Chainsaw advice

[TheHunt]

I need to buy a new chain saw.  I use it to cut firewood with my Father-in-law who burns about 10 cords a year and I fall trees for friends and cut them up for them.

I am looking for a lighter saw with a falling handle on it and a 28 - 30 inch bar.  Looking at a 441 or the 362 

Does anyone know much about these saws?  One better than another?

[BigGoonTuna]

I used to be a stihl tech, hated working on the 441.  The 362 is a good saw, but a 28" bar is kind of pushing it, might be ok on a firewood saw though.  Would love to recommend the 440, but can't get one new now...

[predatorpro]

if you wanna run a 28 or 30 inch bar I'd go with the 441 the 362 is an awesome saw but I think the 441 would be better for a bigger bar

[timberfaller]

rule of thumb,   look for the one you like, then get the next size bigger!!

"falling handle"  the term is, Full wrap handle bar

Good luck!

[MountainWalk]

Do your self a favor and find a second gen 44. My old boss ran the dog out of it, salvage logging,  I got it, did the same for him and dropped a lot of trees with it, on top of bucking 30-35 cords a year for six years, then I used it for music wood and ripping wood. Its still a stud. Need a new muffler though.

[Skillet]

I used to be a stihl tech, hated working on the 441.  The 362 is a good saw, but a 28" bar is kind of pushing it, might be ok on a firewood saw though.  Would love to recommend the 440, but can't get one new now...

I have an MS 440 w/ a 28" bar.  It runs like a champ, pulls very hard, and it's about the perfect setup for felling and bucking firewood, imho.  I thought it seemed to big when i got it, but am glad i stepped up to it in the long run. Bet you can find one used in great shape for a decent price. 

[MountainWalk]

And mine has a full wrap on it.

[TheHunt]

If the 441 was not a good replacement for the 044 

What about the 461?  Does anyone have an opinion on that saw?

[predatorpro]

If the 441 was not a good replacement for the 044 

What about the 461?  Does anyone have an opinion on that saw?

Friend just bought one! It is a hell of a saw! It runs a 32 inch bar like it's going out of style!

[TheHunt]

It is also pretty expensive.

[UBA]

The 441 is junk, they really messed it up with the emissions and stupid shock suspension crap. The 461 is pretty much like the 460. If your set of a 44 I would look for an old one. We run a 044 and a 460 daily and they are hard to beat

[whitey]

I bought a replacement for my old Stihl parts were getting hard to find.
I bought the Husqvarna 460 Rancher with the 24" bar. the saw can run a little bigger bar with no issues. Nice and light. Love the saw the little bit I have used it.

[BigGoonTuna]

If the 441 was not a good replacement for the 044 

What about the 461?  Does anyone have an opinion on that saw?

the 461 is built nearly identically to the 460, except with a different piston/cylinder arrangement(stratified charge design, better emissions since it doesn't blow as much unburnt fuel out the exhaust).

the 441 was stihl's first attempt at meeting the stricter EPA regs that were coming down, and it's somewhat of a monstrosity.  the design was really complicated and has a lot of small parts that break.  they basically took everything that people liked about the 440 and did the opposite for the 441.  they were so disliked in this region that stihl brought back the 440 for a year or two, and i don't think that we sold a single 441 in that time span.  unfortunately they're a "dirty" saw and they discontinued production again.

the 441 is a decent firewood saw, but they're about as heavy as a 461, which is going to have more power anyway.

[horsehunter509]

372 husky

[Tenkara]

I just picked up a new 362 with 28'' bar and full wrap handle bar yesterday from madsens , I tested the same set up about a month ago and it worked great on the firewood.