Looking for advice for a backup saw

[SomethingOriginalGoesHere]

TL;DR at bottom of post.

Alright, so here's the story: a couple years ago my FIL gave me his dad's old Homelite XL 105074. After a bit of cleaning and tuning, it was a great little pocket chair saw to have on hand for small limbing, etc (sure beats using my cordless Sawzall!!).
It died while working on some spring cleanup work in the yard (cracked line and then snapped rip cord) and I've decided that now is the time to do a proper teardown and restoration on it.
In the meantime, I need something so that I can make my wife happy with all of the neatly trimmed and cleaned trees in the yard (also need to take down the young (~8") walnuts before they become mature walnuts!)
With "the crazy times we're living in", money is tight and I can only afford something from local classifieds, rather than something new. I've been fixing and tuning 2-strokes since my teens and cars/motorcycles professionally for almost 20 years, so I'm not opposed to getting some sweat equity out of my new tools.
My budget is currently under $200(CDN).
I've found a few options and am hoping for advice on which way I should go:
1. Husky 235 $120 + 1 hr drive one way ("good running cond., low hrs)
2. Husky chainsaw in a $30 pile of other junk. No model information. Don't know condition, just that it, "needs work" and that the seller has had it for ~30 years. 1.5 hr drive (one-way); I might pick that one up just for kicks.
3. Echo 306. $100 +1 hr drive. Clean, sharp chain on 14" Oregon bar. Won't start this spring.
4. Poulan 260 $100, local. Starts but quits immediately/won't run. Looks clean otherwise in the pics.
5. Another Poulan 260. This one shows up in two ads, both local-ish. $125. One says it needs a primer bulb, the other says the same, but mentions the seller hasn't had it running
6. Finally, a Poulan 295 Farmhand. $60 + 1 hr drive (one-way). Needs recoil replaced. As-is, no other info.

Sorry for the wall of text on my first post; I've been lurking here for awhile and think I'll get answers sooner this way.

TL;DR: Please help me choose from a list of 5 or 6 saws from local classifieds for my next around the home saw. Mostly lightish work

 

[OM617YOTA]

I wouldn't drive an hour just to roll the dice on any of those. Whatever cordless power tool system you have, look at their battery powered saw.

I'd also be looking at a Silky.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

Of those choices, the 295.
Only because of the price.
They are really easy and cheap to fix, and if running properly it will do the job of what you explained.

 

[SomethingOriginalGoesHere]

I wouldn't drive an hour just to roll the dice on any of those. Whatever cordless power tool system you have, look at their battery powered saw.

I'd also be looking at a Silky.

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind. Thoughts on the local dice rolls, or the good condition hour drive?
Also (forgive me, I'm new) whats a Silky?

 

[Pioneer]

If your yard isn't too big consider a corded electric saw. You can easily find a good used one for under $100, I see a few in the $50 range every week on Kijiji.

 

[GeorgiaVol]

Or put up a "wanted" post in the Tradin' post section.
Just describe what you are looking for, I'm sure someone has one.

 

[holeycow]

So many people buy a powersaw when all they need is a handsaw, like a silky, for example.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

If you have time and no money, just put an ad out looking for free broken saws and check the dumping stations. At WORST, you can often tear just about any chainsaw apart, list the parts on ebay, and someone will be looking for them. At best, you find out someone put the chain on backwards or put on the wrong pitch chain, or lost a drive link on the chain, lost a fuel line, you know, simple stuff you can fix in a couple hours and have something useable.

 

[SomethingOriginalGoesHere]

If your yard isn't too big consider a corded electric saw. You can easily find a good used one for under $100, I see a few in the $50 range every week on Kijiji.

My yard at home isn't huge, but I do have a small bit of property visit up north a couple times a year for hunting and a corded saw might not be as practical for clearing trails/blinds.

 

[SomethingOriginalGoesHere]

If you have time and no money, just put an ad out looking for free broken saws and check the dumping stations. At WORST, you can often tear just about any chainsaw apart, list the parts on ebay, and someone will be looking for them. At best, you find out someone put the chain on backwards or put on the wrong pitch chain, or lost a drive link on the chain, lost a fuel line, you know, simple stuff you can fix in a couple hours and have something useable.

Thats a great idea! I've gotten myself a couple good weed whacker and even a snowblower like that!

 

[OM617YOTA]

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind. Thoughts on the local dice rolls, or the good condition hour drive?
Also (forgive me, I'm new) whats a Silky?

Wouldn't even consider a used homeowner Poulan, with issues, for $100. $50 more opens up several more new homeowner options at Home Depot or Lowes. New, with warranty. Here's one for $125:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-14-in-37cc-2-Cycle-Gas-Chainsaw-RY3714/206465478
A Silky is a premium hand saw brand. There are others that are also well regarded.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Corona-...Handle-Folding-Pruning-Saw-RS-7265D/315218186
This wouldn't be fun to get through an 8" oak with, but would do the job, if money is that tight.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Go cap in hand to your local Stihl or Husqvarna agents- they probably have a skip bin full of uneconomic repair consumer saws.
Start digging through those after you ask nicely. Maybe visit on a Friday afternoon and you just happen to have a case of beer under one arm when you walk in and it is not with you when you leave.

 

[dmb2613]

A good axe maybe

 

[tomalophicon]

Go cap in hand to your local Stihl or Husqvarna agents- they probably have a skip bin full of uneconomic repair consumer saws.
Start digging through those after you ask nicely. Maybe visit on a Friday afternoon and you just happen to have a case of beer under one arm when you walk in and it is not with you when you leave.

What's the strike rate on this type of venture? My Stihl people are a bit weird but might soften up with the slab idea.

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

What's the strike rate on this type of venture? My Stihl people are a bit weird but might soften up with the slab idea.

Thats them Aussies for ya- never want to give anything away...... but wait, what did you say about beer?
I have a pretty good strike rate with my own local- but I know them pretty well and buy a fair bit of product during any given year. Was aimed more across the other side of the Pacific than our better side.

 

[sean donato]

What's the strike rate on this type of venture? My Stihl people are a bit weird but might soften up with the slab idea.

Can say with certainty you'll still be giving at least $50.00 for a junker around here. I don't even think the shops take trades half the time. The ones that do seem to have buyers lined up.

 

[SomethingOriginalGoesHere]

Thats something I might try. The local Stihl dealer looks to have recently been purchased by the local motorcycle wreckers, so we'll see how that goes!

 

[tomalophicon]

Thats them Aussies for ya- never want to give anything away...... but wait, what did you say about beer?
I have a pretty good strike rate with my own local- but I know them pretty well and buy a fair bit of product during any given year. Was aimed more across the other side of the Pacific than our better side.

Yeah tight-arses. I went round the back rummage through the skip but it's all locked up!

 

[tomalophicon]

Can say with certainty you'll still be giving at least $50.00 for a junker around here. I don't even think the shops take trades half the time. The ones that do seem to have buyers lined up.

That's a shame. It probably goes to the tip anyway at the end of the month or whatever.