Husqvarna 592 xp vs Stihl 661

[Walnut Beast]

Deciding what one I'm going to get. From the videos I've watched the Husky smoked the 661

[sawguy21]

Is speed important? A properly sharpened chain makes a world of difference. Which one feels more comfortable? Is dealer support important? 

[Walnut Beast]

Good points Sawguy! 

[Gary Davis]

1) who has the best service 2) how much weight do you want to carry 3) how big of wood are you cutting  I went with the 500I because 1)there is only a stihl dealer near me 2) I didn't want any thing heaver then my 460 3) it has the power to run a 32in bar and cut 30 in plus logs with out bogging down
and still light enough to limb with.  what ever you get I hope it becomes your new favorite saw  

[BargeMonkey]

Ive got a 592 and 572 on order, kind of want to send them to Powers in Maine and get them done, I hear the 592 stock is a romping saw. 2 of my customers are Stihl dealers and even getting saws at cost I can't bring myself to do it 🤮🌈

[barbender]

Oh Barge, just stop it!😂

[sawguy21]

Stirring the pot. :D

[rusticretreater]

I guess we need to get them set up like battle bots and let them duke it out.  Sawzilla vs. SthilFellin.

[BargeMonkey]

Oh Barge, just stop it!😂

You wanna watch these guys running Stihl saws... 🤦‍♂️😆🌈 


 

[barbender]

😂😂😂😂

[air1514]

I wouldnt bother with either one. Just get a 500i and you'll not regret it. Been using one for over a year to cut 4500 ft a day and love it.   I spend the rest of the day skidding and loading and hauling.  

[so il logger]

I had opportunity of running a 592 18 months or so back, a rep brought one out. To be fair my thoughts of the saw was probably disadvantaged because i had just sat down my ported and properly filed 395 and picked the stock 592 with a unimpressive chain on it up. 28" in hardwood i was not impressed, the power felt very similiar to stock 661 power. I got awesome stihl support here, and the husky dealers are a joke at best. So the 500i and lately a 661 in big wood gets my vote. Both ported of course, already carrying the weight so it may as well be as productive as possible

[Dave Shepard]

500i guys spend all their time trying to keep their air filters clean. Never have to touch the 395xp. Don't know about the 592. I'd like to try one. 

[so il logger]

Most would agree that an ms660 is a very tough saw. However the air filters was the worst i ever ran for packing with fines. It did not take away from the saw however. 500i air filter is better than 660, the sealing surface fits tighter and lets minimal fines past. 395 filtration is superior to any other saw i have ran for extended periods. But the 500i is not that shabby. I have tons of hours on them

[Dave Shepard]

For a saw that was essentially introduced over 30 years ago as the 394, it has held its own. The spring suspension and air filtration was many years ahead of the competition. As good as the 046, 066 etc. and successors were, I could never tolerate the spongy rubber mounts.

[so il logger]

Nobody is arguing the longevity of a 395. A 592 is not a 395 however. And spongy and rubber mount stihls do not coincide, most guys call spring mounts spongey. I prefer springs but in a color scheme that knows how to keep bolts from falling out...  ;D

[barbender]

Uh oh, shots fired!😂

[Dave Shepard]

By longevity I meant that the design has endured for a long time basically unchanged. I don't have a lot of experience with any spring mounted Stihl saws, but I know that running the rubber mounted ones even briefly will kill my hands, as will my old Husky 66. My 395 has two of its four recoil housing bolts. Works just fine. :D

[Plankton]

Buddy of mine has a 500i almost converted me from being a husky fan lol its a ripper for the weight.

A note on husky screws they fall out all the time but I would put some screws back in your recoil cover. I've been lazy and run them like that and it ends up fatiguing the cover and snapping it eventually.

[Walnut Beast]

Ive got a 592 and 572 on order, kind of want to send them to Powers in Maine and get them done, I hear the 592 stock is a romping saw. 2 of my customers are Stihl dealers and even getting saws at cost I can't bring myself to do it 🤮🌈

Did you get them yet! If so how do you like the 592! 

[BargeMonkey]

Ive got a 592 and 572 on order, kind of want to send them to Powers in Maine and get them done, I hear the 592 stock is a romping saw. 2 of my customers are Stihl dealers and even getting saws at cost I can't bring myself to do it 🤮🌈

Did you get them yet! If so how do you like the 592!

Nope. I got impatient waiting and got 2x 372s. Asked Adam the other day and he has no 585s, 390s or 592s and the line is getting long again. I'm barely cutting enough wood now to qualify for weekend warrior status on here, live vicariously thru Ed anymore 🤦‍♂️😆 

[ehp]

wrong color Barge, stay with your 372's if you can find any or go to the dark side and run a 462 arctic or a 500

[ehp]

If your living threw me then you must be pretty dam bored , your the one with the exciting life , my life is pretty boring right now other than I'm sweating pretty good right now and I have not even went out side yet  ;D

[Walnut Beast]

I had opportunity of running a 592 18 months or so back, a rep brought one out. To be fair my thoughts of the saw was probably disadvantaged because i had just sat down my ported and properly filed 395 and picked the stock 592 with a unimpressive chain on it up. 28" in hardwood i was not impressed, the power felt very similiar to stock 661 power. I got awesome stihl support here, and the husky dealers are a joke at best. So the 500i and lately a 661 in big wood gets my vote. Both ported of course, already carrying the weight so it may as well be as productive as possible

For a guy wearing a Stihl hat he thinks it has more power than the 661.
https://youtu.be/N2vvoBr9ZKo

[ehp]

Most likely it does but can you keep it running . I bought 3 and sold all 3 without taking the last 2 even out of the box . I will stay with what I know works and runs everyday 

[Walnut Beast]

Ehp are you running a 661. Do you have a 500 ? Still trying to decide between a Husky 592, 500, 661 and 881. Have some big walnut on the hit list. Looking for a all in one saw that's my go to. I've cut some big walnut with my Husky 371 with the 28" bar that I really like and I don't even use the smaller Husky 55. The 500 everyone loves but if your getting into big wood what would everybody grab that has both. I'm not worried about manhandling the 881 and the flexibility of some bigger bars but I'm wondering if it would get to clumsy compared to the others. The guys that have the 880/881 your thoughts as well as all others

[customsawyer]

I don't own a 880/881 but I have ran a couple of other guys. I feel like my 660 will cut faster as it seems to have higher RPMs. I have no doubt that it has its place in certain jobs in the big timber of the PNW but that would be the only place that I could see it needed. My 660 with a 48" bar will cut anything I come across.

[teakwood]

You definitively don't want a 880 for you go to saw. they are tiering, and that was back in my 20's. they good for CSM but for freehanding you need to be a beast to work the whole day with one

[Bostonstrong]

For what's it worth.....
New member here and new to milling with a bandsaw mill.  But, have run both Stihl and Husqvarna professionally and recreationally for decades.  Now retired and happy to toss in a few cents.  Both have made great saws and not so great ones.  
Generally, I prefer saws with manually adjustable carbs.  Why?  I am old school and prefer to manipulate my own settings based on chain type, wood species, temperature, etc.  I have had too many experiences with computer controlled saws not adjusting properly for the conditions.  (You can still get a 661 with manual carb.  The 585 Husky is manually adjustable but has a design defect with the upper dog bolt mount breaking).  The 661, depending on the DOM has had hot start issues. 
I ran a 592 and loved the feel/ergonomics.  But, it, like about 20% of the 592's (per dealer feedback) has a factory defect of a kinked pulse line due to the line being too long (easy fix, nipping off a bit of it to prevent the kink).  It just felt better to me from a manipulation standpoint than a 661.  
At the end of the day, it boils down to comfort level in use and chain condition.  I have seen countless situations (keep in mind I am referring to work saws, not loud and fancy cookie cutters) where rakers were not properly maintained, poor filing technique (or grinding), and the operator always said it was the saw. If I was buying right now, and looking for a work saw at that power level, I would lean toward the Huskys for comfort/ergonomics. 

[Walnut Beast]

Welcome! Thanks for the feedback! And you other guys! Decisions! Calling around today.  One of Stihl dealer has all three models in stock I'm looking at. The Husky dealer doesn't have the 592 in stock but called back and can get it in about 3 or 4 days 

[Woodfarmer]

500i guys spend all their time trying to keep their air filters clean. Never have to touch the 395xp. Don't know about the 592. I'd like to try one.

All lies, I don't even touch my filter. 
I was so impressed with the 500, I sold off my 066 and ported 046&460. 
I now have 3.
Cut 4' maple with a 32" bar no issues, no filter problems either.

 

 

 
<brut 

So as you can see, lots of sawdust but nothing gets through to the carb throat

[ehp]

I'm lucky to tap my filter out on my 500i once a week and its never dirty , If your chain is sharp your filter does not get dirty , I have owned alot of saws in my days playing with them, If I could only take one home to use out of a 592  or the 661 and the 500i  it would not even be a question as it would be the 500i , Or to put it another way if I could only get a 592 or 661 at a saw shop I would go to a different saw shop , now thats just me , I'm sure you will find some guys that love them but I do not

[ehp]

Sorry WB I did not see your post , I have owned 661's and they were ok but I like the 462 or 500i alot better for falling timber and bucking up . I have used up to a 36 inch bar setup cutting walnut on my 500i but that tree needs to be very big for me to run that long of a bar , Most times I use a 28 inch bar setup on bigger walnut so tree needs to be around 60 inches in diameter . Walnut is quite soft so you donot need a ton of power but if your 371 is doing a good job then a 500i will do a great job with very little weight difference as it has quite abit more power than your 371 , As far as the big saws goes in 99% of the cases its just for show , A 880 or 881 or 3120 running .404 chain is going to cut slower than a 500i using 3/8 chain, weigh alot more , cost alot more and sit in the back of your truck cause its a pain to use . My back tells me I donot need to run a big saw , I get paid by what I produce not how I look and at the end of the week I prefer the smaller lighter saws as I cut every bit as much volume of timber per week and I'm not worn out as bad 

[barbender]

 I've barely used, the barely used 500i I bought about a month ago. The muffler isn't even purple yet😁 But I do really like the way it feels in the hands, and it sounds like my old Ski-Doo MX-Zx race sled. It accelerates really fast, and has a deep throaty intake sound. Unfortunately, I haven't even buried the bar yet (and it only has a 20" on it). It does not feel like an 80cc saw weight wise at all. All of that said, I can see this saw becoming my go to.

[Walnut Beast]

Ehp appreciate the in depth feedback!!!

[Dave Shepard]

Guys at work have the 500, and love them, but yes, the air filter is an issue if you are used to the Huskies from the last 30 years.

[ehp]

The only issue that I can see with the 500i is if you are falling timber in deep soft snow where your going to have the power head down below the snow level . Where I cut now we normally donot get that depth of snow but up north does and I'm sure the filter would plug in seconds like the 660 or 460 did so you had to put a winter kit on saw to stop the snow getting to the filter

[Bostonstrong]

I have run a 500i when I was still working and they just came out.  The dealer gave me one to sample.  I never had any air filter issues.  The guys still running them daily in tree service have had only one general complaint, and that is less durable plastics, particularly the filter cover.  A few have told me the cover occasionally loosens and comes off during use.  Other than that, in my realm it gets really high marks. 

[ehp]

I got 5 of the 500i and zero problems , 

[Walnut Beast]

I value everybody's opinions and feedback. I've decided to get the 500. Even know I haven't run that saw the power to weigh ratio seems like there is nothing that can touch it. Plan on running the 28" bar and more than likely later get the 592 with a 32" bar. That saw is one full horsepower but two pounds heavier than the 500 and the 881 is about 6 pounds heavier than the 592 but one hp less. 

[Walnut Beast]

Ehp are the springs on the 500 just fine with a 32" bar. Thanks. 

[ehp]

I have had no problems but then again I never seem to.. I treat my saws very well where I have seen guys pulls their saws in half  but blame the saw company .   The newer saws are alot nicer to run than the older saws to me . Easy on your back and hands .  

[ehp]

But you will need to run the lightest weight bars you can get to help stop the saw from being nose heavy .  But you must be cutting huge stuff to need a 32 inch bar setup .  I cut from both sides and make sure I bore the guts out of the tree so no stump pull 

[BargeMonkey]

I think it's going in a bigger box before it makes its trip to Costa Rica on Monday.

[ehp]

He will love it , run her like you stole it lol

[Skeans1]

Ehp are the springs on the 500 just fine with a 32" bar. Thanks.

Been running them for two years with 32's and 36's the springs are so so, I don't rip on the saws either. When you flip the saw on its side with a light weight 32 it will nose down some. The filter could be better in the older Doug fir we see the dust bypass on even the husky filters but it's nothing like the Stihl filter.

[Dave Shepard]

Ran a 500i today. Nice saw. A lot of out of position cutting on crane picks, so a light saw was nice. For logging and firewood, I'll stay with my 395XP. 

[Walnut Beast]

90cc shootout! Power and torque. Old school vs new school 

 

https://youtu.be/SyX7uDPkjCU

[Walnut Beast]

When it comes to power to weight ratio there is nothing in stock form that can touch a Stihl 500 in its class and  Husqvarna 592 

[Dave Shepard]

What is the power to weight on the 500i? I'm surprised by the 592, Husky tends to run heavy. I guess they wanted to correct that.

[ehp]

I have owned all of them. I would take a 395 over the 592 hands down. Yep it's heavier but the dyno is not showing the true numbers . I have owned alot of the 395s in my days and have cut timber with them but I'm just to old to carry that weight around all day . We are a very select cut here so lots of times your 50 to 75 yds to your next tree so alot of walking 

[teakwood]

I think it's going in a bigger box before it makes its trip to Costa Rica on Monday.

I'm exited to say the least!! and also a little concerned, although i never had any problems with any of my stihl saws i hope it's not a lemon or i will be the only one with a 500i boat anchor in CR.  

The 361 i'm using has come to it's limit in 18" teaktrees. already have two 20" light bars here the 500i will use

[Walnut Beast]

I bet your excited 💪! Maybe I should wait till you see if it's a lemon before I get mine 😂. 

[teakwood]

don't be afraid. 99% you hear only good reviews over the 500i and everybody loves it, but the 1% does also exist.
you can get it back under warranty to your dealer, i would have an excuse to visit barge in NY to bring the saw in. no risk no success in life