MS440 or MS441 - You Decide

[Slamm]

They are MUCH more complicated to work on. It's a pretty good job to get the cylinder off. The new 261 is WAY easier to work on.

I don't have any run time on mine to compare, but mine is slinging oil off the top of my 28" bar very well. Time will tell.

What I'd really like is a 80cc MS461, built like a 261!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, all stock saws suck

Brad,

Terry, just got a Big Bore 441 finished and did test cuts against a broke in "modded by him/same guy" 460 and it spanked the 460 pretty bad, both were wearing 25", full comp and 8 pins.

If you get a chance or need, you should try one of those Big Bore kits, he stated that the quality is/was pretty good. We are going to compare it to the OEM piston/cylinder as they are running pretty hard, as well, but he thinks the Big Bore kit is tops if/when used with Stihl rings and circle clips. He has only done one of these Big Bore kits so we'll see how it goes on power and longevity in the coming months. I see over 1 million board feet in work for us right now and I'm going to stock up on the 441's, as we have no use for a 660 modded or otherwise at this point, LOL.

But basically the Big Bore kit for the 441 makes it the new Stihl 461, LOL.

I don't contest that complexity issue, they are, but it doesn't effect the guy running the saw, and is only a problem a few times per saw in its overall life, and overall doesn't really effect wood production per say for me, so I don't mind. Sorry for you saw builders, LOL.

Sam

 

[blsnelling]

If you get a chance or need, you should try one of those Big Bore kits, he stated that the quality is/was pretty good. We are going to compare it to the OEM piston/cylinder as they are running pretty hard, as well, but he thinks the Big Bore kit is tops if/when used with Stihl rings and circle clips. He has only done one of these Big Bore kits so we'll see how it goes on power and longevity in the coming months. I see over 1 million board feet in work for us right now and I'm going to stock up on the 441's, as we have no use for a 660 modded or otherwise at this point, LOL.

But basically the Big Bore kit for the 441 makes it the new Stihl 461, LOL.

I don't contest that complexity issue, they are, but it doesn't effect the guy running the saw, and is only a problem a few times per saw in its overall life, and overall doesn't really effect wood production per say for me, so I don't mind. Sorry for you saw builders, LOL.

Sam

But I'd have to take the saw apart again

 

[Slamm]

YA! LOL, this is why I've liked Husky so much more then Stihl. The AV is leaps and bounds above Stihl its not even funny. I like a smooth saw, and my hand don't hate me at the end of cutting day.

Yeah, when my hands were getting bad, if I had to run the 660 much more with the harder AV mounts, I was about to jump ship myself, but then I would run a Husky and they just buzzed and felt like they were going to fall apart ........ and some did/were losing parts, I just couldn't do it.

I like how the 361 felt/ little to no vibes and then the 441 came along and I jumped on that ship with both legs, LOL.

Benefits are:

The smoothest saw in the world, period.
I don't have to run a Husky, thank God.
Way more power than a stock 660 when modded and pretty close to a modded 660 when the 441 is modded well, and running sub-28" bars in hardwood, in that soft west coast stuff, I guess you could hang just about anything you want on the end of it, LOL.

Cons:

The regular model could use a better oiler (my opinion).
The saw builders will "get" to spend more time getting to know it due to complexity, LOL.

Sam

 

[Slamm]

But I'd have to take the saw apart again

I mean if someone else needs one fixed or screws up an OEM cylinder and piston.

He wouldn't swap it for an OEM at this point. We will test it and see, if that is true.

Sam

 

[Adam_MA]

Slamm,
Great posts. Like I said, that's just the way it felt to me, but again that's the one and only time I have used a saw with that advanced of an AV setup. All 3 of my saws use the older stiffer type AV setup, and I guess I'm just so used to that feel.

I guess it's like anything, it just takes getting used to, and then you wonder what you ever did without it. Kind of like my kicking and screaming to give up a carburetors on vehicles!!

 

[Meadow Beaver]

If ms440's were still for sale, I'd buy one in a heart beat.

 

[blsnelling]

If ms440's were still for sale, I'd buy one in a heart beat.

I bought mine new earlier this year

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I will say my 361 felt weird to me too, after being used to the Stihl rubber bushings. It felt really loose and shakey. But once I got to using it, it was so much smoother than anything I was used to. Now it's the only saw I ever want to use. :hmm3grin2orange:

I'm thinking hard about getting a 441 and having a 4 saw plan. That will probably be as useless as tits on a boar, having a 4 saw plan. But hey, that don't mean it would'nt be fun. You really have to run a 441 to appreciate what Stihl has done with these saws. They are pure luxury.

 

[blsnelling]

EVERYONE needs a 70-80cc saw!:rockn:

 

[Rounder]

Kind of apples and oranges with those two- Sam

 

[caotropheus]

Brad,

Terry, just got a Big Bore 441 finished and did test cuts against a broke in "modded by him/same guy" 460 and it spanked the 460 pretty bad, both were wearing 25", full comp and 8 pins.

Sam

Sam,

And how big is this 441 Big Bore kit measured in cc?

 

[Thorcw]

I want that 441

 

[blsnelling]

I want that 441

I think if I compared them, that my 372 is faster

 

[mdavlee]

Unless it sold i know of one new 440.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Andyshine77]

I think if I compared them, that my 372 is faster

Much faster, and I forgot it's also the better saw.opcorn:

 

[wigglesworth]

Much faster, and I forgot it's also the better saw.opcorn:

My 044 was .5 seconds behind that very same 372 in 2 cuts on a 10x10 oak cant, and now that the 044 is ported, it should spank it pretty good....:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Andyshine77]

.5 seconds in 10x10 is an eternity.

BTW, Brad ported your O44 correct?

 

[wigglesworth]

.5 seconds in 10x10 is an eternity.

BTW Brad ported your O44 correct?

Um.....no. A local plumber in my neighborhood was running a special on clogged drains. I just had him stick his roto-rooter in the intake and exhaust port and spin her up for a bit.

 

[Andyshine77]

Um.....no. A local plumber in my neighborhood was running a special on clogged drains. I just had him stick his roto-rooter in the intake and exhaust port and spin her up for a bit.

That is funny,:hmm3grin2orange: but??? I thought Brad did the work on your saw, I guess I remembered incorrectly.

 

[wigglesworth]

That is funny,:hmm3grin2orange: but??? I thought Brad did the work on your saw, I guess I remembered incorrectly.

Nope. Twas me....