MS 362 vs. MS 391

[spindrift7mm]

Nice Saw

t3t4 do yourself a favor and try it west coast style. Put a 28" lightweight w/square ground chisel skip on and stand up straight an relax,cut all day and smile. Hell I run a 28 lw on my 026,ms390,ms440 and a 34 on the 064 for stumpin the butt swells and cluster stumps. This is mostly live oak and black oak works well for my fat azz. I dump'em with the 440 then grab the 026 limb'em and buck back the lighter wood, up to about 16-18" then take a long break(fat azz) finish w/440. I don't really need the 390 but always take it out as it was my first Stihl and is still a good back up but will retire it when I find a good 036/360 deal.All my saws are muff modded and 026/064 are ported. Have fun and blow BIG chips Ken

 

[Locust Cutter]

t3t4 do yourself a favor and try it west coast style. Put a 28" lightweight w/square ground chisel skip on and stand up straight an relax,cut all day and smile. Hell I run a 28 lw on my 026,ms390,ms440 and a 34 on the 064 for stumpin the butt swells and cluster stumps. This is mostly live oak and black oak works well for my fat azz. I dump'em with the 440 then grab the 026 limb'em and buck back the lighter wood, up to about 16-18" then take a long break(fat azz) finish w/440. I don't really need the 390 but always take it out as it was my first Stihl and is still a good back up but will retire it when I find a good 036/360 deal.All my saws are muff modded and 026/064 are ported. Have fun and blow BIG chips Ken

:agree2:
I bought a Stumpbroke 372xp to partially replace the MS660 I burned up recently... Being that I needed to do bigger wood, I had Stump spec it out with a 28" B&C combo... Wow! The saw would balance much better with a 20" bar and would probably be perfect with a 24"/25" bar, BUT, running the 28", I can limb on the ground while holding the saw about waist high (I'm 6'2"). I don't mind bending down, but having slipped some discs in my lower back some time ago, they occasionally remind me that I'm not 16 anymore... Those days, the 28" is PERFECT! It's a bit nose heavy, but with a sharp chain, just give her hell and let the forward CG/sharp chain due the cutting. Muscling it is not necessary.

 

[t3t4]

t3t4 do yourself a favor and try it west coast style. Put a 28" lightweight w/square ground chisel skip on and stand up straight an relax,cut all day and smile. Hell I run a 28 lw on my 026,ms390,ms440 and a 34 on the 064 for stumpin the butt swells and cluster stumps. This is mostly live oak and black oak works well for my fat azz. I dump'em with the 440 then grab the 026 limb'em and buck back the lighter wood, up to about 16-18" then take a long break(fat azz) finish w/440. I don't really need the 390 but always take it out as it was my first Stihl and is still a good back up but will retire it when I find a good 036/360 deal.All my saws are muff modded and 026/064 are ported. Have fun and blow BIG chips Ken

Thanks Ken,

I miss the 044/440, I miss that power but I do not miss it's weight! I'm quite happy with my 362 after some trigger time. It will do what I need without question, but my fat azz also knows where you're coming from in break time. I can hang for about 2 hrs straight but no more then that! I'd like to have a 260 for limbing, my neighbor has an 025 that he just won't sell to me, but he let's me use it when needed.

I will likely perform a muff mod on my 362, but it's already loud enough and powerful enough (after trigger time) to do what I need. When I get some big and nasty ugly stuff, I'll put a 25" B&C on it and go from there. But in the mean time, how do I drop a tree to the ground and cut it west coast style while standing up? Hell, I built a log jack with the power of god but it still only goes 6" high depending upon the ground. A backhoe with a thumb attachment would do the deed for waist height cutting, but otherwise I just can't picture it.

Thanks again Ken,
t3t4

 

[Gorillabac Log Lift]

With the MS 362, Stihl offers a 59cc saw, rated at 4.6bhp, with the power-head weighing in at 13 lbs.

The mid-range MS 391 comes in at 64.1cc, 4.4bhp, and weighs in at 14.1 lbs., without the power-head.

I'm going in to the dealer tomorrow to talk about both saws - the price difference is approximately $125 (20" 3/8 bar/chain combo).

Most of the time, I need to run a 20" bar. There are a few trees (probably less than 10% of what I cut) that need a 24" or larger bar.

I'm interested in a saw that can be maintained, rebuilt relatively easily, and can pull a 24" bar (even though it might be a little slower) on occasion.

On the face of things, I'm a little surprised that the extra 5cc of displacement on the MS 391 doesn't translate into a bit more horsepower, but I realize there is a difference between the "pro" and "mid range" saw line.

Based on evaluating the Stihl web site/literature, there doesn't appear to be a lot of difference between these saws other than the black handle on the MS 362 and the better spec.

Before I talk to the dealer, a couple of questions:

- does the MS 391 have a vertically split case like a "pro" saw?

- has anyone used a 24" bar on the MS 391, and if so was the performance satisfactory?

I'm OK with the price differential on the MS 362 if it translates into better long term performance and cost of ownership. I cut mostly cedar elm, poplar, a variety of oak, an bald cypress. Most of what I cut are diseased or damaged trees in clearing and reclamation projects, averaging two to three trees, including felling, limbing and bucking on a daily basis. The trees range in diameter from twelve inches to thirty inches or slightly larger in a few cases, particularly cypress and some of the older live oak.

My employer provides a Stihl MS 230, running an 18" bar. It is underpowered, and under-length for most of the work I do. I have to re-hab saws of my own, a Stihl 011AVT, and a Husqvarna 142e that I use for limbing and trimming, as well as bucking some smaller wood. I'm ready to step up to a pro, or at least more appropriate saw as the current stable is inefficient, and in some cases inappropriate/dangerous for the work I have to do.

This has increased in priority, as I'm now going to be cleaning up after significant flooding in the upper Guadalupe River basin after this week's flooding event. I decided to go bite the bullet tomorrow, and am leaning toward the MS 362, even with the higher cost....

I'd appreciate any guidance or wisdom from those who've used either saw.

Stihl is better supported in my locale than Husqvarna, and Dolmar/Makita, Jonsred, and others are next to non-existent, so Stihl is probably the best choice relative to local parts/support.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I had a 390 and I just bought a 362. The 390 was a really great saw but a pain in the butt to work on. The 390 made some great power after a muffler mod. Granted, it is not the 391 so it is a different saw. The 362 is a very well built saw, easy to access the air filter, spark plug, and cylinder. It isn't even broken in yet and the power is great. For $125 difference, step up to the 362. Pro vs. homeowner models are worth the extra coin. This of course is my opinion, so do what makes sense to you.

Pain to work on but the 390 requires no special tools to tear it completely down. On a pro saw you need to split the case and you'd usually need a seal puller if you did it right.

 

[grogetr sawguy]

I had a 391 with a 24” bar and it pulled it with no problem in oak. The body of the saw is plastic and is the bottom half of the engine. I would get the 362 if the extra money isn’t a problem. I got the ms400 it’s more powerful and a couple pounds lighter than the 391