Hello all! New to this site and looking for opinions on an MS 250. I will be using it as a back up/limbing saw. I have a 357 xp for doing the bulck of my cutting. Price, performance and weight are my prime concerns. Thanks for the help!
Thoughts on an MS 250
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Johnpolk
Member
- Sep 15, 2012
- 110
I have a 250 that I bought as a general purpose do all saw and for basic firewood cutting I love it. There are times where I get into the trunk of a big tree and I wish I had something bigger, but it gets the job done and has been very hassle free for me. Enjoy the new saw!
Back when they sold for $299 with the 18" bar, the MS250 was hands down the most saw $300 would buy. They are out of production I believe now but there are still quite few in the dealer and distributor inventories. They are simple, powerful, and reliable but the newer designs eclipse them for ergonomics, air filtration, and fuel economy.
If you are a tried and true type, snag a 250 before they disappear forever. If you like new toys, give the MS251 a look.
WeldrDave
Feeling the Heat
I purchased one also for $299, It's a BIG bang for the buck! I was just in the Stihl dealer this past weekend, I believe it went up to $339, I would still pay the price for that saw, It's worth it.
The price bump makes it a lot less attractive against the MS251. So many 21st century improvements to the MS251. Addresses the 2 big weak points of the MS250, Anti-Vibe and air filtration. Of course the MS251 has yet to overcome the 20+ year legacy the 025/MS250 has laid down.
maple1
Minister of Fire
I picked one up from Kijiji this past spring for $60. It appeared to be well used, but not abused. Had to get a new bar & chain for it, & hook the kill switch wire up right (maybe the guy thought it was broke because it wouldn't switch off like it was supposed to?) - so far it's been working like a top. Not a powerhouse, but has pretty good balance & feel to it. So I really like mine.
I didn't really fall in love with mine until I ditched the stock chain. Get a semi or full-chisel chain and you won't be disappointed.
The MS250 is a perfectly serviceable little saw. If my other saw was a 357xp I don't know that I'd bother with a limbing saw, however. But that's just me.
This is truth. Stihl RS chain in .325 is some seriously decent chain.
I have owned a lot of 0250s. They worked OK for topping and limbing, but I would not consider them a firewood saw. Compared to an MS361 or 357xp... well, there is no comparison. I later ditched my 0250s as limbers for 0260s and never looked back. As said above, AF and AV are not so great on these, nor is the optional dial chain tensioner. I also ran mine with 3/8 low profile/picco for faster cutting, as they did not pull .325 as well.
As for the newer 251, people seem to be complaining about the 251 starting and flooding, but that is a common Stihl trend. I have never run one so I do not know about them in particular. I have a 211 (I have owned 3 of them) that some people also have had problems starting, but my 211 starts just fine. I think that people need to learn how to tune them better (especially at the dealer). The 211 and the 251 have far better AV and AF, and they are strato (air) charged for better gas mileage and they burn cleaner. They 251 also has white a plastic handle, which are far better than the orange handle 0250. O/w they weigh the same and have the same power. For $30 more, I would buy the 251 over the 250 myself, if for no other reason than the AV (250 has 5.7/6.8 m/s*s vibration vs 251 which has 3.9/3.9 m/s*s).
As for the newer 251, people seem to be complaining about the 251 starting and flooding, but that is a common Stihl trend. I have never run one so I do not know about them in particular. I have a 211 (I have owned 3 of them) that some people also have had problems starting, but my 211 starts just fine. I think that people need to learn how to tune them better (especially at the dealer). The 211 and the 251 have far better AV and AF, and they are strato (air) charged for better gas mileage and they burn cleaner. They 251 also has white a plastic handle, which are far better than the orange handle 0250. O/w they weigh the same and have the same power. For $30 more, I would buy the 251 over the 250 myself, if for no other reason than the AV (250 has 5.7/6.8 m/s*s vibration vs 251 which has 3.9/3.9 m/s*s).
Bocephous
Member
I've had my MS250 for about 6 years now and would buy another. I've probably cut around 50 cord of firewood with it, not to mention all the limbing I've used it for, and it runs as well now as it did new. Keep a clean air filter in it, change the plug every couple of years, keep the chain sharp and it will do its job.
Im not sure if and what changes were made to the 251 carb wise but the 250 is the one saw I own that has its own starting procedure. many I have owned seem to need to start the same way.
saw on full choke
pull 3-4 times MAX
if saw burps before 3-4 pulls bump up to "fast idle"
if NO burp bump to "fast idle" anyway( after 3-4 pulls)
saw will start.
for some reason the burp is difficult to discern or hear. saw floods easy so after the 4 pulls bump to fast idle w/o burp.
Yep. My MS250 is way too easy to flood. Real PIA if it does.
But when it does start normally, its a great little saw. No complaints.
That is typical on a lot of Stihl saws, which are notorious for flooding. I had/have the same starting procedure on the 025, 026 and the 361. I usually do not use the decomp button on my saws that have them when starting cold because they tend to flood more using them (miss the burp/pop/whateveryouwanttocallit).
I dont use the decomp much either....makes me feel a little "girlie" to use it. Unless im troubleshooting and expect to be yankin and crankin fer a while.
Girlie nothing when it comes to starting saws. I say use whatever works, with as little effort as possible. I use a decomp whenever I can, as they save you your tendons and wrist. I use them when my saws are warm, but not when they are cold. I have had way too many starter ropes snap back on me hard, especially the 290s and 310s that do not have decomps (but they could sure use them).
Anyway, just try not to do what this guy does when starting saws...
![[Hearth.com] Thoughts on an MS 250](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/111/111121-15882e45bced428c584510285c943e7f.jpg?hash=fkkEUKZpxJ "[Hearth.com] Thoughts on an MS 250")
Cheap, but very painful vasectomy
Anyway, just try not to do what this guy does when starting saws...
Cheap, but very painful vasectomy
You cut 8+ cord per year with a 250? You have the patience of Job.
maple1
Minister of Fire
Depends what you're cutting it from. I scrounged up 6 or so cords with my 250 in off & on spare time this summer, it was ideal for what I was cutting (field side white birch & windfall spruce) - nice & light & easy handling.
Well, I guess I didn't tell quite the whole story - I also used the 170 some.
If I was instead going after wood from live standing old growth sugar maple, that would be another story...
WeldrDave
Feeling the Heat
As have I, about 80% of my wood is Maple and I had some good size rounds; just did a cord last night with the 250, not monster stuff but some 12"rs in there.
Well that makes all the difference now doesn't it? 
I think Redd was thinking you were cutting up bigger trees.
I was looking for trimmer/blower carbs and saw an MS250 aftermarket carb. It had only 1 fuel port...didn't have a primer return line. Is that standard in the MS250? Does gravity or vacuum fill carb?
Thanks for the input guys, much apreciated. All this talk about saws flooding brings up the topic of why im really looking at another saw in the first place. I absolutely love my 357xp...when its running! In the last couple years it has left me without a functioning saw more times than i care to admit. It starts like a champ cold but if i run it for a while, turn it off and then try and start it again 9 times out of 10 it wont start. I recently had a tune up done on it that included a new carb. A couple of weeks ago i went to use it and it started right up and it ran like a top, then i turned it off for about fifteen minutes and went to start it up and could barely get it going. Shut it off again and went to start it about ten minutes later and couldn't get it going. So you can imagine how pissed i was trying to fill my trailer with my dads ms170! Any thoughts on what could be the problem?
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