weight of stihl 044/440

[sawmikaze]

I will say that a saw can feel heavier than it is,to me a 390xp is the most horrible feeling heavy saw there is.
362cm is close.
The 3/4 wrap 92cc saw I use now is very little heavier than a 044 and the same as a 460 and to me there both over rated.
In Stock form the 044 is under powered and the 461 is not.

The 15 or so 044/440s ive had were pretty good with a 20" bar in stock trim but didnt do anything for me after that...maybe 24" it was still ok but at 28" i wasnt impressed.

 

[StihlMagnum440]

Agreed. 044 just feels right. I have a 20 on mine as well (would like to try an 18 just because).

Old post but I have a 20" on my 2007 StihlMagnum440. It has west coast Dawgs so the useful part of bar is 17". Just cut up an oak tree that was at least 24" (will measure some time). It is my avatar. The tree was partially frozen. Saw had no problem! Looking at 462 now but the 440 is a "keeper".

 

[Wanab]

Old post but I have a 20" on my 2007 StihlMagnum440. It has west coast Dawgs so the useful part of bar is 17". Just cut up an oak tree that was at least 24" (will measure some time). It is my avatar. The tree was partially frozen. Saw had no problem! Looking at 462 now but the 440 is a "keeper".

That generation are great saws indeed.

 

[ElevatorGuy]

Old post but I have a 20" on my 2007 StihlMagnum440. It has west coast Dawgs so the useful part of bar is 17". Just cut up an oak tree that was at least 24" (will measure some time). It is my avatar. The tree was partially frozen. Saw had no problem! Looking at 462 now but the 440 is a "keeper".

The 462 is awesome!

 

[tek9tim]

Old thread, I know.

For the majority of the keyboard commandos that don't run saw very much, or for the fallers where the weight of the saw is generally supported by the tree, the weight difference between a 44 and the various 46 offerings (except the 462) doesn't matter.

My profession involves fast-paced 16 hour shifts at the peak of the heat of summer, with an external bonus heat source nearby, in the nastiest terrain humans can traverse without being roped up. Add to that, the saw is used to cut everything from brush to 5' diameter trees and you're well away from the rig and not hiking back to grab a falling saw for a big pig. A majority of the time, you're cutting a 10-20 foot break through whatever vegetation is there, most of it significantly too small to support the weight of the saw, so you're holding it up with your skeleton and muscles. And the brush and small trees you're cutting have to be cut off square and as close to the ground as possible so there isn't a carpet of pungees to fall on. Also, you need to have energy left because you may have to race back to the rigs like your life depends on it, because it does.

So we need a long bar (28-32), but as light of a powerhead as possible, while still pulling that bar well for the odd 4' pig you have to drop. (Should be noted that we're primarily in softwoods)

Run a 44 back to back with a 46 in that situation, and you'll feel a real difference in weight. Hence why for the last decade I've built ported 44 hybrids for the task.

 

[MustangMike]

I've got 2 nice Hybrids (a CFB and a MOFO), but for most of my projects (which often include lots of liming), I usually prefer my ported 462s (one MOFO, one MMWS).

I'm not a pro, so I'm often removing "yard trees", which have a lot more branches, and I often have a tight time frame, so I go pretty hard in the limited time frame. Add to that I'm 69, and I use a lighter power head whenever I can.

I usually cut and split more than 20 cord a year (in my spare time, it is not my profession), and do a fair amount of milling with my 660s. I've made numerous Oak and Hickory benches, tables and gun cabinets.

I also do most of the saw repair work for one of the local tree guys, and one of the full time firewood guys. They are friends of mine.

 

[StihlMagnum440]

Old thread, I know.

For the majority of the keyboard commandos that don't run saw very much, or for the fallers where the weight of the saw is generally supported by the tree, the weight difference between a 44 and the various 46 offerings (except the 462) doesn't matter.

My profession involves fast-paced 16 hour shifts at the peak of the heat of summer, with an external bonus heat source nearby, in the nastiest terrain humans can traverse without being roped up. Add to that, the saw is used to cut everything from brush to 5' diameter trees and you're well away from the rig and not hiking back to grab a falling saw for a big pig. A majority of the time, you're cutting a 10-20 foot break through whatever vegetation is there, most of it significantly too small to support the weight of the saw, so you're holding it up with your skeleton and muscles. And the brush and small trees you're cutting have to be cut off square and as close to the ground as possible so there isn't a carpet of pungees to fall on. Also, you need to have energy left because you may have to race back to the rigs like your life depends on it, because it does.

So we need a long bar (28-32), but as light of a powerhead as possible, while still pulling that bar well for the odd 4' pig you have to drop. (Should be noted that we're primarily in softwoods)

Run a 44 back to back with a 46 in that situation, and you'll feel a real difference in weight. Hence why for the last decade I've built ported 44 hybrids for the task.

You most definitely have my respect sir. I read your post a couple of times to understand what cutting situations you face. Wow...you must be running on adrenaline to be able to work like that and for shifts that sound like they end when the cutting situation has been taken care of (no matter how long that takes so probably over 16 hrs if need be).

I hope you stay safe. I do not think anyone out there is any more qualified than you to point out the importance of what casual chainsaw users think is meaningless chainsaw weight.

I am glad you excluded the 462. I have a 2007 Stihl 440 and bought it for the weight vs power ratio while logging Hemlock. I also bought a 192c rear handle to limb the much limbed Hemlock. In my logging situation, it was better to have a dedicated saw, lightest saw Stihl had, vs trying to use the 440. I use the very lightest saw that will do the job when possible.

So what do you think about the 462?

Hopefully you are getting some time off for the Holidays. Merry Christmas to you!

 

[StihlMagnum440]

weight in modern saws is a non issue.

This is an older post but weight may not matter for short term usage but the more you use a saw the more any additional weight is noticed no matter what year saw. I do understand that saws are a lot lighter now so weight is not such an issue but that still does not change the fact that the lightest saw possible to get a job done is better than a saw weighing any more than that...even if it is in ounces.

 

[tek9tim]

You most definitely have my respect sir. I read your post a couple of times to understand what cutting situations you face. Wow...you must be running on adrenaline to be able to work like that and for shifts that sound like they end when the cutting situation has been taken care of (no matter how long that takes so probably over 16 hrs if need be).

I hope you stay safe. I do not think anyone out there is any more qualified than you to point out the importance of what casual chainsaw users think is meaningless chainsaw weight.

I am glad you excluded the 462. I have a 2007 Stihl 440 and bought it for the weight vs power ratio while logging Hemlock. I also bought a 192c rear handle to limb the much limbed Hemlock. In my logging situation, it was better to have a dedicated saw, lightest saw Stihl had, vs trying to use the 440. I use the very lightest saw that will do the job when possible.

So what do you think about the 462?

Hopefully you are getting some time off for the Holidays. Merry Christmas to you!

Thank you! I recently moved up into a management job and don't spend my time out on fires being nearly so hands-on operational, but did spend around 18 years packing a saw around on handcrews and engine modules, even when I was a captain on an engine.

Really wasn't fishing for commendation, just making a point that making absolute, wide sweeping statements about saws (in this case, their weight) leaves out a lot of nuance. For the weekend warriors, 3/4 of a pound more in the powerhead doesn't matter. But for some folks it does. For me it does, but that's where I've allowed for the nuance that it doesn't for everyone.

I haven't run a 462 on a fire. I bought a few for the last place I worked right before I left, they haven't had any real issues. I think one got all flustered after being helicoptered up to high elevation and then run hard punching in direct line. They did the ol' recalibrate after letting it sit for a while, and it did fine. Seems like the perfect handcrew saw, no tuning screws to mess with, bar nuts don't get lost, better air filtration, and it's light. As long as the autotune works, it should be good.