MS 260 bar & Chain combination

[JohnCusickjr]

Hi-
New here and first want to say thanks to all participants for making this one amazing resource.
Just purchased a 260pro without a bar and would like to hear about what others are using on it, balance and good match wise, before I set it up. We'd be doing mostly limbing and bucking of smaller diameter stuff with it. It shares company with a 361 and a 460. I run all 3/8" chain but see that this one is set for .325.

Thanks

 

[Lakeside53]

Welcome...

I find the MS260 runs real well on 3/8, and that's all you ever see out here.. Make your life easier - change it out to 3/8.. full comp on 18 and 16 inch bars, skip on 20 inch. To complement your 361, run the 260 on a 16.

 

[Tzed250]

yep 3/8

Thats how i had my 029-6 set up. 3/8 RS or RM 16in bar.

 

[computeruser]

It's really a toss-up. In your case, the ability to use the same loops on your 260 as your other saws would militate in favor of 3/8. Around here most of 'em are .325.

If it were my saw and I had a 361 and 460, I'd run 16" with 3/8".

 

[Trigger-Time]

Welcome...

I find the MS260 runs real well on 3/8, and that's all you ever see out here.. Make your life easier - change it out to 3/8.. full comp on 18 and 16 inch bars, skip on 20 inch. To complement your 361, run the 260 on a 16.

Yes, Welcome
I can't add anything to what Lake said, expect thats what I run on my
026 and bigger saws. And it does make things simpler to have the same
pitch and gage bar & chains.

 

[JohnCusickjr]

I see the sensibility of keeping all 3/8". The thought of making my life even a bit simpler is very attractive. We don't run anything shorter than 20" to date though, except 14" on a 200. Would I be taxing or compromising the 260 to put a 20" on it. I think I'd do it more for reach as opposed to 'capacity ' of cut.
John

 

[Trigger-Time]

John, I hav'nt used a 20" on mine, I put it on a few days ago
it made it very nose heavy (to me) but all of my bars are Stihl ES
bars and I think they are a bit heaver bar. Just made the saw feel
heavy, so I put the 16" back on.

 

[Dadatwins]

20" is stretching it (no pun intended) on the 260. The motor will turn the chain, but the balance will be off and you will be working the sh!t out of the motor if you tried to cut anything of size. I run mine with a 16" 3/8 chain and it runs great in my opinion. I also try to keep all my saws the same 3/8 size. Good luck and be careful with your new saw.

 

[Lakeside53]

20" is the most common size out here.. in fact, it's rare to see less. Run skip, you'll be surprised..

Oh yes, do the real simple muffler mod and get the 0.3 hp (nearly 10%!) back the EPA took away... Do a seach, but it's basically two holes drilled in the back of the front cover - looks stock and take about 30 seconds to do.