 455.it was a very good saw with an 18" bar on it.easy to maintain and reliable. You wldnt be disappointed to have one of those for the money.my father in law has farm boss stihl with .325 chain.my 455 wld eat that for dinner with a 3/8s chain.


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 16, 2015)

bag-o-donuts said:


> Don't overlook the 555 husqvarna.



Oh no, don't do that to me! Then you'll get me considering the 562XP as it's just a little bit more! Seriously though, I think the 550/555 range is good for me, and much more than I'm likely to ever need. Also, my wife uses the saw sometimes too, and the 555 is 700 grams heavier. I imagine she'd appreciate the lighter saw.


----------



## bag-o-donuts (May 16, 2015)

Sounds like the 545 would be ideal then...


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 16, 2015)

bag-o-donuts said:


> Sounds like the 545 would be ideal then...



Yeah, probably. I talked to a friend of mine who runs an arborist company. He said the model the 550XP replaced (don't remember the model number) would usually give them about 5 years of use. The 550XP is giving them 1-3 years, but said the 545 seems to be a little beefier. He also suggested a 3xx model, but of course I don't remember what it was. Looking online, those seem either too small or too heavy but I'll check in with him later.

The real news though is that he said he can get me a Husqvarna at wholesale. So I guess there's my answer. Now I just have to pick which one. Probably the 545.


----------



## sunfish (May 16, 2015)

The 550xp replaced the 346xp. Big shoes to fill!!!

The 545 is not more beefier, but doesn't seem to have the minor issues some 550s' have.

The 3xx series he's likely talking about are the 365, 372xp. You don't need a saw this large.

545 is the one...


----------



## bag-o-donuts (May 16, 2015)

The 545 is basically the same as the 550, minus the xp label and a little snot.


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 16, 2015)

sunfish said:


> The 550xp replaced the 346xp. Big shoes to fill!!!
> 
> The 545 is not more beefier, but doesn't seem to have the minor issues some 550s' have.
> 
> ...



Yeah sorry I didn't mean the 545 is "beefier" than the 550XP, just that according to my friend it seems to maybe be holding up a bit better.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your points of view. I'll follow up here when I hopefully have something soon.


----------



## Andrew Clarke (May 22, 2015)

I ended up ordering a 545 with a 16" bar. I had a brief fling with considering a 535 and then buying a bigger saw in a year or three if I feel like I need it. My friend said he's been hearing good feedback on the 535 and it supposedly is a "featured item" at the moment. However, when he got back to me with pricing last night, the 535 was a good $60 or so more expensive than the 545. With the 545 being the cheapest of the three ($100 or so less than a 550), it seemed like the obvious choice in the end. With a price of 30% off retail I'm very very happy.

I opted with a 16" bar just because my friend has cut in my bush, know about a million times more than me, and said that's the right size bar for me to get.

I should be getting the saw next week. I'm very excited! I'm off tomorrow to get some better safety equipment (chaps, helmet, etc.) for myself and my wife.

Thanks again to all of you for your input.


----------



## NC Cutter (Jun 13, 2016)

sunfish said:


> I would not buy any of those.
> 
> If ya want a Husq, get a 545.
> 
> ...



The 545xp is $439 and a 450 is only $$300. Big price difference! One can buy several chains or accessories with that $140.

Just saying.

ETA: I had several windows open when I came back to this thread I thought it was recent. I see the OP got the 545 for wholesale from his friend. Awesome! You should pick up the 372xp while your friend is being generous.


----------



## Phecda (Jun 14, 2016)

I can relate to the OP.
I have a little bit more than 100, and only about 1/3 of it is brush and trees now- when it started out 90% brush and trees.
I stared with cheap **** saws (poulan, craftsman, homelite) borrowed saws (husq rancher, stihl 038 AV, echo CS590, etc), bought an MS170, which soon became a MS361, fast forward, I now have 3x MS361 and an MS461, HT131 and either an MS261 or 241 on the way soon.
No regrets. 

However, with the reputation for the XP series (similar amount of fan boys to th pro-stihl saws), I don't think you'd regret a 346xp or 550xp- I use my 76.5cc saw the most for felling and bucking, and the 60cc's are set up with different chain combinations.
One wears RM for dirty wood, one wears RS for clean wood, one has a long bar with semi skip- they are overkill for light work and that's why I'm looking at saws in the same class as you now.

I know it's heresy and the brand loyalists will be pissed, but if a good deal pops up on a 45-50cc XP I will probably snatch it up. Hopefully chuck won't be too pissed at me.


----------

