Best/Worst/Most Suprising Chainsaw You’ve Bought or Ran

[pwheel]

No problems with any of my saws: ms460, 2- ms440's, ms261 & ms260. My favorite, though, is the ms460 for reliability, ease of maintenance, & user-friendly torque.

 

[dustinwilt68]

Most disappointing was a MS660, just gutless for 92cc, they last forever cause they don't have enough power to blow themselves up, favorite stock saws 064,462. Ported 390xp, 395xp. All time favorites 346/357xp ported, they never fail and make me smile.

 

[I saw a lot]

Best saw, hands down for me is my 365 Special. Purchased used in 2010 (2000 build) and everyone that has ran it fall in love it.
Worst saw, hard to say. Had an 026, just never happy with it. Picky to start and seemed to not keep a tune. Looked like new inside so who knows. Still have my Makita EA4300 that I purchased used from Home Depot. Seemed to run well for the couple tanks I ran through it, but ended up scoring. Have a ring and hoping this winter seeing if it can be cleaned up or not.

 

[Rogee]

Best saw, hands down for me is my 365 Special. Purchased used in 2010 (2000 build) and everyone that has ran it fall in love it.
Worst saw, hard to say. Had an 026, just never happy with it. Picky to start and seemed to not keep a tune. Looked like new inside so who knows. Still have my Makita EA4300 that I purchased used from Home Depot. Seemed to run well for the couple tanks I ran through it, but ended up scoring. Have a ring and hoping this winter seeing if it can be cleaned up or not.

One of my favorites was a 365 special. Sold it to a mate and now now he won't sell it back to me ( its ok I still get to use it ). Just a really good all rounder.

 

[huskyboy]

Best saw, hands down for me is my 365 Special. Purchased used in 2010 (2000 build) and everyone that has ran it fall in love it.
Worst saw, hard to say. Had an 026, just never happy with it. Picky to start and seemed to not keep a tune. Looked like new inside so who knows. Still have my Makita EA4300 that I purchased used from Home Depot. Seemed to run well for the couple tanks I ran through it, but ended up scoring. Have a ring and hoping this winter seeing if it can be cleaned up or not.

That’s a fairly common quirk for stock 026’s. Some that i’ve had here idled somewhat erratically and you chase the tune. Some worse than others. Fuel likes to puddle in the intake because of a casting lip near the port edge. I usually just try to ignore it. The lip can be ground out and that seems to make it less of a problem. I had to do it on a 440 as well and had similar idling issues I had to fix on a 372 too. Sometimes it’s the coil/carb that’s the culprit. If there’s one thing that really bothers me, I have to say it’s a worksaw that doesn’t idle right. Regardless of the brand. It takes your concentration off of the task at hand.

 

[pwheel]

That’s a fairly common quirk for stock 026’s. Some that i’ve had here idled somewhat erratically and you chase the tune. Some worse than others. Fuel likes to puddle in the intake because of a casting lip near the port edge. I usually just try to ignore it. The lip can be ground out and that seems to make it less of a problem. I had to do it on a 440 as well and had similar idling issues I had to fix on a 372 too. Sometimes it’s the coil/carb that’s the culprit. If there’s one thing that really bothers me, I have to say it’s a worksaw that doesn’t idle right. Regardless of the brand. It takes your concentration off of the task at hand.

Truth be told, my ms260 and ms440's can have a fussy idle; could be fuel puddling in the intake. Interrupted concentration on the task is not only irritating, but can be dangerous. The ms460 and ms261 will idle happily all day.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The best new chain saw that I have ever bought is my Stihl MS 361 that is now 13 years old. Here is a fabulous performer that runs perfectly today:

That's a 20" bar that I still use. I recall replacing the fuel filter and a half dozen chains that I wore out. That's it. On a scale from one to 10, I rate this saw a 10.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

The best new chain saw that I have ever bought is my Stihl MS 361 that is now 13 years old. Here is a fabulous performer that runs perfectly today:
View attachment 264689
That's a 20" bar that I still use. I recall replacing the fuel filter and a half dozen chains that I wore out. That's it. On a scale from one to 10, I rate this saw a 10.

I have a 361 as well and have no complaints. Very nice, smooth running saw..

 

[Lightning Performance]

MS361 bestest and Stihl in general.
I'm not a "coolaide" drinker but my fleet says otherwise.

Mac 110T pos... biggest pos I ever owned including the junk big box store Craftsmens.

 

[bryanr2]

How about that minty mark 1 550xpg mmws built with new 545 cases to make it all orange? I happen to own that saw now. She's a gem. Honestly only put a tank or 2 thru it. She's a ripper but I almost hate to get it dirty lol.

Fantastic Saw. Randy did that saw right. I just find myself using 70 and up saws the most. Cant deny the 2153, 241cm, 261cm, 545/550 hybrid, echo 520, 262s, 562, 357, or 359s Ive had.

And I gave 2 362s a fair shake... they didn't do anything for me.

 

[Nutball]

The most impressive to me was a stock 550xp mkII. An old dual port 046 was pretty good. Echo 590 is the best bang for the buck, but carb issues make me hesitant to mention it as best. Ported 2511t is certainly a favorite.

 

[Nighthunter]

Best - mmws ms241, just a plain angry saw, seems to like noodling with no complaints

Worst- 455 husky, just don't like it

 

[Al Smith]

Comments on the 026 Stihl .Those came with three different mufflers and two were restrictive .20 minutes with a die grinder will fix that . A well tuned 026 is a pretty peppy little saw usually .

 

[FergusonTO35]

Best saw I ever used was Dad's little Homie Super 2. We heated exclusively with wood when I was little and he cut some huge logs with that thing, it was his only saw for more than 20 years. The only thing that stopped it was a tractor running over it!

I've had a few saws that didn't measure up over the years. Most memorable was a Jred CS2150 which I think is the same thing as a 450 Rancher. It wasn't really bad, but just a disappointment overall. Screws constantly coming loose, seemed to have alot of thin plastic in areas that should have been metal or at least thicker plastic. Overall, just a really underwhelming machine.

Most suprising saw is my pawn shop sourced Husky 440. It was very low hours when I bought it, replaced the crappy 18" original bar and chain with a 16" Husky X-Force bar and Oregon semi-chisel chain, gave the carb a little tune. For a 40 cc homeowner saw this thing really rips! In fact, I think it would hang with the aforementioned Jred just fine.

 

[whitesnake]

The most impressive to me was a stock 550xp mkII. An old dual port 046 was pretty good. Echo 590 is the best bang for the buck, but carb issues make me hesitant to mention it as best. Ported 2511t is certainly a favorite.

Really the mark2 550xp? I have a new one in the box here just haven't had a need for it yet. Shall be interesting. What carb issues on the 590? I was always under the impression they were pretty bullet proof...mm, tune and away you go. I know your an echo guy...what's your thoughts on 2511 vs 355. I understand one is larger but just curious on your thoughts.

 

[Al Smith]

Best saw I ever used was Dad's little Homie Super 2. We heated exclusively with wood when I was little and he cut some huge logs with that thing, it was his only saw for more than 20 years. The only thing that stopped it was a tractor running over it!

.

I've got one of those things, actually two .One with a single trigger and one with two triggers .They are only either 1.9 or 2 cubic inch .They will surprise you .Mine pretty much are usually the shelf with the rest of the queens .I must have 12-15 itty bitty little saws .Some were freebies some I paid little of nothing for .

 

[Nutball]

Really the mark2 550xp? I have a new one in the box here just haven't had a need for it yet. Shall be interesting. What carb issues on the 590? I was always under the impression they were pretty bullet proof...mm, tune and away you go. I know your an echo guy...what's your thoughts on 2511 vs 355. I understand one is larger but just curious on your thoughts.

They use a thin flimsy dot of carb diaphragm rubber in the main nozzle check valve instead of the tried and true fiberglass piece. I've heard of and experienced them just plain going bad and causing a lean idle (actually and air leak at idle) issue. A person either has to buy a new carb, or beat a new main nozzle in from a different carb if they can find one that fits. Carb cleaner is a sure way to mess it up, and I think the main nozzle should be carb cleaner proof.

The 355 seems good for the money, and would easily hang with a 201tc I have, both stock. The 2511t needs porting to be useful, but won't ever replace a 35cc in my opinion due to torque and oil & gas tank size. In a non production scenario, I'd take a ported 2511t over a 35cc top handle as I want something both powerful and easy to 1 hand any which way.

 

[raumati01]

Best, Mcculloch sp81 and de 80

Worst , mini mac.

 

[Terry Syd]

I modded all three of my saws, so essentially I didn't think any of them was a good saw until after I completely turned it into another saw.

A cheap Chinese open port 365 that I turned into 77cc and run with a modded Zama twin jet. Then there was the 029 I ended up buying for a bloke down on his luck, who bailed and left me with the POS (it is now my go-to saw with a Husky 20" NK bar). The most impressive is the first saw I bought, a Husky 450. I did a heap of work to it (the transfer work took weeks). The thing is lightweight and cuts at 12,000-12,500 with an 8-pin using an 18" bar in Ozzie hardwood. Definitely my favorite saw.

Thankfully, you guys reminded me of my really worst saw - a Mini Mac that was given to me. In return, I also gave it away.

 

[Al Smith]

Like I've said you can make mini run if you have enough patience .I don't .The one I have with a slide pipe does great but the loud little pot licker will blow your ear drums out .I put hours in on that thing too .Some times I think I must be crazy with some of the things I do .