Husqvarna 50ish cc saw suggestions

[ChainLightning]

So many good options here. I personally like the older 200 series (not to be confused with the junk new plastic series). 242xp and 246xp hardly weigh anything and are amazingly fast. 346xp is definitely easier to get parts and a screamer as well. But the one that takes the cake for me for value, power, features, and flat out technology is my 545 Mark II. Personally I'd stay away from the Mark I. I hear a lot of guys that love them but I've personally seen way to many issues from air filters, hot starts, and bearing failures. Husky fixed this and knocked it out of the park with the second jen autotunes

 

[Pioneer]

I just built a 353 and I really like it, BUT a Husqvarna 51 or 55 has to be the simplest saw to work on. The fact that there are lots of aftermarket parts available doesn't hurt either.

 

[ChillyB]

Inexperienced, but first saw is a 22yr old 350, which recently got a muffler mod, base gasket delete, new ring, and intake clamp upgrade. Makes 180 psi. Love that little saw. If P&C hadn't been so darned perfect I'd have done the 346XP top end. In its class I can't imagine selling for something else.

Also came into a relatively inexpensive 55 with closed port cylinder. It has 150 psi and haven't run against the 350 to say how it compares but I appreciate the mag case durability, and haven't done a thing but muffler mod and tune. I suspect with gasket delete and amateur porting it might be a very decent saw, too.

I think I'd rather have a clean 350 or 55 than a well worn 346XP but maybe that's a rookie perspective. For sure I'd like to find a clean 346XP but people who bought a 346XP are less likely to let them sit with low use for 20yr. So if looking at older saws a 350 time 55 might be more likely to yield a near-new saw?