Is the ms260 as good as...?

[Big Dan]

The standard that I compare other firewood saws to is the 028super,how does the ms260 stack up to it? Have any of you owned or used both saws?Thinking about buying a new firewood saw and would appreciate any comments on the two.Thanks, Big Dan

 

[Big Neb]

No experience with the 028super but I really like my 026 Pro. I think you may be losing just a bit of power dropping to the MS260, but it is a light, powerful, and a well built saw.

Others are probably going to mention the Dolmar 5100 or the Husky 346xp as smoother, faster, or better "bang for the buck." The 026/260 is still a saw with a proven track record and quite a nice saw to handle. Sometimes you just have to pay a little more for quality

 

[Brushwacker]

I have used both. The 028 super had a 20 in .325 pitch bar and chain. It had plenty of power with a 7 tooth rim but sucked the gas tank dry to fast for my liking. I beleive I would have liked it better with a bigger sprocket which would reduce fuel consumption but I used it on a trade to get a 660. I have been using the 026 with 3/8 pitch 20 inch and 16 and like it well . The 20 in bar was on the heavy side for the av dampeners but never gave me any problems. I think the saws are very close in power and reliability. The o26 might have a better power to weight ratio.

 

[Lakeside53]

The 026 performs slightly better with a bit less weight.

 

[pgg]

An 026 is all you'd ever need as a casual/weekend/ backyard saw, they're commercial quality motors, would last forever. 023's are good casual firewood saws too, light and easy to control one-handed even. The 026 is a great saw actually, I've thinned acres of pine forest with an 026, good power for such a light saw, super reliable, economical and beats the hell outta lugging 036's and 044's up and down the hills(so long as the trees don't get too big)

 

[rick_saws]

The standard that I compare other firewood saws to is the 028super,how does the ms260 stack up to it?

I looked at the ms260 for a firewood saw, but picked the ms280 instead. Its $30 less than the 260, but its displacement is 10% higher (a pound heavier too). If I were a pro, I would have chosen the ms361, but that's a whole lot more money ($130) than the 280.

It really comes down to how it feels in your hands - I liked the 280's antivibe design better than the cheaper 290. I also liked the balance of both saws with the 18" bar, which is plenty big enough for all the firewood I cut around here.

 

[Stihl #1]

For what it is worth, from a technical standpoint, the MS 260 is an older design. It is considered a "pro" saw, as it has a split magnesium crankcase and a 4 bolt jug. But it is an old design as it has 2 closed transfer ports. Closed ports are better than open ports as far as performance is concerned. But new engine designs have 4 ports. The MS 361 is a 4 port, closed port design, with the softer anti vibe elements. It is a newer design. The MS 270 and MS 280 are not as new as the MS 361, but are newer than a MS 260 and are considered "occasional user" saws. The MS 270, 280 has 4 ports, but they are open, and it has a modular engine, not the 4 bolt jug.

So to make sense out of all this:
4 ports are better than 2
closed ports are better than open
a split crankcase, 4 bolt jug is better than a modular design, as far as serviceability is concerned
newer designs have engineering improvements over older designs, both comfort and efficiency
a pro design will cost more than a modular, occasional user design

So you have to decide if you want to spend the money on a pro saw, which will always be money well spent, or if you know you will not be cutting cords and cords of wood per year, then save some money and buy the home owner, or occasional user design saw.
The MS 260 is an older design, but well proven and absolutely an awesome saw.
The MS 270 and MS 280, with a little more displacement and HP than the MS 260, has a great feel to it and performs well, for less money.
It would cost you more to repair a MS 270, if you ever had to replace a piston and/or jug.
HTH

 

[441_Stihl]

346 xp

i just bought a 346 xp.I dunno how you could get a better performer 10 lbs tons of power fast and smoooth 346XP

 

[Pablo26]

How is the cat muffler treating you Stan, are you gonna swap that out?

 

[441_Stihl]

so far so good it does'nt seem to bother it,but never ran 1 without so hard to say

 

[bcorradi]

I've built a lot of 026's (probably over 100) and sold them on ebay and have yet to have anyone complain about them (bad air filtration, high vibes, lack of power etc). Eventhough I build them as a hobby its nice to get a couple of $ in return. IMO the 026 is one of the few model saws I'm able to turn any profit on consistently. There are many factors that play into this.

1) Finding part saws consistently for a reasonable price.
2) Availability of reasonably priced new parts: pistons, cylinders, bars, chains, sprocket covers etc.
3) Having a high resale value.


I think the dolmar 5100, husky 346xp, and 026/MS260 are all respectable saws that perform well. It all comes down to personal preference, dealer support, economics, etc.

 

[Scandy14]

I've had my 260 for a while now and have not had any problems at all. I don't think you can go wrong with an 026/260, in reference to perfomance and reliability.