16” or 18” bar more reasonable on MS261c when converting to 3/8” chain?

[MarkinGA]

So have a new MS261c and was planning to convert it to 3/8” 0.050” to match all my other chains. It will serve as an understudy to my MS462c which is wearing a TsuMura 28” light bar.

Was planning to grab either a 16” or an 18” TsuMura light bar for the 261c. Just not sure which is a more practical fit for that saw and 3/8” chain?

Seeking advice
Mark in GA

 

[BeatCJ]

Either will be fine. I'm running a 25" 3/8" 0.63 bar on my ported 026. Less bending over, better reach for limbing, pretty horsey saw. I wouldn't do too much with the bar buried on mine, but you would use the MS462c for that kind of cutting. I pick another saw for that size wood, too.

 

[MarkinGA]

This is a stock saw just for clarity.

Mark in GA

 

[Michael E]

What size chains do you have? Because if you are buying all new chains just for the MS261, you might as well keep the stock setup.

 

[MarkinGA]

I would be getting new chains to match whichever 3/8 TsuMura light bar I get for the 261. My existing chains are all 20” and 28” 3/8” for my 462c.

 

[ammoaddict]

What size chains do you have? Because if you are buying all new chains just for the MS261, you might as well keep the stock setup.

Yep, I agree

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Yep, I agree

Me 3.

 

[PennHavenTW]

I have a 261 that I tried putting a full size 3/8th .050, 20" bar and chain on it. It was a Stihl Rollamatic bar and a full chisel non skip chain.

It ran it so - so. It just didn't have the power to get all that wood out of the kerf and still keep the rpms up.

I was running a 7 tooth drive sproket.

I normaly run the .325 .063 bar and chain. 20" bar and 7 tooth drive sproket.

The 7 tooth .325 drive sproket is a good bit smaller than the 7 tooth 3/8th sproket, even though its still a 7 tooth both sizes, the 3/8th has a longer pitch and so therefore the circumference is obviously more.

With the 3/8 versus the .325 it was almost like two steps bigger: bigger chain and bigger drive sproket

I also tried Stihls "light" 3/8th .050 on the 261. It had plenty of power to run it, but I was having trouble with it having cutting issues when it was sharpened halfway. It would bind in the cut. Almost like the cutters were getting too narrow and not creating a big enough kerf for the bar to slide through.

My two cents.....................

 

[Lionsfan]

What size chains do you have? Because if you are buying all new chains just for the MS261, you might as well keep the stock setup.

Yep, I agree

Me 3.

I agree with these guys, the current .325 chains on the market are so good you can't wrong.