Slash Chainsaw Recommendation

[Scyry]

I mainly use chainsaws for collecting firewood and cleaning up around my places. I have a Rancher 455 and a small battery saw. I cut 6-8 cords of firewood a year. The Rancher is great for firewood. This summer I did a lot of cleaning up standing trees 6 to 8 feet off the ground, so I am cutting off limbs on standing trees. The Rancher gets heavy putting it up shoulder height and reaching out. The battery saw just doesn't last long enough. I'm looking for a small saw that won't wear me out and my wife can use also. She like to help limb trees once they're on the ground. I had a Stihl MS-261 C-M that had warm start problems from the beginning, never felt right either, bogged down too easily. Stihl was less than helpful on the warranty side, so I am avoiding any Stihl saws. Prior to that saw I had a 15+ year old Husqvarna that was smaller than my Rancher, loved that saw but the bulkhead broke on it. Husqvarna's have treated me well. I live in the foothills of the Rockies, cutting at 9,200 feet, and everything is pine/conifers.

I am looking for recommendations for a small, rear handled saw to meet above. Saws I'm thinking about:

Husqvarna 439 (seems like this saw might no longer be made?)
Husqvarna 440
Husqvarna 540 XP Mark III
Echo CS-2511P
Echo CS-361P

Thank you.

Still got an acre of this to clean up the slash on:


View attachment IMG_3078.JPG

 

[altatim]

If you need something really light, get a rear-handle version of a top-handle saw (540xp, stihl 151c-e, echo 2511P) and if you can take a bit more weight get get an Echo 501 and muffler mod or another small home-owner saw. A lot of them are only a pound or two lighter than your rancher though. Last option is just get more batteries for your battery saw. It seems like the weight of that one isn't an issue.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Hard to beat a 50 cc clearing saws for small stuff unless the small stuff is over 3 inches that is when the bigger 56 cc saw comes out.

Run this style blade on them, not this actual blade though, just a borrowed pic off the net

 

[Scyry]

Hard to beat a 50 cc clearing saws for small stuff unless the small stuff is over 3 inches that is when the bigger 56 cc saw comes out.

I don't have much low brush, I have trees that I need to take the limbs off of up to 8 feet. Trying to keep the trees in good shape.

If you need something really light, get a rear-handle version of a top-handle saw (540xp, stihl 151c-e, echo 2511P) and if you can take a bit more weight get get an Echo 501 and muffler mod or another small home-owner saw. A lot of them are only a pound or two lighter than your rancher though. Last option is just get more batteries for your battery saw. It seems like the weight of that one isn't an issue.

Thank you. The small saws like top handles is what I was thinking. I am having a hard time finding info on the Echo's to do a direct comparison though. They have a ton of light weight saws, but no info on the HP or chain speed. People seem to like the 2511P. The Rancher minus the bar is over 13 lbs. and 540 XP is 9 lbs. Echo has a ton at 8 lbs. and then the 2511P is under 6 lbs. Sort of wondering if it will still have enough power at altitude though? Never owned or used an Echo. Thought it was a Home Depot brand like Husky or Rigid until I started looking around.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I don't have much low brush, I have trees that I need to take the limbs off of up to 8 feet. Trying to keep the trees in good shape.

Thank you. The small saws like top handles is what I was thinking. I am having a hard time finding info on the Echo's to do a direct comparison though. They have a ton of light weight saws, but no info on the HP or chain speed. People seem to like the 2511P. The Rancher minus the bar is over 13 lbs. and 540 XP is 9 lbs. Echo has a ton at 8 lbs. and then the 2511P is under 6 lbs. Sort of wondering if it will still have enough power at altitude though? Never owned or used an Echo. Thought it was a Home Depot brand like Husky or Rigid until I started looking around.

I seen the scrawny white sticks in your pic, that is what we call slash, tree limbs we call brush, just different names from different locations, true clearing saws are not much good for de liming tree trunks. I use ported/modified Stihl 026`s for that chore.