Perfect Bar Length for MS 361?

[SawTroll]

When I get my 361, I'm going to put a 18" stihl ES bar on it. This is the combination I would reccomend. I'm going to use it as my limbing and medium timber saw. :rockn:

18" laminated is perfect, I prefere a larger and heavier saw for a 20" - not because of lack of power, but because it gets front heavy (lots of undergrowth and high grass in the woods here)......

 

[saxman]

I run a 20" bar on my 361 and a 25" on my 441. I have not had any problems in oak, cherry, ash, or hickory with the 361. Very nice saw, one of my all time favorites for lots of reasons.

 

[Fiore Indiana]

Before I liked my 361 with a 20". Now I love it with a 18".

 

[RiverRat2]

That what I thinkin!!!!!!

The plan is to replace the 18" bar on the 270 with a 16" and use it for most of the limbing work.

Sounds like most agree that the 361 will work out OK but there will be at least a muffler mod in my future. The bar will be buried a lot when bucking the larger rounds.

Maybe I should just go ahead and spend the money on a 440 and not have to worry about still being underpowered. Before I found this site I saved a lot of money cutting my own firewood. I'm not so sure anymore.

I had a Mac 610 a few saws back (threw a rod). It was a 60cc saw and as I remember it handled the hickory pretty well. The problem with it was it was a heavy back killer, which is why the 361 is so appealing with its great hp to weight ratio.

You could be on to something,,,,, but look at all the fun ya been havin since ya got here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! beside with the 440 being phased out then all you will be able to get in one of them is a used one without stepping up a tad to the 441,,,,but a good used 044/440 is stihl a great saw,,,, is light and powerful and has been a loggers favorite for years,,,, not knocking the 361 but if you are already thinking it could leave you underpowered well,,, I don't know????????

 

[SawTroll]

Before I liked my 361 with a 20". Now I love it with a 18".

Yep, 18" (and shorter) is the way to go, if you have other options for longer bars.......

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I guess I have to be the naysayer. If you are cutting 24" oak and hickory very often, I would step up a notch to a 70cc class saw. A 372 while you can get them or a 441 would be good. My ported 361 did well with skip chain in cherry, but that's not hickory or oak. When It was new, before the port, I had it in some 16-18" dead locust and was not duly impressed. That was the first tank through it tho, so that could have been a partial reason for it's sluggishness. Personally, I'd much rather have a little too much motor than too little.

Ian