What Chainsaw would be best?

McCulloch saws USED to be good... I'd steer away from them now though.

Out of those choices, the 026 would probably be my first choice... Either that or the Jonsered. Jonsered = Husky, pretty much. See if you can talk down the 026 a little.

The Stihl 391 would have power to spare, but that's also a saw in Stihl's "consumer" line- built a little cheaper than the pro models. If your budget can support $400, take a hard look at the Echo CS590, I've been very happy with mine.

Edit: whoops, the 700 is one of the good old McCullochs.. But that's also a 70cc saw. Probably way more than you need for your uses.

That 026 is older than the 250 and the 2145, but it's the better saw by a significant margin unless something undisclosed is wrong with it. From the condition of the plastic, paint and handles I'd guess it hasn't been used much. $225 is probably a fair price for it, and if you can bargain it down a little then so much the better. Even if you couldn't, I'd pay $225 for it before I'd pay $200 for the 250.

FATANDY21 said:

the guy said he would do 200 for the 026, pretty good deal?

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It's not a steal, but if it's in as good mechanical shape as it looks then it's reasonable. Something to keep in mind is that there are lots of people cruising Craigslist for good deals on chainsaws, and because you're fairly inexperienced you are not in a position to compete for the really good deals. The great deals will disappear within minutes or hours, i.e. far too quickly for you to do an assessment by asking questions online. Going for the ones that are priced a little higher, like this one, buys you the time you need to ask questions and make a decision.

FATANDY21 said:

What would be most fitting for a first and only saw as far as ease of use and maintenance?

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Chainsaws are all pretty much the same these days in terms of ease of use and regular maintenance. I'd focus on displacement first. The greater the cc's, the easier it will be to cut through larger wood. With that being stated, a 45-50cc saw for around the yard and producing a cord or two of firewood will be just fine.

If you are in a cold climate and need a lot of wood to heat your home, look to a good professional line saw (or mid-level saw with professional features) in the 50-60cc range. Later on you will learn if you need a large saw (70cc+) to compliment your smaller saw.

It's not really wear that you need to be concerned about on a saw that looks like that; if the internals were problematically worn, the outside would also be a lot more beat up. What you need to be careful of is that it doesn't have internal damage due to user error (i.e. if someone forgot to put oil in the gas at some point) or from its being run with an unrepaired air leak. Either of these events would cause similar engine damage. If the saw starts, idles and accelerates well then it's probably fine, but there are a couple of quick checks you can do to increase your confidence in its condition.

First, try picking the saw up off the ground with the starter rope handle, and letting it dangle. It should just hang there for several seconds, then decsend a bit, hesitate for several seconds and then drop a bit further. What you're doing here is a quick-and-dirty compression check. If the starter rope just pulls out easily without much resistance then the compression is low and you're looking at a rebuild.

If you want to go further, then bring along a T27 torx screwdriver and remove the front cover from the muffler so you can get a look at the piston through the exhaust port. Most engine damage shows first as obvious vertical smearing and scratching on the exhaust side of the piston.

Chances are the saw is fine, or in need of just a little attention that you can give it yourself.

I bought my first saw this year, an Echo CS450 and couldn't be happier. I'm no expert but this saw has cut 4 cords without a hiccup and is easy to handle with the 18" bar. I found it at HD but they don't normally sell this model, idk if it was a mistake or what but I got it for 200 bucks. It didn't come with a chain, oiler cap or box but what the heck it was new and it only cost me 35 bucks to get running. I shopped around a lot before this saw fell into my lap and if I were going to buy again I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Echo.

026

FATANDY21 said:

Thanks for all the responses folks. I was able to talk them down to 185 and they're going to demo before I hand over the cash... Are there any certain places on the saw that could indicate abnormal wear and tear besides the bar, short of stripping it down.?

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Do it. Even if you need a new bar and chain, that's not a bad deal as long as it runs strong.

Not for the extra CCs necessarily, but the 026 is a pro-grade saw with a magnesium crankcase, easier to maintain and fewer things likely to go wrong with it. The Jonsered is a homeowner-grade saw -- a decent one, but like the MS250 it has a plastic chassis / crankcase. It will be less robust and some repairs will be more difficult. I have and have worked on both an 026 and an Husqvarna 350, which is in the same family of saws as the 2145. I like my 350, but the 026 is much better quality.

Shoot, I'd be all over that old Mac.

I would go with the 026 too. I believe it turns 14,000 rpms...

The Stihl-branded bars are a good choice, especially if you buy locally. If you want to bargain-hunt you can sometimes get a better deal on eBay than at your local dealer. Before you go shopping you should figure out what you want,because you'll have several options. I suggest you remove the clutch cover and post close-up pictures of the current chain, the edge of the drive sprocket, and the identifying numbers stamped near the back of the bar.

Oh, and I'd also suggest you confirm that the bar oiler is working properly. It would be a shame to overheat a new bar.