Opinions wanted

[Marc1]

Hi there!
After battling with an Mac 200 and then with a Homelite XL12, I want to buy a new saw.
First that came to mind was a Stihl but comparing it with the Husqvarna, the price difference is hard to ignore.
I am after something that can drive 24"/28" bar in hardwood with no problems and I think I need 75 to 85 CC for that, do you agree?
The Husqui has two models that sort of caught my eye, the 575xp and the 385xp do you know the differences between them, or would you suggest somehting else?

I understand that the Stihl 660 may be a better saw but at double the price...

 

[Ekka]

The Stihl equivalent to those 2 Husky's is a 46

A 66 would match a Husky 395

Both of those saws you mention there are great and would do the job, so would many others.

What's your dealer like? What's parts availability like?

You'll find, just like cars, there some who favour certain brands and models etc over others.

I was a Husky bloke but am now a Stihl bloke.

I know personally I would take a 46 over either of those 2 Husky's, but that's just me.

 

[belgian]

I understand that the Stihl 660 may be a better saw but at double the price...

Jeeez, if that were the case at this part of the world, Stihl would not be selling many saws any longer, I reckon.
Cannot comment on the size of the saw you need, as I don't run any of them, but I would go for Husky 575 xp.
good luck
roland

 

[SawTroll]

The 575xp is quite heavy for its power, and so is the new Stihl 441.

I would have taken a closer look at the Dolmar PS-7900 in that class of saws - more power and less weight....

 

[Cut4fun]

Dolmar

One word for that size saw stock is. Dolmar 7900. 79cc. At the local medina fair chainsaw event. Dolmar 7900 took the top 5 places. Stihl and Huskys couldnt keep up.

 

[computeruser]

I am after something that can drive 24"/28" bar in hardwood with no problems and I think I need 75 to 85 CC for that, do you agree?

That's a pretty good place to be for that kind of cutting.

The Husqui has two models that sort of caught my eye, the 575xp and the 385xp do you know the differences between them, or would you suggest somehting else?

Either would be good for 24"/28" bars in hardwood. How are you going to be using the saw? Logging where you make a cut ever 8-10-12 feet or whatever, or cutting firewood every 16" along the log? If the latter, I would certainly err on the side of displacement, with so many large cuts to be made. Otherwise, I'd err on the side of lighter weight.

I second the vote on the 7900 Dolmar. At our recent Michigan get-together, my 7900 (muffler mod) was noticeably quicker than CaseyForrest's Stihl 460 (DP muffler cover). And the 7900 was not much slower than the 066 and Husqvarna 395 that we had on hand, and it weighs a lot less than either of those saws. Highly recommended. Mine runs either a 20" or 28" bar, depending on what's being cut, and pulls the 28" bar quite competently with both full-comp and skip chain.

 

[sawinredneck]

Baileys has the 372xp on sale right now, worth looking into!
Andy