Nate,
That 3400 with 20" bar will serve him well. Was just sitting here, drinking a cup of coffee or four.
Thinking back on when I was cutting wood with only the 3400. Mine had a 18" bar on it when new. Used that for several years. I replaced it one year with a 20", that I bought at TSC. Back then it was before TSC actually, it was a chain called Quality Farm & Fleet. Back then, I got my chainsaw "stuff" there or at Sears.
I cut everything imaginable over the years with that saw. In 1988 the State of Ohio wanted to take down a very large Burr Oak that was in our field next to the road, for safety reasons. They wanted to know if I wanted the wood. Like a dummy, I said sure do. They brought all the wood up here and piled it in the barn yard, with a large pay loader. There were chunks 6-8' long and probably 5' across, and all sizes in between.
I worked at that tree for weeks, with my one and only saw, the 3400. Eventually got the job done, never to repeated, even with a larger saw...
There was a lot of wood in that, but far to much effort in it also. Otherwise, the 3400 has never let me down, not once in all the years I used it. Always started easy, couple pulls, with choke till it popped, then one more pull with the choke off. To make things even harder to believe, I did all my cutting in those days, with the much maligned Vangaurd chain...LOL
Back in 2008, I was taking down a very tall, dead Ash tree. It towered above the rest of the woods. This was pre-ash borer days around here. Something else did it in. Any way, I was bucking that tree with my 3400 20" bar, and better chain by then, LOL At that time I had just put together a 3700 with Poulan parts & Craftsman P/C and crank case. 20" bar & chain on that also. Same chain too, I think was LGX. So that was the first saw I had, other than the 3400.
I made several bucking cuts, the log was up off the ground, making it easy to reach. I decided to use the 3700 next. Wow what a difference! I was shocked that a few more cc's could make that much difference. The 3400 would do the job, but couldn't lean on it to make the cuts, just more or less had to let it cut at its pace..lol The 3700 on the other hand, could take more added muscle and did it with flying colors. Needless to say I was hooked on more cc's. I figured if the 3700 was better...then a 4000 was be even more better..LOL And I have not looked back, and rarely use a 3400 any more. But I swear you will not find a saw any more reliable and easy to work on than a 3400 Counter Vibe Poulan.
Sorry for the long rambling dull story...LOL Thats what drinking 4 + cups of coffee will do to an old timer..
Gregg,
I think she'll sit there and idle all day. I can't imagine what my neighbors are thinking. It's 7:15 in the evening, dark outside, good old Mark opens the garage, fires up a chainsaw and plays with it for 20 minutes while at the same time swearing for the first 10 minutes. (had to give the metering diaphragm cover a little tweek) One neighbor just gets home from the store and yells across the street and said " I see your playing with your toys again." Another neighbor opens the door and looks outside. I'm sure another pulled the drapes and did a quick look. 
