Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Gosh a new chain saw is nice!

The wife has a Husqvarna 455 (55.5 cc) that I've used a few times and it is a nice enough saw, but honestly I like my older Husky 257 (57 cc) a little better. No primer ball on that 257 and 13,000 rpm instead of 9,000 with more intuitive controls. Hanco has it right with that new chain for serious cutting. I like the most aggressive 3/8 pitch Stihl chain that I can find to go on the Husqvarna saws. It is no safety chain, so be careful of a kick back, but does it ever cut. For just limbing I bought the little Stihl MS 150 C last year and it is so light weight you can limb all day and not get tired of holding it even with one hand. The city crews and my tree trimming buddy all use Stihl saws and you sure can't go wrong with those either. Having two saws beats one though most guys could get by pretty well with just that mid 50 cc size.

The Husky was my go to saw for making a living cutting logs,but the Sthil is bullet proof and does a great job for the just occasional user..The Sthil was the go to saw for logging landings and people who really had no clue how to use one right.Not as temperamental as some other high rev saws.

My now, for cutting a bunch of firewood yearly to sell and use, Sthil 046 eats wood like no other (laughing).

Husky make some great source no doubt about it. I have an 025 ms362 ms461 046 Magnum and a West German 038 Magnum ll . Hands down my favorite saw, best cutting saw is my 046, And that’s what is over 20 years old, my 038 I bought an 85, still runs like a raped ape :-)just got back my ms461, Had a west coast muscle build on it, Decked and ported and a long list of other things :-) haven’t run it yet, getting her in the wood tomorrow I’m hoping it’s going to be my new best cutting saw :-)

OP, That’s a good saw Take care of it and it will serve you well.

When I was in NE PA, the local power equipment dealer sold and serviced Johnsenred and Huskie. They ran and cut fine. Here, my local power equipment dealer sells and services Stihl. They run and cut fine. Have seen professional cutters with both. As noted above, a new saw loop and a straight, square bar go a long way...

Grandpa said hogs were a mortgage lifter in his era, in my era Stihl is.

That does not look like fir!

If my old 372xp were to die, it's replacement would be a 7910 Dolmar.


Husky
Stihl
Dolmar

And a couple names many of the Stihl fan boys have never heard,
They are good equipment.

But Stihl has become like John Deere or Cat. Status brands.
Nothing wrong with the machine, fine stuff, really.

It's the fanboys who put their self worth in owning the "cool" stuff. Their overall lack of knowledge becomes obvious.


And yes, I have run Stihl, Husky, Jonsered, Shindiawa, McCullough, Homelite...
Mostly pro-saws.
Times change, technology changes.
The modern companies have struggled with strato-engines, and electronics. All of them.
They all make good stuff, and I am wary of anyone's new models until proven.

I wish we were neighbors, and used a common chain.
I would buy your couple times sharpened chains. Preferably dull

I touch up new chains before they get run, and used chain works better.
It's lighter, stretched, and gets more aggressive.
Check out the chain competitive cutters use. It's not brand new!


If your chains don't cut as they age, are your depth gauges too high?
Good chance.

When I was logging,majority of timber cutters used Husky's ,and on the landing (yarders), the majority of landing saws were Stihl's.

My backup saw is a 257 with 24" bar. It was good in its day. Still works ok, I use it for flush cutting stumps. The 460 is noticeably more powerful. And starts easier.

"If your chains don't cut as they age, are your depth gauges too high?
Good chance."

Bingo, dilllonbuck. "Earth to chainsaw guy. File down your depth gauges. Do you read me? Come in, chain saw guy.... "

Dillonbuck, I’ve got a PS-7900 Dolmar w/full wrap bars. It’s a beast.

Pferd Chainsharp

http://www.pferdusa.com/products/201b/201b01/index.html

I’ve got the original style in three sizes, but the newer CS-X looks like it be worth a try.

My buddy has a PS – 35 and a PS – 6100, 6100 is a fantastic saw definitely has a pair of balls, 7900 must be a beast. Makita bought out dolmar, they really didn’t change a thing good solid company.

I don't know about the 7910 I mentioned, I hope they didn't screw up the magic of the 7900.


The 7900 was one of the lightest 80cc saws.
And it ran at the speed of the smaller saws.
That's a nice combination.



The 460 Still was a great saw.
And it better out cut a 257 Husky.

Something about the 460's 80+cc's VS the 257's 50cc's.
It's not even a comparison.

But, I would bet that if they are both tuned, sharp, and in good condition.
The 257 will match the 460, cut for cut` in limbing or cutting 8-10" firewood.
It's much faster, and small stuff shouldn't drag it down much.


These two were very good saws from two good companies. But they serve different purposes.
And they compliment each other well. You are set up to have nice equipment for most any cutting job short of real big stuff.

Many people are not aware that the EPA started regulating chainsaws about 2000 with stages of more stringent emissions. Stratified charge, lean burn, restrictive and/or catalytic mufflers, locked carb jet screws,etc,etc.. IMO the best bet is to look for a lightly used pre-EPA pro saw or a professionally rebuilt pre-EPA saw from a good saw shop. Look at the serial number tag, if it states a year of 2000 or later it has emission control features. Older saws have a serial number with no year.

I'm not brand loyal I have a 575XP and a MS391 they are both good saws IMO.

I have both Stihl and Husky, both are good. Sounds like a Ford versus Chevy argument

I have Stihl equipment for a couple of reasons. Every Stihl I have starts easy and runs like it is supposed to. And every town of more than 1000 people in this area has a Stihl servicing dealer. The best 2 saws I had run before I bought one was Stihl or Husky but there isn't the dealer support here for Husky.

I use both an older Husky 266 thats been hot-rodded, and a newer Stihl 441 Magnum. I would say they are equal. Have had the Husky for 40 plus years!