Buying My First Saw

[MrCampbellAHS]

Buying my first saw and looking for advice.

We use wood as our primary heat source and we go through about 3 chords a year. I'm cutting mostly dead White Ash, but I also get into some Oak (and will actually be felling some old Oak trees on my inlaws this summer) as well as some assorted other hardwoods. Occasionally I get into some Hedge, but I try not to cut much of it because it burns too hot in out stove. Im not great at gaging diameter of the logs I mostly am cutting, but most of it is not much bigger around than a 55 gallon barrel.

I've only ever used Stihl and would like to stick with them. My current saw is actually probably 30 years old and a hand-me-down from my dad but it's starting to fall apart. Budget is "get whatever is best" (wife's words) but id like to stay somewhere around the price of an MS 311. Ive got a buddy who has one and really likes it but i wonder if I really need all the bells and whistles (like the decompression valve) or if a 271 would do just as well at a lower price point. Thoughts?

 

[andym]

Buying my first saw and looking for advice.

We use wood as our primary heat source and we go through about 3 chords a year. I'm cutting mostly dead White Ash, but I also get into some Oak (and will actually be felling some old Oak trees on my inlaws this summer) as well as some assorted other hardwoods. Occasionally I get into some Hedge, but I try not to cut much of it because it burns too hot in out stove. Im not great at gaging diameter of the logs I mostly am cutting, but most of it is not much bigger around than a 55 gallon barrel.

I've only ever used Stihl and would like to stick with them. My current saw is actually probably 30 years old and a hand-me-down from my dad but it's starting to fall apart. Budget is "get whatever is best" (wife's words) but id like to stay somewhere around the price of an MS 311. Ive got a buddy who has one and really likes it but i wonder if I really need all the bells and whistles (like the decompression valve) or if a 271 would do just as well at a lower price point. Thoughts?

If it's something you expect to use for many years I would recommend you look into the commercial line. Something like a MS261 or something. That said, a MS271 would be a nice all a round saw.

 

[qwee]

55 gallon sized hardwood is no small task for a chainsaw. I would want a pro saw in the 70cc+ range. Or the Stihl 400.1 which isn't a 70cc saw but acts like one. The ms311 is a homeowner 60cc saw, 13.7 pounds, & 4.2 hp. It can handle up to a 25" bar (?). The cost = $770 approximately.

I've heard some say the Stihl 400.1 is one of the best saws ever made. It is a Pro saw, 5.4 hp, m-tronic, 12.8 lbs, & 63 cc. It is a lot more saw than the ms311. The cost is approximately $1,150. So about 30% more expensive.

Maybe something bigger would be even better compared to these 2 saws.

 

[Turbo89]

As someone that owns a MS391, which is similar to 311, I’d recommend you put that money towards something better. I’d be lookin at the 400, EchoCS-620P, or huaqvarna 562xp, which are all much better saws for about the same price.