Stihl MS250 vs MS261 which would be easier to start?

[JimBinIllinois]

Hello, Well to start out with I am 65 years old and have two tears in my rotator cuff, eventually there will be surgery. I have a MS250 that has to be over 20 years old. It has served me well until recently when it has been giving be fits trying to start it. It's really been ever since the dealer rebuilt the carb. I bring it in they say they had no problem starting it. So mainly out of frustration I'm looking at new saws. I have seen some criticism of the Stihl Easy2Start, but was thinking of getting the MS251C-BE which has that feature. My other thought was the MS261 which has a decompression valve, would that be easier to start than the MS250 without a decompression valve. I would also be open to Echo if they have something easy to start. Any thoughts would be appreciated, just trying to stay in the game another 10 years.

 

[Chance1st&1st]

Really any post 2007ish Stihl isn't difficult to start so I'd say your pretty safe with either option

 

[sonny580]

The easiest saw on the planet to start is the Echo cs 310! lol! got 2 of them here and use the **** out of them! Start easy hot or cold, light weight and just a great little saw. 011av is a good one too and yes I got 3 ms 250 and a 025( also a good one) and 041, but always grab the cs 310 first! It mostly depends on what you intend to cut with it! NONE of these are loggin saws!!! But everyday casual use they are great!!

 

[tJKrider]

I have a later model MS250 and it generally isn't bad but once in awhile it gets kind of "jerky.". I had an MS211CBE with the easy2start mechanism and that was ridiculously easy. Nice slow pulls is all it would take, usually firing on the 1st pull. It really does minimize the impact on body joints... I also have an Echo 4910 (50cc) that is easier to start than the MS250 but they are close. As I age (52 currently) I wouldn't hesitate to go back to one of the Stihl assisted starter options if the size of the saw met my needs.

 

[JD Guy]

I have a MS 250 several years old and it can occasionally yank your fingers off and is finicky about starting procedure. Son just purchased a new MS 261 CM and it’s a pleasure to start. I’m going to get a 261 soon and relegate the 250 to the shelf or send it down the road most likely. Although I must say’s that once the 250 is running it cuts well and has been predominantly trouble free.

 

[JimBinIllinois]

Really any post 2007ish Stihl isn't difficult to start so I'd say your pretty safe with either option

Thanks, good to know did something change?

 

[JimBinIllinois]

The easiest saw on the planet to start is the Echo cs 310! lol! got 2 of them here and use the **** out of them! Start easy hot or cold, light weight and just a great little saw. 011av is a good one too and yes I got 3 ms 250 and a 025( also a good one) and 041, but always grab the cs 310 first! It mostly depends on what you intend to cut with it! NONE of these are loggin saws!!! But everyday casual use they are great!!

I just looked into the cs310 that does seem like a good saw just to have around, for like when a storm comes through and a big limb comes down and such. And the price isn't bad. Thanks.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I'm gonna go back to the carb... sounds like another case of dealer error...

 

[StihlPotlicker]

Hello, Well to start out with I am 65 years old and have two tears in my rotator cuff, eventually there will be surgery. I have a MS250 that has to be over 20 years old. It has served me well until recently when it has been giving be fits trying to start it. It's really been ever since the dealer rebuilt the carb. I bring it in they say they had no problem starting it. So mainly out of frustration I'm looking at new saws. I have seen some criticism of the Stihl Easy2Start, but was thinking of getting the MS251C-BE which has that feature. My other thought was the MS261 which has a decompression valve, would that be easier to start than the MS250 without a decompression valve. I would also be open to Echo if they have something easy to start. Any thoughts would be appreciated, just trying to stay in the game another 10 years.

check out Chickanic on YouTube. she has a vidja on how to easily start 60cc + saws. and it would work, I think for the 261C. if money ain't a problem I would go with that over the MS250

 

[ericm979]

MS250s have a small starter pulley for the engine size. That makes them harder to pull than other saws that size. If you don't have much upper body strength or have bad shoulders or elbows you might feel it.

I have a MS241 which is 43cc to the 250's 45 and it's way easier to pull than my 025.

I have an Echo CS-352 (32cc) which is super easy to start. Other Echos might be easy too.

 

[Grateful11]

I had a MS250 about 20 years ago. It started great cold but run it for 30 minutes and set it down for 10-15 minutes and it was the floodingist(is that a word) saw I've ever seen.

 

[cscltd]

nothing wrong with Stihl easy start if roped pulled correctly
however ms261 a step up in performance and comfort
i Would not recommend other models of Stihl for you shoulder issue
unless It is easy start or has a deco valve on it.

 

[James G]

Although my Stihls get the most use, I do have a CS310 and it is a wonderful saw. Never an issue in getting it started.

 

[DP425]

Hello, Well to start out with I am 65 years old and have two tears in my rotator cuff, eventually there will be surgery. I have a MS250 that has to be over 20 years old. It has served me well until recently when it has been giving be fits trying to start it. It's really been ever since the dealer rebuilt the carb. I bring it in they say they had no problem starting it. So mainly out of frustration I'm looking at new saws. I have seen some criticism of the Stihl Easy2Start, but was thinking of getting the MS251C-BE which has that feature. My other thought was the MS261 which has a decompression valve, would that be easier to start than the MS250 without a decompression valve. I would also be open to Echo if they have something easy to start. Any thoughts would be appreciated, just trying to stay in the game another 10 years.

A used MS241 would be your sort of “in between” (performance wise) option.

Though, with the decomp valve, it is the easiest of the three to start.

 

[thompsoncustom]

Cheapest option would probably be to drill and tap the ms250 you have for a decomp valve.

 

[stihltech]

By the 261

 

[rj1barnes]

What about the new 300 that is supposed to be comparable to a 50cc saw. Wouldn't have to worry about a starter cord.

 

[Riverrail]

What about the new 300 that is supposed to be comparable to a 50cc saw. Wouldn't have to worry about a starter cord.

Too heavy

 

[fields_mj]

How much do you use the saw? How much do you cut at one time? If you're cutting less than a truckload at a time, I'd STRONGLY recommend an electric chainsaw. That will certainly fix your starting problems moving forward. If you go this route, I'd recommend buying a brand from a company that's known for making good battery powered tools, NOT from a company known for making good 2 cycle engines. In the case of the latter, you are paying serious premium and the only thing you're getting is the name plate on the side of the tool.

If you're cutting enough to justify using gas instead of batteries, then get an Elastostart (Stihl) starter rope for what ever saw you end up using. I bought one on a whim 20 years ago. All of my saws now have them. They make a HUGE difference in my opinion. They run between $20 and $30. I'll put a link to one on ebay below. The same size pull rope fits the 240 series, 260 series, 290 series, 360 series and basically anything in between. Installation is SUPER simple.

As far as which gas saw, the MS250 series has to be the worst saw Stihl makes. Almost as heavy as a 60cc saw with barely enough power to run a 16" bar reasonably well. A Dewalt cordless saw will literally keep up with it. The ONLY advantage that it has over the battery saws is that you're limited by how much fuel you brought instead of how long the batteries last (they last a reasonable amount of time). If you're going to buy a different saw, there's NO WAY I'd recommend a MS250 series saw. The MS261 is a lighter saw with substantially more power. On 50cc saws, I don't think a decomp valve makes any difference in starting effort. Not nearly as much as the Elastostart pull rope.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3854075021...y5IZE7AJDjs11WNIja7SokJRvV8-BZSBoCDBUQAvD_BwE

 

[sean donato]

Ms261. Reliable, starts easy, light.
Ms250. Paperweight thats a pain to start, heavy for displacement and gutless. Even better if it has lazy start it's expensive to fix when the lazy start breaks.