even over here there is no truth about it ... just say as you please: I go for Shtiehl ... - many greetings from over the pond ... I am actually - if I may say so - very proud of you considering the PPE - most US folks don't ...
Great choice in a saw. I would however use the Echo red armor oil, it’s way better oil. The Stihl oil causes more smoke and unless you run at high rpm all the time it will carbon up pretty quick.
It’s a great saw, put your stihl mix oil on the shelf for the warranty (fill the saw up with it if you are taking it back for warranty) and do your self a favour and use good two stroke oil (Opti 1, Ams. Oil, Honda brand, Red Armour to name a few) at 45:1. Keep the chain sharp and the air cleaner serviced, use fresh fuel and that saw will last you a life time. Happy cutting👍
I agree with your premise that quality doesn’t cost, it pays. I have 3 Stihl saws. I have an MS 180 for my limping saw . I made a mount for it for one of my tractors. I have a Stihl MS 250 as my medium saw. I made a mount for it for another tractor that I use in my woods a lot. And lastly, I have a Stihl MS 391 that is my big saw. That w one gets transported around in the case from one wood hauling trailer to another. I have 4 wood haulers
I honestly do see that much of difference between the 261 and 391. Maybe little bit the weight difference is worth it. Your shoulders don’t get tired or hands
@@JohnsonT2724 the 391 is heavy, for sure. I had a 390 for years and it finally scored the piston. I was going to upgrade to pro at that point but decided at my age if the MS 391 lasted as long, that would be all O need for it to do. It cuts through some massive stuff I had a massive white oak go down in a storm several years ago. It was 40 inches across. My bar is 20 inches, so it took a lot of cutting to get through that one
Man please use red armor or even better get honda hp2 or royal purple hp2c and run it at 40:1 to protect the bottom end. Youll see its way better oil. Use the highest octane fuel you can get too. Great video though!
Great review! I recently had a big hickory that went down over my fence into the neighbors soybean field. I worked up what I could with my saws but that tree had so much stored energy that it was extremely dangerous to cut. I quit when it started getting sketchy I had a frequent who is a professional logger come and cut it to a safe point for me to handle it He brought a Stihl MS 261 and boy I was Super Impressed with it! That thing really eats !!!
Thanks for the comments! So far so good on the 261- And I agree, good call to bring in the profoessional help when things get sketchy not worth getting hurt.
Great Saw!! You chose well 👍 Great weight to power ratio and one of the best saws out there to learn on too. Enjoy the learning curve……oh, it’s also a very dependable saw too. If I may make a suggestion, get a second bar for it too……many folk’s always take along a second saw, for when you pinch a bar and get it stuck. With a second bar & chain, you can always remove the pinched bar, take away the power head, put on the second bar and chain. Then use it to free the pinched bar. 👍👏🇺🇸🇨🇦 Rick
Great tip, thanks for sharing! I am definitely new to chainsaws but was running it a bunch more today and getting used to it. It's so buttery and smooth and also very powerful. Good to know it's a dependable saw!
Excellence saw. I've had 261cm for 5 yes and it's been really good. We cut 120-150 cords of spruce a year and these saws just eat it up. Port the muffler for improved bottom end. Also very good on fuel.
Nice saw , should last you many years , just don't lend it out 🤓 . Learning how to sharpen the chain by hand filing is a good skill to have , a sharp chain is easier on you and the saw . I keep my old end of life chains so that if I want to remove a stump I excavate around the roots and cut them with the old chain , if it hits the dirt a bit it's no big deal . Same if I just want it a bit below ground level on small stumps , bore in at an angle then the same from the other side . I have a range of saws and among them is a battery top handle saw from Makita , very handy for those little jobs , I highly recommend getting a battery top handle , any brand that suits you and your budget .
Thanks for all the tips, very helpful! I have thought about getting the Milwaukee "Hatchet" which is battery powered, so if I do I'll definitely make a video comparing the two and when the battery one comes in handy.
Did you have an order for the dual battery M18 20" chainsaw? That's the one I'm looking at buying for acreage tree clean up. I borrowed my friends 16" M18 and it was super nice to use when you spent more time picking up the tree limbs then cutting.
I did not, I had an order for the single battery saw. The dual battery looks awesome, but at that point I thought it made sense to just to gas powered? I don't know- I still might get the hatchet, battery powered is super nice sometimes for sure. Thanks for sharing your experience with the 16" M18!
@@acreagestuff pretty wild. Here in the states the chainsaws are 1 year, doubled to 2 if you buy the oil. The bulk of their other 2 cycle equipment is 2 doubled to 4, if you buy their oil. I have several pieces of their stuff, including a pressure washer, which has a different warranty coverage as well.
If I could only have 1.. you would buy a 372xp Husqvarna! And about 3 bars of various lengths for certain jobs. But owning a climbing saw and a big boy saw just n case you ever have to cut from a bucket or lift. I use my lil 2511T to prun with. But all gas!!! Battery saws are not realistic.
Still breaking in my 261 (Shteel) I've called UK HQ many times and they all pronounce it the same (not one of them are English that i've spoken to🙂 ). I have a fleet of Stihl machines and have recently found a very good You tube channel called "married with small engines". That lady has a ton of knowledge. check it out.
Yes It goes without saying the gas is the way to go. 260 ones are great sauce I have much smaller saws and much bigger size but I do grab my 261 90% of the time
Ported 2511t is best all around saw for wood under 30 inches..for rear handle saws 400c 462 is what you nedd..also your wrong you need to recalibrate your saw in some circumstances..it depends ..i can help if you ever want it...i
Sure seems that way, but I am still tempted to try out a Milwaukee saw since I have all the batteries. Might be good for a few quick cuts here and there.
Get what you paid for. Now get good bucking pants and hardhat with screen and muffs, do not get bucking chaps, they are a hazard but better than nothing. The saw I brought over was the stihl 066, now this would be called a ms660, but they probably don't have that same model. Tldr: not sure what they call a saw like an 066 now, something around the 660 is my guess. Oops....jow I see you already bought chaps..! Well better than nothing.
First thing is don’t limit yourself to just one saw. Small top handle 35cc Midsize 0261 - 50-55cc Large 70cc to 90cc - depending on your wrenching skills could play used or Chinese saws. lol. Comparing a 066 a 90cc saw to 261 48cc is like comparing a Tacoma to F250 diesel pickup. The 261 is a great saw at ~12lbs vs the 066 at 20lbs.
@@untamedfeast was going off what you said and size of trees behind you..a 261 is ok..but not a all purpose saw..either get 400 c ported or 2511t ported or t540mk3 ported..the top handles do much more then what internet says..I started out with 1...only..and then later did a job for used 488 shindiawa..had 1 weedeater shindiawa 2 saws after few months used those for first year or 2 in buisness..can tell you story's for days the amount of work you can do with that ..homeowner tools are junk ..the 261 is kinda like the rest of 50cc saws thers no point unless you climb or have bucket truck...it's either 1 good 70cc or just use ported tophandle s. They will do 80 percent of most daily work..
@TimothySickles it's a chevy ford thing , my dad ran stihl as a log hone builder, so this did I. Husky is a good saw, but if youbhave a shop full of makita tools...you unlikely to starybo to ryobi or Milwaukee
I have 2 MS261's one mtronic one regular carb. I also have Husqvarna 550xp mk2. All 3 are nice saws looking forward to seeing your future videos on the MS261.
So is it pronounced "Stihl" or "Stihl"??
even over here there is no truth about it ... just say as you please: I go for Shtiehl ... - many greetings from over the pond ...
I am actually - if I may say so - very proud of you considering the PPE - most US folks don't ...
Depends on what part of the world your in
@@acreagestuff I think it's who sk varna😂😂😂.
Great choice in a saw. I would however use the Echo red armor oil, it’s way better oil. The Stihl oil causes more smoke and unless you run at high rpm all the time it will carbon up pretty quick.
Interesting- it’s funny though, the warranty gets cut in half if you don’t buy the Stihl oil so I have it anyways. Thanks for the comment!
Red Armor is my first choice. Most saws that I've worked on have lots of carbon buildup with the stihl oils.
@@acreagestuff you only have to buy a bottle at purchase, no one will know if you ever use it
Amsoil Saber is cheaper.
It’s a great saw, put your stihl mix oil on the shelf for the warranty (fill the saw up with it if you are taking it back for warranty) and do your self a favour and use good two stroke oil (Opti 1, Ams. Oil, Honda brand, Red Armour to name a few) at 45:1.
Keep the chain sharp and the air cleaner serviced, use fresh fuel and that saw will last you a life time.
Happy cutting👍
Thanks for all the tips! Loving the saw so far
I bought that saw several years ago without the automatic carburetor. I don’t use it that often but I love the power, and it’s light, an awesome saw!
Agree on all points! Thanks for sharing a comment :)
I like to buy things once as well. Hurts a little in the beginning but well worth it over time
Buy once cry once as they say!
Great choice ! Very reliable when kept clean and sharpened , you made a good choice 👍🏼
Thanks! I am stoked on it!
I agree with your premise that quality doesn’t cost, it pays.
I have 3 Stihl saws.
I have an MS 180 for my limping saw .
I made a mount for it for one of my tractors.
I have a Stihl MS 250 as my medium saw. I made a mount for it for another tractor that I use in my woods a lot.
And lastly, I have a Stihl MS 391 that is my big saw. That w one gets transported around in the case from one wood hauling trailer to another.
I have 4 wood haulers
I am thinking about getting a woodhauler too! Seems very useful-
When you say you made a "mount" is that just to carry it? Sounds cool.
I honestly do see that much of difference between the 261 and 391. Maybe little bit the weight difference is worth it. Your shoulders don’t get tired or hands
@@JohnsonT2724 the 391 is heavy, for sure.
I had a 390 for years and it finally scored the piston.
I was going to upgrade to pro at that point but decided at my age if the MS 391 lasted as long, that would be all O need for it to do.
It cuts through some massive stuff
I had a massive white oak go down in a storm several years ago.
It was 40 inches across.
My bar is 20 inches, so it took a lot of cutting to get through that one
Man please use red armor or even better get honda hp2 or royal purple hp2c and run it at 40:1 to protect the bottom end.
Youll see its way better oil.
Use the highest octane fuel you can get too.
Great video though!
Thanks for the suggestion! Totally makes sense, high quality fuel and oil will probably make a huge difference.
Great review!
I recently had a big hickory that went down over my fence into the neighbors soybean field.
I worked up what I could with my saws but that tree had so much stored energy that it was extremely dangerous to cut.
I quit when it started getting sketchy
I had a frequent who is a professional logger come and cut it to a safe point for me to handle it
He brought a Stihl MS 261 and boy I was Super Impressed with it!
That thing really eats !!!
Thanks for the comments! So far so good on the 261- And I agree, good call to bring in the profoessional help when things get sketchy not worth getting hurt.
Great Saw!! You chose well 👍 Great weight to power ratio and one of the best saws out there to learn on too. Enjoy the learning curve……oh, it’s also a very dependable saw too. If I may make a suggestion, get a second bar for it too……many folk’s always take along a second saw, for when you pinch a bar and get it stuck. With a second bar & chain, you can always remove the pinched bar, take away the power head, put on the second bar and chain. Then use it to free the pinched bar. 👍👏🇺🇸🇨🇦 Rick
Great tip, thanks for sharing! I am definitely new to chainsaws but was running it a bunch more today and getting used to it. It's so buttery and smooth and also very powerful. Good to know it's a dependable saw!
Excellence saw. I've had 261cm for 5 yes and it's been really good. We cut 120-150 cords of spruce a year and these saws just eat it up. Port the muffler for improved bottom end. Also very good on fuel.
That’s a lot of wood! Ya, I am not worried about this thing being able to cut all day it’s a powerful little beast.
My non electronic 261 runs like a top. However, it is super easy to flood when starting after a few hours of run time. Maybe cause its broken in now?
Could be for sure- the dealer in my area didn't even have the non-electronic one so hard to say!
What is your starting procedure when restarting your saw after a few hours use?
Few hours I mean total hours on the saw. Now I just stay out of the choke more than when the saw was new.
Handles the 20 inch bar just fine . Love my 261. I have used ms 391 but I still like the 261
Good to know on the 20".
I have 2 of the 261 m tronic saws ! Both are converted to 3/8 sprocket and chains !
Interesting! Why did you convert?
@@acreagestuff I also have a 362 ,and 400 m tronic ! Now all my saws use the same 20 inch bars and chains
Nice saw , should last you many years , just don't lend it out 🤓 . Learning how to sharpen the chain by hand filing is a good skill to have , a sharp chain is easier on you and the saw . I keep my old end of life chains so that if I want to remove a stump I excavate around the roots and cut them with the old chain , if it hits the dirt a bit it's no big deal . Same if I just want it a bit below ground level on small stumps , bore in at an angle then the same from the other side .
I have a range of saws and among them is a battery top handle saw from Makita , very handy for those little jobs , I highly recommend getting a battery top handle , any brand that suits you and your budget .
Thanks for all the tips, very helpful! I have thought about getting the Milwaukee "Hatchet" which is battery powered, so if I do I'll definitely make a video comparing the two and when the battery one comes in handy.
20 in bar and good chain it’s a beast
Interesting, I hear lots of people saying that! Does the extra 2" make that much of a difference?
Did you have an order for the dual battery M18 20" chainsaw? That's the one I'm looking at buying for acreage tree clean up. I borrowed my friends 16" M18 and it was super nice to use when you spent more time picking up the tree limbs then cutting.
I did not, I had an order for the single battery saw. The dual battery looks awesome, but at that point I thought it made sense to just to gas powered? I don't know- I still might get the hatchet, battery powered is super nice sometimes for sure. Thanks for sharing your experience with the 16" M18!
Interesting. Is the warranty longer in Canada?
I was told it's a 4 year warranty if you buy the Stihl oil...
@@acreagestuff pretty wild. Here in the states the chainsaws are 1 year, doubled to 2 if you buy the oil. The bulk of their other 2 cycle equipment is 2 doubled to 4, if you buy their oil. I have several pieces of their stuff, including a pressure washer, which has a different warranty coverage as well.
If I could only have 1.. you would buy a 372xp Husqvarna! And about 3 bars of various lengths for certain jobs. But owning a climbing saw and a big boy saw just n case you ever have to cut from a bucket or lift. I use my lil 2511T to prun with. But all gas!!! Battery saws are not realistic.
Still have my 1997 371XP and running quite strong with a 20 inches bar and square ground chain 😉
Very intersting, I'll have to try out a Husky one day. Thanks for the ccomment!
I 100% back the 372 as one saw only plan
Echo 590 w 18-24" bars
I'll have to try one!
Still breaking in my 261 (Shteel) I've called UK HQ many times and they all pronounce it the same (not one of them are English that i've spoken to🙂 ). I have a fleet of Stihl machines and have recently found a very good You tube channel called "married with small engines". That lady has a ton of knowledge. check it out.
I have seen @marriedwithsmallengines on my feed, definitely seems like an awesome and knowledgeable channel! thanks for sharing.
Stilh 261 C-M stats: 50.2cc, 0.325" chain, 10.8 lbs, 4 hp. I don't have one yet but am leaning toward buying one.
Thanks for sharing! I used it a bunch more today, and it's totally awesome. So buttery and easy to handle, yet very very powerful. No regrets.
Yes It goes without saying the gas is the way to go.
260 ones are great sauce I have much smaller saws and much bigger size but I do grab my 261 90% of the time
Loving the gas so far
I’d buy a ms 400
I am guessing that is quite a bit larger? So far so good with the 261, but I can totally understand why one would want something bigger.
Definitely would be a Husqvarna
Never tried one, but I may have to take a look if I get a second one.
I've got a 450. ❤ it. However my 590 Echo is closing in quickly
Ms 241 is smallest pro saw 4:18
Good to know!
But what about 201?
@@jakekp4739 201 is a top handle , they are talking about rear handle saws.
@@rickgrandstaff5647 how much cc’s and how much hp is this saw?
New subscriber here!
Awesome, thanks for being here!! Over 100 subs already WOW.
I have a 261c & a 500i; the 261c gets used 90% of the time.
Awesome to hear!
Ported 2511t is best all around saw for wood under 30 inches..for rear handle saws 400c 462 is what you nedd..also your wrong you need to recalibrate your saw in some circumstances..it depends ..i can help if you ever want it...i
I have a 2511 so you tell me you cut 30-in wood with a 12 or 14-in bar?😅
@@johnscroggins5981 yep
@@Sethhaun78 party on then Wayne
I will definitely try one one day, new to gas saws but so far loving this one! Thanks for sharing.
Another as good choice woul have been Stihl MS201
Sounds like a great saw! Thanks for sharing
Gas is the only way to go for a saw.
Sure seems that way, but I am still tempted to try out a Milwaukee saw since I have all the batteries. Might be good for a few quick cuts here and there.
Get what you paid for. Now get good bucking pants and hardhat with screen and muffs, do not get bucking chaps, they are a hazard but better than nothing. The saw I brought over was the stihl 066, now this would be called a ms660, but they probably don't have that same model. Tldr: not sure what they call a saw like an 066 now, something around the 660 is my guess. Oops....jow I see you already bought chaps..! Well better than nothing.
Got the hat and the shield! Your saw is a BEAST but this one will do pretty well I hope. Thanks for the comment!
First thing is don’t limit yourself to just one saw.
Small top handle 35cc
Midsize 0261 - 50-55cc
Large 70cc to 90cc - depending on your wrenching skills could play used or Chinese saws.
lol. Comparing a 066 a 90cc saw to 261 48cc is like comparing a Tacoma to F250 diesel pickup. The 261 is a great saw at ~12lbs vs the 066 at 20lbs.
It's a 661 .
Wrong saw..
@@Sethhaun78 what's the right one?
@@untamedfeast 2511t ported ,400c or 462
@@untamedfeast was going off what you said and size of trees behind you..a 261 is ok..but not a all purpose saw..either get 400 c ported or 2511t ported or t540mk3 ported..the top handles do much more then what internet says..I started out with 1...only..and then later did a job for used 488 shindiawa..had 1 weedeater shindiawa 2 saws after few months used those for first year or 2 in buisness..can tell you story's for days the amount of work you can do with that ..homeowner tools are junk ..the 261 is kinda like the rest of 50cc saws thers no point unless you climb or have bucket truck...it's either 1 good 70cc or just use ported tophandle s. They will do 80 percent of most daily work..
@Sethhaun78 walker saw shop makes them, was on the phone today with them.
@Sethhaun78 lotsbof decent saws out there. I LIKE A BIGGER SAW with smaller bar. My 066 has been cuttingscine 2015
Husky is better than a sthal
@TimothySickles it's a chevy ford thing , my dad ran stihl as a log hone builder, so this did I. Husky is a good saw, but if youbhave a shop full of makita tools...you unlikely to starybo to ryobi or Milwaukee
said no one ever
I'll definitely have to try one!
I have 2 MS261's one mtronic one regular carb. I also have Husqvarna 550xp mk2. All 3 are nice saws looking forward to seeing your future videos on the MS261.
No, Stihl is a little better than Husaky.