Best Chainsaw in the $300 catagory

[mayhem100]

I have made my mind up and it will blow you all away. I have the xl in the shop and i will ne getting it back this weekend all tuned and ready to roar. I am purchasing a 359 modded from our good friend nmurph. I like having the extra power incase I ever get into the bigger trees on the property. I feel like this may be a better choice over the 346 since i wont feel a void in lack of power. Let me know what you guys think of my final decision.

I like running my 359 better than my 346, which makes me the odd man out around here. Good choice and it'll last you forever cutting those little trees. Get a second bar and a couple chains for it so you have the option of a short bar and a long bar, say a 16" and a 20" set. Its good to have a second b&c around for when you ineveitably get pinched.

Get a decent set of chaps and a logging helmet when you can swing it.

 

[Vibes]

There are guys clearing the Red Maxes out on E Bay right now. I just bought a Jonsered 2152, just because I also got a good deal on it, But I could have saved a lot if I went with Red Max. I have a 40cc Ryobi, and Craftsman Professional, and those saws do impress me every time I run them. I find myself grabbing those little gas sippers more and more. I have a Red Max blower and when I bought it, I demoed all the top manufacturers, and excuse the pun, but it blew the others away.

 

[bryanr2]

I have made my mind up and it will blow you all away. I have the xl in the shop and i will ne getting it back this weekend all tuned and ready to roar. I am purchasing a 359 modded from our good friend nmurph. I like having the extra power incase I ever get into the bigger trees on the property. I feel like this may be a better choice over the 346 since i wont feel a void in lack of power. Let me know what you guys think of my final decision.

That is a fantastic decision. They mod up really well. One builder just stated in another thread that in his experience the 359 took to mods better (or there was greater gains) than any other saw he had done. I let one pass by back in the fall. With that recommendation- I will be looking for one myself.

 

[Smittysrepair]

just curious....
what does a freshly rebuilt 346 include? Crank? Bearings? P&C? Carb rebuild? All the above?
and what would one cost?

I am very curious about this also! I have been considering a smaller saw to limb with, and I might be interested in one of these depending on the answers to the above questions.

 

[rms61moparman]

Is the Poulan 3k closer in weight to an 028 super or an MS250? Is it closer in power to an MS250 or an 028 super?

The 3000 is dead even in power with the 5100 Dolmar and 346 Husky.
The weight is right in the 12.5 pound range.


Mike

 

[Vibes]

The 3000 is dead even in power with the 5100 Dolmar and 346 Husky

I don't want to turn this in to a Poulan thread, but those numbers on the old 3K are pretty impressive. I always knew that old beast was pretty capable. Its a tick off of my 2150 J-Red but I think that could be made up if I switched it over to a 16 inch bar. Theres a guy who used to sell a lot of those saws on EBAY and he would always say that Poulan made those saws in direct responce to the 026 Stihl. I have another 3K in Craftsman gray. I'll have to start taking better care of them.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Is the Poulan 3k closer in weight to an 028 super or an MS250? Is it closer in power to an MS250 or an 028 super?

A 3000 is just under 2lbs heavier then the 250, just a tick lighter then a 028 but is superior in power then the 028.

In fact, I found my muffler modded 3000 to run side by side with my 5100S.

You asked:hmm3grin2orange:


Edit, Whoops, posting from a page eailer. LOL

 

[Modifiedmark]

The weight is right in the 12.2 pound range.


Mike

Fixed it for you. LOL

 

[bcorradi]

A 3000 is just under 2lbs heavier then the 250, just a tick lighter then a 028 but is superior in power then the 028.

In fact, I found my muffler modded 3000 to run side by side with my 5100S.

You asked:hmm3grin2orange:


Edit, Whoops, posting from a page eailer. LOL

Ya what I did initially post is correct ...the 3k is closer in power and weight to an 028 super than it is to the MS250.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Ya what I did initially post is correct ...the 3k is closer in power and weight to an 028 super than it is to the MS250.

That be as I may, I seen your question mark and just wanted to help ya out.

I useally dont try to get into these which saw threads, I just got sucked into this one. Lots of OPINIONS come out in these.

From the OP needs, it sounds like any of these saws in this series from Poulan would be a good choice as well. A nice PP330 would fill the bill nicely and to me be a better choice then a farm boss 290.

 

[hitechredneck]

While I am a Stihl user. The use of a Stihl "290" is heavy and not great power per pound. The MS250 or comparable- 40 cc Husky or Dolmar. lighter great power band and use for smaller cuts.

 

[Magnumfloyd]

All this 40 cc talk and every one still over looks the echo cs-400 way better then my old Ms 250

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[hitechredneck]

Not bad choice

I'd go with an 40cc Echo..probably the best big box store tools out there..including some smaller <35cc Huskys.

 

[Biglurr54]

Well the 359 is officially in the mail and on its way. This is a good thing because my wood pile is starting to dwindle. The super XL is in the shop and I should get it back tomorrow. I talked to my father about the the older stihl. He wasn't sure of the exact model but he thought it had 44 in it. I bet its a 044. Its older as it was my grandfathers but it was only used to cut framing out of houses that he was doing work on. It may have 10 hours at most on it. It has yet to fall a tree! It has no spark right now but if we could get it spark it should run. He is going to become a member to the site and start posting as he was really interested in what I had to say about the site. Let me know your thoughts on the 044 and any ideas on how to get spark back.

Thanks everyone for your help picking out a new saw and in return keeping my family warm this winter.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[holeycow]

You're gonna like that saw. You made an excellent choice.

 

[Magnumfloyd]

If you got that saw for 300 you got a good deal

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[Biglurr54]

Heres an update. I got the xl yeaterday. The shop said it has weak spark and he cant get parts for it. Its an older saw,1974 so i am going to check the points and hopefully get her back running. The husky is still on its way. I checked my fathers saw and its a 031 and also has no spark. Are the 031s any good? Is it worth fixing?

 

[nstueve]

Heres an update. I got the xl yeaterday. The shop said it has weak spark and he cant get parts for it. Its an older saw,1974 so i am going to check the points and hopefully get her back running. The husky is still on its way. I checked my fathers saw and its a 031 and also has no spark. Are the 031s any good? Is it worth fixing?

The 031 is the old stihl work horse (48cc) and goes good with a 16-18in bar. I just got 2 of them myself from a friend and they can rip really well! Lots of guys I know still have them in the arsenal for back-ups or daily cutters. They are heavy for the power they have, but they are like a 4cyl toyota camry... They'll run forever!

I'm guessing you have a regular 031av and not a 031ave. The "E" is for electronic ignition. The older points/condenser system on the 031av's tend to fizzel out. Some saw shops can "chip" an 031 for you to get the spark back. It can also just be dirty points. I think there are several threads on here about chipping the saw. I commonly see those only 031's going for $150-$200 on ebay if they are running.

Bookmark this link: http://www.acresinternet.com/cscc.nsf/GasbyManufacturer?OpenView
You can look up most old saws you find. Size and specks...

 

[Vibes]

There are tons of used parts out there for either of those saws. They are both worth fixing. Clean good running 031's always sell well on ebay.