# Stihl MS 261 ( What is the best stihl chain)



## Schneider (Oct 29, 2012)

Hello all,I'm a new member & this is my first time posting. I just purchased a Stihl MS 261. It came with a 18" green bar and chain. I'm thinking about changing over to a 3/8" yellow bar ( rollmatic) and chain. *My question is which type of chain would be best for my purpose and saw. *I have a heatmor water stove that I'll be cutting firewood for. Will be cutting alot of oaks,hickory,maple,birch,sourwood for the stove. Also be using it for general upkeep and matiance on the farm. 

Used the saw for the first time this past weekend. Ran one tank of gas through it on green maple and seasoned red oak. I though it cut very well considering the green bar and chain. Also I'm following the factory recomendation to not run wide open until after the third tank of gas. Open to sugestion on the chain.


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## Stihl-Pioneer (Oct 29, 2012)

I would just stick with the bar that it came with for a while and just get a loop of RS if you will cut mainly clean wood or RM if you will be cutting any dirty wood.


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## struggle (Oct 29, 2012)

If you have a bench grinder you can grind the humps off your current chain to make it non-safety chain. I do it on the ones I have. No need to throw the cahin away. You will gain nothing by replacing the bar. Just keep the one you have. It is a good bar. When it wears out then buy a different one. 

Semi chisel works very well if you are on dirt from time to time. If not full chisel all the way. 

Read up about removing the limiter caps on the carb. Search 261 limter caps and read away.


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## Andyshine77 (Oct 29, 2012)

Schneider said:


> Hello all,I'm a new member & this is my first time posting. I just purchased a Stihl MS 261. It came with a 18" green bar and chain. I'm thinking about changing over to a 3/8" yellow bar ( rollmatic) and chain. *My question is which type of chain would be best for my purpose and saw. *I have a heatmor water stove that I'll be cutting firewood for. Will be cutting alot of oaks,hickory,maple,birch,sourwood for the stove. Also be using it for general upkeep and matiance on the farm.
> 
> Used the saw for the first time this past weekend. Ran one tank of gas through it on green maple and seasoned red oak. I though it cut very well considering the green bar and chain. Also I'm following the factory recomendation to not run wide open until after the third tank of gas. Open to sugestion on the chain.



The instructions said to not run the saw wide open with no load, when cutting always run the saw at full throttle.

RS is the chain you want. What pitch chain does the saw currently have? both .325 and 3/8 will work fine.


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## Roll Tide (Oct 29, 2012)

The only time you wouldn't hold it wide open is out of wood. Always run it wide open in the cut.


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## Locust Cutter (Oct 29, 2012)

As long as you keep the 3/8" chain sharp, it will work fine. If you're a bit lazy abou chain main't, then stay with .325 as it creates a decent amount less drag via the smaller curf. I run 050-3/8" chisel on mine and it pulls nicely in Hedge, but you have to keep a good edge. The minute it slows down dn the chips shrink, either touch it up or swap out for another loop. You won't be disappointed.


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## dl5205 (Oct 29, 2012)

Congrats on the new saw!


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## Raker (Oct 29, 2012)

I have husky saws but have switched all my bars over to Stihl rs chain based on info gained from this site. I actually rocked a chain this past weekend and immediately went to go swap it out but for the heck of it I tried another cut and it was still throwing huge chips. Used it the rest of the day. Quality is top notch IMO. I am sticking with Stihl chain. Must less time between sharpening and I can get it cheaper than Oregon/husky chain.


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## Schneider (Oct 29, 2012)

thanks for all your input. Also for clearing up break in/full throttle. The pitch on the green bar is .325. Is the saw powerful enough for s skip chain?


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## Joe Kidd (Oct 29, 2012)

Schneider said:


> Hello all,I'm a new member & this is my first time posting. I just purchased a Stihl MS 261. It came with a 18" green bar and chain. I'm thinking about changing over to a 3/8" yellow bar ( rollmatic) and chain. *My question is which type of chain would be best for my purpose and saw. *I have a heatmor water stove that I'll be cutting firewood for. Will be cutting alot of oaks,hickory,maple,birch,sourwood for the stove. Also be using it for general upkeep and matiance on the farm.
> 
> Used the saw for the first time this past weekend. Ran one tank of gas through it on green maple and seasoned red oak. I though it cut very well considering the green bar and chain. Also I'm following the factory recomendation to not run wide open until after the third tank of gas. Open to sugestion on the chain.



Welcome to the site! You've picked a great saw. Lots of info here on the 261. If wanting Stihl full chisel yellow, that's 23RSC in .325 .050 gauge.
Oregon 20LPX is another good choice.


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## Schneider (Oct 29, 2012)

I think I'll stick with the .325 pitch and try a full chisel. Thank for the help!!


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## Schneider (Oct 29, 2012)

Sounds like I need to check the rpm of the saw. What should the rpm's be?


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## s219 (Oct 29, 2012)

The only difference between green and yellow chain for most people is when plunge cutting (green won't plunge worth a crap). If you're just sawing firewood, then you may never notice the difference between green and yellow.

The real thing to consider is the cutter type. The semi-chisel (RM) is better for dirty conditions or general beater use. The full-chisel (RS) is better for cutting performance, but dulls quickly in dirty conditions.

I have tried a few, and tend to like the RM chain. I am running RS now on my new 461, and it takes a lot more sharpening on the job out in the field. With RM, I normally only have to sharpen when I am doing weekly saw maintenance in my workshop.


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## LowVolt (Oct 29, 2012)

Schneider said:


> Sounds like I need to check the rpm of the saw. What should the rpm's be?



14K. Mine was at 14400. Here is a plug for my thread I just did.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/212605.htm


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## Slamm (Oct 29, 2012)

Semi-Chisel will always last longer and cut more wood per chain in any condition than Chisel chain.

So just get that and always be happy.

Sam


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## H 2 H (Oct 29, 2012)

Welcome to AS :msp_wink:

I like running 18" 3/8" b/c with Stihl RSLHK (half skip) in clean wood others have covered the other chain to run

IMO get two chains


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## Schneider (Oct 29, 2012)

sounds like I'll be buying a tach. LowVolt thanks for the thread, I'll check it out. I'll pick up a RM & RS chain. Try them both out and see. Never hurts to have a back up. I'll be cutting clean wood 80% of the time. My farther inlaw and I cut wood together. He has a farmall 450 with a frontend loader on it. We fall & limb the tree then cut into sections that the loader can pick up. He saws one end while i saw the other. This keeps the tree balanced and at waist high. Very little bending over.


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## msvold (Oct 29, 2012)

Slamm said:


> Semi-Chisel will always last longer and cut more wood per chain in any condition than Chisel chain.
> 
> So just get that and always be happy.
> 
> Sam



Absolutely agree with Sam's statement. For a couple of years, I thought full chisel (RS) had to be the way to go, then I used semi chisel (RM) and noticed when i neared an end of a tank of gas, the RM chain was still cutting as well as when I started, which wasn't the case for RS (for me anyway). For the normal homeowner who cuts firewood- I'm a firm believer in what Sam states - more wood per sharpening and per chain.


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## Trailtrimmer (Oct 29, 2012)

msvold said:


> Absolutely agree with Sam's statement. For a couple of years, I thought full chisel (RS) had to be the way to go, then I used semi chisel (RM) and noticed when i neared an end of a tank of gas, the RM chain was still cutting as well as when I started, which wasn't the case for RS (for me anyway). For the normal homeowner who cuts firewood- I'm a firm believer in what Sam states - more wood per sharpening and per chain.



I'm right with you. When I'm out doing trail work I really don't have time to file a chain three or four times during the day as I'm fighting dalight and have lots of ground to cover. Running RM or semi chisel I touch it up once every couple tanks. Chisel needs twice the attention.


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## H 2 H (Oct 29, 2012)

Schneider said:


> *sounds like I'll be buying a tach*. LowVolt thanks for the thread, I'll check it out. I'll pick up a RM & RS chain. Try them both out and see. Never hurts to have a back up. I'll be cutting clean wood 80% of the time. My farther inlaw and I cut wood together. He has a farmall 450 with a frontend loader on it. We fall & limb the tree then cut into sections that the loader can pick up. He saws one end while i saw the other. This keeps the tree balanced and at waist high. Very little bending over.




Tach's are good for getting a set point but all saws will be different

I have two different tachs one on the saw and a hand held tach 






and 

This pic is the easiest the tach on the handle of the 250 - there on all my saws :cool2:


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## Stihlman441 (Oct 30, 2012)

Worksconnection tach on a 261 with muff modd and limiters pulled,tuned rich.

[video=youtube;XbuPrSLorsU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbuPrSLorsU[/video]


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## Jimmy in NC (Oct 30, 2012)

H 2 H said:


> Tach's are good for getting a set point but all saws will be different
> 
> I have two different tachs one on the saw and a hand held tach
> 
> ...



What tachs are you running mounted?


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## Slamm (Oct 30, 2012)

Go here:

Seismic Cycles

Several of us have ordered many from these guys .......... cheap and they ship fast.

Sam


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## H 2 H (Oct 30, 2012)

Jimmy in NC said:


> What tachs are you running mounted?



This one that Stihlman441 has on his 261



Stihlman441 said:


> Worksconnection tach on a 261 with muff modd and limiters pulled,tuned rich.
> 
> [video=youtube;XbuPrSLorsU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbuPrSLorsU[/video]


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## SawTroll (Oct 30, 2012)

Schneider said:


> thanks for all your input. Also for clearing up break in/full throttle. The pitch on the green bar is .325. Is the saw powerful enough for s skip chain?



Skip chain is to be used when the saw isn't strong enough for the bar/chain length (or if chip transport out of the cut becomes a problem). 

It demands _less _power than full comp, not more - but normally is less effective in the cut.


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## H 2 H (Oct 30, 2012)

When I run the Stihl RSLHK 18" 3/8" b/c the rpm are higher (you can see it on the tach on the handle) then running a full comp chain; meaning faster chain speed and it clears out the chips better :msp_thumbup:

There is a utube vid of a guy down under with a 24" 3/8" set-up on his 261; I dd that with mine and the semi-skip worked but I wouldn't run that full time that's what my bigger saw's are for :msp_smile:

I even have a semi-skip tooth chain for my MS 250; I found in clean wood up to 16" it just a screamer in Alder and Fir :msp_smile:

It's fun trying different set-ups on chain saw's; if you don't try things different life is really dull and trying different things means your out of the house enjoying the great out doors :msp_scared:


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## Joe Kidd (Oct 30, 2012)

H 2 H said:


> Welcome to AS :msp_wink:
> 
> I like running 18" 3/8" b/c with Stihl RSLHK (half skip) in clean wood others have covered the other chain to run
> 
> IMO get two chains



Nice axe.


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## SawTroll (Oct 30, 2012)

Joe Kidd said:


> Nice axe.



Yes, those are nice! :msp_smile:


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## tallguys (Oct 30, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> Yes, those are nice! :msp_smile:



I would have thought that you'd be singing the praises of Gransfors-Bruks instead of these... :msp_smile:


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## SawTroll (Oct 30, 2012)

tallguys said:


> I would have thought that you'd be singing the praises of Gransfors-Bruks instead of these... :msp_smile:


I'm not Swedish....:msp_biggrin:


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## tallguys (Oct 30, 2012)

SawTroll said:


> I'm not Swedish....:msp_biggrin:



Oh, I know that... but you do happen to like Swedish cutting implements... :msp_smile:


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## Schneider (Oct 30, 2012)

Stihlman441 great video. I like the tach on the handle. I want to do a muff mod,but the saw is one week old. Don't want to void the warranty. Gonna pick up a RM chain to try. Thanks to everyone for your input.


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## Schneider (Oct 30, 2012)

where can i buy a worksconnection tach?


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## H 2 H (Oct 30, 2012)

Schneider said:


> where can i buy a worksconnection tach?



Go to freebay and do a search :msp_biggrin:


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## Schneider (Oct 30, 2012)

found it. Suprised it dosn't cost more. ( 37.95 )


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## LowVolt (Oct 30, 2012)

Schneider said:


> where can i buy a worksconnection tach?



Post #23. :msp_biggrin:


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## Schneider (Oct 30, 2012)

thanks LowVolt. a few bucks cheaper.


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## LowVolt (Oct 30, 2012)

I wonder if there would be any interest in a group buy for these? I have got four saws that I would like to get them for.


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## Roll Tide (Oct 30, 2012)

LowVolt said:


> I wonder if there would be any interest in a group buy for these? I have got four saws that I would like to get them for.


All three of my ported saws have them installed.


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## deye223 (Oct 30, 2012)

H 2 H said:


> There is a utube vid of a guy down under with a 24" 3/8" set-up on his 261;
> 
> 
> that would be me but it is ported, it's not ideal but it will do in a pinch
> ...


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## LowVolt (Oct 30, 2012)

deye223 said:


> H 2 H said:
> 
> 
> > There is a utube vid of a guy down under with a 24" 3/8" set-up on his 261;
> ...


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## deye223 (Oct 30, 2012)

LowVolt said:


> deye223 said:
> 
> 
> > Them some big dawgs on that 261!
> ...


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## dwraisor (Oct 31, 2012)

s219 said:


> T*he only difference between green and yellow chain for most people is when plunge cutting (green won't plunge worth a crap). If you're just sawing firewood, then you may never notice the difference between green and yellow.*



I have yet to get this myself. The green chain has the same cutter as the yellow. If the depth gauges are kept at the correct height tot he cutter, then the cutter gets the same bite, and cuts as good. Yes plunge cutting suffers. Yes the depth gauges or "rakers" require more work. The chain still cuts as good in most situations.







SawTroll said:


> Yes, those are nice! :msp_smile:




WOW, ST & I agree on something :msp_sneaky: 


dw


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