Which Stihl Chainsaw to Buy?

[Chris]

I am purchasing a new Stihl chainsaw. It will be for personal use. I cut approximately 10 -12 cords of fir and alder a year. I can buy a new 440 for $850 or a new 660 for $800. The 660 is 1.5 HP bigger and $50 cheaper, but it is also about 3 lbs heavier. The added power and $50 cheaper is great, but it may get heavy quickly. In the past I have cut with smaller Stihl's. Of those two, which would you buy, and why? Thanks

[flinger]

After a few cords ya won't even notice the difference

[hunter-4-life]

My father in law  bought a new stihl 440 magnum and it cuts great. I would recommend that only because I have cut for several hours with it. I wouldn't worry about the difference in Hp because when you are already running that much power you can't really tell. I believe his has a 70.5cc motor.

[luckyman]

Do they still make a 440?
I went looking to buy one a few years back and they had a 441. I was told it was the new model in that size. Any how I bought it and have been real happy with it.

[Birdguy]

I love my 044mag, had it for years great saw with lots of power. I cut fir and hemlock (crap) with it and it is awesome. I cannot speak for the 660 but it might be cool to have one, that's a lot of power  . Either one will certainly rip through most alder like nothing, I wonder why the bigger saw would be cheaper...less demand being so heavy .

[BigGoonTuna]

stihl never quit making the 440, but had to take it off the market to be able to keep the 660 on the shelves, due to some EPA carbon credit baloney.  they brought it back last june, my theory is they earned enough credits by bringing their battery powered stuff out that they could start selling them again.

are the prices quoted with a bar and chain?  if they're just powerheads you should be under $800 for the 440(if you're buying from the right saw shop), but the 660 is a steal either way(if it's brand new).

the 440 is a sweet all-around saw if you have the money for it and actually need something with that much power.  they weigh a hair more than the 290 and will pull a 32" bar in our softwoods without any trouble.  the 660 is great if you need the power but the extra weight is a dealbreaker, i wouldn't buy one unless i had a lot of big wood to cut, or got it for cheap.

that said, my 026 gets tossed in the truck for the majority of my firewood cutting.  it's got great power for its size, and handles everything with the big stuff just fine.  if i need the reach or the extra power, i grab the 440 with a 28" bar.

[The Weazle]

I would go for the 660.  There is no replacement for displacement!!!  That pound and a half diff wont be noticable once you are used to it.  I have a Stihl 028 super, and a Husqvarna 359, but I want a 440 or a 660 bad.  I dont "need" one though, I just cut firewood.  If you're getting that deal though, get the 660 and sell it for more than you bought it for brand new, and then buy the 440 and keep the difference!!!

[whacker1]

What size bar do you intend to run?

[Smokepole]

Well I been running a 290 & an old 032 with 20" bars.  Both great saws for cutting alders and smaller maples.  At my age, weight is a big issue if I run it more than 2 or 3 hours.  I keep my saws sharpened every tank of fuel, and they eat up the wood.  These saws aren't hot rods, but they sure have been dependable.

[rasbo]

huskie fan here,the anti vibration for your hands is top knotch..that being said,A longer bar and power would be my concern for cutting firewood..being Broken and and aging, not being bent over as much with a longer bar will do wonders for your back later...I have a 20inch on my saw,an extra 6 or 8 inch bar is way more comfortable..

[whacker1]

I run a 32 inch bar on my 044.  I would suggest you be looking at 28 or 32 inch bar on these bigger saws.  If you run a 20 or 24, you will feel all that extra weight in the power head.

[boneaddict]

Not sure what the new numbers are....kinda like cameras.   In the day, I fell a crap load of trees with an 038 Super.   Must have the super on it.   But th 44 was one hell of a chainsaw.  Its what I graduated too.   I fell some gigantic stuff with it.   I only used the 66 with a 72 inch bar I think it was for old growth.   That was a tank.   The 44 would be easier to get around with and will cut just about anything you'll ever cut.

[BigD]

I have an 044-32", 310-"24 and a smaller (not sure of the model) that's "16. The 044 is a very nice saw and should do everything you want for firewood.

[bullcanyon]

You won't find much wood that you'd need that 66 for. I use my 44 more often than the 66. Your shoulders will thank you for buying the 440.

[grundy53]

440

[jaymark6655]

Not sure what the new numbers are....kinda like cameras.   In the day, I fell a crap load of trees with an 038 Super.   Must have the super on it.   But th 44 was one hell of a chainsaw.  Its what I graduated too.   I fell some gigantic stuff with it.   I only used the 66 with a 72 inch bar I think it was for old growth.   That was a tank.   The 44 would be easier to get around with and will cut just about anything you'll ever cut.

I think they took the 44 and just tacked a 0 at the end. So the old 038 is now the new 380.    At least it seemed that way when I was looking at saws.
Can't make a recommendation really since I have only used the 271 and 290 (only cut 1 chord last year, trying to get up to 5 this year).

[biggdogg]

I've owned both saws the 440 didn't last but a couple years, from day one I have lots of carb problems, rebuild 3 times with not even 10 hours on the saw. I got tired of dealing with and traded it in on a stihl 460, after getting that saw the husky 390 and the stihl 660 r my back up saws. The 460 is a heck of a lot lighter and still has plenty enough power for what u need. The biggest trees I have cut with my 460 have been 4 foot douglas firs with out a problem, I would reccomend for what your doing a 26 in bar you won't believe the chain speed difference from 32in bar. But the good thing about a bigger bar is you don't have to bend over as far, and a 460 will push the 32 in bar really good as the 440 had some trouble, and 660 will run whatever bar u put on it.

[BigGoonTuna]

the 038 is actually still in production in brazil, it was renamed the ms380, now it's the ms381.  overall it's still the same saw as an 038 mag II.  hell, the 051, 070, and 076 are still made down there too, but you won't find any of those saws up here(EPA and safety regulation type stuff).  the 381 is sort of the "farm boss" in other countries like australia.

biggdogg, if you had 3 carb rebuilds done on a new 440, your dealer should have replaced the carb.  i've been seeing a lot of them lately with issues that a rebuild kit won't fix(leaking main nozzle, makes the saw act like it's sucking air).  it sure as heck isn't a problem with the 440's design - the 460 is almost exactly the same, just with 5 more CCs.  they even have the same carburetors(and so does the husky 372, albeit with different linkage...).

i still say the 660 is too much for firewood cutting.  you're damn sure going to notice that extra couple pounds when cutting.  if all out power is what everyone needed, you wouldn't see the majority of the timber fallers here using 460s instead of 660s.

[cwuwildcat]

On a slight side note, chains for the Stihl are buy one, get one free.  At least that was the deal at Washington Tractor in Sumner an hour ago.  Went in to buy one to strap on the bar while the original was being sharpened, they said they were having a sale.  Not sure if thats at all Stihl dealers or just the one in Sumner.  Not a bad deal.

[rasbo]

On a slight side note, chains for the Stihl are buy one, get one free.  At least that was the deal at Washington Tractor in Sumner an hour ago.  Went in to buy one to strap on the bar while the original was being sharpened, they said they were having a sale.  Not sure if thats at all Stihl dealers or just the one in Sumner.  Not a bad deal.

still the same for all the saws there,huskie or stihl

[cwuwildcat]

On a slight side note, chains for the Stihl are buy one, get one free.  At least that was the deal at Washington Tractor in Sumner an hour ago.  Went in to buy one to strap on the bar while the original was being sharpened, they said they were having a sale.  Not sure if thats at all Stihl dealers or just the one in Sumner.  Not a bad deal.

still the same for all the saws there,huskie or stihl

I'm not sure.  I didn't see any signs or anything advertising it.  I was about two feet inside the door when a guy that looks like the big boss told me about it.  The tightass in me got excited about a twofer.

[rasbo]

On a slight side note, chains for the Stihl are buy one, get one free.  At least that was the deal at Washington Tractor in Sumner an hour ago.  Went in to buy one to strap on the bar while the original was being sharpened, they said they were having a sale.  Not sure if thats at all Stihl dealers or just the one in Sumner.  Not a bad deal.

still the same for all the saws there,huskie or stihl

I'm not sure.  I didn't see any signs or anything advertising it.  I was about two feet inside the door when a guy that looks like the big boss told me about it.  The tightass in me got excited about a twofer.

sumner lawn and saw Im talking about just in case Im being misunderstood..

[Chris]

Thanks for the responses. Both prices include bars. The 660 will have 20 minutes run time on it. That is why it is the price it is. I will be running a 26 inch bar being that I am so low to the ground. I think I will go with the 440. Thanks again!

[biggdogg]

I have worked in around logging for the last 12 years, and suped up 46's have been the choice of saw by most fallers. Where we log we do probably the most logging in the pacific northwest. So your telling me a 44 with a 32 inch bar is not much difference then a 46 with a 32 inch bar?? I see a big difference but what do I know I only cut 150 cords of firewood a year. I think the wood on the west side is a little bit different then the wood on our reservation, that's what I've been told. There is a lot of ash in our wood from st helens really sucks trying to keep a chain sharp. Do you do chainsaw modifications if you do I would be interested in getting the most power I can out of my next saw. It's nice in our forest we don't have any chainsaw restrictions we can pretty much run a saw that has been ported so much you might as well take muffler plate off maybe that's the difference for me.

[Doublelunger]

I would only go for the 660 if your planning on falling/bucking a lot of tress's that are 45"-50" dbh (diameter at breast height) or bigger. The 440 can easily handle a 28 or 32 inch bar.  I know where I cut wood you're not allowed to cut anything over 28 or 30 which is still a pretty good size tree.  If you're just cutting firewood the 440 in my opinion is actually the perfect choice. Sometimes bigger isn't better.

[Whitpirate]

If you are near Chehalis go to Madsens Saw Shop.  I bought a tuned 46 that has done 200 cord or so in 10 Yeats with a spark plug and filters.

[biggdogg]

I bought a power tuned husky 390 from madsen's was pretty satisfied with the work, it was my favorite saw until someone decided to break into my garage only got to cut 20 cords with it. That was a waste of 1100 dollars, let's look at it this way some crack head got his fix for a couple days.

[TheHunt]

http://www.stihlusa.com/chainsaws/professional.html

You can look at the link and see the weight differences and power.

[300winmag]

If you are going to just cut firewood all you need is the 44.I have been a timber faller for 20 years and the 66 with a 20 inch bar will kick back hard if your not ready for that it could be ugly. We mostly run pumped up 46s with 30 inch bars and they will handle pretty much anything we get into. We dont pull out the 66s unless the timber is 4ft or bigger . just thought i would putin my 

[TheHunt]

44 with a 32 inch bar
46 with a 32 inch bar

One has a little more power then the other... 

Look at the weight of the saw...  30-32 inch bar and how much power you get with the sizes you like. 

I like the longer bar because of the sized wood I come acroos and the long butt ends that are cut can be handled with that saw without jumping onthe other side of the to finish the cut.  I do not like to hunker over to cut fire wood if you buy a saw with a 16 to 20 inch bar.  BUT a shorter bar is less dangerous then a bigger bar.

[TwoSixFourWins]

How big is the firewood you plan to cut? If this is an occasional use saw why not get something smaller and lighter? Like a 361? I have a 211, 360, and a 441. 360 I run a 16 inch bar with no power issues and have done a lot of cutting with that size saw. The 441 I run a 16" full comp chain or a 25" semi-skip chain. Same amount of teeth on both chains so no power loss from the bigger bar. Have run the 066 size with a 36" bar and that gets kinda heavy after a day of bucking. For me if I am just felling and topping I'll take a bigger saw but for bending over and bucking and limbing a lighter saw really saves on the back. 

[splitshot]

on the small side ,i have a 192, 230, 250 and a 391, all stihls.    first of all i am 71 years old and cut up to 20 cords a year.  i always go light.  let the splitter do the work.  most of what i get will be apple or cherry trees.    i do pickup up some big maple, elm,  or locust.  am having a time keeping my saws running.  we dont have a good fixer in town(othello) of saws.  mike w

[summit creek]

I am purchasing a new Stihl chainsaw. It will be for personal use. I cut approximately 10 -12 cords of fir and alder a year. I can buy a new 440 for $850 or a new 660 for $800. The 660 is 1.5 HP bigger and $50 cheaper, but it is also about 3 lbs heavier. The added power and $50 cheaper is great, but it may get heavy quickly. In the past I have cut with smaller Stihl's. Of those two, which would you buy, and why? Thanks

440 should be fine unless your cuting 4foot or bigger wood witch i dout

[summit creek]

I am purchasing a new Stihl chainsaw. It will be for personal use. I cut approximately 10 -12 cords of fir and alder a year. I can buy a new 440 for $850 or a new 660 for $800. The 660 is 1.5 HP bigger and $50 cheaper, but it is also about 3 lbs heavier. The added power and $50 cheaper is great, but it may get heavy quickly. In the past I have cut with smaller Stihl's. Of those two, which would you buy, and why? Thanks

how soon do you need your saw if you can wait till august woods logging donates 660 and 440 to the stock saw competition at the morton loggers jubilee they have about a half tank of gas thru them and are sold after the show about a 100 dollars off thats were i bought my 660 if you call jack perkins at woods logging in longview you might be able to put down a hundred dollars and pick up your saw after the show its a good deal if you can wait

[splitshot]

go small not big .  if you are over 50  get a 250 or smaller.  the trees are getting smaller.  why get a big bruiser that will hurt you when you can get a little bruiser that can hurt you?  do you want to cut wood or show everone you are a big bruiser?  no offense but if the stuf is 18 inches or smaller why have a big bruiser?  mike w

[deleted BGS]

I got me a new ms 361 and love it. I cut 30 cords last year and sent a couple trucks off to the mill, so much power and pretty light. Good pro saw with a 24 and 28 in bar. Im trying to find a slightly used ms 362 as well as a backup

[splitshot]

go lite. get a 250 stihl and cut much wood.  if you are over 50 why hurt your self with a big muther.  mike w

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

The 361 runs high rpm great saw for fire wood.  The 440 is preferred by me over the 441 the body on the 441 is bulky and it doesn't have the rpm that the 361 has.  The 660 is only for the big stuff.  Unless you put a small bar on it     I loved running the 880 with the 54" bar on it at least after I got my cut started