MS441 Magnum

[turnkey4099]

I bought this beast last spring to have a 32" bar for those big willows I am removing for a farmer. Love that thang!! Today I was working up a 25' log, finished the brushing and figured to use the 441 to buck the bottom end of the log (about 36" dbh) then switch to the 361 for the remainder...nope. Fired it up and round after round after round and in a few minutes there was nothing left to cut. Left the rounds to noodle and pick up nexst trip.

On the way home I figured to sharpen the 361 and dress it with a 20" bar for the noodling...then thought "I'll bet that 441 with a 20" would go hog wild..."

We'll see.

I'm getting a shelf of hangar queens. 192 T replaced the MS210, MS310 replaced a husky51, MS361 replaced the 310, 441 might end up replacing all of them ....well, not the 192T.

Harry K

 

[Ironworker]

I run an 18" on my ported 441, leaves me smiling every time.

 

[msmith]

I have a 461 with a 20" bar. My 034 rarely gets used now. If my 034 goes, I may replace it with a 441 or replace it with my 461 and replace the 461 with a 660.

 

[Circle B MN]

The 441 is a ripper for sure, but I tend to go for the 362 more often if I am just bucking logs as it is lighter.

 

[turnkey4099]

The 441 is a ripper for sure, but I tend to go for the 362 more often if I am just bucking logs as it is lighter.

I just finished dressing the 441 with a 20". Amazing how much lighter it feels without that 32" bar!

Harry K

 

[Wood Doctor]

Harry, I used to noodle cut with my MS361, but after I got an old 046 Mag to run nicely with a 25" bar, I'll noodle cut with it forever. It will take down a 34" dia. round in almost half the time and never bog down. Some of the rounds I buck cut will weigh over 400 lb, so I have to noodle them in half, quarters, and sometimes even sixths.

 

[turnkey4099]

Harry, I used to noodle cut with my MS361, but after I got an old 046 Mag to run nicely with a 25" bar, I'll noodle cut with it forever. It will take down a 34" dia. round in almost half the time and never bog down. Some of the rounds I buck cut will weigh over 400 lb, so I have to noodle them in half, quarters, and sometimes even sixths.

The 361 is a good saw but it lacks a bit in torque. First time I used mine, it would stall in the cut - I blamed it on my sharpening job...nope, just lack of torque. Still needs attention to keep it from stalling. Lots of speed though. Now the 441 has torque beyond belief and is even faster than the 361.

Harry K

 

[allstihl]

my 044 mag is "the" saw

 

[cantoo]

Harry, this is a willow. That is a stihl 660 with 24" bar on it. Black burn marks are form owner burning down an old house several years ago. He wants it cut down and hauled away.

 

[turnkey4099]

Harry, this is a willow. That is a stihl 660 with 24" bar on it. Black burn marks are form owner burning down an old house several years ago. He wants it cut down and hauled away.
View attachment 439984

Not a problem unless it is a hazard tree. I would put a 36" bar on the saw and go at it. Anyone who has a 660 without a long bar is handicapping themselves.

Harry K

 

[bert the turtle]

I was just running my 441 yesterday to buck up an 18 inch pine. Way heavier than my 260 (I'm scrawny), but I just can't resist the way it cruises through the wood. Starts easily cold- three pulls full choke, three pulls half every time. Starts easily hot- one or two pulls on the run setting. But if it sits a while after running and before cooling fully down it is a PIA to start. Don't know if it is the saw or if I just haven't figured out the secret combination.

 

[CaseyForrest]

I run a 20" on my 441 most of the time. Hard to stop it and that's in hardwoods.

 

[bert the turtle]

I run a 20" on my 441 most of the time. Hard to stop it and that's in hardwoods.

Is it worth changing to an 8 pin sprocket for that short bar? I've been thinking that an 8 pin and a 20 inch bar would rock.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Is it worth changing to an 8 pin sprocket for that short bar? I've been thinking that an 8 pin and a 20 inch bar would rock.

I suppose that's up to the user. I prefer to lean on the saw but there is merit in speeding the chain up if you shorten the bar.

Id have to look to be sure, but I think when I bought my 441 it had an 8 on it. I asked about an 8 pin because I knew 80% of the time it would be wearing a short bar. Again, I don't recall exactly and Id have to look to be sure.

 

[fearofpavement]

I just finished up an MS440 today. First one of that model I've had. I've got a couple 044s, two 046's, two MS460's, two MS660's and had an MS441 that I sold but never had an MS440. So I'll have to try this one out for a while before it goes on the block. I put double dogs with a roller catcher, dual port muffler, new air filter and tweaked a few other things. It came with a 25" bar but I'll test it with an 18".

 

[turnkey4099]

Is it worth changing to an 8 pin sprocket for that short bar? I've been thinking that an 8 pin and a 20 inch bar would rock.

I dunno about speeding up the chain. It is pretty fast already and the new MS441 doesn't put out a lot of oil.

Harry K

 

[turnkey4099]

I was just running my 441 yesterday to buck up an 18 inch pine. Way heavier than my 260 (I'm scrawny), but I just can't resist the way it cruises through the wood. Starts easily cold- three pulls full choke, three pulls half every time. Starts easily hot- one or two pulls on the run setting. But if it sits a while after running and before cooling fully down it is a PIA to start. Don't know if it is the saw or if I just haven't figured out the secret combination.

I'm still getting familiar with the 441. Doesn't have a 'fast idle' (AKA half choke - there ain't no sech thang on a stihl), All the way down and fires and runs on at most two pulls cold, warm, all the way down and 1 pull. Learned to put it on what would be choke yesterday to start it warm.

Harry K

 

[bert the turtle]

I'm still getting familiar with the 441. Doesn't have a 'fast idle' (AKA half choke - there ain't no sech thang on a stihl), All the way down and fires and runs on at most two pulls cold, warm, all the way down and 1 pull. Learned to put it on what would be choke yesterday to start it warm.

Harry K

From the owners manual (easier and clearer than taking a picture) Choke shutter closed is what I'm referring to as full choke; starting throttle is what I am calling half choke. Perhaps you are referring to the CM version? The CM version has only start, run, and off.

 

[Marine5068]

I bought this beast last spring to have a 32" bar for those big willows I am removing for a farmer. Love that thang!! Today I was working up a 25' log, finished the brushing and figured to use the 441 to buck the bottom end of the log (about 36" dbh) then switch to the 361 for the remainder...nope. Fired it up and round after round after round and in a few minutes there was nothing left to cut. Left the rounds to noodle and pick up nexst trip.

On the way home I figured to sharpen the 361 and dress it with a 20" bar for the noodling...then thought "I'll bet that 441 with a 20" would go hog wild..."

We'll see.

I'm getting a shelf of hangar queens. 192 T replaced the MS210, MS310 replaced a husky51, MS361 replaced the 310, 441 might end up replacing all of them ....well, not the 192T.

Harry K

Almost bought the MS441 instead of the MS291, but opted to get the MS291 first to replace an old PoulanPro44.
My next purchase will be the MS441 or maybe even the MS461 as my next saw.
I too need the power of a larger saw for all the large hardwoods that I cut, Maple, Red Oaks and hard Ash and Elms.

 

[Marine5068]

View attachment 440515
From the owners manual (easier and clearer than taking a picture) Choke shutter closed is what I'm referring to as full choke; starting throttle is what I am calling half choke. Perhaps you are referring to the CM version? The CM version has only start, run, and off.

CM version only has those because of it's M-Tronic ignition system.
I'm not sure if it's a better system, but it may be easier starting at times. I've never used both regularly so I can't make an educated review on that.
I think it will be chalked up as 'different' and some of us may like it and some not.