Husky 365 or Stihl 039?

[Jackman61]

I am looking for a saw to upgrade from my Pioneer Partner 500 with 18" bar. I have an occasional need to to cut larger trees and I am thinking about something that will pull a longer bar when the need arises. Locally, I have a Stihl dealer close to home and the Husky dealer is further away. The internet prices on the Husky saws are very attractive, but I've never made a power equipment purchase that way. I will probably use a 20" bar most of the time cutting firewood (2-3 cords a year). I am leaning toward the 365 and the lower cost of the Internet purchase (or getting a little more saw for about the same money). I dislike the fact that the closest Husky dealer is 45 minutes to an hour away. I'm looking for some experienced advice to shift me in the best direction and if there is enough difference in the performance of these saws to warrant choosing one over the other.

I've narrowed this down to:

MS390 20" local dealer $450
365 20" "local" dealer $564
365 20" internet $460

Thanks for your input.

 

[brent denny]

I would go with the 365 in a heartbeat. It is a true pro saw where as the ms390 is a mid-grade, overweight, underpowered saw. If your nearest husky dealer is that far away, you might as well buy on the net and save some $$.

 

[Chopwood]

I have a 365 and it is quite a deal at the price you listed. My first larger size saw was an 039 and it is no comparison. The 039 is a homeowner style saw, and has way less power than the 365. When I still had both saws I ran timed cuts with the same chain
(72LG oregon), the 365 was 25% faster in many different sizes of wood. I have since polished the ports and muffler modded the saw and picked up another 10% in cutting times. If you can get the 365 for basically the same price, it's a no-brainer IMHO.

 

[Grande Dog]

If you're considering the 365, you might want to step up to the 372. It has a better air filter system, and close to 1 more horse power with little weight difference. If you shop around you'll find there isn't much difference in price.

Grande Dog
Master Mechanic
Discount Arborist Equipment and Tree Care Supplies

 

[Chopwood]

Good call Big Dog, now that I think of it, I should have done that in the first place.

 

[Jackman61]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your valuable input! I'll post back in a few weeks once I make the final choice and have run the saw a few times. I had noticed that the 372 was awful close on price, adding about $100, and added some HP without a big jump in weight. If I can swing it, I'll make that my choice. Seems like the MS390 is best left on the shelf at the dealer.

 

[blackjack]

Considerations

I've recently purchased a 365 Special at about the price you mentioned and have been quite satisfied with its performance. The question is always price vs. HP and it seems reasonable to think for a little more in money that you should probably get the 372. This is where you have to ask yourself "how much do I use the saw"?, " largest size of trees I cut most frequently"?, "could I use the extra $100 saved in buying the 365 vs. 372 to buy several more chains, files, case, etc"? In other words the 365 would be totally packaged at the price of a 372. Just something to consider.

 

[timberwolf]

I agree the question is 365 or 372

The 039 is heavy for the power it puts out.
comes with a spur sprocket setup
is hard pressed to beat a stock Stihl 260 except in all but the larger wood

But don't discount the better quality stihls if you have a good dealer
ms360/361
ms 460
or even a 260 with the help of some port work

TW

 

[sedanman]

Stihl MS-361, I LOVE mine, Noah had a few problems with his but this is the exception rather than the rule. Will easily pull a 20" though I run mine with a 16". I have become power hungry and break out the 79-85cc stuff when I need a 20" or longer bar.

 

[pbtree]

I completely recommend the 365 - I have one with a 20 inch bar and I have always loved this saw.

 

[Bill G]

Jackman61,

If you scroll to the top of the page I believe you will find that one of the AS sponsor's, Bailey's is selling 372's for $509. This is the powerhead only. With the prices you posted I believe it is an easy decision. A 372 is a good 20" saw. I am a firm believer in supporting the local dealer but if you are determined to buy online then you should take advantage of a great buy from a sponsor.

Bill

 

[jokers]

I agree with the others who have pointed out that the 365 and ms390 are not in the same class, the 365 is the only choice between these two.

Whether or not you feel it`s necessary to upgrade from the 365 to the 372, only you can answer. I look at it this way, why not have all the power for a given weight that you can get, and it`s not that much more money.

On the other hand, I`ve only heard of one person dissatisfied with the 365 and unfortunately he`d been convinced by a dealer that he could step down from a larger Stihl to this saw and not notice a difference. This same guy also displayed a disregard for sharp chain which can make any saw look bad.

Russ

 

[GeorgeWLogger]

Happy New Year JackMan.

For firewood purposes do not even consider the 365. Jump to the 372xp/stihl044 and never look back. Those two saw will cut anything you can put in front of them and last a lifetime doing it. The Stihl will require filter cleanings more often than the husky, but other than that its your choice.

GW

GW

 

[Jackman61]

Many thanks to all who replied to my post. The box from Bill's Saw Shop arrived, and on my birthday this past weekend, I fired up my new 372XP for the first time! I ran it through a few light cuts on some leftovers I had and it is awesome compared to my Pioneer Partner 500. I bought some MX2T to run in the saw as suggested on other threads. I'll get some hours on it and try out some bigger logs as soon as possible!

 

[premix]

I would also take a good look at a Echo CS-670. The quality is outstanding. Very good bar oil system to boot. They sell for $449 - $469 locally with a 24" bar. I got a NIB CS-670 for $419 about a year ago though a local Husky dealer. Many Stihl and Husky dealers also sell Echos around here so parts are easy to get. If you want more saw I would go with the Husky 372 or a MS440. I would not even consider a MS390 for the price. I think the price on the MS390 is to high for what you get.

 

[njforestfire]

good choice with the 372xp. Good luck with it and enjoy!