What's the best stihl fire wood saw for the money

[Ryan'smilling]

I have a few 40ish cc saws. The 250 seems to be used by a lot but it just doenst do it for me. My 028 will out cut a 250. I have a modified 42cc craftsman that is pretty mean and the old poulan pro works well too. But out of all those the 028 has a lot more power. The 028 inst a clamshell like the 250.

But like i said the 250 is a respected saw.

The 028 must weigh what, 2 pounds more than a 250? The 250 is not a bucking or firewood saw, but for limbing, thinning, breaking down tops, it's a great little saw. I've seen lots of tree services beat the crap out of them. Chainsaw carvers too. For durability, yeah, 028, but for a cheap saw that won't wear a guy out cutting little stuff, there's nothing wrong with a 250.

 

[dboyd351]

Poulan 3700 Countervibe. 30 years old and still cutting strong. 60cc pro quality saw can be had for $100, easy to work on. I cut almost all my firewood with one.

 

[Mustang71]

The 028 must weigh what, 2 pounds more than a 250? The 250 is not a bucking or firewood saw, but for limbing, thinning, breaking down tops, it's a great little saw. I've seen lots of tree services beat the crap out of them. Chainsaw carvers too. For durability, yeah, 028, but for a cheap saw that won't wear a guy out cutting little stuff, there's nothing wrong with a 250.

I wasn't trying to put the saw down I know lots of people love the ms250. All stihl saws have their place. For a home owner who occasionally needs a saw or for trail cutting it's a nice saw way better than a 170 or 180 or a crappy poulan pro of the same size.

I have a little green poulan it will cut whatever you make it but I use it to limb or throw it on the atv to cut up whatever I need it to. It's not one of my fire wood saws but it has it's place and is good at it. If I'm building something out in the yard grab the craftsman that narrow bar along with the 42cc and the muffler mod seems to be real nice for construction work.

 

[dave mclennan]

I wasn't trying to put the saw down I know lots of people love the ms250. All stihl saws have their place. For a home owner who occasionally needs a saw or for trail cutting it's a nice saw way better than a 170 or 180 or a crappy poulan pro of the same size.

I have a little green poulan it will cut whatever you make it but I use it to limb or throw it on the atv to cut up whatever I need it to. It's not one of my fire wood saws but it has it's place and is good at it. If I'm building something out in the yard grab the craftsman that narrow bar along with the 42cc and the muffler mod seems to be real nice for construction work.

A FRIEND ASKED ME TODAY about buyin a new poulan 50cc pro chainsaw he wants to cut his own firewood and would do 4 to 6 cords a year I have no experience with these saws,, I heard there made buy husky he would be buying it at a bigbox store type of place {Canadian tire} and I told him he would be a NOBODY after the sale if it screwed up, and try a dealer and go 50ccs anyway or at least buy a sthil ms 250 on sale right now appx 325$ US THE POULAN50CC WITH 20INBARS are pretty cheap, as there on sale to. ARE THEY AT LEAST DECENT,??? ALOT Of the guys I know hate these saws for serious firewood cutting, also I got a brand new echo ps590 timberwolf in the box for $350cdn {$260 us} I grabbed it} and im going to try it out tomorrow or I might resell it,, don't know, I want to compare it to the dolmar5105 . well see,,, but I knew if I didn't buy it,,, someone else would as on sale up here there going for $510 cdn.

 

[Mustang71]

I have a 42cc poulan pro. It was the second saw I bought as a back up to my husky 450. I have herd some good things about the poulan pro 50 cc saw. It's a real close match up to my 450 but it has an adjustable oiler and a 3/8 chain. I have herd from other people on here that it is much better quality than the other poulan pro saws.

If I saw a timberwolf that cheap I'd buy it too.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The Stihl MS251C is am interesting option for about $400. You get a crank assist mechanism that you either love or hate and a primer bulb. The end result is a saw that you have to get used to when starting or it will flood. I tried one of thee out and it's on my shelf. Pull it on choke more than once and it resides in flood city. I've tried about every carb setting there is to no avail. The Stihl dealer did the same. His carb settings made things worse.

But if, you remember not to pull it on choke more than once, it usually starts on the second or third pull when you take it off choke. When it runs, it cuts well, nut remember that it is a clam shell engine design. So, that forces my recommendation back to a used 026 PRO, unless you have the cash for the professional MS261 that will deliver more power for about the same weight. Used MS261's that are in good running condition are still scarce as hen's teeth. That may change.

 

[dave mclennan]

The Stihl MS251C is am interesting option for about $400. You get a crank assist mechanism that you either love or hate and a primer bulb. The end result is a saw that you have to get used to when starting or it will flood. I tried one of thee out and it's on my shelf. Pull it on choke more than once and it resides in flood city. I've tried about every carb setting there is to no avail. The Stihl dealer did the same. His carb settings made things worse.

But if, you remember not to pull it on choke more than once, it usually starts on the second or third pull when you take it off choke. When it runs, it cuts well, nut remember that it is a clam shell engine design. So, that forces my recommendation back to a used 026 PRO, unless you have the cash for the professional MS261 that will deliver more power for about the same weight. Used MS261's that are in good running condition are still scarce as hen's teeth. That may change.

AROUND here most folks hang on to the 261s,, as thy pay dearly for them ,, ive noticed that some buy the ms 250 who want to cut firewood but don't have the money for the 261, my friend went and bought the poulan 50cc saw today,,, ill be interested to see how it stands up, he hasn't a clue a bout sharpening yet so it will work very hard, USED the ms590 timberwolf this morning for a few hours, i didn't baby it even though it was new it has good tourque what a great saw for the price,, abit heavy for firewood all day, but I like it and im keeping it, I see a few echo 501s showing up around here lately.. I wonder what they run like compared to the ms 261.?? echo has a big sale up here right now and a 5 year warranty is rare i think the echo dealer here has shindaiwas on sale to I heard there the same saw different color.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Seems like the Echo 590 gives you a lot more grunt for less money. Once again, we are all wandering away from OP's request for Stihl advice. Maybe Stihl deserves this. I've never owned an Echo saw that I didn't like. I even restored one that a climber dropped from a tree 50 feet up.

 

[Mustang71]

If I was in the market for one saw and only one saw and it didn't break the bank of buy an echo 590. They seem to have a real good reputation.

 

[dave mclennan]

Seems like the Echo 590 gives you a lot more grunt for less money. Once again, we are all wandering away from OP's request for Stihl advice. Maybe Stihl deserves this. I've never owned an Echo saw that I didn't like. I even restored one that a climber dropped from a tree 50 feet up.

yes more grunt than the dolly just abit heavier, and it has a magnesium case to how do they make such a good saw for that cheap, with that great warranty, I wonder if shindaiwas have the same echo quality they have a 5 year warranty to, someone told me the shimdaiwa 590 is a timberwolf that's red.

 

[SeMoTony]

The" Best 4 me" has been my ms-460 till the yard waste scrounge gets more than 25", then I just enjoy my 92cc 661c since it cuts like a flock of beavers, and smiles up my face using it. I am learning to load the minivan with those piecesto simplify transfer to the ranch. With the competition over the"waste" to be the guy who shows up and mills the big stuff also lets me take away the big diameter after the smaller has disappeared.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The" Best 4 me" has been my ms-460 till the yard waste scrounge gets more than 25", then I just enjoy my 92cc 661c View attachment 605995 since it cuts like a flock of beavers, and smiles up my face using it. I am learning to load the minivan with those piecesView attachment 605996to simplify transfer to the ranch. With the competition over the"waste" to be the guy who shows up and mills the big stuff also lets me take away the big diameter after the smaller has disappeared.

You an save your back by noodle cutting those big rounds in half or even quarters:

The Stihl MS460 with a 25" or 28" bar is a perfect saw for that (or my Makita 6401 with a BBK).

 

[dmb2613]

026 hands down , looks like the voters like it too

 

[blades]

Beat me to it I was going to Dolita 64xx series. ( Dolmar/ Makita)

 

[Wood Doctor]

026 hands down , looks like the voters like it too

Precisely why I own two Stihl 026 PRO saws. These keep on going and going. Best of all, I bought both together for less than a new MS 261 would cost today. So, I rate them a best buy even at their age.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

Funny when I was 12 the 036 was the pro firewood saw to have. Uncle had one then used to cut oak up in wine country. It continues to make these lists. Gotta be something to that.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Funny when I was 12 the 036 was the pro firewood saw to have. Uncle had one then used to cut oak up in wine country. It continues to make these lists. Gotta be something to that.

I'm headed to a friend's place this week to cut a bunch of oak. My 036 will get a lot of use.

 

[ReggieT]

044 easily.
Great power to weight ratio.
Can run a 18 inch bar up to a 28 inch bar with skip/or semi skip all day long.
Easy to work on too.

 

[dave mclennan]

044 easily.
Great power to weight ratio.
Can run a 18 inch bar up to a 28 inch bar with skip/or semi skip all day long.
Easy to work on too.

my favorite stihl is the ms 261,, I love my dolmar 51o5,,, I have 2 of them, for firewood mostly BUT I will admit that the shihl ms 261 is a bit better, it has more power and is lighter, its more money though, I used my friends 261 1 day for about 8 hours it really impressed me.

 

[Mustang71]

I hear the 261 is a really great saw. I'm more of a classic saw guy myself. I just like the simple saws that made decent power for their size. The 290 was the odd ball in this post. It's not simple and for its weight doesn't make good power but it was stihls #1 selling saw for a long time.