Stihl MS440 Mag or Husq??

[Fireaxman]

Suddenly Katrina has taken me out of the 20" for Firewood business and put me in the 36" + for Storm Cleanup business. My Homey 330 just ain't big enough anymore.

Borrowed a Husq 570 with a 28" for a few days and I like it, and $700 buys it, but for just a little more I can get an MS 440. I've spent the last 2 hours looking at the archives and I see a lot about some other Husq models that will pull the 28" bar. Been cutin' all day and can't stay up too late looking at saws. How about putting it all in one place for me? Is there a web site where I can build a "Comparison Chart" that will tell me all I need to know about several models? Need to stick with Husq or Stihl because those are the dealers I have, and I like supporting my local dealers. Think I'll stay with about a 28" bar because it seemed to work well for both bucking and limbing, and of course I don't want to have to carry around any more weight than necessary. Want something that will pull the 28" easily though. Lots of very hard, tight grained wood, and of course it will get harder as it dries out during the year. Sure hate to see the pecans and hickorys rotting on the ground, soooo many BTU's!

Looks like I could be in this for a couple of years. You would not believe how much beautiful, streight oak, hickory, pecan, and swamp maple is being wasted in trash piles because of what this storm has done to us on the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain and in SW Mississippi. And then there are the pines, many 115 feet or better and 30+" at the butt.

 

[NWCS]

i love husqvarna.. but because thats a 5xx series i would say go with the stihl above and beyond.. the 5xx series is nothing like the models they replaced.. they are built well but the power has gone away.. you will be much happier with that MS440 and parts are *everywhere* for it! probly THE most popular current model saw out there. rock solid reliable when you treat it well and should do everything you need and more.

 

[Andyshine77]

If your going to use a 28" bar 100% of the time I would go with the Stihl 460 or 660, now they do weigh more than the 440, but they will cut easer and faster. A 28" bar and chain is a bit to much for the 440 in hard wood.

 

[DanManofStihl]

I ran a ms 440 with a 28 in bar on it for about a year and a half that was my saw when isebel hit us. I loved that saw very reliable and fast It pulled a 28 in bar well in hard wood as long as the chain was not dull. I sharpenered it after about every tree or so and it did well. I cleared around 150 large trees with that saw over the span of 2 to 3 months. That saw never let me down my husky 141 was in the shop getting repaired after only being used for 5 hours. I was not impressed with that saw. I would buy another ms 440 in a heart beat one of the best saws made besides the 066 magnum.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I'd also say to go with a the Stihl. Not because I'm a Stihl guy, but because you're thinking about the Husky 575, which while I've never ran, I've also never heard anything good about it's power to weight. It's heavier than it needs to be. If your Husky dealer can still get you a 372, I'd look into that. Otherwise, the 440 or 460 would handle a 28" bar, though the 460 would handle it better. If youre set on the 28", I'd get the 460. If money is an issue, then the 440 will do it, but you'll have to give it it's time.

Good luck down there, and be safe.

Jeff

 

[lucky]

I like the 046 or 460 for a 28" bar. But in stock form they aren't all that fast going through hardwood. A fully modded or even just muffler modded 046 does nicely. John

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Good point. If you're gonna do a 44 or 46, (lean towards a 46 with the 28") get it with the dual port muffler cover on it. P/N 1128 140 0801.

Jeff

 

[Sylvatica]

If the EPA reg's force new saws to give up too much ground on performance, then the MS460 might become the most popular current go-to performance model.

 

[rbtree]

Call Bailey's and order a 372 pwrhead for $529 (not sure of the complete saw price) while they last. Better saw than the 575, and better than the 044 by a bit, at least faster cutting. One of the best saws ever. Modify the muffler and it will easily outcut a 460, and cost over $100 less, plus weigh less.

This advice is from a 30 yr pro who has run both the 044 and 372 for many years and likes 'em both.

 

[keith c raymond]

First of all ,I hope you and yours are doing well ,it didnt look good down there forsure.Having said that,Is there any other brands with part support and service around?If you are capable of service yourself,Than go with what feels good.You cant go wrong with the 440,Although I think the 28 bar will require frequent filings to keep the edge,and to prevent an accident due to fatigue fron too dull a chain.Alsowear PPE as most you can stand with the heat,hope to see more posts soon,keep us up to date .

 

[Ryan Willock]

I like the 372's and 460's myself. I'm currently running 372's but I have cut more timber with a 460 than everything else combined. I've had two 066's two 460's four 372's (stihl have two of em') 440's and 036s I like'em all. After these 372's die I'll most likely replace them with more 460's as I don't like the new 5xx series of huskys, the power to weight sucks!

 

[rahtreelimbs]

I don't like the new 5xx series of huskys, the power to weight sucks!

This post just adds more to my thought pattern as to what was Husky thinking when they developed these 5xx series saws? They had to know that the benchmark was set with saws like the 357 & 372!!!


The weight may not be such an issue if the power was there.

 

[Fireaxman]

Thanks, men, for the excellent advice. I'll do comparisons on the 440, 460, and Husq 372 tonight, and find out tomorrow if there is a 372 available anywhere close. Need to do something pretty quick. 16 pines today, all too big in the butt for my Homey but had to use it anyway. Couldn't borrow the 570 today. Worked mostly with the Homey and a couple of Stihls, a 260 and an 024.

Tops were blown off all these trees we worked on today, but we had to fell the poles. 20 to 50 feet left standing after the tops blew off. I don't mind bucking downed trees with the 20" bar so much, but felling is a little tricky when you have to cut several inches into the far side before you can make it through with the back cut, and of course getting a quarter of the way through with a good, clean, flat fore cut takes a lot more time. And then, some of the butts were split. Hard to be sure how much good wood you have holding the tree up until you get the back cut made. Hate those.

Using all the PPE (except sometimes the chaps; mighty hot in South Louisiana humidity) and using my tractor and 120 feet of 5/8 bull rope to back us up on line of fall. No accidents no near misses so far for my crew. Close freind got a chain saw bite yesterday on his index finger trying to clear a pine off another freinds roof, but dagone lucky didn't lose the finger or a hand. Little Poulan saw, trying to use it like a butcher knife with one hand. Mistake.

I personally have to worry about 5 houses in Covington and Madisonville (family) and one in Mississippi (family) and by the GRACE of God none of them took a direct hit from a tree. Odds of that were kind of like standing in front of a load of 12 gauge buck shot at 30 yards and not picking up a pellet. Many houses in these older subdivisions completely destroyed, some with 4 or 5 big pines on them (only takes one to do the job). No injuries to family or close freinds either, until Shane knicked his finger with the Poulan.

Many of my church freinds were not so fortunate, so I'm mostly trying to help them out now that my immediate damage is under control. Things like this bring out the best and the worst in people. Looters in New Orleans, but two of the volunteers I am working with flew in from California to help (kind of changes my opinion about the left coast) and one drove down from New Hampshire. They is some mighty fine folks in this wonderful country.

Sorry about the long post, got carried away. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Rich, I'm going to a logging expo in Clifton Forge this weekend and hopefully I'll get to run a 575 while I'm there I've talked to a couple of loggers around here that have tried them and they say that they cut like the 372's but are heavier, so whats the point??? If thats the case then you can bet you last dollar that I'll be switching back to Stihls and 460's in particular.

 

[jokers]

I believe that the 460 is Stihl`s most popular Pro saw, it is around here.

The 575s cut pretty near the way a stock 372 does but I don`t think that the 575 mods as well as the 372. One thing that the 575 has going for it is it`s buttery smoothness in the cut. They feel pretty d@mned good as long as the weight is being supported in the kerf. The 575s truly are more fuel efficient, so that has to factor in as atleast a minor plus from a few angles.

It might be premature to write the obit on the 372 given the number that keep turning up for sale new.

Russ

 

[Fireaxman]

OK, went with the 460, according to the majority recomendation. Best advertised horsepower to weight ratio, it was less than a hundred bucks and only one pound more for the additional horsepower, and I have a dealer here I like doing business with.

Rbtree, I appreciate your experience and your advice, and the 372 looks really good, but I did not have time to run one down and my best dealer support is for the Stihl.

Thanks again everybody. I don't usually name my saws, but this one is called Katrina II. Not that I need the reminder. Like most people around here I'll remember that storm for a long time.

 

[litefoot]

Fireax,
I bought a 460 last week for many of the same reasons you describe. I looked at a lot of saws, but I just kept coming back to the 460 because of the excellent power/weight. I considered the 372, but there is no dealer support nearby. I balked on the 460 for some time because it was out of my price range and my closest Stihl dealer is not highly recommended.

But then I found a different dealer. Very friendly. He offered me a MS460, carrying case, 24"bar, 2 extra chains and a 6-pack of Stihl oil for $699. It may not have been the "best" deal out there, but he made it awful hard to say no. Now my work has taken me away for the last 2 weeks (I'm writing this from a hotel room) and I haven't taken it out yet. Rats!

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

He offered me a MS460, carrying case, 24"bar, 2 extra chains and a 6-pack of Stihl oil for $699. It may not have been the "best" deal out there...

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Jeff

 

[Vman]

sounds like a sweet deal to me too! my ms440 magnum was $689 with 20" bar/chain, 40% off PPE and carrying case, and 2 free pairs of gloves. IMO, your dealer gave you a darn good price on a great package! don't forget your PPE, enjoy and have fun, your gonna luv that saw, it'll do your work for ya' nicely.

 

[TonyM]

No question on this choice. Only one answer. PS7900 Dolmar. Better than all the other options, and best pricing of all the options.