066 vs ?

[Stump Shot]

A 592 is quite a saw. I personally really like them! But I’ve heard some guys hating on them (maybe they were Stihl guys…) because they tend to 4-stroke in the cut like no tomorrow if you don’t update your operating strategies to match the present tech the 592 has u see it’s covers. I liked every 592 I have run. Power, balance, A-1 anti vibe, easy starting, and every other positive thing you may want. But that are a different saw that maybe not everyone just falls in love with. And I’m not gonna be threatened by anyone else’s opinion…

The 390 is more an old-school saw that doesn’t disappoint either. I have one I cut my wood with. Absolutely like it. No complaints. One tip with the 390 is they need the exhaust opened significantly and if you wish to realize potential tho. They do tend to be a bit sluggish out of the box but respond well to a few well picked upgrades.

Just my humble opinion…

No doubt, the 592xp is one of the nicest, user-friendly saws made, all the while earning every bit of its XP moniker.

 

[redline4]

I'm pretty much a Stihl guy but if you are going Husqvarna and want a big saw just get the 592 and go. It's a nice saw.

 

[Jake Dykstra]

Hard to beat a well ported 390xp imo for an all around work all day big saw. That said the 660 gets her fair share of working the big trees.
30years ago my first saw an 066 did it all but these days my ported 543xp or 353xp get used the most.
That 395xp will do ya right for sure. Outstanding big saw imo

 

[MemphisMechanic]

Thinking about a 395.

I bought one for $300 this summer. Replaced missing covers and repaired all the stripped holes without bolts. Wood ported, BFD, ported muffler… it spends it’s life pulling a full-skip 42” like it’s freaking bored.

I’ve never in my life had to turn an oiler DOWN because it was drenching a long bar, and this saw defines what torque is.

If you don’t mind something with the ergonomics and weight of a cinder block, 395s can’t be beaten.

That said, if I had the scratch I’d sell it and rock a ported 592…

 

[Jscb1b]

If you don’t mind something with the ergonomics and weight of a cinder block, 395s can’t be beaten.

 

[Catbuster]

A 390XP is reasonably similar to a MS660 performance wise, a 592XP will exceed that expectation and a 395XP is in a class all by itself. It would be difficult not to recommend a new 592XP for performance out of the box that you get, compared to $$$ spent to get it.

This is spot on analysis. If you want a comparable runner, that’s still lighter, a 390 will do the trick. It won’t vibrate as much either. It has that stupid Husqvarna chain tensioner that’s in the cover, though.

A 592 will outperform an 066 while being very user friendly, to an end where you probably won’t want to run your 066 again, and still a little lighter than a non-flat top 066. Still Husqvarna’s design of side chain tensioner.

A 395 will put a smile on your face with a 36 or 42” bar and just walk away from your 066 with anything longer than a 28. But it’s got a front tensioner, so I suggest against getting your bar stuck…

 

[Jscb1b]

So life just threw me a curve, I have a line on 72" DBH by 15' high alligator juniper trunks. Damn fire wood hunters butchered 3 trees. With a front tensioner, how good is the 395 for milling?

 

[HumBurner]

So life just threw me a curve, I have a line on 72" DBH by 15' high alligator juniper trunks. Damn fire wood hunters butchered 3 trees. With a front tensioner, how good is the 395 for milling?

Not familiar with that variety, but I've seen juniper around here that was 28-36" dbh and 16-20 years old. Fat growth rings, lots of branches, poor quality wood.

Just cause a tree is big doesn't meant it's of quality.

 

[Woodslasher]

So life just threw me a curve, I have a line on 72" DBH by 15' high alligator juniper trunks. Damn fire wood hunters butchered 3 trees. With a front tensioner, how good is the 395 for milling?

My two bits, the tensioner position doesn't matter a whole lot on a mill saw. I used a near-new 395 and it was a pretty decent mill saw and it's still a good felling saw to boot. My brother swears by his 395 as the best big saw ever but I thought it felt like a cinder block. A very grunty cinder block, but still a cinder block. @davidwyby lives down by you and has one, he might have some insight.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I used a 395xp all stock to rebuild a CCC shelter in the mountains of South Carolina. 100° heat, white oak and chestnut oak. It performed flawlessly for me, but the guys after me immediately burned it up ! I suggest that you get a fully adjustable carburetor on it.
Personally I own a 394xp , pretty much stock and its skinned my knuckles dragging me into a trunk when it grabbs!
I've run a 592 this past year and it hangs right with the other big husqvarna saws and its faster than my 394xp.

 

[drf256]

I’m not a big Husky fan. Their ergonomics and designs lack the finesse and QC of Stihl IMHO.

That being said, the 395 is truly “the king” as it’s been advertised. Not too long ago, new OEM top ends were ~$100 for them as well. The front tensioner is a PITA, but isn’t a big deal on a mill saw as said above.

Swinging one around with a 36” 404 Cannon bar all day isn’t much fun, but it’s my go to big saw. Once you lay it on a log there is no weight anyway, it’s actually helpful with a good chain.

An 066 is lighter and smaller. Would be my choice for felling over the 395, but the 395 will do just about everything better until it falls apart.

When I bought mine used and I inquired about it, a knowledgeable saw guy told me “if it feels like a bag of bolts that’s gonna fall apart but still runs, it’s OEM”.

 

[Jscb1b]

Not familiar with that variety, but I've seen juniper around here that was 28-36" dbh and 16-20 years old. Fat growth rings, lots of branches, poor quality wood.

Just cause a tree is big doesn't meant it's of quality.

Out here in the land of hot and hotter with no rain, nothing grows fast.

 

[MemphisMechanic]

So life just threw me a curve, I have a line on 72" DBH by 15' high alligator juniper trunks. Damn fire wood hunters butchered 3 trees. With a front tensioner, how good is the 395 for milling?

Here are the reasons a 395 or 3120 is a phrnomenal milling saw:

1. Oiling. I had an 066. Have an MS661. The bar oiler on a 395 puts out vastly more oil. That’s huge for milling.

2. Air filter. The air injection system on this saw, where it pumps air from the flywheel to the air filter after slinging the chips clear? Works. You rarely clean the air filter, whereas a stihl that’s a constant struggle.

3. Clutch. This is the big one. An outboard clutch means a much cooler crankshaft seal on that side of the saw. For felling and bucking it doesn’t matter much and just makes swapping sprockets and chains harder. For milling it’s a big help, since milling = full throttle for an entire tank of fuel nonstop.

And honestly it’s just freaking built like a tank, in addition to defining what torque means in a chainsaw. Mine’s ported so it actually has some RPM, but even in stock form they pull like mad.

The tensioner location is the only real negative, but keeping an actual screwdriver onhand instead of fumbling with a scrench? It’s fine. I’ll deal.

 

[rogue60]

If a nib late 066 or Aussie ms660 fell into my lap I'd keep her tell the day I die would even give her a polish every now and then awesome dependable saws

 

[J.Noss]

On this topic I'd ask which saw has the most potential for porting/HP? The 592 is definitely the most powerful stock saw (without going to the 120cc class which are awful heavy) as can be seen by dyno compare, but what saw has the most potential? I've seen 395s and 661s that have beaten ported 592 numbers.. limitations w/autotune? I still would like to get my 592 ported but am already thinking about which one to buy next.. wanna get a strong work/GTG saw and then get a CPI expansion chamber pipe that'll push it to the next level whenever I wanna put it on.

 

[MemphisMechanic]

On this topic I'd ask which saw has the most potential for porting/HP? The 592 is definitely the most powerful stock saw (without going to the 120cc class which are awful heavy) as can be seen by dyno compare, but what saw has the most potential? I've seen 395s and 661s that have beaten ported 592 numbers.. limitations w/autotune? I still would like to get my 592 ported but am already thinking about which one to buy next.. wanna get a strong work/GTG saw and then get a CPI expansion chamber pipe that'll push it to the next level whenever I wanna put it on.

What are you going to be doing with said saw?

If it’s just a cookie cutter then ergonomics don’t enter into it.

If it’s for daily use and abuse cutting for customers? I’d ten times rather have a 592 than a 395 or 066. Vastly lighter, modern tuning and antivibe, with similar power.

(I say this as someone who has a ported 395 and loves everything about it except for it’s weight and bulk.)

My understanding is that specific years of 066 with a certain top end would result in the strongest performer out of all of these saws. But someone will be along shortly with actual firsthand knowledge to contradict or verify.

 

[drf256]

On this topic I'd ask which saw has the most potential for porting/HP? The 592 is definitely the most powerful stock saw (without going to the 120cc class which are awful heavy) as can be seen by dyno compare, but what saw has the most potential? I've seen 395s and 661s that have beaten ported 592 numbers.. limitations w/autotune? I still would like to get my 592 ported but am already thinking about which one to buy next.. wanna get a strong work/GTG saw and then get a CPI expansion chamber pipe that'll push it to the next level whenever I wanna put it on.

A 395 ported will beat any 066/660 any day. Bigger heavier stronger platform with quad ports and a tighter case. It’s just what it is.

A well done quad port should beat any dual port saw with rare exception. There is just more transfer area to fill the cylinder with charge.

Most husqvarna are more race inspired designs than Stihl. Stihl tend to be more ergonomic designs with less parts to break and wear out. Stihl had superior fasteners with the T27 torque heads and the knurled screw head bases that tend to lock them in place-this point is rarely argued.

The old saying “Stihl for work, Husky for play” came from somewhere, like most stereotypes do.

Walking, felling and cutting in the woods, gimme an 066 all day long. Bucking a pile of downed big logs into pieces to split (or milling), I’d step over 20 066/660 to get to my 395.

 

[Stump Shot]

My understanding is that specific years of 066 with a certain top end would result in the strongest performer out of all of these saws. But someone will be along shortly with actual firsthand knowledge to contradict or verify.

While there is without doubt disparity among 066/660 cylinders, I would only say that rings true amongst itself.

On this topic I'd ask which saw has the most potential for porting/HP? The 592 is definitely the most powerful stock saw (without going to the 120cc class which are awful heavy) as can be seen by dyno compare, but what saw has the most potential? I've seen 395s and 661s that have beaten ported 592 numbers.. limitations w/autotune? I still would like to get my 592 ported but am already thinking about which one to buy next.. wanna get a strong work/GTG saw and then get a CPI expansion chamber pipe that'll push it to the next level whenever I wanna put it on.

I would recommend taking whatever(ported) work saw you have, at least to begin with to a GTG, with the expectation of having fun and a good time spent with other folks for a more pleasurable experience, win or lose.

 

[J.Noss]

A 395 ported will beat any 066/660 any day. Bigger heavier stronger platform with quad ports and a tighter case. It’s just what it is.

A well done quad port should beat any dual port saw with rare exception. There is just more transfer area to fill the cylinder with charge.

Most husqvarna are more race inspired designs than Stihl. Stihl tend to be more ergonomic designs with less parts to break and wear out.

Thanks, I didn't know that about the port design but that does seem to follow with what I've seen from dyno tests.

I would recommend taking whatever(ported) work saw you have, at least to begin with to a GTG, with the expectation of having fun and a good time spent with other folks for a more pleasurable experience, win or lose.

I think that's a good idea, I don't really wanna spend the $ for a new 395 right now, this is truly just for my own fun in the woods though as I really don't know anyone who has a better saw than a 460 rancher... I just had this idea in my mind of getting a 10+hp saw and then putting a pipe on it, as I've seen from Rocky mountain chainsaw videos those pipes can gain CONSIDERABLE power for a saw.

Again thanks everyone for the help, certainly great people here who know their stuff.

 

[mrxlh]

Not that my opinion matters, as I don’t own a 066/660. I do however have a 390, 395 and a 3120. I would say a ported 390 is the largest I would want to carry all day felling. Bucking/noodling is an entirely different story, the 395 and 3120 eat whatever you set them down into…

I’ve never minded a front tensioner or an outboard clutch, I guess for some people that’s a big deal. As Stump and Al have stated, the jump from the 390 to the 395 chassis is quite a big step.