Selling my old MS250 and thinking of getting an MS261. Can I get some advice?

[abdiver]

After my last purchase from my Stil

Well this MS261 with a 20" bar is awesome. Night and day over the MS250!

However, I am noticing the 20" bar is really front heavy. The saw doesnt even sit flat on a benchtop but instead teeters back and forth like a see-saw... I'm not having any power issues though.

I wish I had realized that bar lengths arent universal. The 18" bar on a 261 is like 2" longer than the 18" bar on a 250! Had I known that I probably would have bought the 18" bar...

I am curious of the power issue with a 20" on a 261 that people talk about though. I ran an 18" on an MS250 - how would the power compare there to running a 20" bar on an MS261? I would assume even with the 20" bar the MS261 would deliver more power?

The 250 is 45cc / 3.0 HP while the 261 is 50cc / 4.0 HP... thanks all

 

[abdiver]

After my experience with my last purchase of a Stihl 250 I had explained to the dealer that at my age I didn't have the upper body strength I as when I was only 70. He ends up recommending the stihl 250. Well he would not take it back when I complained that I couldn't start it without a lot of effort. He never tried to make any kind of offer to get my out of that saw and into something better suited to me. I have been buying from that dealership since I was 18. So I went to another dealer and bought a couple of echos and the are Great. I had bought echos before from my old dealer and was pleased at there performance. Last week I went back to my new dealer (who also carries Stihl) I will never buy another stihl! and bought an Echo 3020U Weed whip and an Echo top handle CS 2511T they are both GREAT.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I work on two or three MS250's every week. Common problem is the clutch drum bearing goes out and the clutch drum makes a mess of the oiling.

And, it is commonly a homeowner saw and comes in not run since the last ice storm and won't start.

There are at least 5 different carbs for that saw. Two at least are fully adjustable, but the screws are a different distance apart. Another is fixed high speed jet and just an idle adjustment screw.
Then throw in the somewhat rare ones that have an extra nipple for the primer pump.

PIA

 

[user 188535]

Hey guys, you all have been so helpful here over the years and I'm hoping I can get some of your advice now.

I inherited my dad's 17 year old Stihl MS250C a few years back when I finally bought a house on property. Loved the thing for what it was but I've been fighting a constant issue with it stalling out. Had it at multiple Stihl dealers, have worked on it myself since you all have given me advice on previous posts, and thrown hundreds of dollars into it with no results... I'm kind of just done with it and want to sell it on Craigslist to someone who might have the time and energy to constantly tinker with it. The MS250 is too picky!!

Other than that though, it really was a near perfect saw for me. I like how "simple" it is - easy to service, no fancy features, old school design. With an 18" bar and me converting it back to the old school 2 bar stud tensioner, it worked well for me. Sometimes I wish I had a 20" bar for larger logs, but I also don't want a saw that weighs really anymore than what the MS250 weighs since I'm hauling it by hand around the property a lot.

I had read around a bit online thinking that, whenever the day came to upgrade, I'd get an MS261. I wanted to see if you guys thought that was the right choice? I figured a Pro saw would last longer as I want something that can last AT LEAST another 17 years like the 250! Looks like my dealer offers it in a 20" bar! So I think I'd go that route unless you guys think that isn't a good idea? If not I'd do 18" but don't want a saw that needs 16"... too short.

I heat my house with my own wood, so my work with the saw consists of bucking 2 cords of wood a year, any fallen trees or branches, and every year or so felling a tree, probably anywhere from 12" to 18" in diameter. Anything bigger like 22"+ I wait for it to fall on its own and buck from there. Using the saw every month, at minimum for a few hours a month to at most every weekend extensively.

What do you guys think? MS261 with 18" bar to replace an MS250C with an 18" bar?

And if it's a good replacement choice, do you guys know if any parts are compatible? I've got multiple bars and chains and a 2in1 sharpener already for the MS250. My current chain is a 26RM368 - would that swap over fine to the 261?

Lastly my concern is serviceability. Despite the one issue I've been battling on this 250, I knew the saw in and out. Like the easy carb adjustment screws on the side and ability to change my own spark plug, filter, sprockets, clutch, etc... is the 261 as serviceable? I don't think the carb adjustments are on the outside of the saw - is that an issue for a guy like me?

Thanks guys. I have a downed tree right now in the driveway and want to upgrade ASAP so I appreciate the replies.

So in summary:
1. What do you recommend as a replacement to a MS250? Is a MS261 a good replacement?
2. Are chains, bars, etc compatible between the MS250C and MS261?
3. Is the 261 easily serviceable by a homeowner, or as easy to maintenance as a 250?
Thanks

Al

Yep. It is a really good saw ( From what I hear and see )

 

[user 188535]

about 1/2 the price of a 261

Do you actually have 75 saws?

 

[tJKrider]

If, after many tanks of gas, you feel the 20" bar is too heavy on the 261, buy a lighter bar...either 20" light or 18

This is what I did on my Echo CS4910, which is also a light, 50cc saw. I like the .325/.050 chain on a 20" bar and it works perfectly fine for what I typically cut. I bought a lighter Tsumura bar for it and kept the stock Echo bar as backup. It feels much more balanced now to me...

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Fix the 250 and enjoy it - it’s your dads after all.

Anything you can cut with the 261 can be done with the 250 they’re a very similar displacement.

Don’t get me wrong, the 261 is a great saw, but I think selling your dads is something you’ll regret and they’re so easy to repair. Do some basic diagnosis, invest in the tools necessary and fix it up.

Heck I literally did a full overhaul and teardown on an ms230, which is essentially identical to the 250 other than a marginally smaller bore

 

[fields_mj]

A little late to the party, as always

Personally I hate the 025/MS250 saws. I think they are WAY over priced for what they are. You can get just as good of a saw from walmart for a whole lot less $$. The MS261 is an amazing little saw. There's absolutely no comparison between it and the MS250. If you already HAVE an MS250 and want to keep it for sentimental reasons, feel free to do so. If the saw is just for cleaning up limbs after a storm, keep it and use it. It won't be any more frustrating to start than any other 2 cycle saw that's been sitting for 24 months straight. If you heat with wood, start figuring out how to get a better saw, whether that's an MS261 or a Husqvarna or Echo equivalent.

As far as bar lengths, if you're running an 261 and you already have a 20" bar on it, consider what you cut the MOST. Will a 16" bar reach through MOST (90%) of the wood in a single pass? If so, I'd add a 16" bar to your collection instead of an 18" only because it will be lighter weight. To me there's not enough of a difference between an 18" and a 20" to warrant having both. With a 16" bar, I'd drop your rakers down to 0.030" or maybe even 0.035". This will make the chain very grabby, but it will help take advantage of the saws extra power on the smaller bar. This setup will make the 20" bar feel really slow. I run my 036 saws this way with 18" bars. Again, lowering your drag links this much will make your chain very grabby, so you have to really be aware of potential kickback. It will also be very difficult to make a plunge cut with the chain set up like this. It will buck firewood extremely efficiently though, and the lighter overall weight will wear you out less when you're cutting all day.

 

[Zackeepr]

I agree with what has been said. I have a ms260 and sold the ms250 I had. There really is no comparison when you run them back to back. If you are going to do firewood, you will never miss the ms250.

 

[dmb2613]

Do you actually have 75 saws?

It varies from time to time, I buy and sell quit a few

 

[ZeroJunk]

I have no doubt that most on this forum could destroy a MS250. But, anybody with a brain in their head could use it the rest of their life as a firewood saw. Unless they are a moron of course.

I promise you I could cut all the firewood you can burn for the rest of your life with a MS250.

If you are using it commercially you should have bought a pro saw to start with.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have both a brand new 251 and an 025 that runs well.. If you offered me $200 for either one, I am not sure which one I would sell. Just MHO. The 251 loves to flood out when trying to start it cold. Many have complained about that "feature".

 

[Captain Bruce]

I have no doubt that most on this forum could destroy a MS250. But, anybody with a brain in their head could use it the rest of their life as a firewood saw. Unless they are a moron of course.

I promise you I could cut all the firewood you can burn for the rest of your life with a MS250.

If you are using it commercially you should have bought a pro saw to start with.

025 , and MS250 were purpose built firewood saws, not commercial harvest machines. Use them to cut up 12" logs....and you'll babysit that chainsaw when the woodburner cools....

 

[fields_mj]

After my experience with my last purchase of a Stihl 250 I had explained to the dealer that at my age I didn't have the upper body strength I as when I was only 70. He ends up recommending the stihl 250. Well he would not take it back when I complained that I couldn't start it without a lot of effort. He never tried to make any kind of offer to get my out of that saw and into something better suited to me. I have been buying from that dealership since I was 18. So I went to another dealer and bought a couple of echos and the are Great. I had bought echos before from my old dealer and was pleased at there performance. Last week I went back to my new dealer (who also carries Stihl) I will never buy another stihl! and bought an Echo 3020U Weed whip and an Echo top handle CS 2511T they are both GREAT.

Ask him if you can start one of his MS261 saws. If you're happy with your echo saws, there's no reason to spend money changing to a 261. That said, that was a LOUSY Stihl dealer that NOBODY should be buying saws or anything else from. I've run into a couple of dealers like that. It doesn't cause me to switch to another brand of saw though. Then again, I have at least 4 Stihl dealers within a 30 min drive of my house, and I drive past 2 of them several times every week.

 

[coffeebrk]

I have both a MS251 & MS251C. Like all of my saws I purchased them used. Adding the D handle improved my grip so I no longer feel like I have to be angry when starting lol. Since they have a tendency to flood I use a velcro strap, orange of course to hold the throttle partially open after it blips. It has not flooded ever. The strap easily slides away when it starts.
When I was recently on Stihl's site I noticed that in certain states the MS250 is on sale for $369.00. Not a bad deal. I'd be tempted but I've been buying top handles lately.

 

[Hirdatron]

My Dad had an ms250 on the farm for general farm chainsaw work and firewood and it wasn't reliable and he really didn't rate it but like any farmer he persevered for years before something catastrophic happened to it and it wasn't economical to fix! For some reason he got a new ms251 to replace it! But it's been fine and he's v happy with it to be fair. I had a 2013 carb 261 at the time which was much much better and would absolutely, wholeheartedly, truly, definitely recommend it over the 250! Just checked and a 251 with 16" rollamatic bar is £510, a 261 with 16" 04 light bar is £690 but personally I think the extra money is well worth it!