MS200 rear handle.The little engine that could

Picked up a ms200 rear handle with 16 inch bar a 63ps55 chain. I’m amazed how this little rear handle saw handles and the power it produces is incredible limbing and cutting small wood. Very controllable and easy to cut with. 63ps cuts like hot knife through butter. I’ve used a 200t before and this feels much stronger with the increased leverage you get from the rear handle. It’s a little screamer with just the spark arrestor removed.

 

It is a well-designed small, compact pro saw, from the 90's 020 (1129)> MS 200. I bought a used one (MS 200 ) about 20 years ago.

 

I own two MS 200T"s and have worked on many 200's and 020T models but I've never seen the rear handled version .As far as the engine it was designed to be a hot little runner ,one of if not the best of the 2 cubers ever built .
The top handle versions were targeted towards pro use by arborists tree trimmers and far too expensive for casual users .I'm unsure of what the target buyer this rear handle model would have been .For the pro users who ran Stihl products in this range it would have been the 024/026 models for light weights .

 

Way better vibration control than the 201 rear handle, not sure why. All we use at work line clearing around utilities because of OSHA ? rule one handing a chainsaw, bucket or climbing has to be rear handle.

it’s my employers attempt at dissuading the practice though it doesn’t stop it. Same stupidity of ideas as older husky 3 series tri brake saws and stihl quick brake?

 

All of our saws at work are rear handle. Electric line dept. I have seen other line crews use ms200t when climbing. Our company is cheap when it comes to saws. Ms180, ms250, ms271 is what we have.

 

If you or your on a budget the 194 top or rear handle are good options. I’ve seen them last for years in the private industry