346XP @ 15K or 260 @ 14,500K

[Jacob J.]

The AV mounts are soft for a 16" bar let alone a 24"!!!

You can put harder mounts in any of the 024/026/Ms-260 saws. We do that here for a forestry crew that runs MS-260s with 24" bars for roadside brushing. The material they're cutting is smaller but they need the longer bars for reach on steep cutbanks. Stihl sells mounts for every saw in their line-up in soft, medium, and hard.

 

[Lakeside53]

yes, and even the 441 has "normal" and hard mounts available..

 

[bwalker]

Depends on how the 260 is modified, there are ways as a woods saw to put it on even ground or even slightly ahead of a modded 346. Just got to think outside the box a little.

Thats what was done with mine. It came fairly close to equaling the 346, but the operating characteristics (IE torque) where not there. OK for a GTG, sucks in the woods IMO.

 

[BIGBORE577]

I'm partial and would take the 260 based on how mine runs. However, I'm not sure how the mods done to mine stack up to the saws being compared. I do know, the builder liked my saw also and stated it would out run his personally built 346. While I'm certainly not as experienced as most of the posters here, I believe some individual saws benefit more from mods than an indentical saw of the same manufacture with the same mods. I've been lucky with a couple, my 260 being one of them.

 

[bwalker]

You can put harder mounts in any of the 024/026/Ms-260 saws.

Thats what I did to mine. I believe the mounts I used where off a 066 for the front and a 046 for the rear, but dont hold me to that.
I still have a set that I will give a pay for the cost of postage only.

 

[bcorradi]

I'd take the 260 just because I don't have much first hand experience with the 346. I do however have a fairly hopped up 026 running an 066 carb which is a neat conversation piece.

 

[Engineeringnerd]

What do you mean by AV mount? I'm not familiar with the term.

 

[blis]

What do you mean by AV mount? I'm not familiar with the term.

the rubber anti-vibration thingies...

 

[stihlatit]

If Ben would mail me that 346 to try maybe I would be convinced. Other then that I will take the 026....mine is stihl running fine and thats with no mods.

 

[timberwolf]

That is exactly what I was talking about ben, conventional porting for a 260 will get it pretty close to a 346, port it for torque and it will cut a good 10% faster that a 260 ported for RPM. Been there done that...

 

[PA Plumber]

I really like my 026. Starts kinda hard at the beginning of the day. After that, starts extremely easily and runs very well. If that saw ever croaks, I would try a Husky 346 with an 18" bar.

 

[Stihl Crazy]

Here is my 346 EHP against my 260 KRS. Pick the winner

 

[SawWitch]

I really like my 026. Starts kinda hard at the beginning of the day. After that, starts extremely easily and runs very well. If that saw ever croaks, I would try a Husky 346 with an 18" bar.

I know that problem. When the saw is cold, hard to start. But later, when she is hoter (a bit warmer), easy to start.

It's a problem here in north where we live.

 

[Engineeringnerd]

Stihl Crazy,

Seemed to me the 346 took the prize. What is your take, since you were there?

 

[bwalker]

If Ben would mail me that 346 to try maybe I would be convinced. Other then that I will take the 026....mine is stihl running fine and thats with no mods.

Saws like the 038, 028 etc where fine saws in their day and there are many that are "still running fine", but I wouldnt buy one if they still sold them new.

That is exactly what I was talking about ben, conventional porting for a 260 will get it pretty close to a 346, port it for torque and it will cut a good 10% faster that a 260 ported for RPM. Been there done that.

And you could do the same thing with a 346...
The fact of the matter is the 346 has a better/newer cylinder design and as such makes more power in stock or mod form. This isnt specualtion either as I have owned and put much time on both saws in question in stock and mod trim.

 

[Engineeringnerd]

Crazy,

I looked at the video again and timed it. I'm not sure how accurate the video streaming is, but I came out right about 3 seconds on the 346 and right at 2 seconds on the Stihl. The sound of the 346 is deceiving in the video, it just sounds faster!

Are the chains equivalent in the test?

 

[PA Plumber]

I'm coming up with 2.2 seconds for both. Could be my internet connection also.

 

[Stihl Crazy]

The 260 came out ahead on the stopwatch. I used the same chain for both.

 

[Engineeringnerd]

Crazy,

You might want to fix that stopwatch. Who ever heard of a Stihl beating a Husky!

 

[Stihl Crazy]

Crazy,

You might want to fix that stopwatch. Who ever heard of a Stihl beating a Husky!

It must be a Stihl stopwatch.