Stihl MS260pro vs Dolmar 5100

[pyromaniac guy]

ok, i want to preface this by saying that i am not a chainsaw guru. i'm just a power junkie who likes to play with cool "toys". i would also like to say that i have no idea what sprocket or chain either saw had on it.

my wife has a relative who owns a power tool shop. he is considered the dolmar line (he carries husky and poulon now), and he loaned my brother-in-law and i a dolmar 5100 "to check it out".

now, i haven't run my stihl in a few weeks, and the last time i did, it had the green safety chain on it. i have since put the yellow chain on, but have not run it yet.

we took the dolmar out today so i could try it. my BIL used it yesterday. to sum things up, this is what i saw (pun acknowledged):

- i liked the way the saw felt in my hands. the throttle hand grip seemed bigger than the stihl's, so it was a little more comfortable for me. also, the left hand bar had a little "give" to it, which cushioned it a little.
- by looking at the specs for each saw, they are both really close in displacement, weight, etc
- it seemed that the dolmar cut a lot longer on a single tank of fuel than my stihl does. maybe that is just operator error on my part
- the dolmar had an 18" bar, and we tested it in both green and mostly seasoned woods. we cut locust, red oak, and maple. for the most part, it seemed to scream through the woods, and it almost seemed like the saw was very hungry to get at the wood. our largest rounds were around 24".

now, my question is:

i am looking for a larger saw. something in the 70-90cc range. that would compliment my current arsenal the best.

i am currently looking at:

stihl 460
husky 385xp
dolmar 7900

is the dolmar 7900 as nice as the 5100? has anybody run all three?

thoughts, opinions?

 

[computeruser]

7900. Hands down - it is more saw than the 460 and lighter than the 385, not that either of those two saws are *bad* by any stretch of the imagination. The 7900 is a great saw and an excellent "big saw" compliment to a 5100s or an 026.

From earlier today, with the DN441:

 

[Freakingstang]

ok, i want to preface this by saying that i am not a chainsaw guru. i'm just a power junkie who likes to play with cool "toys". i would also like to say that i have no idea what sprocket or chain either saw had on it.

my wife has a relative who owns a power tool shop. he is considered the dolmar line (he carries husky and poulon now), and he loaned my brother-in-law and i a dolmar 5100 "to check it out".

now, i haven't run my stihl in a few weeks, and the last time i did, it had the green safety chain on it. i have since put the yellow chain on, but have not run it yet.

we took the dolmar out today so i could try it. my BIL used it yesterday. to sum things up, this is what i saw (pun acknowledged):

- i liked the way the saw felt in my hands. the throttle hand grip seemed bigger than the stihl's, so it was a little more comfortable for me. also, the left hand bar had a little "give" to it, which cushioned it a little.
- by looking at the specs for each saw, they are both really close in displacement, weight, etc
- it seemed that the dolmar cut a lot longer on a single tank of fuel than my stihl does. maybe that is just operator error on my part
- the dolmar had an 18" bar, and we tested it in both green and mostly seasoned woods. we cut locust, red oak, and maple. for the most part, it seemed to scream through the woods, and it almost seemed like the saw was very hungry to get at the wood. our largest rounds were around 24".

now, my question is:

i am looking for a larger saw. something in the 70-90cc range. that would compliment my current arsenal the best.

i am currently looking at:

stihl 460
husky 385xp
dolmar 7900

is the dolmar 7900 as nice as the 5100? has anybody run all three?

thoughts, opinions?

The 7900 is a much nicer saw than the 5100 is...

Now, I have owned all three of these. Look at my current lineup, the 7900 remains, the others do not. I am talking about stock saws. The 7900 and 385xp are neck and neck up to 28" or so wood, but the 385xp is about 2 pounds heavier. The 460 is a great saw, but no match for the 7900 or 385xp, again in stock form.

 

[pyromaniac guy]

The 7900 is a much nicer saw than the 5100 is...

Now, I have owned all three of these. Look at my current lineup, the 7900 remains, the others do not. I am talking about stock saws. The 7900 and 385xp are neck and neck up to 28" or so wood, but the 385xp is about 2 pounds heavier. The 460 is a great saw, but no match for the 7900 or 385xp, again in stock form.

yeah, i was talking stock saws too. i saw all the specs on the three saws, and did notice the weight diff for the husky...

 

[NWnewguy]

Stang, out of curiousity, how much differnce is there between your 660 and the 7900. I know they aren't in the same class or price range. I just haven't come across anything the 7900 has problems with yet and am wondering when I could justify the purchase of something bigger than the 7900.

 

[Freakingstang]

Stang, out of curiousity, how much differnce is there between your 660 and the 7900. I know they aren't in the same class or price range. I just haven't come across anything the 7900 has problems with yet and am wondering when I could justify the purchase of something bigger than the 7900.

To be real honest, I rarely use my 660 after getting the 7900. I kept the 660 for my mill, but it has been on b/o for a couple months now...

The 660 is a stout machine that can run anything, but it also weighs more and vibrates a little more. If I have to pack one saw, I choose the 7900.

It is still nice to have the 660 for the big stuff, but I don't really need it for what I cut to be honest with you. a 7900 is all I really need. the others are just extra toys...Although a 660 with a dual port and a 16" bar doubles as a fast limbing saw....

 

[lawson's tree s]

i run all stihl's own 2 460's 1 066 and a 084 the 460 is a good all around saw if we had a dealer who sold dolmar's i would buy one always up to try some thing new. nothing against husky but i wont buy a saw that is sold in sears,lowes,home depot etc always heard dolmar's are good saws.

 

[sawinredneck]

The 7900 is a much nicer saw than the 5100 is...

Now, I have owned all three of these. Look at my current lineup, the 7900 remains, the others do not. I am talking about stock saws. The 7900 and 385xp are neck and neck up to 28" or so wood, but the 385xp is about 2 pounds heavier. The 460 is a great saw, but no match for the 7900 or 385xp, again in stock form.

Sure, ok :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Freakingstang]

Sure, ok :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

OK, I didn't realize a modded big bore 046 was considered Stock.

You would have thought that with me saying STOCK and again stock you would have gotten it....

modded saws, the 385 and 046 both take to better mods than I have experienced with the 7900. Maybe others have had better results. Again I WAS TALKING STOCK SAWS

 

[sawinredneck]

OK, I didn't realize a modded big bore 046 was considered Stock.

You would have thought that with me saying STOCK and again stock you would have gotten it....

modded saws, the 385 and 046 both take to better mods than I have experienced with the 7900. Maybe others have had better results. Again I WAS TALKING STOCK SAWS

I didn't say anything:hmm3grin2orange:

Have I mentioned I LOVE my 046 BB lately?

 

[04ultra]

Again I WAS TALKING STOCK SAWS

Can you please define Stock..........Is this Stock appearing.........


.

 

[sawinredneck]

Can you please define Stock..........Is this Stock appearing.........


.

Now we are getting down to it!!!! I like "stock apearing", a LOT!!!!

 

[Timberhauler]

I would take the 385 Husky over the 7900.....Beware of people on here quoting you things that have never actually ran that particular saw....I'm not sure I've even talked to someone else on this site who has one,But I have two,and the 385 Husky is a tough saw...To mention it will hold it's own with both the 395 and the MS660...I'm not sure how the 7900 and the 385 compare as far as cutting speed,but it would have to be either too close to call,or the 385 is the winner.

 

[pyromaniac guy]

.....Beware of people on here quoting you things that have never actually ran that particular saw....I'm not sure I've even talked to someone else on this site who has one

post #3:

"The 7900 is a much nicer saw than the 5100 is...

Now, I have owned all three of these. Look at my current lineup, the 7900 remains, the others do not. I am talking about stock saws. The 7900 and 385xp are neck and neck up to 28" or so wood, but the 385xp is about 2 pounds heavier. The 460 is a great saw, but no match for the 7900 or 385xp, again in stock form."

 

[robby26wi]

The 385 is like 2 lbs heavier then the 7900....and you can usually pick up the 7900 for like 100 less or even more if you do some searching....Pyro....get the 7900 and the 5100...You will be very very happy..

 

[rbtree]

When the 7900 first came out, several folks compared it to the 385. consensus was that it is about as fast or faster. With full woods mods, the 385 comes out ahead.

Personally, I've never owned a 385, as I have had 3 modded 372's and find their power awesome. Along with my ported 7900, the 066 w/dual port muffler saw less use than before I got all those modded saws. Now its been stolen...but I'm looking for another, as I like the saw so much--even in stock form (w dual port muffler cover, that is) In big wood, the 066 is faster, but in softwood under about 28 inches, the ehp 372 is a winner.....

My 7900 was modded by Dan Henry, and is slower than the ehp 372...by a tad....in big wood though, it's awesome torque makes it come out ahead, barely.


NWnewguy, I just heard that Home Depots in our area have the Makita 6401 in their rental fleet and are selling some or all of them off. I knew about this, but didn't know they rented them in our state. People have gotten good condition saws for about $225....then you can get a 7900 piston/cyl for only about $190.... and have a pretty silver and teal saw that is no longer made in that color! I gotta find the time to go hunt down a saw!!!
As far as parts/service go, there's a dealer in my area that carries Dolmar.

You won't see an 026 roostertail like this, unless its a race saw.....:

I love my modded 346's, but with the pipe off, the 5100 is at least 10% faster. Then, it is over a pound heavier than my modded Shindaiwa 488, which is a nice saw, but didn't respond to mods nearly as well. I have heard that a modded Redmax 5000 is mighty fast...though I don't know if it is nearly as light as the Shinny.

 

[Lakeside53]

Note the pipe on the 5100

 

[04ultra]

Note the pipe on the 5100

Yup ......On my to get list ....Modded on pipe ...Looks like I might just have to send in the new 5100 for the mod...:hmm3grin2orange:



.

 

[Lakeside53]

Yup ......On my to get list ....Modded on pipe ...Looks like I might just have to send in the new 5100 for the mod...:hmm3grin2orange:



.

or, how to double the cost of a 5100. Heck, I'd send in you old 026 and get the same done to it ... :rockn:

 

[04ultra]

or, how to double the cost of a 5100...:rockn:

Yup ....dont tell my wife.......I might just have found the funds to do it..




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