Best Bar, Chain, & Sprocket for the MS241

[ferris]

Why u will use Stihl PM and not PS?
Is the rest also half chisel?

 

[Skisawyer]

Fair point. Mostly because I am cutting dirty wood near the ground all the time, so I need a durable tooth shape I can sharpen quickly every tank of gas. But I should try some PS. And I hit rocks frequently. Starting to run super short bars to avoid the rocks. I’m thinning and have to leave very low to flush stumps.

 

[Keith Gandy]

I debated this with others for quite awhile, but now I think I have it figured out.

I started out using a 6 tooth spur and 16" bar in Picco. This seemed very vanilla. So using what I had, I used a .325" 7T spur, 18" bar and Stihl RS chain. In this setup, it was very impressive, but I thought it still had more.

This time I got a 16" .325" bar and chain and this quickly became my favorite setup. Very fast cut times.

Next I got a 7T Spur for the 3/8LP, and quickly went to a rim sprocket setup. I ordered a new 18" Picco bar, and a new Stihl PM chain. This without a doubt is my favorite setup on the 241. People who think it cant pull it, are crazy. Speed is impressive, the extra reach is very nice, and this seems to be ideal.

On a side note, I have a 14" Picco bar, and I cant stand it. It looks ridiculous, like Bobo the clown riding his tricycle.

It took me a little while to dial it in for my preferences. I did a muffler mod and advanced the timing too. This saw is still my favorite, by a huge margin. Cant wait to get it a 462 brother, but the 241 is phased out completely.

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My good ole buddy @maulhead suggested I do this here. If you need any specific advice or help on why your 241 is a better saw than a 261, PM me. I'll be glad to help.

The Stihl 18" picco bar is actually only alil over 16" if measured. I ran a Cannon 18" Supermini and a Stihl PS chain on my 241 that I actually have on my ported 346xp now and it pulled it really well. The Cannon SuperMini is actually a true 18" bar

 

[Skisawyer]

I am considering a change over from 3/8 low pro to 325nk low pro for the smoothness factor. But it looks like a trade off in raw cutting speed...

My ms-250 pulls 325 well enough. I am hoping my mm’ed Dolmar421 will handle more/larger teeth on as well

 

[Skisawyer]

What do u think @ferris . Do u support the 325 conversion for a 42cc pro saw?

 

[ferris]

I don’t know, I have allways use 3/8p on the 241.

But the 325 will stay sharp a little longer in dirty conditions

 

[Skisawyer]

I think Oregon is making more types of nk chain for low powered saws. In my mind, this is where the real gains in woodcutting performance are still to be had. How much more power can we squeeze out of a given displacement... 50cc’s seems to be topping out at 4hp, 3kw. The chain is where it’s at now.

 

[Skisawyer]

I don’t know, I have allways use 3/8p on the 241.

But the 325 will stay sharp a little longer in dirty conditions

Stay sharp longer just by virtue of a larger stronger tooth with more cutting edge/surface area?

 

[Skisawyer]

Maybe @Willard can chime in on this one.

 

[sawmikaze]

I don’t know, I have allways use 3/8p on the 241.

But the 325 will stay sharp a little longer in dirty conditions

I've ran them both ways quite a bit and can't say I notice a difference in one staying sharper longer than the other.

 

[ferris]

Then try 404

 

[sawmikaze]

Then try 404

I use 404 on my 088 the very few times I need a saw that big.

Whats that have to do with a 241 ?

 

[huskyboy]

You would most likely beat up the bottom end running .404 on a 241... if it even had the power to pull it in the first place.

 

[Keith Gandy]

You would most likely beat up the bottom end running .404 on a 241... if it even had the power to pull it in the first place.

Been there done it. Ran 28
" .404 skip on a ported 064/066 and a ported 390xp which does well. A ported 044/046 and aported 7910 pulled the same setup ok but lost significant torque compared to the 90cc saws

 

[huskyboy]

Been there done it. Ran 28
" .404 skip on a ported 064/066 and a ported 390xp which does well. A ported 044/046 and aported 7910 pulled the same setup ok but lost significant torque compared to the 90cc saws

I was referring to running .404 on a little 40cc saw like the 241.

 

[Duane(Pa)]

It was a joke ffs

 

[Keith Gandy]

I was referring to running .404 on a little 40cc saw like the 241.

I know what u meant. My response that a 78cc wont pull .404 very well anwsers your question about running it on a 241?

 

[sawmikaze]

It was a joke ffs

Barely.

 

[Deets066]

 

[00wyk]

What do u think @ferris . Do u support the 325 conversion for a 42cc pro saw?

325NK, also known as 325 Lo Pro here, is silky smooth compared to 3/8. I also use it for carving as well. The semi chisel 325 last far, far longer than 3/8lp as well. I accidentally clipped a stone wall with it the other day clearing and it kept cutting.

http://en.oregonproducts.com/pro/products/chain/95TXL.htm

Rock hard oak, smooth as silk on a ported 241: