Considering new 90cc class saw: stihl 661mtronic or non mtronic vs husqvarna 390xp

[Magnumtipton]

Hello to all, i'm considering a new 90cc class saw, this saw will wear a 28 or 32 inch bar most of the time, but will sometimes see a 36 inch bar. Just wanting to know from people who have owned and ran both models what saw is better suited for this? Which has a better reputation? Which will have better longevity? I know on paper the 661 is a little bigger 88cc vs 91cc and 6.5hp vs 7.2hp. And what are your thoughts on 661cm vs non cm 661, some seem to think the mtronic is a little faster, all replies appreciated.

 

[Armbru84]

Any thoughts on the 395 to be added to the mix?

 

[Dustin4185]

I’ve ran both and prefer the 661. It is probably because of the Mtronic and bars that are the same mount as everything else I have. The 390 is a good saw, but I prefer the 661. The only Husky I own is a 395. I use it for big stuff and milling. Also, with the 661, you don’t have to worry about Loctite as much, lol

 

[redoakman]

first thing first , either saw will do what your looking for very well , are u brand loyal , hows your local dealer support , this should answer your question on brand . now for the carb and m tronic saw , depends if your dealer is set up to plug it in or not , i love being able to do my own tuning but, im living in the old days , nothing wrong with the auto tunes boy do they ever rip and are very nice tuneing them selfs.

 

[Magnumtipton]

Thanks to all the replies so far guys, i have a decent husqvarna and stihl dealer right across the street from each other, both about 20 or 30 mins from home. The only m•tron saw i have is my 362r cm i got last year when i sold my 036 pro i had rebuilt, so far it does seem that that saw has more pulling power with a 24 on it than the 036 had, it is a nice system i guess im just paranoid about it making the saw to lean, nothing wrong with living in the old days i like tuning with the old carb screws myself. Most of my saws are the older zero series stihls, save for a 180, and 193t

 

[Magnumtipton]

I guess i always lean more toward stihl so im a stihl guy but i do have one 55rancher husqvarna built 2004 with a good muffler mod and base gasket delete, that saw runs great and stupid simple to work on, but would consider another husky especially the xp series. Is there any major drawbacks to either model? I dont consider the 395xp even tho its badass, i prefer inboard clutch and know its like carryin a block around i guess too many years running stihl lol

 

[Armbru84]

I guess i always lean more toward stihl so im a stihl guy but i do have one 55rancher husqvarna built 2004 with a good muffler mod and base gasket delete, that saw runs great and stupid simple to work on, but would consider another husky especially the xp series. Is there any major drawbacks to either model? I dont consider the 395xp even tho its badass, i prefer inboard clutch and know its like carryin a block around i guess too many years running stihl lol

Lol. Fair enough!

 

[mdavlee]

I prefer the 390 even if it has a touch less power. The 661 feels like a floppy wore out husky after about 3 days of milling with it.

 

[Magnumtipton]

Would that be due to av springs being too soft?

 

[Magnumtipton]

I dont do any milling just some felling and bucking of 30 to 40 inch wood which i dont do super often but sometimes i do and just want to get the right saw for the job, my 044 10mm does well with 28 but wouldnt want to put much more on it than that

 

[Thumper88]

I just bought a 390XP, hasn’t even made it here yet, all My other saws are Stihl. Husky has a different feel to it for sure. I started out running Husky, then switched to Stihl when I started cutting trees for profit, just because I lacked a good servicing dealer to purchase new saws from. We have several Stihl dealers local. Now that I’m a bit more confident I’m gonna try out a bigger Husky as a felling and bucking saw with a 32” bar and full skip. I have run a 395 a tiny bit and they are long bar monsters, but they handle like a 12” cinder block. My vote would be for the 390 just to save a little change over the 661 but you won’t be disappointed with either one.

 

[jmester]

I have not run a 390. But I have run a 385. I also owned a 661 for a bit.

I would say I would take the 385/390 over the 661. Your current bars would work on the 661. You would have to buy different bars for your husky or use an adapter.

I vote for a 395. Cinder block they maybe but a better saw then either the 661 or 390. Only downside is front chain tensioner.

Would a 660 work? Maybe @NightRogue could still get one.

 

[Magnumtipton]

Not rele looking for a 660. Thanks again for all the replies, i might consider a 395xp but one concern i have had with husqvarna is i have heard some stories of fines making it past the filters to the engine, and im not real big on the outboard clutch of the 395, position of the chain tensioner dont really matter altho the side mount ones are more convienient. It will be a bit before i go buy one but have been looking, doing research watching videos of how the 2 saws stock with same bar and chain handle etc... i will later do a good muffler mod to whichever one i get

 

[mdavlee]

Would that be due to av springs being too soft?

The little star bushing in the front takes a beating quickly and makes it sloppy. I replaced all the AB springs on the one I had and added a AV plug from a 044 to the limiter pocket to take play out of it. Husky has superior spring AV for stiffness to me with longer bars. They need a vertical spring or one more on the bottom of the tank like a 390 and it would be fine.

 

[Duce]

Husqvarna 592 is coming.

 

[Magnumtipton]

I bet the new 90cc series will have a upped price tag and probably some improvements too

 

[Magnumtipton]

I just dont like buying first or even 2nd year saws i like for the model to have been out for several years and be tried and true before i buy

 

[Magnumtipton]

With eventual muffler mod how do you think the 390xp would handle a 32" bar buried in hardwood? Or every now and then a 36

 

[huskyhank]

I have a MMWS 390 that Randy did last year. The result is wonderful. Snappy response, tons of torque, easy to run with a 28 and a 7 pin sprocket. Its well broken in now and I will switch to an 8 pin next time I use it. Have no doubt it’ll pull it fine. I expect it will be spectacular.

Other big saws I have or had are a 2100 and a 3120. The 3120 was ok stock and a monster after it was built. But its really heavy for anything but stumping and milling. The 2100 has a legendary reputation and I think it is well earned. I bought it new and have run it a lot. Its my favorite ever saw.

I have run 395s stock and modded. They are a little disappointing stock and amazing when tweaked. However, I think they are just a bit too heavy for everyday use.

Unless you’re planning on milling a lot, I recommend a modded 390 over any of the saws I’ve run. Its light and smooth and plenty powerful enough for longer bars in big wood. Mine does not wear me out the way bigger saws do.

 

[huskyhank]

With eventual muffler mod how do you think the 390xp would handle a 32" bar buried in hardwood? Or every now and then a 36

Go ahead and send it off now.
Otherwise see my post above.