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661 vs. 395XP

Started by Dave Shepard, March 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PM

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Dave Shepard

Just curious how they compare. My 395 has been a great saw. 661 was not available when I bought it. I know the 660 was not an 066, so I ruled that out right away. Just wondering if the 661 had caught up with the 25 year old Husky technology. (Spring suspension and air injecgion).
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

HolmenTree

It's actually about 28 years technology if you include the 394XP.

I never ran a MS661 but I do own several 066's since new and I just sold my 395XP that I bought new in 2010.
I can't  say my 395XP had any special advancements. I'll  trade any spring Anti vibe and air injection for just one side chain tensioner that Stihl invented back in the early 1980's.

I hated that 395XP with that  awkward old school front tensioner screw, not to mention the screws falling out and the weight and bulk of that thing.
Plus the old school separate choke and on off switch from the 1970's.

Stihl invented the master control switch in 1977 on the 042.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Dave Shepard

I hate the master control. It forces you to start he saw at full throttle. I never have to start my Husky saws at full throttle. Side tensioner would be nice, but it's not a deal breaker. 066s haven't been available in a long time. Takes them out of the equation, too. 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

starmac

Dumb question , but I'm sure you have a reason. What possessed you to buy the husky in 2010, if stihl had them beat since the 80's.

Around here it is probably real close to 50 50 split between the two used by professional loggers, I tend to think some of it is brand loyalty, but maybe even more is dealer loyalty.

I am just talking between husky and stihl, not 395 to 661, those are not real popular saws here.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

mad murdock

I will stick with the 395XP not a Stihl fan. I have run them in the woods full time, and I though they are good also, I just like the husky better. Been real dependable for me. I also am not a fan of the master control. Never have been a fan of that configuration. The flippy caps neither. My 395 has a dual port muffler and has plenty of power. 
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

HolmenTree

Quote from: Dave Shepard on March 02, 2018, 10:09:27 PM
I hate the master control. It forces you to start he saw at full throttle. I never have to start my Husky saws at full throttle. Side tensioner would be nice, but it's not a deal breaker. 066s haven't been available in a long time. Takes them out of the equation, too.



..............................................................
HolmenTree says:

Master control switches don't start at full throttle :D
Only half throttle.
Most of the new generation XP Husqvarna's have now copied Stihl's master control switch, laid back cylinders, side chain tensioners and thermal insulated rubber intake manifolds. Husqvarna even tried to copy the flippy caps but they just couldn't get it right.
Quote from: starmac on March 02, 2018, 10:37:00 PM
Dumb question , but I'm sure you have a reason. What possessed you to buy the husky in 2010, if stihl had them beat since the 80's.

Around here it is probably real close to 50 50 split between the two used by professional loggers, I tend to think some of it is brand loyalty, but maybe even more is dealer loyalty.

I am just talking between husky and stihl, not 395 to 661, those are not real popular saws here.

...............................................................
HolmenTree says:

Just dealer loyalty.
Since I started making a living with a saw, first I ran Jonsereds for 7 years,  Stihl for 26 years and for the last going on 11 years I ran Huskies with a MS261CM thrown in last year.

Since 2006 when I bought my first Husqvarna a new 372XP , I retired my Stihl's  . Reason was my major sponsor for my chainsaw competitions that I was a director and organizing for since the early 1990's became a Husqvarna dealer. And that dealer did 10 times more then what my old Stihl dealer sponsor did.
My competition events for our community winter festival was dying from the negativity,  lack of interest and funds of that Stihl dealer .

But in the last year my Husqvarna dealer dropped his Husqvarna  franchise because of turmoil over warranties and other poor dealer support along with an expensive ride on mower that got stolen during shipping and my dealer had to pay for it out of his own pocket...he never got a another mower for replacement from Husqvarna .

Anyways another business took over the Husqvarna franchise and is still sponsoring my event.  I have since last month put on another successful competition at the winter festival, but I am no longer the director and organizer.
Since moving to a new town 4 hour drive from my old one of 25 years, I donated my competition stage trailer and all the other equipment to the Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival in my old home town. The festival's board of directors have a new director who has replaced me.  All I do now is just go down every 3rd week of February weekend and help run the competition.
Effort well spent, our festival has been operating for a full 71 years.

Now back to Stihl saws. For the last 11 years I have bought many different models of Husqvarnas. I recently sold them all except for 2. I put my 066's back into service joining my MS261 and in the next few months I will be buying a couple of more new Stihl's............




Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Quote from: mad murdock on March 02, 2018, 11:08:50 PM
I will stick with the 395XP not a Stihl fan. I have run them in the woods full time, and I though they are good also, I just like the husky better. Been real dependable for me. I also am not a fan of the master control. Never have been a fan of that configuration. The flippy caps neither. My 395 has a dual port muffler and has plenty of power.
Well Murdock you better get used to the master control switches because all the new generation Husqvarna's have switched to them with more new models to come.
Even back in the day the Jonsereds like ths 630 670 920s had semi master control switches where the choke and fast idle were combined.
Husqvarna who had the same parent company as Jonsered  went another dozen years  before they took Jonsered's cue and combined the choke fast idle.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

mad murdock

I know you are in the know about these things more than most any other HT, I guess I will have to conform to what is available. Maybe I am too old fashioned. I wish that the 10 series McC's we're still available. Would love to have an SP81E or modern variant as my daily driver, but alas, that is but a dream as it will never be.  
Turbosawmill M6 (now M8) Warrior Ultra liteweight, Granberg Alaskan III, lots of saws-gas powered and human powered :D

Skeans1

I've got a few newer huskies with the master it's an easy to operate one vs Stihl plus it's not a wide open start after choke.

A 661, 660, 066 aren't in the same class as a 395 they're closer to a 390 but are heavier, harder on the hands, and more expensive. I'd choose a 395 if I know I'm pulling longer bars all day it's not that much heavier, it's has more torque, out board clutch, and that in board adjuster screw is nice for a 60" bar. 

weimedog

Was waiting for some one to point out the 'class" difference ( 661 = 390 class & 395/3120 for specific applications )
Control details usually aren't the absolute "buy vs. sell" issues to drive a person away from a preferred brand unless something else has happened to create a "riff". For a person just getting into the saw world those along with other factors such as dealer AND price can sway a decision. TO hammer that point....I like my clone 660's and will restore an OEM version simply because I like them more than anything else. But as always folks have their own blend of the emotional/logic. My favorite logger does everything with a Husqvarna 390. Everything. Period. Limbing,Felling, bucking...With a 24in long bar. I can argue to the end of time the merits of my favored 562's (And will try again with the 572's) but....when he gets out to where he's cutting its a 390xp he grabs. And up until a few years ago, that first "grab" for him was for a MS660. Took a few significant things to happen to change his direction. (none relative to the reliability OR performance of the 660's btw...) Me? I LIKE the inboard clutches on the 660's ( And some of the Husky's ) and can remember someone vigorously arguing the merits of an out board clutch for saws like the 562's..:) I like my 562's as well even though I'm not thrilled with its outboard clutch....back to point "1"....:)

( I like my 441 project saw too.....trying to understand all the "hate" for them..bottom line for me is just enjoy saws, all brands. And will go from one to the next on a whim vs. anything logical or some feature. Husqvarna 562's now the "favorite", McCulloch's tomorrow, back to the Stihl 441's this spring..)
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

weimedog

Quote from: Dave Shepard on March 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PM
Just curious how they compare. My 395 has been a great saw. 661 was not available when I bought it. I know the 660 was not an 066, so I ruled that out right away. Just wondering if the 661 had caught up with the 25 year old Husky technology. (Spring suspension and air injection).
In my most humble opinion...yes. But the 441c was close too, and thats been out for a while with its spring anti vib,  strato design, auto tune, AND last but not leasts a derivative of Jonsered's air injection..:) so you could argue Stihl had caught up years ago..LOL! I think a fun comparison is between the Husqvarna 576 and the Stihl 441c BTW...
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

Dave Shepard

I should have known better than to stir up the chainsaw trolls.  ::) I was just curious how they compared. Not interested in fighting or brand loyalty. I have great respect for both Stihl and Husky. In March 2014, the 395 was the only saw in that size with spring suspension and air injection. No spring suspension, not going to buy it. Husky's air filtration is also hard to beat. Probably a 100 tanks through this saw, never had to clean the air filter. 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Dave Shepard

I probably should have just asked for a comparison of the 660 and 661.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

ZeroJunk

I'm a saw mechanic if you use that term loosely enough. I have rebuilt 394's , 395's , 066's, MS660's. Haven't had a MS661 yet.
And, I have cut quite a bit with all of them before I sent them back to the owner.

I don't see anything better about one or the other to swing anybody's opinion.

It's a little like asking somebody what is the best whatever. And, what is the better whatever is which ever one they have.

ehp

I have owned both and ran both lots. Just me ok but I would take the 395 over the 661 . First off I feel the 395 is a better built saw , yes its older but if your making your living running a saw everyday then I want a saw that gives me less trouble and that will be the 395 . All these new saws are having trouble and just wait a couple years of running on them and see what all breaks and what it will cost to fix them. 395 is a pretty tried and true setup .

HolmenTree

Quote from: Dave Shepard on March 02, 2018, 08:32:19 PM
 Just wondering if the 661 had caught up with the 25 year old Husky technology. (Spring suspension and air injecgion).
Dave, I think if you make a comment be prepared for alot of answers Hahaha.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

HolmenTree

Quote from: Dave Shepard on March 03, 2018, 08:52:58 AM
Husky's air filtration is also hard to beat. Probably a 100 tanks through this saw, never had to clean the air filter.

Dave, if it got any easier you wouldn't even have to file your chain. :D
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

OH logger

I started logging with an 066 than got a 660. I bought the 066 tired and it finally blew up.  the 660 got stolen out of the back of my truck. that was one of the best days of my life. I switched to 395s and never been happier. the stihls side tensioner sucks in my opinion. the screw was always breakin for me and at that time you had to buy the whole kit ($25) for just the bolt. its prolly like $50 now. if I remember right there was also a rubber boot on the air intake at the carb that kept tearin if I got even a little rough with it tryin to get unstuck. never had any of those issues with the 395s and I ve done a lot of runnin em. the whole air intake system of the 395s beats the heck out of the contant cleaning of the stihl air filters >:(.  I couldn't agree with what ehp said more
john

HolmenTree

Here's a pic of my 2008 395XP a couple of weeks ago after I cleaned her up and sold it to a local logging contractor .

He didn't stop there he also bought my "new" '93 272XP too, along with my 36" Alaskan mill and 30 feet of rails. Now I have to teach him how to mill cants and lumber ;D

Last pic is my true workhorse, my 1994 Stihl 090AV.  For over 20 years she milled alot of lumber with those rails, some beams 32 feet long. She even had a gig for a few months cutting Kraft paper rolls up to 12 hours a day.
I restored the 090, but only thing I didn't finish was recover the top handle with new hose and put on a new hand guard.
I just sold and shipped her off yesterday .


 

 

 

Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Southside

@Dave Shepard just go with this model and put the whole chainsaw debate to rest once and for all.  

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starmac

I bet you got top dollar for that 090 too. I am basically a husky guy and don't have a use for that size saw, but those 090's were a force to be reckoned with.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

HolmenTree

Quote from: starmac on March 03, 2018, 10:01:09 PM
I bet you got top dollar for that 090 too. I am basically a husky guy and don't have a use for that size saw, but those 090's were a force to be reckoned with.
Yes those 090's were in a class all of their own. When you disable their governor they become another step up in performance.
I sold it with bars in  17", 36" and 60" with helper handle. Also 5 loops of Stihl 46RS, 46RSF and 46HM chain. Original owner's manual, brochure from Madsens, service manual , parts manual. Tools.
Making a living with a saw since age 16.

Spike60

Some of this stuff is really starting to get silly.  :D  I mean come on, to say that "Husky has now copied Stihl's master control" is a down right comical stretch of reality. The Husky control is completely different from the Stihl control. Other than the fact that each of them have one control on the saw, there is absolutely no similarity between them. And only the Husky control has the "return to on" feature.  :)

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Dave Shepard

Return to on. That's awesome. I always return to on with my saws manually. 
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

teakwood

return to on is a absolut must for me also, just grab the saw and pull the cord


The new MS462 has the "return to on" feature which is really nice. Every saw should have that feature
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

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