Best all round saw?

254sawguy · April 01, 2015, 08:10:44 PM

It would probably be mostly firewood cutting with my father hardwood mainly. How does a stihl 362 pro saw stack up they caught my eye

hackberry jake · April 01, 2015, 08:32:41 PM

This is my first "pro" series saw, so time will tell, but I like it so far. She cuts faster than my old 028 super for sure. I looked hard at the MS391 "farm and ranch" saw, but all the loggers around here told me that I wouldn't regret getting the pro saw.

4x4American · April 01, 2015, 08:42:00 PM

If you aren't using it day in/out a 391 is a fine saw. But, you will never regret a pro saw if you can afford it. I have nothing bad to say about the 362, it is the closest I think you'll get to an all around saw. You can slap a 25" bar on her and go to work. Personally, I run a 20" and think that is the best. I bought it with a 25" bar, but really a 70cc+ saw needs to be pulling a 24" + bar IMO.

beenthere · April 01, 2015, 08:58:42 PM

Quote from: 254sawguy on April 01, 2015, 08:10:44 PM
It would probably be mostly firewood cutting with my father hardwood mainly. How does a stihl 362 pro saw stack up they caught my eye

Don't think you would ever be sorry if you get a Stihl 362. I've had the older brother MS361 since 2004 and it has been a great saw..

SawTroll · April 01, 2015, 09:00:51 PM

Quote from: hackberry jake on April 01, 2015, 08:32:41 PM
This is my first "pro" series saw, so time will tell, but I like it so far. She cuts faster than my old 028 super for sure. I looked hard at the MS391 "farm and ranch" saw, but all the loggers around here told me that I wouldn't regret getting the pro saw.

"Farm & ranch" just means that it is a large "homeowner" saw in this case (MS391) - don't let the marketing fool you!

JohnG28 · April 01, 2015, 11:56:49 PM

Sort of, but the average homeowner probably doesn't need a 64cc saw either. They will stand up to that kind of work for a long while though, even if not a split crank case.

CTYank · April 02, 2015, 07:36:53 PM

Quote from: Spike60 on April 01, 2015, 11:05:32 AM
"all around saw" can mean different things to different people. For each individual, I think it would be the saw which best covers the range of cutting tasks that he encounters. Some people just don't want to mess with big wood, regardless of whether or not they have a saw that can handle it. So, bigger CC's and bigger bars may be of no importance to some guys. If you tend to stay in under 20" wood, then a decent 60cc saw like the 562/2260 will have the power to handle it and still; be plenty light enough for limbing and smaller wood.

But the practical reality is that the best "all around saw" is having more than one. It's just so nice to have a couple different size saws and be able to grab the ideal saw for whatever you are doing. Nobody goes to the golf course with just one club.

Note what Spike60 says. The two (or more) saw plan is the way, in a nutshell. Any saw that's close to optimum for felling/bucking a given size of tree will be dangerous, before long, for limbing.

Depending on the size tree I'm working on, I'll go for a 40cc/60cc plan (RedMax GZ4000/ Dolmar PS_6100) or 50cc/75cc plan (PP5020/Husqy 576XP). It's smart, and safe, to use the smallest saw possible for your current cutting.

For cutting up tops of deciduous trees, for both safety & productivity, I finally got a little Tanake 25cc polesaw. Highly recommended that you add a polesaw to the plan for big deciduous trees, especially open-grown trees. Can save a lot of headaches, literally.

John Mc · April 02, 2015, 08:46:31 PM

heck, if we keep this up long enough, Instead of recommending one general purpose saw, we'll have the OP building an addition to his garage to house his chainsaw collection.

4x4American · April 02, 2015, 09:07:13 PM

I took this today, 362, 361, and 360 here in the lineup. Have a lot of clearing to do at work. Mainly using these saws. 461 and 372 for the bigger stuff. 660/066 for the real big stuff. 045 and 056 mag II for fun.

4x4American · April 02, 2015, 09:08:58 PM

If you notice, the handle of my 362 there has more black than the other saws. That is because I put skateboard grip tape on the handle for grip. I have had it there for a few years. I like it alot, skateboard grip-tape is very durable and cheap.

mad murdock · April 04, 2015, 10:53:11 AM

Quote from: John Mc on April 02, 2015, 08:46:31 PM
heck, if we keep this up long enough, Instead of recommending one general purpose saw, we'll have the OP building an addition to his garage to house his chainsaw collection.

Nothing wrong with that either 8)

4x4American · April 04, 2015, 11:02:05 AM

First he'll have to get a sawmill to saw the lumber to build it though

John Mc · April 04, 2015, 12:12:19 PM

Wait... how is he going to get the logs to his sawmill? He's going to need a forwarder as well.

mad murdock · April 04, 2015, 03:01:46 PM

Well......he could just jump straight to a timber framed barn, hewn out by hand tools or an Alaskan MkIII on a 80-90 cc saw ;D thus forgoing the need to move heavy logs........ But I digress. If the OP wants to complement his first saw, a good 50cc saw would do nicely, if going for new, I would suggest an Echo or Dolmar. If he wants a classic tried and true and still good saw, IMO, go for a McCulloch 10-10A.

accidental forester · April 04, 2015, 05:06:01 PM

I'm working on our stand of relatively small Sitka (mostly 8 to 10", with 14" max). I got away with a 16" 40cc Active 41/41 for the first two years but then the Feb. 2014 storms brought down a lot of larger trees and the Active was struggling. Rather than kill the little saw, it was time for something bigger. I held out for the 362 and haven't been disappointed. It's a brute for what I'm doing and it's a little lighter than comparable saws which is an advantage as I quite often have to carry in both saws. The Active is a great little machine. The local saw shop recommended it and has been flawless. It's an Italian brand but the one I have says it's made by Husqvarna Japan. I always go back to it for limbing due to its lightness.

CCC4 · April 05, 2015, 01:43:08 AM

I think the best all around saw is the saw you carry, and the saw that you say, "This saw really feels good in my hands". It's the saw you love and it is the saw that is suitable to handle what you ask of it in a given situation.

Personally I like the 70cc to 90cc class saws. I like their weight due to you know you have something in your hand. I just bought a 661...my hair is blown back....I have production cut with 044, 046, 066, 461, 660. The 661 for me is gonna be really hard to beat. Ungodly smooth and strong power dawgged in mid cut...wicked tune on that saw!