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My old Poulan has given up the ghost. I need a new chainsaw. This time, I thought I'd get a real one.

My dealer has two on sale: A Stihl MS250 for $300 and a MS271 Farm Boss. The latter is about $100 more.

I need a chainsaw to cut up deadfall into firewood (mostly oak) and cut down red cedar trees up to 8" or so diameter.

I'm thinking 18" bar, but I'm open to suggestions.

Go bigger. Cheaper than buying two saws when you find out you need a bigger one

Ms271 I have its predecessor and it’s a great saw . 18 inch is plenty.

Farm Boss works for me.

About .5 HP difference in power, and 2 lbs difference in weight. If you go with the 18" bar you will be at the max recommended for the MS250. The MS271 is rated up to 20". You'll probably never know the difference in the cedar, but the oak can be a challenge to a smaller saw. I would heft them both, and see if the extra 2 lbs. will make a difference to you. If the weight is not a factor I would go with the MS271.

I have the 18" bar on the 250, it does all I need, including 2' diameter slash pines. And at 63 y. o. a. I wouldn't want anything heavier.

I have an ms271 and in hardwood the 20" bar will test your patients. If the largest wood you are getting into is 8" I would be looking for an MS241 or MS261. Yes more expensive but both are very light and powerful saws that will last a life time for a firewood cutter.

Just a thought on bar length. I have an older Stihl similar to the Farm Boss you mention. I just went to the dealer and bought a 25 inch bar/chain for it. It saves bending at the waist while working, especially in deadfall.

Just because it is a 25 inch bar, does not mean you have to bury it in a 24 inch hardwood log. And full skip chain makes it more forgiving in that regard.

IMHO for a good all around saw I'd not go much below 60cc's. I'm still running an Echo 550 evl (54.7 cc's) I bought in '85. First year they were introduced in the USA. Came with a 20" bar but beings I'm on the short side I eventually switched out to an 18" one. For a while I did miss the power of my old 050 Stihl (89cc's).

The 250 will do fine as long as the chain is kept sharp.

I run 3 saws, a big Echo, 028 Stihl and 021 Stihl.
The little 021 cuts 18" D hardwoods with no problem with a sharp chain and feels like a feather after using the other two.

For your app, which is a lot similar to mine as I live about 300 miles south ward of you, is to go with the MS250 and keep the 16 inch bar. I have one of these and the MS 261 (a pro saw) and really like them in this size range - the .270 equivalent in chain saws.

Used my 250 yesterday in fact to clear a bunch of sweetgum up to about 10". Its a beast! And as a sixty-something, its a lot easier on the back than my larger saws.

I put long bars on all of my saws, even the little ones. Back fatigue is the main factor. Losing a little power is worth the trade-off of bending over all day long. I'm 6'2 and will not own a bar under 20". My $0.02.

I've looked at the little 250 Stihl as they are on sale locally but it might not be enough. I have a couple 70+cc pro saws (and up to 95cc) but am in the market for something a little lighter for clean-up work. Dragging those heavier saws around to cut 2"-6" branches seems like a waste. I'll probably spend the money and get a 50-55cc pro saw. Less weight and more power pays off in the long run. The extra $100-$200 becomes moot after a while. I'm not brand loyal but all my saws are currently red. I've owned Jonsered, Solo, Echo and Stihl in the past. I do ALL of my own work, warranty or not, so dealer support is not a factor.

It's tough to step down in performance once you've had a saw with great hp/weight ratios.

While we're on the topic of chainsaws, I've got a question as well.
My own 18" Stihl is slipping the clutch. It's been a pretty good saw, but is it worth having it fixed as opposed to dropping the money on a new one? I don't use it much, but a chainsaw comes in mighty handy sometimes.
7mm

Put a new clutch in the saw it’s not that big of a job.

Yes

Get as short a bar as you can possibly get,even if you have to cut from both sides to complete the cut. If you need to cut 8" wood, get a 4" bar, that way you can get right down on the ground and grovel about. It's always a bonus when you can spend all day bent in two like a cheap shotgun. That's my favoritest thing to do.

A clutch is cheap.

Okay. I hadn't looked into it, and had no idea of the cost.
Thanks for the answers to all.
7mm

Echo 490

Shaman,
If you can swing it, go pro saw.
A hundy or two sucks at purchase time, you will never regret it.
However, if your Poulan lasted a long time and you were happy with it,
a homeowner saw is adequiit.








7mmbuster,
Bailey's is a good on line source.
I think they use a left hand thread on the clutch.
Be sure.
If you don't have a zippy gun, pull the spark plug,
and shove a bunch of rope in the cylinder, leaving a loose end hanging out.

That will find the piston and allow you to unscrew the clurch.