# Husqvarna model so new even the company doesn't know about it



## curveball (Aug 25, 2012)

Lowe's has a "Husqvarna 450 Rancher" with a 20" bar now.

Please note what I wrote: a 450 *RANCHER* , apparently a new sibling to the 455 Rancher.

I have been unable to find it on Husqvarna's web site. I have called customer service twice to ask how it differs from the 455 Rancher other than the engine being approximately 10% smaller, and both times the service reps put me on hold for about four minutes only to come back and say they don't know. That was yesterday. They're supposed to get back to me by phone or email.

I had gone to Lowe's expecting to buy the 455 Rancher but they had none in stock. I saw the 450 Rancher (20" bar) and asked the Lowe's guys about the differences. They could only do what I did: look at the engine size listed on the box and see that it's smaller. That's the sum of our collective knowledge.

Most significant as far as my curiosity is concerned: Lowe's put the identical price on the 455 Rancher and the 450 Rancher. So I expected someone at Husqvarna to tell me about all kinds of improvements etc. I did not expect them to have no idea about their own product -- even its existence -- at least so far. 

Anyone here know about this product?


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## w8ye (Aug 25, 2012)

HUSQVARNA 450 - Chainsaws


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## SawTroll (Aug 25, 2012)

The 450 is a smaller and lighter saw than the 455, and a newer design. Both are plastic cased consumer saws though, the "Rancher" designation is just maketing, and not used on all markets and/or at all time.


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## curveball (Aug 25, 2012)

*That does not answer my question, but rather repeats it*



w8ye said:


> HUSQVARNA 450 - Chainsaws



The link you provide is to a NON-RANCHER 450. You link to a plain vanilla 450. That's the problem I have brought up. Husqvarna can't explain, and you didn't, either.

Here is the LOWE's link to the 450 RANCHER (repeat RANCHER/RANCHER/RANCHER) they're selling. Notice that the bar has big letters saying "FARM TOUGH", as in RANCHER. (The one in your link simply says "HUSQVARNA."

Shop Husqvarna 50.2cc 2-Cycle 20-in Gas Chain Saw at Lowes.com

Anyone here have an answer to my detailed query?


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## curveball (Aug 25, 2012)

*looking for useful information*



SawTroll said:


> The 450 is a smaller and lighter saw than the 455, and a newer design. Both are plastic cased consumer saws though, the "Rancher" designation is just maketing, and not used on all markets and/or at all time.



"Newer design"...is encouraging, but doesn't say much.

??? Where/how can I find out what is different/better about this new 450 Rancher (20" bar) compared to the 455 or the 450 non-Rancher that someone linked in another response here? (I'm beginning to think that, at this point, the answer is nowhere to be found.....which is not a good selling point for Husqvarna.)

I already know, and wrote in my original post, that it is smaller and thus surely lighter. I'm looking for the significant details about the differences concerning a product that Husqvarna customer service reps don't even know exists. 

While, astoundingly, Husqvarna itself does not have this new model on its own web site, Lowe's does:

Shop Husqvarna 50.2cc 2-Cycle 20-in Gas Chain Saw at Lowes.com

Perhaps this model is sold only through Lowe's. OK. But it would be nice if Husqvarna would tell the Lowe's sales reps what's up with it.


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## Joe Kidd (Aug 25, 2012)

curveball said:


> Lowe's has a "Husqvarna 450 Rancher" with a 20" bar now.
> 
> Please note what I wrote: a 450 *RANCHER* , apparently a new sibling to the 455 Rancher.
> 
> ...



Web IT and CS depts. must really suck!


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## Balonzo85 (Mar 24, 2013)

*Rancher 450*

I own the 450 rancher and my uncle does too. Both of us say the same thing it's the best chainsaw we've ever owned. Never dropped 400 bucks on a chainsaw but I have to say it was a wise investment. The one thing I've notice between the 450 and the 455 is that the bar on the 455 is a bigger bar. I've been wanting to see if the two are compatible but haven't yet. Another thing is the 450 doesn't have a oil flow adjuster I'm not sure if the 455 does but I know other husqvarna chainsaws have the adjuster. If you have any other info on I would like to know more about it as well. It's a beast ass chainsaw though!!!


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## Zombiechopper (Mar 24, 2013)

curveball said:


> The link you provide is to a NON-RANCHER 450. You link to a plain vanilla 450. That's the problem I have brought up. Husqvarna can't explain, and you didn't, either.
> 
> Here is the LOWE's link to the 450 RANCHER (repeat RANCHER/RANCHER/RANCHER) they're selling. Notice that the bar has big letters saying "FARM TOUGH", as in RANCHER. (The one in your link simply says "HUSQVARNA."
> 
> ...



'rancher' is just a marketing tag they add on certain models. Same as the Stihl 'farmboss' lingo. It's just a decal. Same saw as the regular models. Some markets get the decal, some don't. It really means nothing.


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## echoshawn (Mar 24, 2013)

450 Rancher with no oil adjustment? Sounds to me like a PP5020 wearing Husky plastics. Probably the same mechanicals, just different plastics/color....


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## echoshawn (Mar 24, 2013)

Husqvarna 450 Rancher - Chainsaws

Straight from their site.. List the 450 Rancher, 455 Rancher, and 460 Rancher.


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## tlandrum (Mar 24, 2013)

i can hook you up with a new redmax g5300 which is the same saw as the husky 353. for a better price than the rancher.


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## justtools (Mar 24, 2013)

Why would anyone buy a 400 dollar saw at Lowes? Do you not have a real *** dealer in town. Buy your saw where you can get your questions answered and any warranty issues dealt with.


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## Philbert (Mar 24, 2013)

Husqvarna really drops the ball on their USA website.

I can't directly compare 'homeowner' and 'pro' saws, such as if I want to make a value judgement between similarly sized models, compare power to weight ratios, etc..

For the 450 series they also list a 450e-series and a 450 Rancher. The Rancher model is $40 more but lacks the 'smart-start' feature, has a smaller oil pump capacity, slightly different chain speed, and lists lower vibration an sound levels (?). Are all these differences correct or just error(s)? There must be something different in the 'Rancher' model to justify the 10 percent price jump.

Hard to know as so many of the cells are empty in their comparison matrices: 
(homeowner) Chainsaws - Compare and review Husqvarna gas and electric chainsaw specs | Husqvarna
(pro) Professional Chainsaws - Chainsaw comparison chart | Husqvarna

For the 440, they list the displacement at 670.23cc and the bar gauge as 50 inches. This is just sloppy proofreading, or people who don't care.

Combined with the OP's experience, this is a poor reflection on their end-user customer sales support.

Philbert


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## echoshawn (Mar 24, 2013)

Philbert said:


> Husqvarna really drops the ball on their USA website.
> 
> I can't directly compare 'homeowner' and 'pro' saws, such as if I want to make a value judgement between similarly sized models, compare power to weight ratios, etc..
> 
> ...


670.23cc?? Is that the new Rotax 670 powered 240 factory hotsaw? 
Like back in the old hot rodding days, the GM RPO codes...


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## SawTroll (Mar 25, 2013)

Who really cares about plastic cased saws like that anyway - I surely don't!


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## Vibes (Mar 25, 2013)

Sounds to me that you are creating a problem and asking questions that you allready know the answer too. Buy it or don't!! Run it and tell us how you like it. 

I'm not sure about what the writing on the bar means, or the writing on the box says, but its probably pretty much a Husky 350 with a few modern upgrades. My guess is its a pretty decent machine, reguardless of what some girl at the answering service tells you. A few clicks of the mouse on Google should save you some headaches about trying to figure out this conundrum.


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## arborealbuffoon (Mar 25, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> Who really cares about plastic cased saws like that anyway - I surely don't!



Took the words right outta my mouth. Talk about splitting pointless hairs...


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## Big_Wood (Mar 25, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> Who really cares about plastic cased saws like that anyway - I surely don't!



i agree sawtroll. if anybody ever saw me with a saw like that you would know that i got it free and it will be sold to whoever gives me the first offer. quite possible may even get given away. well i suppose there's a chance it may even become a mod guinea pig.


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## Philbert (Mar 25, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> Who really cares about plastic cased saws like that anyway - I surely don't!





arborealbuffoon said:


> Took the words right outta my mouth.





westcoaster90 said:


> if anybody ever saw me with a saw like that you would know that i got it free . . .



You guys all know the answer to that question before you even posted. Lots of folks don't need a 'pro' saw, and lots of firewood has been cut with 'homeowner' saws. Some guys don't have the money to sink into a more expensive saw, and these may be an upgrade for them over a $120 Sears saw. Some of these last users 10+ years with a sharp chain and fresh gas.

SawTroll, I even recall you recommending some of these orange saws over other 'homeowner' saws in other threads!

Philbert


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## Vibes (Mar 25, 2013)

westcoaster90 said:


> i agree sawtroll. if anybody ever saw me with a saw like that you would know that i got it free and it will be sold to whoever gives me the first offer. quite possible may even get given away. well i suppose there's a chance it may even become a mod guinea pig.



I see you have one of those high quality Earthquakes in your signature. Did you buy that one for your dog?


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## Lovewood33 (Mar 25, 2013)

So true not everyone can afford professional chainsaws. As long as it does the job and your not over using it when you knows its not a professional saw why do you need something bigger and better. Many people do fine with homeowner saws.

I don't really get the logic of bashing a homeowner saw when this would be someones first saw and can't afford the professional saws. I thought husqvarna was going with Auto Tune on all there new model saws?


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## Big_Wood (Mar 25, 2013)

Vibes said:


> I see you have one of those high quality Earthquakes in your signature. Did you buy that one for your dog?



actually that is a mod guinea pig. i wasn't saying nobody should buy the plastic saws. just saying i won't. i agree with sawtroll because he doesn't care for them and i am the same. they just feel cheap kinda like that earthquake. the earthquake is also a test mule to see how tge chinese saws hold up against the abuse. life is good. live it and be happy. didn't mean to get you all bent out of shape.


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## Lovewood33 (Mar 25, 2013)

I'm not bent out of shape, just stating a point is all. I would have used exclamation points if I was bent out of shape lol. Everyone has different opinions on saws, it makes for a good debate.


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## RedneckChainsawRepair (Mar 25, 2013)

echoshawn said:


> 450 Rancher with no oil adjustment? Sounds to me like a PP5020 wearing Husky plastics. Probably the same mechanicals, just different plastics/color....



450 was out way before 5020.

They do share some stuff. But the cylinders are different. The 450 has transfer covers the 5020 is old school. I think the 5020 was taken from the 450 design JMO after comparing and going from memory.

You can get brand new husqvarna 353 with 16" for $395 to your door. Add about $10 for each inch for longer bars.


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## RedneckChainsawRepair (Mar 25, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> Who really cares about plastic cased saws like that anyway - I surely don't!
> 
> Firewood saws: Jonsereds Raket 621 (1970), Husky 353G (2003), Euro Stihl MS361W (2004), Husky 372xpg (nov 2006), *Husky 339xp (may 2007)*, Husky 346xpg New Edition (sept 2007), Jonsered 2153WH (april 2010), Husky 560xpg (nov 2011).



You own the ugliest dang plastic saw I have ever seen. 339 husky. :msp_wink::msp_rolleyes::msp_biggrin:


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## SawTroll (Mar 27, 2013)

JeremiahJohnson said:


> You own the ugliest dang plastic saw I have ever seen. 339 husky. :msp_wink::msp_rolleyes::msp_biggrin:



There actually is quite a bit of magnesium in that case, and they are very well handling saws! :msp_biggrin:

They suffer from having a clamshell style top end though, and aren't exactly a dream to work on....


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## Chris-PA (Mar 27, 2013)

LOL - You saw snobs crack me up. I cut all my wood with homeowner grade saws. My Dad has a 455 Rancher and loves it. I've run it several times and like it a lot too. The other day I told him that some people spend $800 - $1000 on pro grade saws and he gave me that "You've got to be kidding me" look. 

Remember, these plastic homeowner saws are keeping your beloved European saw manufacturers in business.


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## Bob B (Mar 30, 2014)

I came here looking for the same answer about the 450 and 450 Rancher. From the Husqvara site, the 450 has a MSRP of $359.99 ad the 450 Rancher MSRP is $399.99. The only difference is that the Rancher has a 20" bar and the 450 has an 18" bar (and obviously a different size chain). They also have different model numbers listed.
I don't know parts pricing, but could the $40 difference in price be justified by the larger bar & chain size?


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

> I came here looking for the same answer about the 450 and 450 Rancher.



Welcome to AS!

Sometimes models are sold through different channels at different price points. Sometimes, there are small differences. Sometimes the information on the Husky website is not correct or is inconsistent.

Some of this info has changes since this thread was started.

The 'Compare' feature on the Husky website shows some small differences (?) Not sure what 'Smart Start' is physically. Don't know why there would be 1/2 pound difference between power heads without bars/chains, or why the 450e would have a slightly faster chain speed. Based on previous information posted on their website, some of this may be due to errors.

Philbert


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## mikefunaro (Mar 30, 2014)

The story at least that I heard about the 450 rancher was that they couldn't meet the price point that lowes wanted to meet with the 455 Rancher, and Lowes wanted to sell a rancher, so they put the rancher tag on the 450.

The Husky web people definitely are not the best, even though I am guessing the relatively out of date information has more to do with the fact that the product specs, product information, product availability, distribution and branding all come from somewhat different people potentially in different countries.


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

BTW, I personally think that that saw would run best with a 16" bar. A saw dealer (instead of a big box store) may sell it to you with a different length bar. So, given the choices above, the 450 looks like the best deal to me. 

Philbert


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## jdhacker (Mar 30, 2014)

Thats what you run in to when a saw company is so desperate they have to sale saws at walmart. 





Just poking the husky guys, The pro saw vs clamshell by a few people is crazy talk. Yes it will take you about 10 min longer to take down a clamshell saw. Wow so much more work lol. The pro saw will have a little more power, and weigh a little bit less with the same cc. It will not last any longer with out being rebuilt over a clamshell. I have a 291 im on my 9th gallon of fuel, that will be 67 tanks of gas. No problems what so ever, runs stronger then when new. For firewood cutting, and bucking the weight difference just does not matter. Then you have the people that always talk about side ways balance, and handling lol. I guess that matters if your going around curves, or running a obstacle course


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

jdhacker said:


> It will not last any longer with out being rebuilt over a clamshell.



Sometimes they use better quality components, bearings, plating, etc., on pro-grade saws. Not always visible. 

It's often easier to find replacement parts for the pro-grade saws if you are going to rebuild or repair, including aftermarket components.

Philbert


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## dl5205 (Mar 30, 2014)

mikefunaro said:


> The Husky web people definitely are not the best,..



This bears repeating, for a number of reasons.


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## MGoBlue (Mar 30, 2014)

I spent some quality time w/ a 450e, it was the first new saw I ever bought. _Hated_ the tool-less chain adjuster. The saw ran great and helped me really get into firewood burning. About 16 cords of apple wood later, the orchard wood supply was gone and I started cutting bigger oak and needed more power. The same dealer that sold me the 450 made me a pretty good deal on a brand new 357XP. Until you run an XP saw next to a Lowes saw, you won't under stand the huge difference! 
Sounds to me like you'd be happy w a 450 (rancher or not) if you would just pull the trigger and buy it. Don't judge a chainsaws performance on what a customer service rep can tell you on the phone about specific model differences. A full line dealer sounds like your best bet.


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## hamish (Mar 30, 2014)

The 450 has and was a bad seller for its msrp was much higher than the 455, in this market. I only ordered one of them in 4 years as a customer wanted one. Its a nice saw and leaps above the 455. Just at a price point it was lacking in my market. 

A few years later to 2014, the msrp on the 450 has dropped and that of the 455 has jumped like crazy.

Rancher is solely a marketing term, as is the US Farm Tough marketing label.


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

I can't keep track of the new Husqvarna model numbers without a scorecard.
450 is the 'new' 350?
545 is the 'new' 353?
550 is the 'new' 346?

Philbert


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## Chris-PA (Mar 30, 2014)

Philbert said:


> BTW, I personally think that that saw would run best with a 16" bar. A saw dealer (instead of a big box store) may sell it to you with a different length bar. So, given the choices above, the 450 looks like the best deal to me.
> 
> Philbert


I never understood that - if you were going to run a 16" bar why not use a lighter 40cc saw with a 16" lo pro bar (narrower kerf)?


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## Ndigity26 (Mar 30, 2014)

curveball said:


> *That does not answer my question, but rather repeats it*
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hey man, the guy sawtroll you said "this doesnt answer my question" knows more about husqvarna saws that just about anyone. ALSO your asking about a husky 450 its not a big deal and or really a new saw. Its a 50cc saw, its a decent non commercial grade saw and makes decent firewood saw. if your new here, respect the idea you dont know something and your looking for information.


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

Chris-PA said:


> I never understood that - if you were going to run a 16" bar why not use a lighter 40cc saw with a 16" lo pro bar (narrower kerf)?



The older Husky 350s and STIHL MS250s worked well with .325 chain and a 16 inch bar for 'all around use'. You can mount a longer bar, and some do for 'reach', but these saws don't really have the power to pull a longer, full bar if buried in the wood. I am assuming that the 450 would behave similarly.

Smaller, lighter saws with low profile or narrow kerf chains (or both!) are nice for limbing and smaller stuff, but they don't have the power for regular bucking (e.g. I have an ECHO CS400 with 3/8 low profile and 14 and 16 inch bars). I like a saw to run without being under heavy strain for regular cutting.

I do run narrow kerf (.325) chain on my 50cc saw (353) because that's what Husky sold it with, and I liked it and kept it. I have put a longer bar on that saw, but it really works it hard.

Although you can run other combinations, and people have different cutting conditions, I think that there are 'optimal' powerhead/bar length/chain pitch combinations for most saws.

JMHO

Philbert


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## Chris-PA (Mar 30, 2014)

Philbert said:


> Smaller, lighter saws with low profile or narrow kerf chains (or both!) are nice for limbing and smaller stuff, but they don't have the power for regular bucking (e.g. I have an ECHO CS400 with 3/8 low profile and 14 and 16 inch bars). I like a saw to run without being under heavy strain for regular cutting.


Hmm, that has not been my experience. I have several small saws that will pull an 18" lo pro (which is also narrow kerf) through hardwood quite quickly, and a 16" easily. My 40cc 142 has a 16" 0.043" Microlite bar and is never strained by anything. 

I guess it's just what you are used to. I started with lo pro saws and a full kerf chain still feels like driving a truck - you can make 'em go but you need a lot more power to do it. I've thought several times about starting a thread on big saws/little bars. It just seems counterproductive to carry a heavier saw and use more fuel just so you can move more wood.


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## Philbert (Mar 30, 2014)

Chris-PA said:


> Hmm, that has not been my experience.



That's what's great about this country - we get to choose!

Philbert


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