881 vs 661

[atimmons101]

Looking to get into some chainsaw milling as buying any kind of hardwood these days costs a fortune! I already have a 462 and a ported 500i but I’m looking for something with a little more grunt for big hardwood and the occasional milling. 661 feels like it would be just a small step up from the 500 whereas the 881 gives me a whole other class of saw to use on exclusively big wood and milling.

Thoughts?

 

[Ketchup]

661 with 36” or ported with a 42”. You won’t use the 881 nearly as much.

Edit: Why not both?

 

[atimmons101]

I can only justify one lol. My wife would shoot me if I came home with both lol.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Ms881 would be excellent for a dedicated milling saw.

 

[atimmons101]

For sure. I think for bucking huge hardwood and stumping as well as milling. I just think the 500 and 661 are fairly close but the 881 is a completely different ballgame

 

[Maintenance Chief]

I'm not sure how much milling to other stuff you'll get into but I've had an old 088 stihl for huge stuff for a few years and it really is in a class of it's own at 122cc.
I did build and aftermarket 090 and ported it myself for cheap and have run a 72" bar on it with no problem. Obviously buying a new factory saw doesn't require you have to know how to tune anything ( which is nice) but an aftermarket " once in a while saw" is nice to save some $$$.

 

[atimmons101]

That’s awesome! Love that!

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Milled lots with an 881. The saw is an overpriced joke:

Post in thread 'Anyone compare a CS1201 vs MS881?'

Mar 20, 2025

I would not be cutting down stumps with a 100+ cc saw that has no chain break. It's not worth the risk.

• mainer_in_ak

• 

 

[Mammyrat]

Size matters!

 

[Bill G]

I do not use a saw to mill with, I use saws to cut trees. I would imagine milling being very hard on a saw but never done so. Had you posted several months ago I had some new 881 saws to sell but they are gone. I do have some new 661's. If you want a real powerhouse I have a ported 084.

 

[59billy]

I do not use a saw to mill with, I use saws to cut trees. I would imagine milling being very hard on a saw but never done so. Had you posted several months ago I had some new 881 saws to sell but they are gone. I do have some new 661's. If you want a real powerhouse I have a ported 084.

Having used a 660 for milling, if I had to do it again, id go for an 880/881/084 -- especially the MMWS 084 I assume you're talking about.

 

[Maintenance Chief]

@Bill G is great guy to buy a saw from.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

For what you describe, 661, ported would be better and Stihl cheaper than an 881.
About a 10# difference in weight, lol
I can run a 50” on my ported 661 with modded oiler…just can’t pick it up anymore . The 42 is probably my limit now.
Speed contest? No comparison…a ported 661 will blow a 881 away, imo.

 

[atimmons101]

But what about a ported 881? I don’t know. I’m just trying to sus out the whole scenario. Right now I don’t care about weight an cost isn’t an issue in my mind if I make the right choice the first time around.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

But what about a ported 881? I don’t know. I’m just trying to sus out the whole scenario. Right now I don’t care about weight an cost isn’t an issue in my mind if I make the right choice the first time around.

If you like 25# saws

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Very simple here, but its a little more difficult if yer head is too far up stihl's aszhole: The 881 is not a milling saw. Not even close. Porting will only polish a turd.

Stingy garbage oiler. The plastic oiler strips out in the cold as well.

The vibrations are severe.

Being strato, they get extremely hot toward the end of a 16 ft rip.

Multiple saw porters on here build 3120's for milling. They have a better oiler and most porters will set u up with an adjustable high jet.

Then there's pav and his dreamy CS 1201 milling build with pto-side roller bearing and unlimited rpms. A saw that will over oil a 42" bar and a manual oiler that easily oils my 84" bar.

Torque is still there as low as 6000 rpms. The crankshaft and connecting rod are larger than an 090. Lotta heavy metal chugging along.