Need more than a top handle in a tree

I love the husky 550’s. Do a muffler mod and put on some skip tooth chisel in .325 and these saws flat get with it
 
I know it’s not necessarily a popular brand among tree professionals when you look at Stihl, etc., but I rely on my Echo CS-620p with 24 in bar, capable of a smaller bar or bigger bar if necessary.

With the right chain....wooo!....cuts like butter.

Half the battle is having the right saw the other half is knowing how to take care of a chain.
 
after ms200/201, i use 362 with 24" , its also my main felling/bucking saw
no point of anything in between those two sizes saw, though you can put a 20" bar on the 362
 
I'm not a fanboy of any brand, but purchaser of many. Spend the extra money for a Faster cutting saw that you wont have to augment to juice it. I'd recommend any Husky XP Or stihl MS-C....echo is a great value and dependable.

My 2 Cents

Echo
Pro (cost, eay to repair, and warranty)
Con (some lack power)

Husky -
Pro (light and Fast)
Con (my dealer repair SUCKS and hard to start for newbies)

Stihl
Pro (essiest to start, durable, powerful, great dealer here)
Con (they are orange and white...lol


Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
So the echo 501p... @OasisTree @Barc Buster I looked at it a couple months ago and seemed the opposite of rugged. Choke knob was like 1/8" dia of wiggley plastic for example.

I've been sold on other echos (love my top handle, have a 590 with 24" skip that rips like a mofo) but 550xp seems head and shoulders better as far as make-up. Would like your inputs though as a new saw is on the shopping list this fall and price is tempting.
 
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Brand loyalty aside which is the better saw?:

Husqvarna 550XP (and if I do that, Mark II or original)
or
Stihl MS 261 (and if I do that C-M or no)
 
I too reached out on here to get some feedback on this same issue.

I went with the Stihl 362 with a 25” bar. I got a killer deal on it. I also don’t have a lot of experience with Echo ground saws, although I hear they are trending.

The 362 has done me just fine in the air. It can be a lot of saw to handle weight wise so that’s something to consider.

As far as felling and cutting big wood on the ground - she gets the job done. There are times when I wish I had a 461 (next purchase!) but that’s only when the DBH gets 30” and higher. Also depends on what kind of wood your cutting.

I also want to try out the RSK chain. Anyone know if that would work on a 25” bar? My local dealer doesn’t even carry them and I couldn’t find an answer on Stihl’s website.

The 362 will suck down some gas too but that’s not the worst thing in the world.

Also don’t forget to take care of her and she will take care of you. And keep your chain in good condition.

Best of luck and let us know what you decide!
 
ATH said:
Stihl MS 261 (and if I do that C-M or no)
Click to expand...

You may want to consider one other option... the QuickStop Plus (Q) models. I have the MS261-CM-Q and the MS441-CM-Q and am a big fan of them. I know I've mentioned this before, but I only recently actually had an incident where it actually showed it's merit.

While cutting a limb that was out over the house, about 4" diameter, it came down with the butt end quite close to me and whacked my right forearm just below the elbow. This made my right hand come off the saw and stopped the chain. The bar hit the stem I was on, just opposite me, so no injuries or anything, but it spooked me a bit. When I looked at the stem, I could see where a couple of chain teeth had cut into the bark, but the chain obviously wasn't moving (no cut) and that impressed me with how fast the brake stopped the chain. Stihl claims less than a second, and from what I can tell it is considerably less. This was with the 261 saw.

I really thought about what if the circumstances were different and the bar had hit the climb line. I'm fairly certain the line might have gotten slightly nicked, but I really don't think it would have been cut, since the chain wasn't moving. I was lanyarded in, but that still might have been a rather unpleasant experience. It was food for thought.

This incident shouldn't have really happened, but I was using my wife for a groundie and the Rig N' Wrench... the limb didn't weigh enough to run very fast and I moved into its path. Free wakeup call.

I realize that this feature probably won't interest most people with chainsaw experience, but I personally think that it's a well thought out one. I believe it adds about $100 to the price of the saw, but to me this was worth it on the off chance it saved me some stitches and hospital bill down the road. When I bought the 441 the dealer had to special order the Q model, but it only took about 10 days for me to get it.

Just something to think about.
 
Kris Fugate said:
I too reached out on here to get some feedback on this same issue.

I went with the Stihl 362 with a 25” bar. I got a killer deal on it. I also don’t have a lot of experience with Echo ground saws, although I hear they are trending.

The 362 has done me just fine in the air. It can be a lot of saw to handle weight wise so that’s something to consider.

As far as felling and cutting big wood on the ground - she gets the job done. There are times when I wish I had a 461 (next purchase!) but that’s only when the DBH gets 30” and higher. Also depends on what kind of wood your cutting.

I also want to try out the RSK chain. Anyone know if that would work on a 25” bar? My local dealer doesn’t even carry them and I couldn’t find an answer on Stihl’s website.

The 362 will suck down some gas too but that’s not the worst thing in the world.

Also don’t forget to take care of her and she will take care of you. And keep your chain in good condition.

Best of luck and let us know what you decide!
Click to expand...
The RSK chain will work on a 25” bar, but on a 362 you’ll have to hold the saw back. It’s a VERY aggressive chain. That’s the only chain we buy anymore, our local dealer, Gap Power, has started stocking it for us in our common sizes.
 
Reach said:
The RSK chain will work on a 25” bar, but on a 362 you’ll have to hold the saw back. It’s a VERY aggressive chain. That’s the only chain we buy anymore, our local dealer, Gap Power, has started stocking it for us in our common sizes.
Click to expand...

Does rsk have double thickness raker? I was using full chisel but the double raker thickness annoyed me so went back to semi
 
Chaplain242 said:
Does rsk have double thickness raker? I was using full chisel but the double raker thickness annoyed me so went back to semi
Click to expand...
No, the RSK has a smaller raker than any other chain I’ve every run, which is part of why it’s so aggressive. The tooth is also a little larger and has a more aggressive grind angle.

The “double thickness” raker sounds like low kickback chain, the RSK is anything but. It will kick harder than anything else you’ve run, you have to learn to use it safely especially with a big saw.

m.stihlusa.com

RAPID Super Klassic (RSK) | Fast-Cutting Saw Chain

THE RSK is a fast cutting saw chain providing great chip flow, enhancing cutting efficiency.
m.stihlusa.com m.stihlusa.com
 
Serf Life said:
So the echo 501p... @OasisTree @Barc Buster I looked at it a couple months ago and seemed the opposite of rugged. Choke knob was like 1/8" dia of wiggley plastic for example.

I've been sold on other echos (love my top handle, have a 590 with 24" skip that rips like a mofo) but 550xp seems head and shoulders better as far as make-up. Would like your inputs though as a new saw is on the shopping list this fall and price is tempting.
Click to expand...

I have had no durability issues with the 501 and I'm not gentle with my saws. Probably my most used ground saw as well. Ymmv.
 
The straight MS-261 w/a 20" bar is my go to in that situation. Make sure when you get it to get the yellow dot chain, and not the green dot, low kickback version (especially for up in the air).

Both my local Stihl dealers complain about the M-tronic on that series and the MS201T, stating that the smaller sized powerheads have issues w/what they believe is the vibration constantly knocking the M-tronic out of whack/breaking it.
 
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